the eight Heian-era monks who studied in Tang China
Historical term referring to eight specific Japanese Buddhist monks who traveled to Tang China in the early Heian period: Saichō, Kūkai, Jōgyō, Engyō, Ennin, Enchin, Eun, and Shūei. Often encountered in discussions of Japanese Buddhist history.
See also: 八家
The Nittō Hakke refers to the eight monks who traveled to Tang China in the early Heian period.
八家 can refer to the same eight monks (sense 2) but is a broader term that can also refer to other groups of eight houses or schools.
Formed from 入唐, “going to Tang China,” and 八家, “eight eminent masters.” It designates the eight Japanese Buddhist monks who traveled to Tang China during the early Heian period.