The White Horse Temple (白馬寺, Baima Si) is widely regarded as the first Buddhist temple in China and marks the official introduction of Buddhism into the country. Founded in AD 68 during the Eastern Han dynasty under Emperor Ming, the temple commemorates the arrival of two Indian Buddhist monks, Kāśyapa Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna (Zhu Falan), who traveled to Luoyang carrying Buddhist scriptures and sacred images on the backs of white horses. Flanking the entrance are two beautifully carved, life-sized stone horses dating back to the Song Dynasty. They commemorate the legend of the two white horses that carried the first Buddhist sutras and two Indian monks from India to China