In the aftermath of the An Lüshan 安禄山 rebellion (755-763), Bukong 不空 was able to rise to a position of influence within the Buddhist circles of Chang’an 長安 through the support of the eunuchs, the imperial army they command and Sogdians who had connection with them. A group which played most important role among Sogdians were military commanders stationed in Liangzhou 涼州. Before the rebellion, they were under Hexi Longyou jiedushi 河西・隴右節度使 Geshu Han 哥舒翰’s command. Geshu han invited Bukong to Liangzhou to preside over a ceremony baptizing of the commanders in the name of Buddha; then, after the rebellion broke out, they left Liangzhou, and proceeded to ally themselves with a group of eunuch-led imperial regiments in Chang’an, where they lent support to Bukong’s religious activities. One reason for the alliance lay in the ambitions of the eunuchs to gain the military ascendancy and establish their political influence at the Tang Dynasty court. One part of this effort included the enlistment of accomplished cavalrymen, including Sogdians, in pacifying the rebellion. Meanwhile Bukong ordained several Sogdians and organized them into a Buddhist circle under his tutelage, while maintaining his connections with the eunuch-led imperial army forces One of Bukong’s disciples, Shi Yuancong 史元琮, a commander who was based in Liangzhou, was appointed to the office of gongdeshi 功徳使, which gave him command of both the imperial army and the Buddhist temples. Luo Fumo 羅伏磨, a general in the imperial army from Liangzhou, was also ordained by Bukong, showing that his entourage moved freely between military service and monastic life. In this way, both eunuch-led imperial army forces and Bukong’s circle of monks Came to embrace many members of Sogdian descent The both groups were strongly connected with each other through Sogdian military commanders from Lianzhou. Putting in another way, the eunuchs and the Bukong’s circle of monks constituted a tightly knit organization composed of both groups which formed the springboard which enabled Bukong to soar to a position of great influence in Chang’an Buddhism, and golden age for Buddhism in general during the reign of Emperor Daizong 代宗.
