During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-581), the Tu-yu-huns吐谷渾 had played an important role in Buddhist exchange between the Southern Dynasties and the Western Region and Liangzhou in Hexi Corridor. The date when the Tu-yu-huns got in touch with Buddhism can be traced to the period When Shiyin 拾寅(452-481), the 12th king of the Tu-yu-hun’ s, was on the throne. During the period from the 13th king Du-yi-hou 度易侯 (481-490) to the 18th king Kua-lu 夸呂 (535-591), Buddhism had made considerable progress in the Tu-yu-huns, and mere Buddhist temples were built and more buddhist canons were copied. Yizhou became an important Buddhist center for Buddhist exchanges between the Tu-y-huns and the Southern Dynasties and the Western Regions.
