Final answer:
Prince Shōtoku sent Japanese delegates to China to study its government and to learn about Chinese art and technology, actions which laid the groundwork for Japan's selective cultural adaptation and its evolving indigenous culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
This move was part of a broader strategy to enhance the power and authority of the Yamato state by importing and adapting mainland ideas. It was under Prince Shōtoku's influence that Japan saw the introduction of Buddhist and Confucian principles as part of the state's doctrine, promoting a centralized governing body and a refined culture modeled after the sophisticated Chinese civilization.
These efforts ultimately helped to shape a distinct Japanese identity, integrating foreign concepts but also initiating the foundation for a burgeoning indigenous culture evident in works like the Tale of Genji. Although the precise application and degree of the Chinese influence evolved over time, Prince Shōtoku's early actions set Japan on a course of selective cultural borrowing and adaptation that had enduring implications for its society and governance.