Japan,+Korea,+and+Vietnam

Influences of China on Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

Both Korea and Vietnam were heavily influenced by Chinese culture, politics, philosophy and art. Although both regions were in heavy contact with China, the degree to which they were “sinified” was very different. In Korea, the tribute system heavily influenced Korean society and life. Chinese infrastructure was seen in major Korean cities. Buddhism became a dominant force in Korean life, as monks held a high status in politics. The Chinese bureaucracy failed for a certain time due to the heavily influence of aristocrats in government,

In Vietnam, signification occurred to a much lesser degree. Bureaucratic values were imitated and Buddhism was adapted, but Vietnamese language remained unique. Women held a different status in society, one that was much more revered than their Chinese counterparts. The Vietnamese emphasized the nuclear family instead of the extended family, and day to ay attire was also very unique than that of the Chinese.

· Women loose power and influence · Syncretism of Buddhist deities and Japanese kamis · Confucian ideas and bureaucratic government introduced · Taika Reforms – revamped the Chinese imperial system along Chinese lines || · Women expected to be as cultured as men · Limited social mobility · Heian era- strict code of conduct · Warrior class developed under nobles (who were steadily gaining power) · Feudalism develops from shrink imperial rule and rise of noble lords || · Paid tribute to Chinese – brought access to Chinese learning and products · Infrastructure was very similar · Improved Chinese ceramic works - pottery · Unique way of dress, cuisine, and class system · Improve the Chinese printing · Own racial distinctiveness · Their social class was composed of aristocrats and the rest of the people · Buddhism dominated; Buddhist monks rule with aristocrats || · Bureaucratic values (civil service exams and a mini-bureacracy) · Under Chinese command Vietnamese had to go to Chinese style schools · Chinese cropping techniques and irrigation techniques || · Spoke language not related to Chinese (due to interaction with southeast nations) · Women were granted more freedom in family and society – seen as a source of resistance · They dressed differently, skirts rather than pants. · Art, literature, and poetry · Favored nuclear family over extended family · Buddhist monks have greater power of scholar-gentry ||
 * || Borrowed from China || Unique ||
 * Japan || · Syncretism of Buddhist deities and Japanese ancient Kamis
 * Korea || · Chosen was the oldest Korean kingdom that was conquered by the Han emperor Wudi.
 * Confucian studies in Chinese schools\
 * Cities were grid-like
 * Tribute system allows influences to travel to all parts of Korea || · Descended from the hunting and herding peoples of eastern Siberia, and Manchuria rather than Mongolian and Turkic speaking tribes to the west.
 * Vietnam || · Buddhism