WHI-Chap15-Obj9

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What influence did China have upon Korea; what influence did China have upon Vietnam?

Influence on Korea

During the seventh century C.E. Chinese armies conquered most of Korea. To avoid a long conflict, Chinese and Korean authorities agreed to a political compromise in which the Chinese would withdraw from the region, and Korea would recognize the Tang emperor as overlord. Korea became a tributary state to China, sending gifts to the Chinese emperor. These gifts, however, were not as valuable as the gifts Korea recieved for recognizing Chinese authority. Along with gifts, Korean merchants were allowed to trade in China. The Silla Dynasty modeled its court after the Chinese court and bureaucracy, built a new capital modeled on the Chinese capital at Chang'an. Korean royal officials studied Chinese thought and literature, which lead to Korean interest in Confucianism. Along with Confucianism, Buddhism, specifically Chan Buddhism, became popular.

Influence on Vietnam

Things were slightly different in the relationship between China and Vietnam. Tang forces were initially faced with resistance from the region they called Nam Viet, Vietnam today. The Chinese tried to absorb the Vietnamese people into their culture, with limited success. The Vietnamese adopted Chinese agricultural methods, irrigation systems, schools of thought, and administrative techniques. The Vietnamese studied Confucianism and traded in China, and even became a tributary state for a little while. However, the Vietnamese fought Chinese efforts to dominate their land, and as the Tang dynasty fell in the early 10th century, Vietnam won its independence. Vietnam did establish an administrative system and bureaucracy based on the Chinese system, and both Confucianism and Buddism took hold amongst the people. Taken from pages 396-7 of Traditions and Encounters.


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