Influences of China Upon the Development and Culture of Korea, Vietnam, and Khmer

The History of Korea, the Vietnamese Kingdoms, and the Khmer Empire Through the 15th Century 

Korea

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     While Korea developed separately from China, it burrowed many of its practices and ideas, and like Japan, made them fit their needs. Since Korea is only separated from China by a river, many practices, ideas, and cultures spread.
     The first settlers were most likely clans of northern nomads. The Han Dynasty of China invaded northern Korea in 108 B.C. By 75 B.C., Korea had won back most of their lost land by fighting. During the next 700 years, three large rival kingdoms formed. They fought for ultimate control over the peninsula.
     The southeastern Silla kingdom conquered in the 600s and forced out the rest of the Chinese. This was the first unification of Japan, but nobles struggled for power and peasants rebelled rule, which led to Silla's 935 fall. 
     Next came the Koryo kingdom, from which the name Korea evolved. China's government model was used, as well as their rice cultivation, papermaking, and printing. Artistic styles, including a form of poetry making, were taken and adjusted. Korea was famous for celadon, blue-green glazed pottery. Two of the religions chosen, studied, and followed by the Japanese were Confucianism and Buddhism. Originally, it was only practiced by nobles, but eventually, even commoners studied them and it spread to Japan.
     For centuries, Korea was united and self-ruled, but it fought against unknown invadors. In the 1200s, Mongols came and ruled until the late 1300s, when their Chinese empire fell.
     Next, during 1392, the Choson Dynasty, a Korean Dynasty, began to rule with the Yi family as rulers. They stopped an invading army in the late 1500s and its rule lasted over 500 years. 

The Vietnamese Kingdoms

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     There are mountains separating the mainland peninsula of southeast Asia and northern China, so most transportation between the two areas was by sea or coastal plains. These ways were often traveled by China's soldiers, merchants, and missionaries, spreading their culture to many places, including Vietnam.The Viets lived south of China, in present-day Vietnam.
     In 111 B.C., Nam Viet, their kingdom, was conquered by the Chinese. Rule wasn't harsh, because the rulers just wanted the use of the South China Sea's seaports. Trading ships could rest here to and from India and southeast Asia's islands. Eventually, China forced the Vietnamese to mimic their culuture, such as and including speech and clothing. Confucianism and Daoism's principles were forced on the people, but many resisted.
     Then, in A.D. 40, a widowed noblewomen, Trung Trac, and her sister, Trung Nhi, rebelled against the Chinese. Surprise helped them win at the beginning, but soon sheer force of numbers brought them down. The Vietnamese did this many times during the next few centuries, while using China's culture, including Buddhism. During the 900's, China's Tang Dynasty weakened, allowing the Viets' escape from foreign rule.
     Later, in 939, Nam Viet's people made Dai Viet, a separate kingdom. Mongols attacked and were defeated three times before Dai Viet was weak enough to be captured by China's Ming Dynasty in 1407. China was driven out in 1428, letting the Viets control their own land once more. It strengthed when it invaded a southern rival kingdom called Champa.   

Khmer Empire

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     Khmer was the most powerful and oldest mainland kingdom, located in what is now called Cambodia. India and China greatly affected Khmer's culture. This kingdom was established on the peninsula in the 500s. The Khmers prospered by growing rice, using irrigation systems made by farmers. Improved seeds grew three crops a year. This aspect of life came from China, but India had a larger influence on Khmer's culture.
     Some aspects from India were the idea of a god-king, a writing system, and the religions Hinduism and Buddhism.
     In the late 800s, the ruler ordered the construction of a new Angkor capital, with many temples, including a famous one, Angkor Wat, which was built in the 1100s. Today it is popular and fills a total area of 1 square mile, making it the largest religious structure in the world. The temples were for Vishnu, a Hindu god, and Buddhist statues were later added. During the 1200s, the empire was at its peak. Slowly it declined because of nearby empires' attacks. By 1431, the Thais, came from what is today Thailand, and captured Angkor.