Sinification
Japan
Korea
Vietnam
Developed both Confucianist and Buddhist beliefs
Educated elite studied confucianism, buddhist doctirine attracted peasent masses
Koreans adopted Chinese writing system, but this was very awkward, so by the 15th century the koreans made their own writing system
Chinese and Korea remained with their different languages
Korean elite were able to stop certain chinese reforms from ever being implemented
Korea had a very direct relationship with China due to location (shared land boudry and China extended both north and south of Korea)
Lower classes converted to Buddhism and combined Mahayana deities with those of their native nature spirits
Court Etiquette was similar to that of the Tang Dynasty
Equal Field system of agriculture
Summary: Japan was the only country that was able to intentionally implement aspects of Chinese civilization.
Koreans were influenced by Chinese trade, goods, and culture. They adapted things like intstruments, religions (buddhism and confucianism), and political systems). Buddhism was the cultural bridge linking China to Korea.
Takia Reforms- 646 C.E., attempt to reconstruct the Japanese imperial government to be similar to Chinese models
The idea of a central imperial government wasn't strong at this time, but influenced Japan throughout the rest of history.
Japan was separated from China by sea rather than land, it had more control over how it interacted with China. Japan was never 'conquered' by China, they had the choice to emulate Chinese culture
Hein Era
The first wave of sinification was when Korea's oldest known kingdom was conquered by Wudi of the Han dynasty in 100 BCE.
Success in the Tang Dynasty was seen in Japan, and it wanted to be replicated, so they did so by choice
Korean scholars traveled to China to learn more about Confuciansim and returned with literature and information, and so Chinese culture seeped into Korea. This was done after they were empressed by the organization and economy in Tang China.
Tried to create a professional bureaucracy w/ a peasant soldier army loyal to the Emperor
Sinification mainly happened in aristocrats
Japanese scholars struggled to master Chinese script and Confucian classics
Koreans never established a functioning bueracracy despite the amounts of Chinese influence, so they were never able to curb the power of the nobles over the government like China
They had a distinct social and cultural heritage which gave them independent spirit.
Viets resisted to the Chinese conquering, but were conquered in the end and the Tang adopted a quicker ripening form of rice from them. The Viets also adopted their bureaucratic structure and irrigation system, causing their population to increase.
Sinification Buddhism became very popular; aristocrats feared their power would overtake the government
The application of the Chinese irrigation system increased agriculture in Vietnam greatly. They adapted what aspects of the Chinese they thought would be useful.
Peasants did not adopt to sinifcation besides Buddhism, and people were the greatest resistant to sinification (resisted bureaucrats) even though there wer a lot of geographical barriers.
Their suspicions of this happening were confirmed when a plot was discovered to overthrow the imperial government (they were part of the inner social circle of the Emperor's wife and planned to marry her and depose her husband)
Because of this, the capital, Nara, was uprooted (haven of Buddhist temples and power) and transferred to Heian, 28 miles away. The previous Taika reforms were abandoned and the aristocratic families were back in control.
Pinnacle of aristocratic & social sophistication
A certain fixed amount of produce was paid as tax
Emperor and his family became a façade of social pageantry and power fell into the hands of powerful aristocratic families
The Fujiwara family is one of the best known
Power within these families increased, and were often aligned with Buddhist monasteries... they began to deny resources of their regions to the emperor
Decrease in imperial control, banditry and crime increased and people looked to the local families rather than the emperor for support
The Japanese saw that the Chinese Tang model was no longer relevant to them - it was harming their success - and they abandoned the civil service exams, bureaucracy, and equal field system
Chinese script, bureaucracy, and equal field system were all purposely borrowed.
The Viets did not take kindly to Chinese culture and overlords unlike the Koreans.. they resisted total Sinification. They also resented the disdain that Chinese bureaucrats had for their traditions.
Sinification occurred despite the tense relations between both countries
As the Han emperors were consolidating their power, the Viets didn't want to give up their traditions by their powerful North neighbors.
Geographic barriers, like mountains, also prevented China from forming a tight control over Vietnam.
Confucian Patriarchy
This was one of the most prominent differences between Vietnamese and Chinese culture. Vietnamese women held a much higher place in society, causing them to chafe at foreign Confucian teachings of filial piety.
The Viets were much more attracted to Buddhism than any other belief system derived from China because of this. Women played a large role in revolting against the Chinese. As the Tang dynasty collapsed, the Viets mounted a massive revolt and won their independence from China. There would be future attempts, but faulty ones, to overturn Vietnam. (maintained independence until the French took over and incorporated it at Indo-China)
Permanent exchange of culture & technology: China borrowed the fast ripening rice, and Buddhism became an enduring and powerful feature of the religious part of Vietnam. Irrigation and agricultural practices were borrowed as well as military technology and practices that later helped them to expand South into present day Cambodia.