World History AP
Unit 1, Section 1.1 Comparing Japan, Vietnam, Korea
Sinification: The assimilation of Japan, Vietnam, and Korea all had relationships with China, and benefited from being so
Chinese cultures and practices close to them. Yet they also had trouble maintaining their own distinctive cultures, with
each country facing the problem of sinification.
Heian period: The period between 794
and 1185, with Heian meaning peace Because Japan was separated from China by the ocean, they had more control over its
interactions with China. But the impact of Chinese culture would still appear in many
How was Japan similar to outside lands aspects of life.
such as Europe?
➔ Buddhism and Confucianism The prince Shotoku Tashi, would promote Buddhism and Confucianism while promoting
would be practiced just like Shinto. Japan would also learn woodblock printing at this time.
in China, with the prince
promoting it. They would During the Heian period, Japan emulated Chinese traditions. Yet in the 11th century, a
also learn woodblock printing Japanese writer would write the first novel titled The Tale of Genji. It is about a Japanese
which came from China. prince and his life at court.
➔ They would emulate Chinese
traditions, in fields such as Japan would have a feudal society, with landowning aristocrats called daimyo battling for
literature and art. land. With the majority working as rice farmers. Feudalism in Japan was similar to that in
➔ Japan would also have a feudal Europe: both having little social mobility and built on hereditary hierarchies. The hierarchy
society for some time and in Japan was serfs, samurai, and then daimyo. While in Europe, it was serfs, knights, and
was like Europe. nobles similarly.
➔ Knights and samurai would
hold similar codes of conduct, What was different was that the daimyo would enjoy much more power than nobles did in
knights with the code of Europe and ruled over a lot of land and was more powerful than both the emperor or
chivalry and samurai with shogun. Unlike Eruope, where the monarchy was more powerful.
bushido.
Both knights and samurai held similar codes of conduct, with the code of chivalry and
Bushido: A code of conduct that was bushido. With the code of chivalry stressing duties and the code of bushido stressing
followed and developed by the samurai honor, loyalty, and the martial arts.
class
When it comes to governing, Japan was quite different from its methods compared to
How was Japan different from China in China. In 1192, the Minamoto would install a shogun compared to China’s way of an emperor
its governing system? ruling with a bureaucracy because the Heian court declined. Japan would still have an
➔ Japan was different from emperor, but they would have little power and this method would cause regional rivalries
China in its governing system among aristocrats.
as there would be a shogun
unlike China.The emperor This would occur for four centuries until the 17th century, where the shoguns would
would have little power too. create a strong central government that would unify the country.
➔ China’s emperor would also
oversee a large bureaucracy. Korea would have a direct relationship with China due to its location, and would be a
tribute to China. This caused Korea to emulate many aspects of China’s politics and
How was Korea different in hierarchy culture: centralizing its government like the Chinese, adopting Confucian and Buddhist
and in government? beliefs, and adopting the Chinese writing system which was awkward because the languages
➔ The aristocracy in Korea was were structurally different. Korea would develop its writing system in the 15th century.
much more powerful than
China’s, and they prevented What is different is that the aristocracy in Korea was more powerful than China’s, which
peasants from taking exams. means they were able to prevent Chinese reforms. One example is that Korean civil service
Unit 1, Section 1.1 Comparing Japan, Vietnam, Korea
Sinification: The assimilation of Japan, Vietnam, and Korea all had relationships with China, and benefited from being so
Chinese cultures and practices close to them. Yet they also had trouble maintaining their own distinctive cultures, with
each country facing the problem of sinification.
Heian period: The period between 794
and 1185, with Heian meaning peace Because Japan was separated from China by the ocean, they had more control over its
interactions with China. But the impact of Chinese culture would still appear in many
How was Japan similar to outside lands aspects of life.
such as Europe?
➔ Buddhism and Confucianism The prince Shotoku Tashi, would promote Buddhism and Confucianism while promoting
would be practiced just like Shinto. Japan would also learn woodblock printing at this time.
in China, with the prince
promoting it. They would During the Heian period, Japan emulated Chinese traditions. Yet in the 11th century, a
also learn woodblock printing Japanese writer would write the first novel titled The Tale of Genji. It is about a Japanese
which came from China. prince and his life at court.
➔ They would emulate Chinese
traditions, in fields such as Japan would have a feudal society, with landowning aristocrats called daimyo battling for
literature and art. land. With the majority working as rice farmers. Feudalism in Japan was similar to that in
➔ Japan would also have a feudal Europe: both having little social mobility and built on hereditary hierarchies. The hierarchy
society for some time and in Japan was serfs, samurai, and then daimyo. While in Europe, it was serfs, knights, and
was like Europe. nobles similarly.
➔ Knights and samurai would
hold similar codes of conduct, What was different was that the daimyo would enjoy much more power than nobles did in
knights with the code of Europe and ruled over a lot of land and was more powerful than both the emperor or
chivalry and samurai with shogun. Unlike Eruope, where the monarchy was more powerful.
bushido.
Both knights and samurai held similar codes of conduct, with the code of chivalry and
Bushido: A code of conduct that was bushido. With the code of chivalry stressing duties and the code of bushido stressing
followed and developed by the samurai honor, loyalty, and the martial arts.
class
When it comes to governing, Japan was quite different from its methods compared to
How was Japan different from China in China. In 1192, the Minamoto would install a shogun compared to China’s way of an emperor
its governing system? ruling with a bureaucracy because the Heian court declined. Japan would still have an
➔ Japan was different from emperor, but they would have little power and this method would cause regional rivalries
China in its governing system among aristocrats.
as there would be a shogun
unlike China.The emperor This would occur for four centuries until the 17th century, where the shoguns would
would have little power too. create a strong central government that would unify the country.
➔ China’s emperor would also
oversee a large bureaucracy. Korea would have a direct relationship with China due to its location, and would be a
tribute to China. This caused Korea to emulate many aspects of China’s politics and
How was Korea different in hierarchy culture: centralizing its government like the Chinese, adopting Confucian and Buddhist
and in government? beliefs, and adopting the Chinese writing system which was awkward because the languages
➔ The aristocracy in Korea was were structurally different. Korea would develop its writing system in the 15th century.
much more powerful than
China’s, and they prevented What is different is that the aristocracy in Korea was more powerful than China’s, which
peasants from taking exams. means they were able to prevent Chinese reforms. One example is that Korean civil service
