Korea and Southeast Asia

The Country of Korea Korea is one of the world’s oldest nations. According to legend, it was founded in the 2300s B.C.E. Korea developed independently of China, but like Japan, they borrowed Chinese practices and ideas. However, also like Japan, they adapted what they borrowed to their own needs. Korea is a peninsula. It extends south of China. With only a pair of rivers, the Yalu and the Tumen, separating it from China, travel was easy between the two. It’s also pretty close to Japan, so the trade of culture took place between them as well.

Korean Kingdoms In 108 B.C.E., China attempted to invade northern Korea. The Koreans resisted and won back their lost territory by 75 B.C.E. Over the next 700 years, three main kingdoms formed in Korea, and fought for supremacy, or control, over the Korean Peninsula. Finally, the Silla Kingdom conquered the other two in the 600s. It also drove out the remaining Chinese. Silla managed to unite all of Korea for the first time, but was soon fighting its own people. In 935 C.E., Silla collapsed, and a kingdom named Koryo replaced it. The modern day name “Korea” comes from the word Koryo.

Chinese Influence on Korea The Koryo modeled their government after China’s. Koreans also learned how to grow rice and make paper from the Chinese, as well as arts and crafts such as pottery. In fact, Korea was famous for its celadon, which is pottery with a blue- green glaze. Korea also adopted Buddhism and Confucianism from China.

Resisting Invaders Korea remained united and independent for centuries, although others tried to invade them. In 1231, Mongol invaders from China demanded tribute and goods from Korea, and took children and slaves. Mongol influence over Korea lasted until the 1360s when the Mongol Empire collapsed. In the late 1300s, a powerful dynasty named the Choson Dynasty took power, which they would keep for over 500 years. They built forts along the Chinese border and drove away Japanese pirates. When Japan invaded in 1592, they managed to stop them from taking all of Korea with the help of China, but it took them six years to force all the Japanese to leave.

The Khmer Empire Another peninsula, known as the Indochinese Peninsula, extends to the south of China. It is the location of the Khmer Empire, which was one of the most powerful and longest-lasting kingdoms on mainland Southeast Asia. It was centered on what is now called Cambodia. Like Korea and Japan, Khmer’s culture was also influenced by China, but it was even more influenced by its other major neighbor, India. From India, they took ideas for their writing system as well as their religions- Buddhism and Hinduism. According to legend, Khmer rulers were descended from a marriage arranged by the Hindu Deity Shiva.

Early History Around 100 CE, people in what is now the southern part of Cambodia set up the kingdom of Funan. The Funan were seafaring people, meaning they were constantly on boats, and traded heavily with China and other lands. However, they were mainly influenced by Indian customs, including their religion. By the 500s, Funan had begun to decline, and a group from the north called the Khmer took over. Both the Funan and the Khmer were reliant on rice, which they first got from China. The farmers built excellent irrigation systems, and developed new crops that could be harvested up to three times a year.

The Capital of Angkor During the 800s, the Khmer kingdoms combined into one great empire, and created many famous temples. The most famous temple was built in the capital of Angkor, and is known as Angkor Wat, which was built in the 1100s. It was built as a symbolic mountain dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. The Khmer reached their peak during the 1200s, and controlled much of the peninsula. However, it began to decline in the 1300s, mostly because the huge buildings drained their resources. In the 1400s, they were attacked and defeated by people from Thailand.

The Vietnamese Kingdoms The Viets were a people who live just south of China in what is now Vietnam. In 111 B.C.E., the Chinese conquered their kingdoms, called Nam Viet. At first, the Chinese were not harsh, and mostly just used their ports for trading. However, Chinese rulers soon started to force them to speak Chinese and follow Chinese principles. The Vietnamese resisted these efforts. In 40 C.E., Trung Trac, a noblewoman whose husband had been murdered by the Chinese, led a rebellion against the Chinese with the help of her sister. Although they initially were successful, they ultimately were overpowered and defeated by the Chinese. The Vietnamese continued to rebel against the Chinese, and eventually broke free from China in the 900s.

Dai Viet In 939 C.E., the Vietnamese established a kingdom known as Dai Viet. Its rulers set up a strong central government and encouraged farming and trade. Over the years, they prospered, by China was always a threat. In the 1200s, the Mongols who conquered China invaded Vietnam. Under the leadership of their famed general Tran Hung Dao, the Vietnamese were able to turn back the Mongols three times. However, these efforts left them weak. In 1407, the Chinese invaded Vietnam once again, but were kicked back out in 1428. Vietnam remained independent until it was taken over by the French in the mid to late 1800s.