16 December, 2012
Buddhism was the most powerful force in ancient China, which had influence over Japan, Korea, and Vietnam during the Tang Dynasty. Buddhism started in India and made its way to China. A man named Siddartha Gautama created Buddhism. Siddartha was an Indian Prince and he was restricted to his home with his female cousin. He snuck out three times. The first time he saw an old man. The next time he saw a sick man, and the last time he went out he saw a corpse. He thought it was terrible, so he meditated under a tree for days and came up with eight rules to make life better for people. The eight rules are, hold the right views, have the right aspiration, use the right speech, show the right conduct, pursue the right livelihood, expend the right effort, maintain the right attitude, and practice the right meditation. Buddhism started to grow and expand and once it made its way to China it became the biggest religion in the Tang Dynasty. China was the dominant power just how the United States of America is today. The main way China had given influence to other countries was by teaching them about Buddhism. The three main counties China influenced with this religion were Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
First, Japan was influenced by China. China Influenced Japan more than Korea and Vietnam combined. Japan was receptive to Chinas influence because Japan wanted to be similar to China. China influenced Japan with Buddhism, farming, writing, and just about everything. China influenced Japan with good techniques to farm and new ways to write. China was a big role model for Japan. China’s influence over Japan changed Japan’s life style, economics, and their government. It changed people’s lifestyle with the monasteries becoming very proper and polite Buddhists. They would judge you on how proper and polite you were in the world. Japan also began to have less crime because people wanted to be a part of Buddhism. In Buddhism they taught a philosophy of peace as a society and culture that did not desire to steal or kill. In addition, it changed their economics by Japan buying religious relics and buying and making Buddhist temples. The way it changed the government was by Buddhism becoming the main religion in Japan, so the government would recommend the people of Japan convert their main religion to Buddhism. The Japanese government wanted to be similar to the Chinese government. Also, the Japanese government wanted to stay on China’s good side. Japan needed China to continue giving them more influence from the dominant power during the Tang Dynasty.
Secondly, China had influence over Korea. China tried to take over Korea a number of times. These attempts impacted Korea. Korea was in three parts, Paekche, Shilla, and Koguryo, that would fight amongst one another and China. Even with China trying to take over Koguryo, they stood their ground. China went to Paekche and Shilla and teamed up to fight and defeat Koguryo. Chinese influence changed Korea’s lifestyle by Korea constantly fighting its self and China. It also changed Korea because people would have to be a part of the army and fight for their country. Influence of Buddhism changed their economics by Korea buying and creating Buddhist temples. The way that Buddhism changed Korea’s government was the changes in Korea’s laws and wittings by Chinese influence.
In addition, China impacted Vietnam. Vietnam and China were in constant business with each other in trade. Literature writing affected their economics as well. Vietnam gave women more freedom then what China would give to their own women. China would bind women’s feet by wrapping their feet with silk, break their feet and wrap the toes underneath to make their feet are small which was attractive to the men. China was a male dominant country. Vietnams clothing was also different. Vietnam would wear pants and shirts and China would