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Chinese influence on Korean culture can be traced back as early as the Goguryeo period; these influences can be demonstrated in the Goguryeo tomb mural paintings. Throughout its history, Korea has been greatly influenced by
Chinese culture Chinese culture () is one of the world's oldest cultures, originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia and is extremely diverse and varying, with customs and traditions varying grea ...
, borrowing the written language, arts, religions, and models of government administration from China, and, in the process, transforming these borrowed traditions into distinctly Korean forms.


History

Chinese culture influences can be traced back to the Samhan and Three Kingdoms period. Areas controlled by the Chinese, such as the
Lelang Commandery The Lelang Commandery was a commandery of the Han dynasty established after it had conquered Wiman Joseon in 108 BC and lasted until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. The Lelang Commandery extended the rule of the Four Commanderies of Han as far so ...
, was a channel for the introduction and spreading of advanced technology and new culture which also influenced the political and the economical development of the Korean peninsula greatly. For example, tomb painting concepts which were found in the Goguryeo and the brick paintings found in the late
Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jumon ...
tombs already showed Chinese influences.


Goguryeo

The Goguryeo tomb murals were primarily painted in two geographical regions: Ji'an () and
Pyeongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 population ...
.The former is the second capital of Goguryeo while the latter is the third capital of Goguryeo from the mid-fourth to the mid-seventh centuries. While the mural paintings found in regions Ji'an typically shows the characteristics of Goguryeo people in terms of their customs and morals; those from the regions of Pyeongyang typically show the cultural influences of the Han dynasty as the Han dynasty had governed this geographical region for approximately 400 years, including Chinese-style clothing. Goguryeo accepted Sutras and Buddhist pictures from China early on, such as in 372 AD during the Former Qin dynasty period, when they were brought by a Chinese envoy named Fu Jian.


Baekje

The Kingdom of
Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jumon ...
had had early contacts with China and had an especially close relationship with the Southern dynasties of China; It also had frequent cultural exchanges with the Southern dynasties and with the Liang dynasty and would request copies of the Chinese classics, as well as request the dispatch of artisans, painters, and people who were experts in poetry. In 450 AD, during the reign of Yuanjia in the Liu Song dynasty, the King of Baekje requested for the Book of Yi Lin and the Shizhan (式占), as well as waist crossbows, which were all granted by the Emperor. From 534 to 541 AD, it was a frequent occurrence for Emperor Wu of Liang to send Chinese classics to the King of Baekje; he would also send scholars of poetry and rites to Baekje in order to teach the
Shijing The ''Classic of Poetry'', also ''Shijing'' or ''Shih-ching'', translated variously as the ''Book of Songs'', ''Book of Odes'', or simply known as the ''Odes'' or ''Poetry'' (; ''Shī''), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, co ...
and the Liji, and he would also frequently send experts and professionals in diverse fields, such as medicine, engineering, etc., in order to distribute these imported skills and knowledge to Baekje. A ruler of Baekje had also requested Emperor Wu of Liang for Buddhist sutras, medical practitioners and painters in 541 AD. The ruling class of Baekje and enjoyed reading the Chinese classics and histories and were proficient in reading Chinese. They also appointed official educators who were well-verse in the Chinese Five Classics, medicine, and astronomy.


Silla

The Silla Kingdom was sinicized more slowly compared to both Baekje and Goguryeo. However, it studied Chinese Buddhism which was already introduced in the Three Kingdom periods deeply. Cizang (慈藏), a Silla monk, studied Vinaya in China and when he returned to Silla, he promoted Dharma in 643. Cizang also contributed to the change of Silla's imperial or official dress for the customs of the Tang, which also marked the beginning of Chinese clothing rituals in Silla. During the reign of Queen Jindeok, Kim Chunchu adopted the Tang dynasty dress and encouraged the Silla kingdom to adopt Chinese administrative practices. The danryeong was thus introduced from the Tang dynasty by Kim Chunchu in the second year of Queen Jingdeok's rule. By the mid-7th century, the ruling class of the Silla Kingdom attached great importance to Chinese culture having inherited this tradition from the previous dynasties. They decided to send envoys to the Tang dynasty to buy Chinese books and acquire Chinese essays; they also sent their people to the Tang dynasty to learn the Tang dynasty culture and to further study Chinese Buddhism and/or to further practice the Chinese ritual systems. The Silla court also sent envoys to the Tang dynasty to request poetry and essays in 686 AD. In the late 7th century during the Unified Silla period, most of the Buddhist sects of the Sui and Tang dynasties had been imported to Korea. In 837 AD alone, there were 217 students from Silla studying in the schools of the Tang dynasty. By having Silla people studying in the Tang dynasty, they intended to import the Tang dynasty systems related to education, rites, and policy. And thus, these students imported many Chinese books upon their return to Silla and implemented Chinese ideology, legislation and education system in Silla. The elites of the late Silla became deeply sinicized; the courtiers of Silla wore Chinese dress; the aristocrats wrote in Chinese and also followed Chinese fashions in food and drink culture, as well as music; they also imported all kind of luxurious items which were necessary for their dressing as they were high-born in status.Towards the end of later Silla period, it was
Chan Buddhism Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning "meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and S ...
which became popular and played a key role in developing the regional culture; this period also marked the deepening of the understanding of Confucianism. It is unknown how far cultural influences from the Chinese had impacted the society, but it is likely that the interest in Chinese culture was largely exclusive to the elites of Silla.


Goryeo

Goryeo started to imitate imperial examination system of China in the early Song dynasty.


Dancheong

The Korean dancheong was imported from China along with
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
before being developed and modified to have its own distinctive Korean characteristics. The first Korean dancheong was found on a mural in an ancient tomb built in 357 AD during Goguryeo.
Dancheong ''Dancheong'' ( ko, 단청; 丹青) refers to Korean traditional decorative colouring on wooden buildings and artifacts for the purpose of style. It literally means "cinnabar and blue-green" in Korean, and is sometimes translated as "red and blue ...
can be traced back to the late Warring State period (c. 3rd century BC) in China. It is not clear when in history the Korean dancheong first started. Although dancheong can be traced back to China, it has become a distinctive characteristic of the Korean tradition and has a long tradition in Korea.


Architecture and urban planning

Korean wooden-frame architecture was introduced from China during the Han dynasty and has continued to the modern era. Other Chinese concepts to influence Korean architecture include yin and yang, the five elements, Chinese geomancy, Taoism and Confucianism. Chinese cultural influence around the turn of the common era formed the basis for the early Korean architecture in the Three Kingdoms period. This influence is attributed to
Lelang Commandery The Lelang Commandery was a commandery of the Han dynasty established after it had conquered Wiman Joseon in 108 BC and lasted until Goguryeo conquered it in 313. The Lelang Commandery extended the rule of the Four Commanderies of Han as far so ...
, a Chinese colony in what is now northwestern Korea, which was founded in 109 BCE.
Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jumon ...
in particular adopted heavy Sinitic influence. The broad avenues planned in grid pattern found in the capital of Kyongju was built in an imitation of the capital city of Changan of the Tang dynasty. Chusimp'o (a type of column-head bracketing) is a Korean adaptation of Tang dynasty architecture while the tap'o (a more elaborate system of bracketing) were introduced in Korea from the Tang and Song dynasty respectively. Later, during the Koryŏ period, further artistic and architectural influences from Song and Liao were absorbed in the peninsula. The wooden building style of this period also seems to have been influenced by that of Fujian in southern China.


Free-standing kitchens

Free-standing kitchens and kitchen culture of Korea were introduced from China and appear as early as the Goguryeo period.


Food and drink culture


Food ingredients

Some ingredients which originated from ancient China were also introduced in Korea, including: rice, soybeans were introduced during the Qin dynasty from Northern China, soy sauce.


Tea culture

Chinese culture has influenced the tea culture in Korea in terms of materials, spiritual and aesthetic forms. In the end of the 8th century, Buddhist monks who had gone to study in the Tang dynasty returned to Silla kingdom with Chan Buddhism, as well as tea culture, as tea played a significant role in the practice of meditation. Green tea was the first type of tea which was introduced in Korea during the reign of Queen Seondok of Silla.


Fashion and textiles

Chinese influences can also be found in the clothing style, accessories, and headgear worn in Korea through the import of clothing or through the adoption of certain Chinese culture elements. These influences can be traced back to Goguryeo, which was founded in 37 BC, and can be observed in the tomb murals of Goguryeo. The Goguryeo tomb murals from the regions of
Pyeongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 population ...
typically show the cultural influences of the Han dynasty, including painting figures who are dressed in -style, as the Han dynasty had governed this geographical region for approximately 400 years. -style clothing can also be found in the Goguryeo tomb dating in the early 5th century, which includes the two maids who dressed in attire which looks similar to the style worn in the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Souther dynasties, Sui, and Tang dynasties.


Imported clothing attire system, garment items, and headwear, and its derivatives


Clothing attire system and single garments


Chinese influences on certain elements in hanbok


Garments believed to have been derived from Chinese clothing

* Dangui. * Neoul (originated from Mong-su in Goryeo, which is itself believed to have originated from the Tang dynasty) Garments believed to have been derived from Chinese clothing *Changbaeja: believed to be a Ming dynasty clothing influence, * Hwarot


Patterns, ornaments and symbolism


Paintings


Buddhist paintings

The buddhist paintings of Goryeo were heavily influenced by the drawing techniques of the Song dynasty. In the buddhist paintings of Goryeo, the secular and mythical figures were depicted in the form of worshippers or patrons who were in an audience for the sermons of Buddha, who were witnessed of the heavenly realm or who were ritual participants. These figures were possibly the donors of the paintings and were mostly part of the royalty and aristocratic class who are depicted wearing
Chinese clothing Chinese clothing includes both the traditional hanfu and modern variations of indigenous Chinese dress as recorded by the artifacts and some traditional arts of Chinese culture. Chinese clothing has been shaped through its dynastic traditions, as ...
; their clothing and headgear typically follow the official dress code of the Song dynasty. The Goryeo painting '' Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara'', for example, show the Chinese and Central Asian pictorial influences; however, the textual and pictorial sources used as prototypes for the iconography are primarily Chinese. The clothing worn in the Yuan dynasty however rarely appears in the Buddhist paintings of Goryeo. File:Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara (Metropolitan Museum of Art).jpg, The ''Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara'' painting, Goryeo. File:Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara (detailed view of patrons).jpg, Details of the ''Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara'' painting shows a group of nobles (possibly the donors) dress in court clothing, Goryeo.


Landscape paintings

In
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
, landscape paintings started to develop through the cultural influence continuum of the Song dynasty, Yuan dynasty, and early Ming dynasty. Early Goryeo landscape painting were strongly influenced by the Northern Song (960 – 1127 AD) Chinese landscape painting. In the later 11th century and in the early 12th century, many Northern Song landscape paintings were introduced in Goryeo. By the first half of the 12th century, Goryeo painters also started to paint landscape paintings scenes which depict actual places in Korea. However, it is unlikely that those Goryeo landscape paintings had any direct relationship on the development of true-view landscape painting which was developed in Joseon as the true-view landscape painting of Joseon was stylistically based on the Southern School of Chinese painting.


True-view landscape paintings

The first true-view landscape painting was created by Chinese painters and appeared in the world art history during the Song dynasty in the 10th century showing the pastoral scenes in Southern China. True-view landscape painting depicting South China scenery then spread to Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. In Korea, true-view landscape paintings was first introduced by diplomatic envoys during the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
in the 13th century and the imported original Chinese paintings were then copied. It is only in the 18th century Joseon that ''jingyeong sansu'' (i.e. 'true-view landscape painting') were developed and when Korean painters started to paint their native Korean pastoral scenes instead of copying the South China landscapes which they have never seen.


Sculpture and Ceramics


Pottery

Korea's pottery culture has been influence by China as early as 2000 B.C.


Goryeo Celadon

Some early Goryeo potters were themselves Chinese. Chinese potters who left their homeland due to political upheaval brought new ceramic technologies and styles to the local Goryeo potters who then managed to make their own Goryeo-style celadon.
Goryeo celadon Goryeo ware ( ko, 고려도자기, translit=Goryeo dojagi, also known as ''Goryeo cheong-ja'') refers to all types of Korean pottery and porcelain produced during the Goryeo dynasty, from 918 to 1392, but most often refers to celadon (greenware). ...
was one of the main types of ceramics produced in Korea during the Goryeo period; it first appeared in
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
between the 9th and 10 centuries. The Goryeo celadon was influenced by the ceramic-making skills in
Zhejiang Province Zhejiang ( or , ; , Chinese postal romanization, also romanized as Chekiang) is an East China, eastern, coastal Provinces of China, province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable citie ...
, China. The celadons manufactured in Zhejiang province were known for their best quality since the Tang dynasty. The celadon glaze technology and the kiln structure (i.e. various Chinese kilns were prototypes for Goryeo potters) technology was also adapted from China. The Goryeo potters also learnt their technical expertise from the Song dynasty
celadon ''Celadon'' () is a term for pottery denoting both wares glazed in the jade green celadon color, also known as greenware or "green ware" (the term specialists now tend to use), and a type of transparent glaze, often with small cracks, that was ...
traditions and imitated certain styles from Chinese wares which included the shapes of bottles, bowls and standard decorative motives (e.g. lotus, peonies, flying parrots, and scenes of waterfowl by the pond). Goryeo celadons were influenced by Chinese wares and kilns: * ''
Yue ware Yue or Yueh ( ) may refer to: Places * Guangdong, abbreviated (), a province of China * Yue Nan (), the Chinese name for Vietnam * Zhejiang, commonly abbreviated (), a province of China Languages * Yue Chinese, a branch of Chinese, spoken ...
and kilns located in present-day Zhejiang province'': decoration motifs on Goryeo celadons were inspired by the decorations found on Yue ware. Long-neck bottles (which were later elongated by Goryeo potters and given more bulging body) have originated from Chinese Yue kiln. * ''
Qingbai ware Qingbai ware (青白 qīngbái „green-white“, formerly "Ch'ing-pai" etc.) is a type of Chinese porcelain produced under the Song Dynasty and Yuan dynasty, defined by the ceramic glaze used. Qingbai ware is white with a blue-greenish tint, an ...
from the Northern Song period from the late 1000s:'' New shapes of bowls, dishes, cups, vases, bottles were produced under the diplomatic relations between Goryeo and the
Northern Song dynasty Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...
; the shapes and decorations were then adjusted to reflect the aesthetics taste of Goryeo but some Goryeo celadon shows the influence of the ''qingbai'' ware (bluish-white porcelain) which is produced by the Chinese Jingdezhen kilns. *
Maebyeong ''Maebyeong'' refers to Korean vessels with a small slightly curled mouth rim, short neck, round shoulder, and constricted waist. The maebyong is derived from the Chinese ''meiping'' (literally "plum vase"). They were first used to hold wine and ...
(prunus vase;
meiping A meiping () is a type of vase in Chinese ceramics. It is traditionally used to display branches of plum blossoms. The meiping was first made of stoneware during the Tang dynasty (618–907). It was originally used as a wine vessel, but since the So ...
in Chinese): The Goryeo ''maebyeong'' shows the integration of Chinese elements by Goryeo potters; the shape of the prunus vase was influenced by the Chinese wares produced by the ''Ru, Ding, Jingdezhen, Yaozhou,'' and ''Cizhou'' kilns which existed during the
Northern Song dynasty Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ...
. * Jingdezhen ware: Having become part of the Yuan dynasty, the goryeo celadon vases adopted the style of the blue-white porcelains which were produced by the Chinese Jingdezhen kilns.


Music and dance


Musical instruments

While a vast majority of Korean musical instruments clearly have some Sinitic ancestry, most of these imported instruments have never been widely used in Korean music, and many are now obsolete.Provine 1987 : 5–7. The ''qin'' (Korean ''kŭm''), for instance, is almost never played outside of the semi-annual Sacrifice to Confucius (Korean '' sŏkchŏn'').Provine 1987 : 7. The comparatively popular '' kayagŭm'' and '' kŏmun'go'', although they are reputed to have originated in China, have been independent for centuries, and have been modified significantly from the Chinese originals.


Music

Chinese music was introduced in Korea and was performed at the Korean court during the
Tang Tang or TANG most often refers to: * Tang dynasty * Tang (drink mix) Tang or TANG may also refer to: Chinese states and dynasties * Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) ...
and Song dynasties. The traditional genre of '' tangak'' (literally "music of
Tang Tang or TANG most often refers to: * Tang dynasty * Tang (drink mix) Tang or TANG may also refer to: Chinese states and dynasties * Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) ...
") was imported from China, probably mostly during the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
period.Provine 1987 : 10. The ''
aak ''Aak'' is a genre of Korean court music. It is an imported form of the Chinese court music ''yayue'', and means "elegant music". ''Aak'' was performed almost exclusively in state sacrificial rites, and in the present day it is performed in ce ...
'' genre, by contrast, was developed in Korea in the fifteenth century based on Chinese written sources from an earlier period, as the style had already fallen out of fashion in China.Provine 1987 : 9–10. Examples of tangak include the '' Nakyangchun'' () and the ''
Boheoja Boheoja () is a Korean court music repertoire originated from China.Song dynasty ''ci'' poetry which were introduced during the
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
period and are still being performed in present days Korea. Despite Korean claims to ''aak'' retaining its "pure" Chinese form it bears marks of alteration after being imported to Korea.


Writing and literature

The majority of literature produced in the Korean peninsula before the twentieth century was written in Classical Chinese;Paragraph 1 in Emanuel Pastreich "The Reception of Chinese Literature in Korea", chapter 53 in Mair 2001. the reason for this is that the indigenous writing system, '' hangŭl'', only developed relatively late (the fifteenth century) and was not widely accepted as a means of writing intellectual discourse until the late nineteenth century. Extant Korean poetry in Chinese goes back to the Koguryŏ period.Paragraph 2 in Emanuel Pastreich "The Reception of Chinese Literature in Korea", chapter 53 in Mair 2001. Later, under Unified Silla and Koryŏ, poetic and prose compositions continued to closely follow forms originating in China and characteristic of the
Six Dynasties Six Dynasties (; 220–589 or 222–589) is a collective term for six Han-ruled Chinese dynasties that existed from the early 3rd century AD to the late 6th century AD. The Six Dynasties period overlapped with the era of the Sixteen Kingdoms ...
period.Paragraph 3 in Emanuel Pastreich "The Reception of Chinese Literature in Korea", chapter 53 in Mair 2001. The '' Wen Xuan'' was extremely influential in China during the Tang Dynasty, and the Korean literati of the period followed suit. Tang poetic principles also appear to have influenced poetic composition the peninsula during the Koryŏ period. Several important poets of the ninth and tenth centuries, including Ch'oe Ch'i-wŏn (born 857) and Ch'oe Sŭng-no (927–989) studied in China.Paragraph 4 in Emanuel Pastreich "The Reception of Chinese Literature in Korea", chapter 53 in Mair 2001. All scriptural and commentarial writings composed by pre-modern Korean Buddhists were written in literary Chinese (Korean '' hanmun'').Buswell 2010 : 46.


Scholarship

The historian
Gim Busik Kim Bu-sik, or Gim Busik (; 1075–1151) was a statesman, general, Confucian scholar and writer during Korea's Goryeo period. He was a scion of the Silla royalty and a member of the Gyeongju Kim clan. Later he was the supreme chancellor from 1136 ...
(1075–1151), a Confucian, Park, Jin Y. article "Buddhism in Korea" in Keown and Prebish 2010 : 449. adopted the historiographic style of Sima Qian in compiling his '' Samguk Sagi''.Paragraph 8 in Emanuel Pastreich "The Reception of Chinese Literature in Korea", chapter 53 in Mair 2001.


Religion and philosophy


Chinese religion and symbolism

In the Anak tomb murals of Goguryeo, for example, the
crow A crow is a bird of the genus '' Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientific ...
s which were depicted on the roof ridges show the influence of Chinese culture. The
crow A crow is a bird of the genus '' Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientific ...
was a symbolism of the Sun God in ancient China and was an emblem of the dynastic rulers. This tradition was later adopted by the people of Baekje.


Buddhism

To ignore the greater northeast Asian context in discussing Korean Buddhism is to distort Korean Buddhism.Buswell 2010 : 44. Buddhism was introduced to Korea in the fourth century, during the Three Kingdoms period. Park, Jin Y. article "Buddhism in Korea" in Keown and Prebish 2010 : 448. The '' Samguk sagi'' records that Buddhism was first introduced to Koguryŏ around 372 by the monk Sundo/Shundao, who was summoned to the Chinese state of Former Qin by its king Fujian, and that the Indian monk Mālānanda brought Buddhism from the
Eastern Jin Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 * Eastern Air ...
to
Paekche Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder J ...
around 384. All schools of Korean Buddhism have their roots in earlier Chinese innovations, in both doctrine and soteriology. While Korean monks training in China often played a critical part in some of these developments, China's size and its geographical position on the Silk Road (which gave it stronger ties to the older Buddhist traditions of India and Central Asia) allowed it to pioneer the majority of trends in
East Asian Buddhism East Asian Buddhism or East Asian Mahayana is a collective term for the schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed across East Asia which follow the Chinese Buddhist canon. These include the various forms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and ...
. The monk Wŏnch'ŭk studied in China under Xuanzang and developed his interpretation of Yogācāra Buddhism derived from Xuanzang's New Yogācāra. Park, Jin Y. article "Buddhism in Korea" in Keown and Prebish 2010 : 450. Sŏn Buddhism, a Korean form of
Chan Buddhism Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning "meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and S ...
, began with the seventh century Silla monk Pŏmnang, who studied in China with the Fourth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, Daoxin. Sŏn monks followed Pŏmnang's example studying this new form of Buddhism in China for the next century and a half, and most of the founders of Nine Mountains school of Sŏn traced their lineage to
Mazu Daoyi Mazu Daoyi (709–788) (, Japanese: Baso Dōitsu) was an influential abbot of Chan Buddhism during the Tang dynasty. The earliest recorded use of the term "Chan school" is from his ''Extensive Records''. Master Ma's teaching style of "strange wo ...
of the Hongzu sect. Two other examples of Korean sects with Chinese roots were Ch'ŏnt'ae, founded by Ŭich'ŏn based on the Chinese Tiantai, Park, Jin Y. article "Buddhism in Korea" in Keown and Prebish 2010 : 451. and Hwaŏm (Ch. Huayan. Park, Jin Y. article "Buddhism in Korea" in Keown and Prebish 2010 : 454. Though Ŭich'ŏn only established Ch'ŏnt'ae as a separate school of Korean Buddhism in the eleventh century, Korean Buddhists had been studying Chinese Tiantai as early as the seventh century. Park, Jin Y. article "Buddhism in Korea" in Keown and Prebish 2010 : 451–452. The eleventh-century Korean ''Tripiṭaka'' that would later become a reference point for the twentieth-century Japanese Taishō ''Tripiṭaka'' were based on the Chinese Buddhist ''Tripiṭaka'' completed in the tenth century.


Law and government

Pre-modern Korea's dynastic governmental systems were significantly indebted to China.Provine 1987 : 5. Starting in the Three Kingdoms period, Korean government officials were trained with a Chinese-style Confucian examination system. This examination system continued into the
Chosŏn Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
period, but unlike in China the examination was only open to members of the aristocratic upper class. The national flag of South Korea is derived from the Chinese philosophy yin-yang and the Chinese divination text I Ching.


Names

Korean surnames use
Chinese characters Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as ''kanji ...
. Typically, Korean names use one character for the family name and two for the given name, in close resemblance to Chinese names.


See also

*
Japanese influence on Korean culture Japanese influence on Korean culture began after the Japanese occupation and annexation of Korea in the 20th century, from 1910 to 1945. During the occupation, the Japanese sought to assimilate Koreans into the Japanese empire by changing laws, po ...
*
Chinese influence on Japanese culture Chinese influence on Japanese culture refers to the impact of Chinese influences transmitted through or originating in China on Japanese institutions, culture, language and society. Many aspects of traditional Japanese culture such as Taoism, Budd ...
*
Korean influence on Japanese culture Korean influence on Japanese culture refers to the impact of continental Asian influences transmitted through or originating in the Korean Peninsula on Japanese institutions, culture, language and society. Since the Korean Peninsula was the cultura ...


Notes


References


Cited works

* * * Mair, Victor H., ed. (2001). ''
The Columbia History of Chinese Literature ''The Columbia History of Chinese Literature'' is a reference book edited by Victor H. Mair and published by the Columbia University Press in 2002. The topics include all genres and periods of poetry, prose, fiction, and drama but also areas not ...
''. New York: Columbia University Press. . (
Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon. Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines and other digital media via wireless networking to the Kindle Store. ...
edition.) * {{Cite journal , last=Provine , first=Robert C. , date=1987 , title=The Nature and Extent of Surviving Chinese Musical Influence on Korea , journal=The World of Music , location=Berlin , publisher=VWB – Verlag für Wissenschaft und Bildung , volume=29 , issue=2 , pages=5–18 , jstor=43562732 Chinese culture Korean culture China–Korea relations