Sinicization is defined as bringing people who are not of Chinese origin under the influence of Chinese culture. It is a process in which traditionally non-Chinese societies are put under the influence of the Han Chinese communities, adapting to their culture, customs and lifestyle. Non-Han Chinese companies have put into practice the dress code, diet, writing, religion, culture, politics, language and general lifestyle of the Han Chinese. Synicization in other terms refers to the process of assimilation of communities close to China. It took place in the stories of the countries of Japan, Vietnam, Korea and East Asia that have adopted the Chinese writing system.
Remarkable synicization in history
These Asian countries are among the important countries that have suffered the process of sinicizzazione:
South Korea
Emperor Wudi of the Han dynasty conquered Korea. Although the conquest did not last for a long time, the synicization took place in general. Chinese writing lessons were offered to young people. Reportedly, Korean scholars have traveled to China to learn about the culture, politics and technological lifestyle of the Chinese. On their return, scholars have helped the Korean elite adapt to Chinese culture. From the elite class in Korea, the sinicization was spread to other Koreans.
Japan
During the Tang dynasty. Buddhism, Chinese writing and other forms of bureaucracy began to appear in Japan. They heavily borrowed from the Chinese judicial system, which led to the loss of their emperor’s power. In particular, most states suffered sinicization when China conquered them, but Japan is an exception. Japan is the only known country that has voluntarily adapted to sinicization because it has never been conquered by the Chinese.
Vietnam
In the era of the Tang dynasty, the Chinese army conquered and occupied Vietnam. The Vietnamese rebelled at the early stages but later supported sinicization and adopted most of Chinese culture. The Vietnamese have chosen what to adapt and what to refuse. For example, they saw that the Chinese military system would be of great benefit to them, so they adopted it. However, Vietnamese women have strongly refused and turned against the patriarchal leadership system. Women rejected the culture that forced them to submit to men and to refrain from leadership and negotiation activities. On the other hand, China has largely benefited from Vietnamese rice. Rice later became the staple food of China.
Merits and Demerits of Sinicization.
Sinicization has led to the disappearance of some of the world’s significant cultures. For example, after the Sinicization of Tibet, Tibetan culture has been drastically eroded. When the Chinese army conquered states like Vietnam, the Vietnamese were forced to abandon their culture and adapt to Chinese culture. In Japan, synicization led to the birth of Shogun, a military dictator. Furthermore, the adaptation of Buddhism threatened the power of the aristocratic government in Japan.
Despite the demerits, it is known that synicization has greatly stimulated the Chinese economy. Furthermore, the interaction of many cultures during the processes of sinicization has led to intermediate marriages, leading to the birth of a more sophisticated lifestye.
