Concept Map 1 essay:

From the concept map, the central theme is a bit too broad, however, I will choose the theme
that China as a nation paved the way for other nations to follow in the way government systems
were set, religion was diffused, and how goods and ideas traveled. The geography of these
nations was important to the rise in agriculture, especially the importance of rice and eventually
Silk. Geography also influenced the different types of myths that explain the beginnings of
people. Those are Nu Va from the Chinese, The Son of the Bear women (Tangun) from Korea,
and The Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) from Japan. One thing to remember is that China, Korea,
and Japan learned from each other even though Korea and Japan were tributary states to
China.
Civilization started growing more in tune with how governments were run when the
Chinese had the Civil Service examinations during the Qing dynasty. These scholars trying to
pass the exams would eventually help the process of the Three Ministries and the Six
Departments system. The tributary system allowed states like Korea and Japan to bring gifts to
the Chinese Emperor to bow down to him and in return, the emperor would give Chinese
luxuries to them. The tributary system allowed envoys to observe how the government in China
was run which allowed Korea to establish the caste system of the Yangban. Japan on the other
hand established feudalism with their Samurai and Shoguns. Other than governmental
responsibility, religions were also diffused to both nations due to the Silk Road.
The religion of Confucius, Confucianism diffused to Korea from China. Confucianism
eventually diverted the Koreans to make rules a lot stricter which spawned the outcome of Neo-
Confucianism. Therefore, lowering the status of Women, but raising the importance of filial piety
and obedience to husbands. This was observed in China during the Qing Dynasty when women
who lost their husbands before marriage committed suicide but that was considered a high
honor. In Contrast, Japan promoted the religion of Daoism through their implementation of the
Samurai and Bushido systems. A Samurai was trained to live under a code of virtues and
always remain loyal to their masters, Shoguns. However, Neo-Confucianism ideals were
incorporated by the Samurai’s duty to complete compulsory suicide if ever defeated in battle or
committing bad omens. For these two ideals to have spread from China there needed to be
paths out of China.
The paths connecting China, Korea, and Japan are a network of overland and maritime
routes called The Silk Roads. These routes allowed nations to exchange commodities, ideas,
religions, literature, and technology. Envoys, government officials, poets, philosophers, and
merchants traveled along these routes to seek more knowledge and bring back what they
learned to their nations. Zhang Qian and Zheng He is the two that are the most important in
history. The observations they brought home opened China up to the tribes and nations
surrounding them. Without the Silk Road who knows if Korea and Japan would have had any
contact and help from China.
What can be concluded is that China and its opening of The Silk Road paved a way for
the exchange of knowledge to other nations like Korea and Japan. It allowed the two states to
adopt government systems, helped diffuse religions, and established ways for goods and ideas
to travel between places.