Cultures of East Asia

Section 4

Civilizations of Southeast Asia

Preview
Main Idea / Reading Focus
Influences on Southeast Asia
Map: Southeast Asian Kingdoms
Early Kingdoms and Empires
Visual Study Guide / Quick Facts
Video: The Impact of Chinese Culture on Japan

Cultures of East Asia

Section 4

Civilizations of Southeast Asia

Main Idea
The early civilizations of Southeast Asia were influenced by
geography and the cultures of India and China.

Reading Focus
What factors influenced early civilizations in the region of
Southeast Asia?
What early kingdoms and empires developed in Southeast
Asia?

Cultures of East Asia

Section 4

Influences on Southeast Asia

India and China shaped the development of civilization in the region
of Southeast Asia. Geography and trade also played important roles.

Two Parts of Southeast

Asia
Southeast Asia divided in two
partsmainland Southeast Asia,
and island Southeast Asia
Mainlandmodern nations of
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,
Thailand, Vietnam, part of
Malaysia
IslandSumatra, Borneo, Java,
rest of Malaysia, Brunei, East
Timor, Indonesia, Philippines,
Singapore

Geography
Several rivers flow south on
mainland
Valleys, deltas of rivers supported
farming, home to early
civilizations
Separating rivers, rugged
mountains, limited contact among
people
Islands surrounded by seas,
straits; provided sources of food,
travel, served as trade routes

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Trade
Southeast Asia waterways, main trade routes between India, China
Two most important: Malacca Strait between Malay Peninsula,
Sumatra; Sunda Strait, between Sumatra, Java
Control of these, other important trade routes, brought wealth, power

Winds
Monsoons, seasonal winds, shaped trade
Winds blow northeast in summer, southwest in winter
Ships relied on monsoons to sail from place to place, often had to
wait in port until winds shifted to resume voyage
Many Southeast Asian port cities became important economic
centers

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Sea Trade in Southeast Asia

By AD 100s, Indian merchants had begun prosperous
sea trade with Southeast Asia
Overland trade routes through Central Asia more
dangerous after fall of Han dynasty, 220
Seaborne trade between China, India increased
Traders passed through Southeast Asia; exchanged
goods for local products

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Cultures of East Asia

India and China

Traders and Missionaries
Chinese, Indian traders
influenced Southeast Asia
Indian influence spread through
trade, missionaries
Indian missionaries introduced
Hinduism, Buddhism; many
kingdoms adopted the religions,
built temples in Indian style
Eventually Indians brought Islam;
remains strong today

Other Influences
Indian ideas on writing, science,
government, art spread to
Southeast Asia
Ancient Indian language,
Sanskrit, came into wide use
Chinese influences spread by
conquest, trade, migration
China controlled northern
Vietnam at different times,
strongly influenced that region

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Identify Cause and Effect

How did trade influence Southeast Asia?
Answer(s): Ports became the economic centers
of Southeast Asia; Indian and Chinese influence
spread to Southeast Asia through trade

Cultures of East Asia

Section 4

Early Kingdoms and Empires

Small but Powerful
Several early kingdoms, empires arose in Southeast Asia
Most small, a few quite powerful
Blended influences from India, China to create own unique societies, cultures

The Pagan Kingdom

AD 800s, Burmans established kingdom of Pagan, in what is now Myanmar
Located in fertile Irrawaddy River valley, ideal for rice farming
First king, Anawrahta, ruled 1044 to 1077, conquered surrounding areas

Conquests
1057, Anawrahta united much of what is now Myanmar under his rule
Conquests provided Pagan with access to trading ports
Anawrahtas kingdom prospered

Cultures of East Asia

Section 4

The Pagan Kingdom

Anawrahta, successors supported Theravada Buddhism,
built thousands of Buddhist temples
Pagan became center of Buddhist learning
1287, Kublai Khans Mongols demanded tribute from
Pagan; king refused and attacked; was crushed
One of kings own sons killed him, then agreed to pay
tribute to the Mongols
Pagan survived, but lost power
Today Myanmar people consider Pagan classical age of
history, culture

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Cultures of East Asia

The Khmer Empire

Powerful Khmer empire arose southeast of Pagan, in what is now Cambodia
Early 800s, Khmer people began to conquer kingdoms around them, build
great empire
Empire reached height between 850 and 1250, controlled much of Southeast
Asian mainland
Expensive building projects, invaders contributed to empires decline

Indian Influence

Rich from Rice

Khmer Empire reflected strong

Indian influence

Built vast temple complexes;

Angkor Wat ruins still stand

Adopted Hindu, Buddhist beliefs,

ruled as gods

Empire grew prosperous from rice

farming

Empires capital city, Angkor,

symbolized shape of Hindu
universe, temple at its center

Built irrigation system covering 12.5

million acres, grew several crops
per year

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Cultures of East Asia

Trading Kingdoms
Trading Kingdoms
Several developed on islands of
Southeast Asia
Kingdom of Sailendra on Java
flourished, 750 to 850
Relied on agriculture, trade

Srivijaya
Wealthy empire on Sumatra,
flourished 600s to 1200s
Gained wealth from control of
overseas trade through
Malacca, Sunda straits
Also Buddhist learning center

Sailendra
Adopted Mahayana Buddhism,
known for impressive Buddhist
art, architecture
Borobudur monument with
terraced levels most famous

Control Reduced
1025, empire attacked by Indian
kingdom
Empire survived, but weakened
Control of trade reduced
Islam spread; Muslims came to
dominate trade in region

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Cultures of East Asia

Vietnam
While most of Southeast Asia was strongly influenced by India, Vietnam
was strongly influenced by China. In 111 BC the Han dynasty of China
conquered the kingdom of Nam Viet, in what is now northern Vietnam.
They ruled the region off and on for the next 1,000 years.
Chinese Rule
Chinese forced Vietnamese to
adopt Chinese language, clothing,
hairstyles
Confucianism, Daoism influenced
Vietnamese society
Adopted Chinese government
features, including bureaucracy

Traditional Customs
Vietnam embraced Buddhism, but
still maintained traditional customs
Continued to worship nature spirits
alongside other belief systems
Chinese rule shaped life in early
Vietnam, but people determined to
preserve own culture, identity

In hopes of regaining their independence, the Vietnamese sometimes

rebelled when Chinese rule grew weak.

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Rebellion in Vietnam
Rebellion
AD 39, one of most famous Vietnamese rebellions took place
Two sisters, Trung Trac, Trung Nhi raised army, briefly drove Chinese out
Chinese soon regained control; sisters remain heroes in Vietnam today

Independence
Early 900s, fall of Chinas Tang dynasty provided Vietnamese another chance
at independence; this time successful
939, established independent kingdom in what is now northern Vietnam

Dai Viet
Rulers of Dai Viet sent tribute to China, but remained independent
Chinese failed in attempts to reconquer Vietnam; 1285, Mongols invaded; Dai
Viet prince Tran Quoc Toan defeated them, became a hero

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Contrast
How did the development of early Vietnam
differ from the development of kingdoms
and empires in the rest of Southeast Asia?
Answer(s): was ruled by China; influenced by
China rather than India

Cultures of East Asia

Section 4

Section 4

Cultures of East Asia

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