REST OF ASIA
For many centuries the Chinese had remained sublimely unaware that any civilisation to rival their own even existed outside Chinese territory. When new influences did finally begin to filter into China the immensely stable structure of Chinese society meant that rather than feeling threatened by the outside beliefs, the Chinese were able to modify and absorb them while maintaining their own culture. Many other Asian host countries in contrast, tended to make the encroaching deities their own, embracing them within their own mythologies by a process of adaptation. Thus China had widespread cultural influence on its neighbouring countries including Japan. Shinto the early religion in Japan took much of its cosmology from Chinese sources. Buddhism from China spread to Korea and Japan. Shamans in Mongolia also influenced Korea’s indigenous religion yet Buddhism became the state religion under the Koryo dynasty in the 10th-14th centuries.
Chinese civilisation also influenced South East Asia, in particular Vietnam. The mother of the Lac lords of Vietnam, who came from the sea and taught the Vietnamese to grow rice,was a Chinese queen. In contrast Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia were all affected by the advance of Indian rather than Chinese culture, in particular by the cults of the great Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva.
From the beginning of the 17th century, Islam was carried to insular South East Asia by Muslim traders and it became the more dominant religion. As a general observation the countries of East Asia have contributed to the rich mythologies of the religions to which they have become hosts. In China, the goddess of mercy, Guanine, evolved out of the Indian bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and became a powerful mother goddess. Amitabha, the buddy of boundless light became an important deity in both China and Japan.
For many centuries the Chinese had remained sublimely unaware that any civilisation to rival their own even existed outside Chinese territory. When new influences did finally begin to filter into China the immensely stable structure of Chinese society meant that rather than feeling threatened by the outside beliefs, the Chinese were able to modify and absorb them while maintaining their own culture. Many other Asian host countries in contrast, tended to make the encroaching deities their own, embracing them within their own mythologies by a process of adaptation. Thus China had widespread cultural influence on its neighbouring countries including Japan. Shinto the early religion in Japan took much of its cosmology from Chinese sources. Buddhism from China spread to Korea and Japan. Shamans in Mongolia also influenced Korea’s indigenous religion yet Buddhism became the state religion under the Koryo dynasty in the 10th-14th centuries.
Chinese civilisation also influenced South East Asia, in particular Vietnam. The mother of the Lac lords of Vietnam, who came from the sea and taught the Vietnamese to grow rice,was a Chinese queen. In contrast Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia were all affected by the advance of Indian rather than Chinese culture, in particular by the cults of the great Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva.
From the beginning of the 17th century, Islam was carried to insular South East Asia by Muslim traders and it became the more dominant religion. As a general observation the countries of East Asia have contributed to the rich mythologies of the religions to which they have become hosts. In China, the goddess of mercy, Guanine, evolved out of the Indian bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and became a powerful mother goddess. Amitabha, the buddy of boundless light became an important deity in both China and Japan.