Why does China have a cultural hegemony on the Western

World’s view of Asia?

By: Savannah Slaughter

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Table of Contents

I. Introduction

a. Research Question

b. Self-Relevance

c. Introduction to Countries

II. China

a. Language

b. Customs/Traditions

c. Fashion

d. Religion

e. Cuisine

III. Thailand

a. Language

b. Customs/Traditions

c. Fashion

d. Religion

e. Cuisine

f. Similarities and Differences

IV. Japan

a. Language

b. Customs/Traditions

c. Fashion

d. Religion

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e. Cuisine

f. Similarities and Differences

V. Philippines

a. Language

b. Customs/Traditions

c. Fashion

d. Religion

e. Cuisine

f. Similarities and Differences

VI. Comparisons

a. Final explanation

b. Main reason

VII. Closing

a. Restate question

b. Conclusion

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Abstract

The question is, why does China have a cultural hegemony on the Western world’s view

of Asia? Well, looking at the question, it seems as if it is trying to ask, why do people look at

Asia and generalize Asians as Chinese? When looking this question up on the internet, there is

more than one answer to the question. The purpose of the investigation is to find out why people

think the way they do about Asia.

To find the answer to the question, the internet was used. The internet can be dangerous

with how one may not know if the cite is trustworthy. Information gathering can be hard and

takes a lot of time, but in the end it is worth it. The reason for this is because one may not find

just one answer to the question, but many.

It turns out that there is no one answer to the question, but multiple instead. One reason

could be because China is so large that it takes up 33 percent of Asia. Another reason could be

that China is the earliest East Asian civilization and that Chinese predates other Asian languages.

China has many things in common with the smaller Asian countries like cuisine, festivals,

fashion, and religions. Maybe the answer is because China shares so many things in common

with the surrounding Asian countries, that Westerners get confused. The answer is infinite and

always changing depending on who asks the question. There is no right answer to the question,

just an infinite set of possibilities.

With all the possibilities for an answer to the question, the fact that one has to prove it is

all that is left. The reason as to why the question is relevant is because of society’s arrogance

towards the world. People just do not realize how much they do not know. This is unique in the

fact that it essentially has not been done before.

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Introduction

Why does China have a cultural hegemony on the Western World’s view of Asia? One

reason for believing that Asia is China is because China is approximately 33 percent of Asia,

making China the largest country on the continent. China is so large that when Westerners look

at a map all they can really see is China, not the smaller Asian countries. China is the earliest

East Asian civilization in the world, so all other Asian cultures derive from the mother country

China. Chinese predates other Asian languages. Another reason that Westerners could believe

that Asia is China is how they share many festivals, religions, and foods with the other Asian

countries. Asian cuisine is very diverse, but it has all been grouped under Chinese food. Since

Asia’s music has been widely influenced by China, it insinuates the generalization that all of

Asia is China because Westerners cannot differentiate between the different countries and their

music. Thailand, South Korea, and Japan were picked because of their connections to China. All

of the four countries have differences along with various similarities.

Topography/Population

China is so large a country that when glancing at a map the only thing Westerners can see

is China, not any of the smaller countries. China along with Thailand, South Korea, and Japan

are bordered on at least one side by water. Both Thailand and China have wetlands to grow rice

because rice is a staple crop for both countries. Japan, Thailand, and South Korea either have

resources or land that China wants to have, so most of these countries are on friendly terms with

China. China has the largest population of the four countries1, followed by Japan2, Thailand3, and 1 "CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. CIA, 10 Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html>.2 "CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. CIA, 15 Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html>.3 "CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. CIA, 15 Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

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South Korea with the smallest population.4 China is a country with a large size and population to

match, that it is not hard to see why Westerners forget all the smaller Asian countries and only

focus on China.

Expansionism

Westerners can become puzzled about China’s cultural hegemony because of their

expansionism. China is known for its expansionism with how they spread outwards influencing

other countries. When contemplating China’s history, a person can see how China has been

quick to try to expand their territory. Immigration is just one way that China has succeeded to

influence a majority of Asia’s culture because of how widely the Chinese have traveled to other

surrounding Asian countries. There are many Chinese who have immigrated to Thailand where

they have already started to influence their culture through things like festivals, foods, and

music. South Korea, too, has been influenced by Chinese food and language. Japan, another

country, shares many of their customs with the China. Both countries, China and Japan, have

longstanding history along with similarities in language among other things. China’s

immigration into its surrounding countries has become a reason for cultural hegemony in

Westerners.

History

South Korea

South Korea does not have a large history with China despite their similarities. At one

time there was animosity between China and South Korea. For Example, during the Sino-Korean

imbroglio over the Koguryo Kingdom, China believed that Koguryo was a state that belonged to

the Chinese dynasties. The arrogance displayed by the Chinese angered Korea, and which led to

factbook/geos/th.html>.4 "CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. CIA, 15 Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html>.

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South Korea becoming extremely suspicious of China. As time passed, China and South Korea

were able to settle diplomatic relations between themselves in 1992. In 2003, China became

South Korea’s largest trading partner, replacing the United States.5,6 China and South Korea

share similarities despite there being little history together, so for Westerners to be puzzled about

China’s cultural hegemony on South Korea there is no surprise.

Thailand

China and Thailand have not had much history in the past even though they are so

similar. Thailand is more of a peaceful country, which is not close enough to China to get much

attention, so Thailand does not have a considerable amount of history with the Chinese. There

have been no wars between Thailand and China, but the Chinese have influenced the culture.

There has been an enormous quantity of immigration between China and Thailand. In 1405, the

explorer Zheng He set out from China, during the Ming Dynasty, to start another trade route,

which was called the “String of Pearls”. In 2003, many years after the “String of Pearls”, China

signed an agreement with Cambodia for the right to build a rail line from southern China to the

Gulf of Thailand. China also wanted to build a canal across Thailand’s Kra Isthmus, but was

stalled because of Thailand’s noncommittal position and political oppositions from Indonesia,

Malaysia, and Singapore.7 Though China’s history with Thailand is not widely known, the

interactions are building. Westerners may have a hard time distinguishing Thailand from China

because of the similarities between the two countries and the brief history.

5 Klingner, Bruce. "Asia Times - News and Analysis from Korea; North and South." Asia Times Online :: Asian News Hub Providing the Latest News and Analysis from Asia. Asia Times Online, 11 Sept. 2004. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/FI11Dg03.html>.6 "South Korea." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2800.htm>.7 Pehrson, Christopher J. "STRING OF PEARLS: MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF CHINA'S RISING POWER ACROSS THE ASIAN LITTORAL." (2006): 1-4. Strategic Studies Institute. Web. 18 Dec. 2011.

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Japan

Japan has had a vast history with China. The First Sino-Japanese War was the first

conflict between Japan and China, occurring in 1894 to 1895. It was a series of wars between

China and Japan over who would control Korea. This helped to strengthen Japan’s power, but

resulted with a weakened China. In this war, Japan defeated China, and gained control of Korea.

However, in 1937 to 1945, the Second Sino-Japanese War occurred. The Japanese launched an

invasion of China after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident which occurred on July 7, 1937. The

incident was an excuse used by the Japanese to invade China, which started a war that killed

millions of people. It brought the United States, Great Britain, and other countries into the battle.

It is considered part of World War Two, and it ended with Japan being defeated in 1945.8 The

Sino-Japanese Wars are just the beginning of Japan’s ties with China.

The Boxer Rebellion is just an example of another tie Japan has with China. The Boxer

Rebellion, from 1899 to 1901, was not a war, but more of a revolt. A Chinese society, nicknamed

“The Boxers,” started an uprising to drive away any western influence from China. The ruling

government at the time, the Manchu Dynasty, was opposed by rebels first before the government

was able to direct the violence of the rebels towards any American, European, and Japanese

interest in China. One of the things that the government and rebels did that angered the Japanese,

Americans, and Europeans was how they began a siege of the foreign embassies. Great Britain,

France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, the United States, Japan, and Russia, banded together

and started the China Relief Expedition with a total of about 45, 000 troops. They then invaded

China and seized their capital, which at the time was Peking. It ended with the Chinese being

8 Lee, Roger A. "The History Guy: Sino-Japanese Wars (Chinese-Japanese Wars)." The History Guy: A Resource for History, Military History, Politics, and Biography. 15 July 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.historyguy.com/sino-japanese_wars.html>.

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forced to pay war reparations, and accept more foreign troops on their soil.8 The Boxer

Rebellion was an important event that brought forth more Japanese ties to China.

As the years increase, another tie Japan has made with China is the Jinan incident. The

Jinan incident, also known as the May third incident, occurred during the era of Chinese civil

wars between warlords and the Nationalist government. One warlord in particular allied himself

with Japan because the warlord did not agree with China. In 1927, the Nationalist army went into

battle with the Japanese and the warlord’s forces. The cease-fire came into effect in March of

1928. Not too long after that, the Japanese army invaded Manchuria, a Chinese province, in

1931. The Japanese infiltrated Manchuria because of Manchuria’s natural resources in Northern

China. The Japanese excuse for invading was the Mukden Incident, the 9.18 Incident to the

Chinese. 8 The history between China and Japan is not all good, but as it increases the more

similarities start to come into effect.

The First Battle of Shanghai was not a long battle, but one that helped the Chinese to

influence Japan. The First Battle of Shanghai only lasted a few months, from January 28th to

March fourth of 1932. The Japanese army attacked Shanghai, a Chinese port city, to end the

Chinese boycott of Japanese goods and businesses. The Chinese army held 70,000 Japanese

troops at the area near the waterfront for almost a month before being driven back by invaders.

When the Japanese finally seized the city, the Chinese abandoned their boycott on Japanese

goods and businesses. Another name for this battle is the Shanghai War of 1932. The Japanese

Invasion of Jehol Province lasted from January to March 1933. The Japanese had positions in

Manchuria, which they renamed Manchukou, and advanced to occupy Jehol. As the Japanese got

closer to Peking, the Chinese resistance ended. On March 31st, an armistice was signed. 8 With

the heavy Japanese influence in China during The First Battle of Shanghai, Westerners can see

how this may influence cultural hegemony.

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The most recent event between China and Japan is the one that occurred on September 7,

2010. It was over a set of islands that both countries claim to be theirs. They both have different

names for the islands, but have a type of joint custody of the islands. The incident that occurred

was that a Chinese ship was arrested by the Japanese Coast Guard. This happened while over

100 Chinese boats were in the same area fishing. To the Chinese, a Chinese boat was operating

near Taiwan, Chinese waters, and they were wrongly arrested by the Japanese Coast Guard, a

foreign agency. However, the Japanese did not see it that way. They viewed it as a Chinese boat,

fishing in Japanese territory. In reality, both sides’ fishermen were allowed to operate around the

islands because of an agreement by fisheries in 1997. 9 China has had many ties with Japan, so it

is not difficult to see how over time they have greatly influenced each other to the point that

Westerners can see the cultural hegemony China has over Japan.

Religion

South Korea

Religion is not a major part of society in South Korea for 50 percent of the country’s

population is atheist. Christianity is the most popular religion in South Korea. Protestantism has

more followers in this country than Roman Catholic, with 19.7 percent to 6.6 percent

respectively. Buddhism is another popular religion in South Korea with a percentage of 23.2.

Buddhism is also a popular religion in China. In South Korea, 1.3 percent of religions are region-

based.3 This is similar to China in how China is Communist, so it does not have strong religion.

With China and South Korea having similar religions, Westerners can perceive the cultural

hegemony between China and South Korea.

Thailand9 Sakai, Tanaka. "Rekindling China-Japan Conflict: The Senkaku/Diaoyutai Islands Clash　 　 日

　 　中対立の再燃 田中宇 •Chinese, Italian Translation and Japanese Original Available :: JapanFocus." Japan Focus. Trans. Kyoko Selden. The Asia-Pacific Journal, 27 Sept. 2010. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.japanfocus.org/-Tanaka-Sakai/3418>.

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Thailand’s religion is mostly Buddhist with a percentage of 94.6. Buddhism and Muslim

are also religions in China. The next largest religion, in Thailand, is Muslim with a percentage of

4.6. Christianity is not a very popular religion in Thailand and only has a percentage of .7 of

followers. In China, there is not a very high percentage of Christians either. Thailand does have

other religions, but there are only .1 percent of people who follow them. 4 China and Thailand

have multiple religions in common and with having so many in common Westerners can allude

to China having a cultural hegemony with Thailand.

Japan

Japan’s most popular religion is Shintoism with an 83.9 percent. Buddhism is another

large religion with 71.4 percent. The reason why both Shintoism and Buddhism have large

numbers is because there are many people who belong to both religions. In China, Shintoism is

not a religion that is popular, whereas Buddhism is a more prominent religion. Christianity is not

as popular a religion in Japan, with only 2 percent of followers. In China, like Japan, Christianity

is not a popular religion. There are other religions, 7.8 percent, that are more region based

religions.2

Cuisine

South Korea

South Koreans are influenced by many different tastes. South Korea is heavily influenced

by the Chinese. They both share noodle, stir-fry, and sauce dishes. Vegetable dishes are

something else that is shared by both countries. Koreans, like the Chinese, share a love for spicy

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foods. The Koreans have things that are not influenced by the Chinese, like stew dishes and

kimchi, but they share many things, cuisine wise.

The drinking age is nonexistent in South Korea, much like it is in China. Water is a

popular drink here, like it is in China. Tea is popular in both South Korea and China. South

Koreans and Chinese share many opinions about their cuisine and choice of beverage. When

Westerners spot parallel beliefs like in this instance, Westerners assume the cultural hegemony

between China and South Korea.

Thailand

With rice being a staple crop in Thailand, it is included in many of its dishes. This is

similar to China because the Chinese also eat large amounts of rice. When Thais eat a meal,

traditionally, they bring out all the food prepared for the meal at one time. This is different from

the Chinese because they do not particularly have everything at once. They usually include rice,

side dishes, soup, a salad, and dishes with gravy. The Chinese have many of these at their meals.

The Chinese have also influenced Thai cuisine, more so in their regard to noodle dishes. Thais

usually have sweets for a snack as do the Chinese. Vegetables are very important to Thai food as

it is in China. Dishes that include fish are very popular in both countries, especially if one lives

near the ocean. Spicy foods are so natural in both Chinese and Thai cuisine that if one is not

particular to it they have to ask for their dish to be non-spicy.

While tea drinking is not as popular in Thailand, it is extremely popular in China. Thais

drink lots of water, like the Chinese, Thai people have to worry about the pollution of their

water. What the Chinese and Thais have in common about their drinking alcohol is that there is

no age limit on the consumption of alcohol. With all the things Thailand and China have in

common it is easy for Westerners to see the cultural hegemony between the two countries.

Japan

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Japan’s cuisine is very similar to Chinese cuisine. They eat rice at many of their meals.

Soups are very popular in both countries along with shrimp dishes. Both tend to eat lots of

vegetables or include it in their dishes. Spicy foods are very popular in Japan and they share that

with China. Fish dishes are also similar in both countries. Noodle dishes are something that the

Japanese got from the Chinese and have since made it their own.

The Japanese share their love of tea with China because many of the Japanese have in the

past come from China. The Japanese love to drink milk, though it is not as popular in China, they

also drink milk on occasion. Westerners see a cultural hegemony between Japan and China

because of all the synonymy between the countries.

Fashion

South Korea

While China might wear heavier clothing, the Koreans wear lighter clothing because of

their weather. Silk is a popular material used to make clothes in South Korea. Koreans do have

other popular material which includes satin, ramie, and cotton muslin. The Koreans tend to like

the colors that represent the five elements, where Chinese tend to wear clothing colors according

to seasons, along with red for luck.10 Though Chinese and Koreans differ in clothing both are

similar in other respects.

Thailand

In traditional Thai clothing, silk was commonly used much like the Chinese. Many of the

skirts that the Thai people wear are long and are similar to how skirts in China are designed.

Both countries have different reasons to wear longer clothing, but they are still wearing the

similar long clothing. China and Thailand might not wear all of the same things, but they share

many similarities. 10 "Korea Clothing." World Map, Map of the World. 2009. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.mapsofworld.com/south-korea/culture/clothing.html>.

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Japan

Japanese clothing highly resembles Chinese attire. The style of Japanese clothing is

heavily influenced by China, which is seen in how some of the tops of clothes are criss-crossed.

An example would be the Japanese kimono and the Chinese qipao. Both, the qipao and the

kimono, have a type of criss-cross pattern at the top and are both long. Silk it a very popular

material that is used in Japan, like in China.11,12 China and Japan share similar tastes in clothing is

another reason why Westerners believe in the cultural hegemony between China and Japan.

Festivals

South Korea

South Korea has numerous festivals for things it celebrates. New Year’s celebration is

well known, all around the world, event where people get together to share greeting the New

Year and to watch the fireworks. Like China, the New Year’s celebration is important to South

Korean Culture. South Korea also shares a Moon Festival with China, where a person can watch

the full moon rise high in the sky and eat delicious food. Korea does have other festivals that are

uniquely their own, like Liberation Day for Koreans.13 With similarities in festivals Westerners

see the cultural hegemony between China and South Korea.

Thailand

There are many festivals celebrated in this culture. The one most similar to China’s is the

New Year’s celebration. This is a celebration that does not have to be specified. It is practically

the same in all cultures. The Songkran Festival, in Thailand, is the same as the Water Splashing 11 "Japanese Traditional Clothing." Japanese Traditional Clothing. 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://japanesetraditionalclothing.net/>.12 Translation and Japanese Original Available :: JapanFocus." Japan Focus. Trans. Kyoko Selden. The Asia-Pacific Journal, 27 Sept. 2010. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.japanfocus.org/-Tanaka-Sakai/3418>.13 "South Korean Holidays and Festival. Seoul Korea. Chuseok, Seollal Buddha Public." Seoul South Korea Business Culture Teaching, News, Books, Flights, Trade, People. 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.seoulkoreaasia.com/holidays-festivals.htm>.

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Festival, in China, in meaning.14 When countries like Thailand and China have festivals in

common it easily leads Westerners to consider the cultural hegemony between the two countries.

Japan

Japan’s festival culture is very similar to China’s. The most important festival that both

countries share is their New Year’s Festivals. New Year’s is an immense celebration in both

countries. Both countries also share a type of Moon Festival, which occurs during a full moon,

and moon cakes are eaten. They share a common day where they respect their elders. They also

have a day based on numbers, ages.15

Music

South Korea

South Korea’s music is like most Chinese music. They have many instruments in

common as well. For example, the haegum is a two-string South Korean fiddle that has a

Chinese origin. Korea does have some of its own instruments, but with them being so influenced

by Chinese culture, they mostly have instruments with Chinese origin.16

Japan

14 "Culture of China - History, People, Clothing, Traditions, Women, Beliefs, Food, Customs, Family." Countries and Their Cultures. Advameg, Inc., 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/China.html>.15 "Japanese Holiday Traditions." Leading International School in Tokyo - The American School in Japan. Elementary School Japanese Department, 6 June 2005. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.asij.ac.jp/elementary/japan/jp_holi.html>.16 "Music Styles and Instruments - South-Korea - Korea4expats." Information for Expats Living, Moving, Visiting, Working in Korea. K4E Consulting, 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.korea4expats.com/article-korea-music-Instruments.html>.

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Japanese music and Chinese music share rapid sing-song vocals in both countries music.

Many Japanese instruments are very similar to Chinese ones. For example, the Japanese koto is

similar to the Chinese yangqin. They are both rectangular-shaped and have multiple strings.17,18

Language

South Korea

With the Chinese cultural hegemony of South Korea, Westerners believe that the Korean

and Chinese languages are practically the same. Unlike the Chinese language the Korean

language is not tonal. Korean language has developed a system of polite language. Some word

endings express compliance to those who have superior status. Subjects and objects can be left

out of Korean sentences if they are clear in context. With their verbs, intonation is important

because depending on how it is said it can change their meanings.19 With the Chinese language,

intonation is important because of the different meanings words can represent if a word is not

said the right way.

The South Koreans have, over time, borrowed numerous amounts of Chinese characters

to mix into the Korean writing style. Koreans have taken Chinese characters a step further, and

have given the characters some Korean meanings, along with inventing some new characters.

The three writing styles of South Korea are the Hyangchal, Gukyeol, and the Idu. The Gukyeol

style of writing does not use any Chinese characters, but is purely Korean. The Idu system

incorporates Chinese characters along with Korean characters to indicate grammatical markers 17 "Traditional Chinese Music Instruments - Guqin,guzheng,pipa,erhu,yangqin,Konghou,sanxian,liuqin...all about Strings." Liu Fang - Virtuoso of Chinese Pipa and Guzheng, Featured Artist of Philmultic. Philmultic Management & Productions Inc., 2009. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.philmultic.com/home/instruments/>.18 "Music Instruments - Culture - Explore Japan - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan." Web Japan : Top Page. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/culture/q3.html>.19 Foreign Translations, Inc. "The Korean Language | Foreign Translations, Inc." Global Language Translation Services | Foreign Translations, Inc. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.foreigntranslations.com/languages/korean-translation/korean-language/?page-content.cfm/page/the-korean-language>.

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and verb endings. The Idu style of writing has been used for centuries in private and official

documents. The Hyangchal writing style, which uses Chinese characters, represents Korean

sounds and is mainly used to write poetry.20 The Chinese language has influenced the Korean

language greatly in the aspects of writing and shares some of the same qualities in the spoken

language. Westerners realize that China has a cultural hegemony on South Korea because of how

greatly the Chinese have influenced the Korean language.

Thailand

The Chinese language has many similarities with the Thai language. For example, in

Thailand, people are taught to speak Thai in school, where as English is taught as a second

language. China also teaches English as a second language. The Thai people also have a variety

of different ethnic and regional dialects. Thai is a tonal language that has gender specific words.

Their five tones include a high tone, a rising tone, a mid tone, a falling tone, and a low tone.

Chinese is also a tonal language and has the same five tones as the Thai language does. With

their gender specific words the Thai have to know all Thai words both male and female to fully

understand others. Unlike the Thai, Chinese does not have gender specific words. The Chinese

have many things in common with the Thai, including how both countries spoken language.

The Chinese writing style is distinctly different from the Thai writing style. The Chinese

do not have a fixed alphabet like the Thai. The Thai alphabet consists of 44 consonants each with

an inherent vowel. There are eighteen other vowels and six diphthongs which use diacritics to

indicate them. They appear in front of, above, below, or after the consonants they modify. The

consonants are divided up into three groups, low, mid, and high to determine the tone of a

20 Ager, Simon. "Korean Alphabet, Pronunciation and Language." Omniglot - the Guide to Languages, Alphabets and Other Writing Systems. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.omniglot.com/writing/korean.htm>.

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syllable. The syllable can also be open or close depending on how they end.21 When writing in

Thai or Chinese there are no spaces in between words. Instead Thai use spaces to indicate end of

a sentence or clause and the Chinese use something similar to the period. The Thai and Chinese

languages have an extreme collation with each other which makes it easier for Westerners to see

the cultural hegemony between the two countries.

Japan

The Japanese language is not completely like the Chinese language. Chinese is a very

tonal language and the Japanese language does not use many tones. Japanese language, ( 　日本语

[knee-hone-go]), is believed to be based on the linguistic patterns of the samurai, or warriors,

whether this is completely true is uncertain.22 Chinese has different dialects depending on

region. Japanese has several distinctive regional and ethnic dialects. The Okinawan dialect is an

example of a dialect that is distinct from Japanese. Though the spoken languages of Japanese and

Chinese are opposite, they share some many other similarities.

The Chinese have two writing styles: pinyin, and characters. The Japanese have four

different writing systems: romaji, katakana, hiragana, and kanji. Romaji is the western

Romanization of the Japanese word, which is quite similar to the Chinese pinyin. Katakana is

mainly used when one is writing an English word in Japanese that does not already have an

equivalent in Japanese. For example, the name Emily in katakana is done エミリー with a

Romanization, or romaji, of Emirii. Hiragana is a writing style in which only Japanese words are

used, the polar opposite to katakana. The kanji writing system that the Japanese use was derived

21 Ager, Simon. "Thai Language, Alphabet and Pronunciation." Omniglot - the Guide to Languages, Alphabets and Other Writing Systems. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. <http://www.omniglot.com/writing/thai.htm>.22 "Culture of Japan - History, People, Traditions, Women, Beliefs, Food, Family, Social, Marriage." Countries and Their Cultures. Advameg, Inc., 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2011. <http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Japan.html>.

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from the Chinese in how they are like pictures. For example, the character tsuki, , was derived

from a picture of the crescent moon with a cloud over it. They have many characters that have

the same meaning but are said differently. There are also some characters that are written the

same way but have differing meanings. The Japanese and Chinese languages have many

similarities which are distinctly shown in the writing of characters/kanji and can help Westerners

to see a cultural hegemony between China and Japan.

Conclusion

If a group of American and Italian businessmen were to get on a train to China from

Germany, then take a boat from there to Japan, when they got off, if they were not paying

attention, they might not realize they had made it to Japan. When they hear the rapid sing-song

of the language around them in the train station they might believe it is China because of the

sounds they hear from a nearby Thai visitor. When they look around at the signs on the buildings

it looks like a bunch of ideograms on the signs. They may believe that they are in China because

of how they had seen Chinese writing while passing the country. They may not realize how

similar it is to the Japanese and Korean writing systems. They may see a festival going on as

they pass by, and see what might look like to them as a Chinese festival because of how the

clothing is alike in both cultures. They may stop for lunch and taste the spiciness of their noodle

dish and believe that they are in China because of how spicy their food is, even though they had

Korean food for lunch. When they pass by a temple and see monks, they might believe

themselves to be in China because of the similarities in the religions of the Thai, Koreans, and

Japanese. The culture is so similar in many of the Asian countries that it is not difficult to see

how they can get confused. With the influence that China has had over the Asian culture, the

similarities between countries in Asia are so immense, that it is not uncommon that people who

are not versed in knowledge of the differences in the Asian countries will mistake a country for

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China. With the hegemony of contemporary society, it generalizes cultures and countries because

Western society is not willing to understand. It has done this with Asian counties in calling them

Chinese, so it is not difficult to see how it has negatively influenced the next generation in

society against Asia. This can be easily fixed though people being open minded to other cultures.

For example, people can learn the language, travel, or learn from someone who is/was a native of

that country.

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