15.2
Export from India Profound effect on SE Asia Powerful neighbors
China India
Mainland SE Asia Many peninsulas Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, part
of Malaysia Island SE Asia
20,000 islands Indian Ocean and S China Sea Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines
Separated from Asia by mtns Traders and invaders did push overland 4 river valleys
Irrawaddy Chao Phraya Mekong Red
Islands: strategic importance Malacca and Sunda straits
Command of these straits controls rich trade routes
Monsoons (seasonal winds) shaped trade patterns
Ships travelled NE in Summer SE in Winter Between seasons: harbored ships in SE Asian ports
International trade network linked India, SE Asia, China, to East Africa and Middle East
Key products: spices Most to East Asia, Middle East, East Africa
Civilization here began 5,000 years ago Own religious patterns and cultures Nuclear family Women: greater equality
Spice traders Rulers of cities Choose or divorce partners
Matrilineal descent: inheritance through the mother
Spread culture Theravada beliefs introduced Writing, law, govt, art, architecture, farming Settled port cities Presents to local rulers Married into influential families Exchanged cottons, jewels, perfume for raw
materials, timber, spies, gold Peak around 500-1000
Hinduism and Buddhism already in SE Asia Indians carried Islam into region 1200s Trades spread beliefs throughout islands of
Indonesia and Philippines Arab merchants Growth of Islam contributed to stable trade
network
Pagan Irrawaddy Valley Rice paddies King Anawrata
Brought Buddhism to Burman people Stupas: dome-shaped shrines Fell in 1287 to conquering Mongols
Khmer Empire Peak between 800-1350 Present day rulers control Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia
Pious Hindus Leaders saw themselves as god-kings
Ordinary people preferred Buddhism King Suryavarman II built temple complex at Angkor Wat
Ruins survived to today Among most impressive in world Hundreds of carved figures
Srivijaya Trading empire 600-1200 Controlled Strait of Malacca Hinduism and Buddhism Other islands: people blended beliefs of Hinduism,
Buddhism, Islam to create local gods Islam spread to Sumatra, Java
Indian influence outweighed Chinese Spread through trade China conquered Annam (N Vietnam)
Heart of N Vietnam: Red River delta Fertile rice paddies Provided food
111 BC: Han armies conquered region Controlled for 1000 years Spread:
Confucian ideas Chinese civil service system Built government bureaucracy similar to China’s Learned to write/speak Chinese Adopted Mahayana Buddhism beliefs from China
Daoism
39 AD: briefly drove Chinese out Remembered as martyrs and heroes 939 Vietnam broke free Remained tributary state of China