Vietnam- Chapter 14:iiic -

[Image source: http://www.sinhcafetour.com/newimages/hue/hue21.jpg]

Because of its proximity to China, Vietnam’s culture in many ways

resembles that of the Middle Kingdom.

[Image source: http://www.nd.edu/~vsand/images/custom_tradition.gif]

Elements of Chinese culture were absorbed during a period of more than 1,000 years of domination.

[Image source: www.tropicalisland.de/ vietnam.html ]

Chinese belief systems such as Confucianism, Daoism, and

Buddhism became integral parts of

Vietnamese culture.

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[Image source: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/ksm/lowres/ksmn983l.jpg]

The Vietnamese also adopted

Chinese forms of writing and government.

[Image source: http://www.lifeatthelake.com/Chinese%20Characters%201.JPG]

Vietnamese government officials were selected through a civil service exam based on Confucian principles.

[Image source: http://www.kittyprint.com/KTP/Images/Asia/TheEmperorofCochinChina.jpg]

Although they adopted many Chinese beliefs, the Vietnamese continued to believe in animism.

[Image source: http://www.marlamallett.com/B-4844DD-Shamans_Vest.jpg]

Every village had a dinh, or spirit house,

where the guardian spirit

of a village dwelled.

[Image source: http://www.cpamedia.com/articles/20050322_03/spirit_house.jpg]

Vietnamese traditionally wore their hair long

and tattooed their skin.

[Image source: http://www.trucxanh.org/myvsa/images/hannoi.jpg]

The Chinese controlled Vietnam almost continuously between B.C. 200 and 939 A.D.

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Vietnam briefly gained independence in 39 A.D. when Trung Trak and Trung Nhi, two sisters, led a successful revolt against China.

[Image source: http://www.egeltje.org/archives/blah/trungsis.jpg]

The sisters reportedly drowned

themselves when the

Chinese re-conquered Vietnam.

[Image source: http://www.egeltje.org/archives/blah/trungsis.jpg]

Vietnam availed itself of the chaos accompanying the collapse of the Tang

dynasty and revolted again in the early-900s.

[Image source: http://www.uni-erfurt.de/ostasiatische_geschichte/texte/vietnam/pictures/ngo%20quyen%20bach%20dang%20939.htm]

China dispatched a fleet of warships to subdue the rebellion.

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The Vietnamese, under the leadership of Ngo Quyen, defeated the Chinese armada at the Battle of the Bach Dang River in 938 A.D.

[Image source: http://www.viettouch.com/hist/ngoquyen/bdang1.jpg]

The Vietnamese date their independence from China to this battle, even though Emperor Tai

Cong subsequently launched an invasion.

[Image source: http://www.uni-erfurt.de/ostasiatische_geschichte/texte/vietnam/pictures/ngo%20quyen%20bach%20dang%20939.jpg]

During the Song dynasty, the Vietnamese

acknowledged Chinese

suzerainty when they agreed to

pay tribute.[Image source: http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/wiki/images/thumb/7/7b/250px-Kowtow.jpg]

Although Vietnamese rulers called themselves emperor at home, they referred to themselves as

merely a king in messages sent to

the imperial Chinese court.

[Image source: http://www.merechina.com/gallery/piclarge.asp?PicID=286]