Cultures of East Asia

A. Tradition and Change

      1. The tradition on East Africa has mixed with the change, mixing a little of the past and the present.

            a. Business man from the east working in the west still greet with a bow.

            b. Skyscrapers are found on ancient places.

     2. When communists gain China in 1949, they changed many things.

            a. Stopped land ownership and started communes, or communities in which people live and work together and the land is held in common.

                  b. Chinese liked it better owning land because communes caused food shortages and fall of production. Production increased when they owned land again.

            c. Communists wanted to slow down population growth, so couples had to get married from their late 20's or older, they had to have only one child, and 1-child-families had privileges.

            d. Even though men still have more power, communism helped women by allowing them to work outside home, choose their husband, own a property, and get a divorce.

       3. Old culture in China is more common on rural areas, but in cities you could find tricycle cabs and shops that sell traditional cures made from herbs. These herbs are side by side with modern advanced hospitals.

       4. In daily life in Korea, family is still important but it's smaller. Family still look for welfare of all of its members, and in rural areas are extended families.

       5. People in Korea and China wear modern clothing in urban areas.

           a. Their traditional dresses are kept for holidays or special days.

       6. Women rules had changed from studying at home in rural areas to working in urban jobs and voting.

       7. Japanese are the people in East Asia that are more advanced or modernize.

            a. People work in computers and get home in trains, and in their houses, they follow traditions like sitting in mats at a a low table to eat.

       8. As the Japanese are the most modern in East Asia, they are trying to preserve their past cultures.

           a. Government is giving help to Japanese to preserve their arts and crafts skills by giving lessons to kids and adults.

B. East Asia People

   1. Many people follow the Han Dynasty that was the Chinese second dynasty.

        a. It covers most of east and central Asia.

        b. They speak dialects, or many forms of a single language.

    2. Koreans come form many different groups of nomads in Mongolia.

        a. Nomads moved from place to place to look for water and food for their herds.

        b. Nomads formed a group of very similar kinds of groups called a homogeneous.

     3. Japan is one of the most homogeneous countries around the globe.

         a. Many people belong to the same ethnic group. An ethnic group is a group of people that share the same language, religion and customs.

         b. To be a citizen from Japan, you need to be born in Japan, otherwise, is almost impossible to be a citizen.

         c. Ainu was the only minority group in Japan. The Ainu were believed to be the first habitants of Japan.