Written by Karen Lin and edited by Melanie Kuo
It must be noted that what is mentioned in this article is not exhaustive. The cultures of East Asia have histories dating back centuries and are very nuanced & complex, and this article was not intended to cover those histories or cultures in their entirety. The writer does not intend to stereotype or typify any parts of these cultures. We hope to publish more articles to expand on these cultures and histories more fully.
East Asian countries, which include countries like China, Japan, North Korea, and South Korea, all have their own distinctive cultures. Despite their many differences, China, Japan, and Korea all share a few common things, which includes both verbal and written language roots, and their similar cuisines. Historically, China, Japan, and Korea have been close for centuries, thus resulting in their common traditions.
In East Asia, the most common language spoken is Mandarin, with about 1.3 billion people speaking the language worldwide. The root of Korean and Japanese written styles derives from the Chinese written language. This is notably due to the spread of the Chinese language early to Korea and then Japan.
Additionally, East Asia consists of diverse religious beliefs. There are people of East Asia who are a part of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Shintoism. However, common western religions, including Christianity and Islam are uncommon outside of South Korea.
In China, approximately 30-80% of people are Taoist, and 10-16% are Buddhists, while those who are a part of Christianity and Islam make up a very minimal percentage of the population in China. In contrast, South Korea is composed of a much larger number of Christians; approximately 29% are Christian. Besides that, there are approximately 47% of those who are not affiliated with a religion, and 23% are Buddist. In Japan, most people are either a part of Shintoism or not affiliated with a religion. Collectively, they both makeup about 56% of Japan, and 35% are Buddhists.
Within the East Asian cultures, there are also cuisines that are an important part of their cultures. Most commonly found in China, one of the Chinese traditional dishes is the dumpling. Dumplings are notably popular in North China, with a long history of being around for more than 1,800 years. Each dumpling consists of meat and vegetables, which are then wrapped in thin dough. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, dumplings are considered one of the many traditional dishes eaten on that day. Another famous Chinese dish is the Peking duck. In particular, it is a famous dish from Beijing and is considered one of China’s national dishes.
Many of the Japanese cuisines have been historically influenced by Chinese cuisine. Without a doubt, one of the most famous foods in Japan is sushi, which originated from the preservation of fish and fermented rice and initially derived from narezushi, a Chinese dish. Furthermore, this particular dish consisted of fermented rice and salted fish. Internationally, it also became one of the most popular dishes over the last century, especially in the United States. Many popular sushi styled dishes include sashimi-style, sushi roll, and a Poke-style sushi bowl. It generally consists of vinegared rice with raw fish and is eaten with soy sauce and wasabi.
In South Korea, one of the oldest and most recognized Korean dishes and cuisine is kimchi. This specific dish is spicy and sour and consists of fermented vegetables. A large number of Korean cuisine surrounds the use of meat, vegetables, and rice. In common cases, cabbages are used for kimchi. It is generally the most popular among Koreans due to its cultural value, while among most foreigners, it is relatively popular for its flavor, high nutritional value, and other features. Another prominent Korean dish that is also widely recognized is bulgogi, which is also known as a marinated beef barbecue. This popular Korean dish consists of marinated spicy or sweet-flavored sliced meat strips. According to a 2011 CNN Travel’s reader’s poll, it was ranked as the 23rd most delicious food in the world.
In addition to their cultures, traditional clothing also plays a significant role. In fact, traditional clothing is worn on special occasions such as weddings. Additionally, the traditional dress styles from Japan and Korea are heavily influenced by China, but both countries have also developed their own traditional styles.
Historically, ancient traditional Chinese clothing, also referred to as Hanfu, was generally worn by the Han Chinese during the Han Dynasty. Hanfu clothing is a long flowing robe, including loose sleeves and a belt. Hanfu was considered a symbol of traditional Chinese culture, and Chinese clothing was initially adopted by the Japanese in the 5th century. The ancient Chinese clothing had an influence on East Asian traditional clothing, such as the Japanese kimono and the Korean hanbok. It also influenced other traditional Southeast Asian clothing, such as the Vietnamese Áo Giao lĩnh.
The most widely recognizable traditional Japanese clothing is kimono. The kimono was once worn as an everyday clothing choice dating back to the Kamakura Period. Now, these traditional clothing is notably worn on special occasions, such as funerals, tea ceremonies, and weddings.
The hanbok, which is Korean traditional attire, has been an important aspect of Korea and was once worn daily approximately a century ago. It is commonly worn on special occasions and holidays. In addition, the colors of hanbok symbolized one’s marital status and position. For instance, children and girls usually wore bright colors. On the other hand, muted hues were usually worn by middle-aged men and women. Furthermore, commoners typically wore white, but on special occasions, they would wear shades of pink, gray, light green, and charcoal. One could also identify someone else’s social position through the material of the hanbok. Woven ramie cloth or any other high-grade lightweight materials along with plain and patterned silks were restricted to the upper classes. In contrast, commoners were only permitted to wear cotton.
Ultimately, the diverse cultural aspects of China, Japan, and Korea have influenced each other in terms of sharing common qualities and characteristics.
Cover Photo by Giuliano Gabella on Unsplash
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