Footbinding, Marco Polo, and East Asian History Overview

Key Terms and Figures in East Asian History

Footbinding

The Chinese practice of footbinding emerged during the tenth century and lasted for approximately one millennium, until 1911. Young girls were generally targeted, and their social class or background was largely irrelevant to the Chinese community. What is even more striking is that the girls' own relatives participated in the process without believing they were doing anything wrong. Footbinding typically began when girls were between the ages of 4 and 7. All toes except the big toe were bent against the bottom of the foot — the big toe was left unaltered so that the girls could maintain balance. The process was extremely painful, and it even ended in death for some girls. It was apparently meant to keep women close to their families or to make them more attractive (Miles).

Marco Polo

Although his father and uncle visited Southeast Asia long before he did, Marco Polo distinguished himself through his adventurous spirit and his determination to learn as much as possible from his journeys. He was a pioneer in travel and inspired many individuals to leave their homes and explore the wider world. He was mainly responsible for providing Europeans with a detailed account of Asian cultures and the values commonly upheld across the Asian continent (Marco Polo and His Travels).

Shinto

Although people often relate to it as a religion, Shinto is actually a complex set of laws and practices characteristic of people in Japan. Shinto can be seen as an amalgam of cultural values rather than a strictly religious ideology. The majority of people in Japan can be described as Shintoist in character, and they support concepts such as public shrines and the veneration of objects and individuals identified as kami — spirits or higher authorities that exert an essential influence on society as a whole (Varley 9).

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi is widely considered the second great unifier in the history of Japan and the individual responsible for establishing a strict set of rules that allowed the community to function with minimal conflict. His negotiation skills and his experience in dealing with people assisted him in rising rapidly, eventually enabling him to become Japan's leader. His legacy is observable today in many cultural values promoted throughout the country. The Osaka Castle is probably one of the most important monuments demonstrating Hideyoshi's greatness and his ability to distinguish himself from many other Japanese leaders (Varley 142).

Silla Dynasty

The Silla Dynasty is one of the most remarkable dynasties in history, having lasted from 57 B.C. to 935 A.D. Its early phases were very different from the phases for which it is most remembered. King Park Hyeokgeose founded the dynasty, but it was ruled for most of its existence — 992 years — by the Gyeongju Kim clan. The dynasty experienced rapid expansion when it absorbed the kingdoms of Paekche and Koguryo in 660 and 668, respectively, with significant assistance from China. The Chinese were subsequently expelled from the peninsula shortly after Korea's first indigenous unification process (Seth 65).

Hangul

Hangul is Korea's native alphabet, created by the Joseon dynasty in 1443. Despite this early origin, Hangul did not become the primary writing system in Korea until the twentieth century, as the country's alphabet had been profoundly shaped by its long history with China. As Seth notes, "Hangul is the only major system of writing in use today that does not have its origins in the ancient Middle East, India, or China" (173). Hangul is one of the principal reasons why Koreans in contemporary society feel a strong sense of personal identity and national pride.