Geography Chapter 11: East Asia

China

""'s northernmost tip lies as far north as central Quebec, while its southernmost point is at the same latitude as Mexico City. - the climate of southern "" is thus roughly comparable to that of South Florida, while northern "" climate is like that of south-central Canada.

Japan's Physical Environment

- has a mostly temperate climate with pronounced seasonality, much like of eastern US - extends over a wide range of latitude -Extreme south, in southern Kyushu and the Ryukyu Archipelago = subtropical -Northern Hokkaido is almost subarctic -Areas facing the Sea of Japan receive much more winter snow than those facing the Pacific Ocean - A series of steep mountain ranges separate its Pacific coast from the Sea of Japan - world's most rugged countries, with mountainous terrain (heavily forested) covering some 85 percent of its territory -owes lush forests to mild and rainy climate, its long history of conservation and its import of timber and wood pulp from other parts of the world -small alluvial plains line parts of the coastline and are interspersed among its mountains, cleared for intensive agriculture -largest lowland = Kanto Plain, north of Tokyo, but even it is only some 80 miles wide and 100 miles long. Other basins include Kansai, located around Osaka, and the Mobim centered on Nagoya.

Dry north China

- the climate is colder and drier -summer rainfall is generally abundant -other seasons tend to be dry

Korean Settlement

-25 million in North -51 million in South -Alluvial plains and basins of the west and south -Highland spine, extends from far north to northeastern South Korea= sparsely settled -South -rice -North- corn + upland crops that do not require irrigation

Shangai

-China cities beginning change as Europeans gained power in the region in the 1800's. Several port cities were taken over by European interests, which proceeded to build western-style building and modern business districts. By far the most important of these semicolonial cities was "", near the mouth of the Yangtze River, the main gateway to interior China. Although, "" declined after the communist party came to power in 1949, it has experienced a major revival. By the 1990s, migrants were pouring into "", building cranes crowded its skyline. Official statistics now put the population of the metropolitan area at 24 million.

Beijing

-China's capital during the Manchu (1644-1912), a status it regained in 1949. Under communist rule, "" was radically transformed; old buildings were razed, and broad avenues plowed through old neighborhoods. Crowded residential districts gave way to large blocks of apartment buildings and massive government offices. Some historically significant buildings were saved; those of the Forbidden City, for example, where the Manchu rulers once lived, survive as a complex of museums.

Closing and opening of Japan

-Early 1600s, J had reunited by the armies of the Tokugawa shogunate (a shogun was the military leader who was the true power behind the throne). - At this time, J isolated itself from the rest of the world -Until the 1850s, J traded with China mostly through the Ryukyu Islanders and with Russia through Ainu go-betweens. -The only westerners allowed to trade in Japan were the Dutch, and their activities were strictly limited. -Closed to foreign commerce and influence until U.S. gunboats sailed into Tokyo Bay in 1853 to demand trade access. -Aware that China was losing power, Japanese leaders set about modernizing their economic, administrative, and military systems. -Accelerated when the Tokugawa shogunate was toppled in 1868 by the Meiji Restoration (so called because it nominally restored the emperor to power).

Qing Dynasty

-In 1644, the Manchus toppled the Ming Dynasty and replaced it with the Qing (or Ch'ing) Dynasty. -The Manchus retained the Chinese bureaucracy and made few institutional changes -Strategy: adapt themselves to Chinese culture + preserving their own identity as an elite military group. -Functioned well until the mid-19th century, when the Chinese Empire began to crumble at the hands of European and later Japanese power.

Mandarin Chinese

-In northern, central, and southwestern China -from Manchuria, through the middle and upper Yangtze River Valley to the valleys of Yunnan in the far south -Putonghua (common language)

The Japanese Empire

-Japan's new rulers concluded that only way to meet the European challenge was to expand their own territory. -J took over Hokkaido and began to move farther north -In 1895, it tested its newly modernized army against China, winning a quick victory that gave Japan control of Taiwan. -Tensions then mounted with Russia as the two countries competed for power in Manchuria and Korea. -The Japanese defeated the Russians in 1905, giving Japan considerable influence in northern China. -With no strong rival in the area, Japan annexed Korea in 1910. -The 1930s brought a global depression, reducing world trade and putting resource-dependent Japan in a bind. -Its leaders sought a military solution, conquering Manchuria in 1931. -Six years later, Japanese armies occupied the North China Plain and the coastal cities of southern China, infuriating the United States. -When the United States cut off the export of scrap iron, Japan suffered a resource crunch. -In 1941, the country's leaders decided to destroy the U.S. Pacific fleet in order to clear the way for the conquest of resource-rich Southeast Asia.

Seoul

-Largest city in South Korea that has a population of more than 10 million people. -40% of pop.

Rebellion in 1911 toppled the Manchus and destroyed the empire

-Local military leaders ("warlords") grabbed power for themselves -By the 1920s, it appeared that China might be completely torn apart -Tibetans had gained autonomy; xinjiang was under Russian influence; and the China proper, Europeans and local warlords vied with the weak Chinese Republic for power.

Taoism/Daoism

-Rooted in nature worship. -Stresses spiritual harmony. -indirectly associated with feng shui (Chinese and Korean practice of designing buildings in accordance with the spiritual powers that supposedly flow through the local topography)

Japan's CO2 emissions

-Spiked upward in 2011 after its nuclear reactors were shut down following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent Fukushima power plant disaster. -by 2016, several nuclear facilities had reopened, but public resistance led the government to promise that it would generate no more than 15% of its electricity from nuclear plants.

Taiwan Strait

-Strait between Taiwan and China -only 200 ft. or 60 meters deep

The modern era

-The Chinese declined rapidly in the 1800s, failed to keep pace with the technological progress of Europe -The Europeans were distressed by the amount of silver needed to obtain Chinese silk, tea, and other products -The British began to trade in opium, which Chinese authorities rightfully viewed as a threat. -When the imperial government tried to suppress the opium trade in the 1840s, Britain attacked and quickly prevailed.

Japan Settlement

-Tokyo is the world's largest metropolitan area until at least 2030 -mountainous terrain + lightly populated uplands agriculture share in the limited lowlands with cities and suburbs -^ In the core, from Tokyo south and west through Nagoya and Osaka to the northern coast of Kyushu -rice = along the Sea of Japan in central and northern Honshu -Veggies in lowland basin + tiny patches within urban neighborhoods -Valleys of central + northern Honshu = temperate-climate fruit -Citrus= milder southwestern districts -potatoes and cooler climate crops thrive in Hokkaido and northern Honshu

Tsunami

-Very large sea waves induced by underwater earthquakes. -both its long coastline and its position near the intersection of 3 tectonic plates make Japan vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions -2011 Tohoku earthquake (over 40 m high) and tsunami in northeastern Japan destroyed many towns and killed over 15,000 people -^ severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which released significant amounts of radiation and forced the evacuation of over 200,000 area residents

Taiwan's Physical Environment

-a small, mountainous, and mostly forested country -an island about the size of Maryland, sits at the edge of the continental landmass -Taiwan Strait is to the west -to the east, ocean depths of many thousands of feet lie 10-20 miles (15-30 km) offshore -Central and eastern "" are rugged and dominated by heavily forested mountains, while the west is dominated by a narrow but fertile alluvial plain -Bisected by the Tropic of Cancer, "" has mild winters, but it is often hit by typhoons

South Korea's birth rate

-among the lowest -the pop. will drop to 10 million by 2136. -gov interested in increasing the native birth rate -A detailed 2015 report proposes official matchmaking services, state subsidies for fertility treatments, and reserving units in public housing for young families

Shinto

-bound to the idea of Japanese nationality -Began as the worship of nature spirits, but was gradually refined into a set of beliefs about the harmony of nature and its connections with human existence. -a place- and nature-centered religion. -Certain mountains, particularly, Mount Fuji, are considered sacred.

Korea Peninsula

-cut off from northeast China by rugged mountains and sizable rivers. - The far north, which just touches Russia's far east, has a climate similar to that of Maine, whereas the southern tip is more like the Carolinas -mountainous land with scattered alluvial basins -lowlands of the southern part is more extensive than of the North, giving South an agricultural advantage. -North has abundant natural resources, the uplands are heavily deforested, whereas the South has seen extensive reforestation since the end of World War II

Northeast China (Manchuria, by English speakers)

-dominated by a broad, fertile lowland sandwiched between mountains and uplands stretching along China's borders with North Korea, Russia, and Mongolia. -Winters here can be brutally cold, but summers are usually warm and moist. -Uplands are home to some of China's best-preserved forests and wildlife refuges

China resources

-growing wealth > increase in consumption of meat- imported feed grain -five times more pork per person than in the 1970s -loss of farmland to residential, commercial, and industrial development, requiring more food from abroad -food imports increased from $6 million in 2005 to $300 million in 2015.

Taiwan settlement

-has > 23 million -highest population density in East Asia -mountains cover most of the central and eastern parts -concentrated in the narrow lowland belt in the north and west, large cities and numerous factories are scattered amid lush farmlands

Humid south China

-large valleys -moderate-elevation plateaus - coastal areas tend to be rugged and support limited agriculture

Tokyo's climate

-like of Washington, DC, -receives significantly more rain

Earthquakes

-most common in Japan -more destructive in China due to lax construction standards -almost 70,000 people died in the 2008 Sichuan "" in central China, which left over 4 million people homeless -a smaller one in the same area in 2017, damaged more than 10,000 homes

South Korea resources

-obtains food and forestry from abroad -In 2008, global grain prices jumped, companies began to negotiate long-term leases for vast tracts of farmland in poor tropical countries -firms invest heavily in natural resource extraction in other parts of the world, in Central Asia and Africa -nationalists are distressed that the country even imports most of its national side dish (kimchi) from China

Southern + Central China

-rice -crowds into the broad lowlands= famous for fertile soil and intesive agriculture -planting+ harvesting year-round -summer rice alternates with winter barley or veggies and two rice crops in many areas, as well as one winter crop, are grown -produces tropical and subtropical crops, moderate slopes produce sweet potatoes, corn, and other upland crops -Plateau zone of Yunnan, tea, coffee, rubber, and other tropical plantation crops are cultivated

Japan resources

-self-sufficient in rice -imports meat and the feed used in its domestic livestock industry from the US, Brazil, Canada, and Australia (supply soybeans and wheat) -highest rate of fish consumption -fishing fleets scour the world's oceans to meet demand -imports of wood resources even though has cedar and cypress -buys lumber and pulp (paper making) from North America and Southeast Asia

Macau

-the last colonial territory in East Asia, was regained by China in 1999, becoming the country's second special administrative region. -This small former Portuguese enclave, located across the estuary from Hong Kong, has functioned largely as a gambling haven. The largest betting center in the world, "" derives 40 percent of its gross domestic product from gambling. -When China began to crack down on corruption in 2015, "" experienced a sharp recession. New casinos continue to be constructed, however, as many hope that the construction of a bridge linking "" to the mainland will boost the local economy.

South-North Water Transfer Project

-to solve lack of water in China, this is a huge diversion system -will eventually channel some 44.8 billion cubic m of freshwater annually from the Yangtze River to the Yellow river. -Diversion canals linking the 2 rivers are being constructed both in the headwaters area on the Tibetan Plateau and on the North China Plain.

China's Industrialization

-urban environmental problems worsen -the burning of high-sulfur coal causes serious air pollution, so does automobiles - cites shrouded in smog, especially in winter when the air often becomes stagnant - 2016 study found that air pollution led to 1.6 million deaths in China in 2013 alone -Pollutants not only reach Japan and the Koreas, but also the U.S. West Coast -water pollution causes some 60,000 deaths/yr -national action plan in 2013 placed a cap on coal use and prohibited new coal-burning facilities -the concentration of potentially deadly micro-particulate pollutants in Beijing fell by more than 25% from 2012 to 2016 -In 2017, coal-based heating systems in Hebei province schools were shut down before cleaner, gas-based systems could be installed

Northern China

-wheat, millet, and sorghum are common crops -pop. distribution is more variable -anthropogenic landscape= North China Plain -cultivated or occupied by houses, factories, and other structures of human society -Manchuria, lightly populated as recently as the mid-1800s -^ population is > 100 million -Loess Plateau crowded too

Huang He River (Yellow River)

-worst floods in northern China caused by the "" -cuts across the North China Plain -As a result of upstream erosion, the "" carries a huge sediment load (amount of suspended clay, silt, and sand in the water), making it the muddiest major river in the world -When the river enters the low-lying plain, its velocity slows, and its sediments begin to settle and accumulate in the riverbed. -Gradually raises the level of the river above that of the surrounding lands, and the river must eventually break free of its course to find a new route to the sea -the river has changed course 26 times.

China pop. policies

1.4 billion people, densely populated -In 1979, constituted a "one-child policy" -successfully reduced China's fertility rate, stands at 1.8. -In 2012, working-age pop. started to decline, relaxed the policy in 2013. -2015, two-child policy

Hui

10 million Chinese-speaking Muslims -concentrated in Gansu and Ningxia in the northeast and in Yunnan Province in the south

Christianity in East Asia

30% in South Korea -30-40% in China

79-92

90% of China's people then lived in the country, Japan was 50% urbanized -Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea are between ""% ""% urban -China live in the cities increase from 26% in 1990.

Han Chinese

93% of pop. in China

Loess

A fine, wind-deposited sediment that makes fertile soil but is very vulnerable to water erosion.

Megalopolis

A large urban region formed as multiple cities grow and merge with one another. The term is often applied to the string of cities in eastern North America that includes Washington, DC; Baltimore; Philadelphia; New York City; and Boston. -Japan

Buddhism

A religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, who was born in 563 BCE to an elite caste. He rejected the life of wealth and power and sought instead to attain enlightenment, or mystical union with the cosmos. He preached that the path to such "nirvana" was open to all, regardless of social position.

Marxism

A term referring to the political philosophy developed by Karl Marx in the 1800s and based on the ideas of communism.

ideographic writing

A writing system in which each symbol represents not a sound but rather a concept.

China religion

Buddhism and Taoism as well as Confucianism

-the drier zone north of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) Valley -the more humid region that includes the Yangtze and all areas to the south

China can be broadly divided into 2 main areas:

Environmental challenges

China suffers from some of the world's most severe air and water pollution while legislation in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have resulted in environmental improvements

Three Gorges Dam in China

China's gov has been trying to control the Yangtze for two reasons: prevent floods and to generate electricity - Built a series of large dams, the largest off which is a massive structure in the Three Gorges area, completed in 2006. -$39 billion structure is the world's largest hydroelectric dam, forming a reservoir 350 miles long -jeopardized several endangered species (Yangtze River dolphin), flooded a major scenic attraction, and displaced more than 1 million people - The dam generates large amounts of relatively clean electricity, supplying 1.7% of China's demand -accor. to gov, it prevents the release of roughly 100 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere annually -environmentalists think that the costs exceed the benefits -Gov officials disagree, the dam prevented flooding during drenching rain in July 2016 -reduced power generation, additional coal burning

The Chinese Territorial Domain

Despite its inability to regain Taiwan, China has successfully retained most of the territories that the Manchus controlled. In the case of Tibet, this has required considerable force. Resistance by the Tibetans compelled China to launch a full-scale invasion in 1959. The Tibetans, however, continue to struggle for real autonomy, as they fear that the Han Chinese now moving to Tibet will eventually outnumber them and undermine their culture. The postwar Chinese government also retained control over Xinjiang in the northwest as well as Inner Mongolia (Nei Mongol), a vast territory stretching along the Mongolian border. Like Tibet, Nei Mongol and Xinjiang are classified as autonomous regions. The native peoples of Xinjiang are asserting their religious and ethnic identities, and separatist attitudes are common. Most Han Chinese, however, see Nei Mongol and Xinjiang as integral parts of their country and regard any talk of independence as treasonous. One territorial issue was finally resolved when China reclaimed Hong Kong from Britain. As Chinese relations with the outer world opened in the 1980s, Britain decided to honor its treaty provisions and return Hong Kong to China. China, in turn, promised that Hong Kong would become a special administrative region, retaining its fully capitalist economic system for at least 50 years under the "one country, two systems" model. Many civil liberties not enjoyed in China itself remain protected in Hong Kong. Despite Hong Kong's autonomy, China's government continues to intervene in its affairs, angering many of its people. Beijing's interference in Hong Kong's local elections in 2014 generated a massive student-led protest movement. Hong Kongers are also concerned about the lack of affordable housing and the high cost of living, with many blaming such problems on Beijing. Tensions mounted in 2017 when the Chinese government announced plans to build a high-speed rail line into Hong Kong that would feature an immigration checkpoint—not on the border, but in the heart of the city. The young people of Hong Kong are evidently losing faith in the "one country, two systems" model, and some have engaged in heated protests and even riots. According to a 2017 poll, 94 percent of local residents between the ages of 18 and 29 primarily identify as "Hong Konger," whereas only 3 percent think of themselves mainly as "Chinese."

US

East Asia is situated in the same general latitudinal range as the "", extends farther north and south

China on the Global Stage

From 2000 through 2017, China's military budget grew at an average annual rate of about 10 percent. Although China's military spending is only about a third of U.S. military expenditure, it is more than triple that of Russia, the world's third highest military spender. In 2017, China established its first overseas military base in strategically located Djibouti near the entry to the Red Sea. Concerned about China's growing strength, South Korea and Japan have been eager to maintain close military ties with the United States, although many people in both countries oppose such relations. Currently, some 35,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan, with another 28,000 in South Korea. China is also seeking to develop its "soft," or nonmilitary, power on the global stage. In 2013, it announced the formation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to serve as a counterweight to the Western-dominated World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The United States opposes the expansion of this Chinese-led bank and expressed disappointment when major Western European countries announced that they would participate in its activities. China has also invested heavily in port facilities around the Indian Ocean in Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, and especially Pakistan. Possible Chinese interference in the internal affairs of other countries, a practice sometimes described as "sharp power," has caused concern. In 2017, Australia accused China of meddling in its electoral politics, universities, and publishing industries, and Germany advanced similar claims. Some foreign leaders also point to the growing personal power of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In 2017, Beijing officially elevated Xi to the same position as the country's founder, Mao Zedong. Xi's views now reign supreme in China's government, schools, and media, and criticism of his ideas is illegal. However one views its influence, China is now clearly a major force in global politics. Chinese leaders insist that their aims are peaceful attempts to bolster international trade and the global economy, and they point to their efforts to mediate disputes between Burma and Bangladesh as well as Pakistan and Afghanistan. They also express their own concerns about United States and other Western countries meddling in Chinese internal affairs, especially in regard to human rights issues and the situation in Tibet. Foreign critics, however, argue that China's military actions in the South China Sea indicates a more aggressive approach to global geopolitics.

Japan

Gov projections released in 2015 estimated that the # of workers in "" will probably fall by 7.9 million by 2030, and that the total pop. will likely decline to 86 million by 2060.

Mahayana Buddhism

Great Vehicle -simplifies the quest for nirvana, in part by incorporating the existence of beings who refuse divine union for themselves in order to help others spiritually. -permits its followers to practice other religions

Hong Kong

In 1997, "" past from British to Chinese control and was granted a distinctive status as a self-governing " special administrative region." The greater metropolitan area of the Xi Delta-- composed of "", Shenzhen, and Guangzhou (Canton in the West)-- is, by some measures, china's most populous urban area.

Hukou

In China, a record in a government system of household registration that determines where citizens are allowed to live. Poor people moving from rural areas to cities are often unable to obtain one that would officially allow them to do so. They, therefore, live as "undocumented migrants" in their own country and face difficult access to governmental services, including education for their children.

special administrative region

In China, a region of the country that temporarily maintains its own laws and own system of government.

Autonomous Regions in China

In China, province-level regions that have been given a degree of political and cultural autonomy due to the fact that they are inhabited in large part by minority groups. Guangxi Tibet Xinjiang Mongolia Ningxia

Taroko Gorge

In Taroko National Park is one of Taiwan's top tourist destinations

spheres of influence

In countries not formally colonized in the 19th and early 20th centuries (particularly China and Iran), areas called "spheres of influence" were gained by particular European countries for trade purposes and more generally for economic exploitation and political manipulation.

shogun

In feudal Japan, a noble similar to a duke. They were the military commanders and the actual rulers of Japan for many centuries while the Emperor was a powerless spiritual figure.

Forests and Deforestation

In much of southern China, sweet potatoes, maize, and other crops have been grown on steep and easily eroded hillsides for several hundred years. -After centuries of exploitation, many upland areas have lost so much soil that they cannot easily support forests. - Chinese gov engaged in large-scale reforestation programs, some of which have been successful - large forests confined to China's far north, where a cool climate prevents fast growth, and along the eastern slopes of the Tibetan Plateau, where rugged terrain restricts commercial forestry. -Suffers a shortage of wood resources

Japan's Revival

Japan lost its colonial empire in 1945, its territory reduced to the four main islands plus the Ryukyu Archipelago. In general, the Japanese government accepted this loss of land, but a conflict over the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, taken by the Soviet Union in 1945, remains to this day. Japan's military power was limited by the constitution imposed on it by the United States, forcing Japan to rely in part on the U.S. military for defense. Many Japanese citizens, however, believe that their country should defend itself. Slowly but steadily, Japan's military has emerged as a strong regional force, despite the limits imposed on it. North Korean nuclear bomb making and missile testing have raised security concerns, as has China's growing power. In early 2018, Japan initiated a major upgrade of its naval and air forces, and even began discussing the construction of aircraft carriers. Tensions between China and Japan have grown over the Senkaku Islands northeast of Taiwan (called the Diaoyu Islands by China). Japan controls these small, uninhabited islands, but China claims them as well as the surrounding waters—which may contain substantial oil resources. Anti-Japanese feelings in China are occasionally reinforced by Japanese prime ministers visiting Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the remains of several war criminals from World War II, and by some Japanese textbooks that downplay the country's atrocities during World War II.

Korean identity and Language

Korean, like japanese, is usually classified as the only member of its language family. The vast majority of people in both North and South Korea speak Korean and consider themselves members of the Korean Nation. However, strong regional identities persist and can be traced back to the medieval period when the peninsula was divided into three separate kingdoms. In recent decades, the language of North Korea has begun to differentiate from that of the South, largely because the north avoids borrowing words from English and other Global languages. Not all Koreans live in Korea. Several million reside just across the border in North China. Desperately poor North Koreans often sneak across the border to join these Korean speaking Chinese communities. A more recent Korean diaspora (scattering of an ethnic group over a vast geographical area) has established large communities in the United States, canada, australia, new Zealand, philippines, and other countries.

anthropogenic landscape

Landscapes that have been heavily transformed by humans.

China largest emitter of CO2

Largest emitter in the world since 2007 -due to explosive economic growth + its reliance on coal to generate most of its electricity -2016 World bank report concluded that the growth rate will decline by 2050 due to impacts on agriculture, health, and income -China's 2015 National Climate Change Assessment, the country's average temps have increased faster than the global average -increased evaporation rates, coupled with melting of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau could intensify local water shortages, while the wet zones of southeastern China could see more storms and flooding -first national plan on climate change in 2007, calling for major gains in energy efficiency as well as a partial transition to renewable energy sources. -2014 plan pledged that carbon emissions would peak around 2030 and then begin to decline - China has invested heavily in renewable energy, installing 32,.5 gigawatts of wind power and 18.3 GW of solar power in 2016 -Coal consumption fell by 3.7% while nuclear power grew by 30%. -Critics believe it mights not prove sustainable -natural gas shortages in 2017 caused significant economic problems -some wind farms built in remote areas have not yet been connected to the energy grid, and Greenpeace estimated that almost 20% of China's wind power was wasted in 2016

Feng Shui

Literally "wind-water." The Chinese art and science of placement and orientation of tombs, dwellings, buildings, and cities. Structures and objects are positioned in an effort to channel flows of sheng-chi ("life-breath") in favorable ways.

Juche Ideology

North Korea communist belief - "self-reliance" -demands absolute loyalty to the country's repressive political leaders

Houtouwan

On Shengshan Island off China's east coast, this village was once home to more than 2,000 people. -Almost abondened in the 1990s, as residents sought better lives on the mainland. Tourists visit the island's ruins today

Japan religion

Shinto and Buddhism

hallyu

South Korea's popular culture industry which continues to thrive, as Korean music, movies, and television shows have become popular around the world; a phenomenon also known as "Korean wave."

Fujianese (Hokkienese/ Min)

Spoken in Fujisan

Cantonese (Yue)

Spoken in Guangdong

Shanghainese (Wu)

Spoken in and around Shanghai

The first "opium war"

The British demanded trade privileges in selected Chinese ports. -As European businesses penetrated China and weakened local economic interests, anti-Manchu rebellions broke out. -At first, these uprisings were crushed--but not before causing tremendous destruction -European power continued to advance. -In 1858, Russia annexed the northernmost reaches of Manchuria, and by 1900 China has been divided into separate spheres of influence, with different colonial powers exerting political and economic authority.

Loess Plateau

The Huang He's sediment load comes from the eroding soils of the "", located to the west of the North China Plain. Loess is a fine, windblown material that was deposited on this upland area during the last ice age. -Loess deposits accumulated to depths of up to several hundred ft. - Loess forms fertile soil but washes away easily when exposed to running water. -Cultivation requires plowing, which leads to soil erosion. -As the region's population gradually increased, woodland and grassland diminished, leading to ever-greater rates of soil loss. -Terrace construction + tree planting have proved crucial in preserving the region's farmlands

sediment load

The amount of sand, silt, and clay carried by a river.

China Proper

The eastern half of the country of China where the Han Chinese form the dominant ethnic group. The vast majority of China's population is located in China. -Heart of China

Confucianism

The philosophical system developed in China by Confucius (Kung Fu Zi) in the 6th century BCE that stresses the creation of a proper social order. Confucius was born in 551 BCE, a period of political instability. His goal was to create a philosophy that could generate social stability. While confucianism is sometimes considered a religion, confucius himself was more interested in how to lead a correct life and organize a proper Society. He's stressed obedience to authority, but he thought that those in power must act in a caring manner. The philosophy also emphasizes education. The most basic level of traditional Confucian moral order is the family unit, considered the bedrock of society. The significance of Confucianism in East Asian development has long been debated. In the early 1900s, many observers believed that Confucian respect for tradition and authority was responsible for the economically backward position of China and Korea. But because east Asia has since enjoyed the world's fastest rates of economic growth, this no longer holds true, and newer arguments that Confucianism's respect for education and social stability gave East Asia an advantage.

shogunate

The political order of Japan before 1868, in which power was held by the military leader known as the shogun, rather than by the emperor, whose authority was merely symbolic.

pollution exporting

The process of exporting industrial pollution and other waste material to other countries. Pollution exporting can be direct, as when waste is simply shipped abroad for disposal, or indirect, as when highly polluting factories are constructed abroad. -Japan's high cost of production and strict environmental laws have led to many Japanese companies to relocate their dirtiest factories to other areas, especially China and Southeast Asia.

Japan

The second largest country, with 127 million people

urban primacy

The situation found in a country in which a disproportionately large city, such as London, Seoul, or Bangkok, dominates the urban system and is the center of economic, political, and cultural life. -South Korea

desertification

The spread of desert conditions into semiarid areas owing to improper management of the land.

East asia

This region includes China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Korea's Postwar Division

Toward the end of World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States agreed to divide Korea, with Soviet forces occupying the area north of the 38th parallel and U.S. troops occupying the south. Two separate governments soon emerged. In 1950, the North invaded the South, seeking to reunify the country. The United States, backed by the United Nations, supported South Korea, while China aided North Korea. The war ended in a stalemate, and the peninsula remains divided—its two governments still technically at war. After the war, the south emerged as a wealthy trading nation that eventually turned to democracy while the fortunes of the north declined and its government grew increasingly repressive. By the late 1990s, South Korea's government came to favor a softer approach to North Korea. South Korean firms invested substantial funds in joint economic endeavors, and South Koreans were allowed to cross the border for closely monitored visits. Yet North Korea remained hostile, resulting in the periodic shutdown of North-South relations. An opening occurred in early 2018, however, when the two countries allowed their athletes to march together under a unified Korean flag at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

6-10

Virtually all Japanese study English for "" to "" years.

"one country, two systems"

When Britain returned Hong Kong to China in the 1980s, this was the name of the model under which China promised that Hong Kong would retain its capitalist economic system and its partially democratic political system for 50 years. Civil liberties not enjoyed in China itself were to remain protected in Hong Kong.

Japan and South Korea

Who are the world leaders in environmentally responsible tech?

The Postwar Division of China

World War II brought tremendous destruction and loss of life to China. After Japan invaded China proper in 1937, competing Chinese communist and nationalist forces agreed to cooperate, but once Japan was defeated, China's civil war began in earnest. The communists proved victorious in 1949, forcing the nationalists to retreat to Taiwan. A dormant state of war between China and Taiwan persisted for decades after 1949. The Beijing government still claims Taiwan as an integral part of China and vows that it will eventually reclaim it. Nationalists in Taiwan long insisted that they represented the true government of a temporarily divided country. By the end of the 20th century, however, almost all Taiwanese had given up on the idea of taking over China itself, and many began to call openly for Taiwan's formal independence. The ideal of Chinese unity continues to be influential both in China and abroad. In the 1950s and 1960s, the United States recognized Taiwan as the only legitimate government of China, but its policy changed after U.S. leaders decided that it would be more useful to recognize mainland China. Soon, China entered the United Nations, and Taiwan found itself diplomatically isolated. Taiwan continues to be recognized, however, as the legitimate government of China by a few small countries, most of which receive Taiwanese economic aid in return. Taiwan's geopolitical status is controversial even within Taiwan. When a nationalist was elected president of Taiwan in 2000, China threatened to invade if the island declared formal independence. Tensions later subsided as economic ties between Taiwan and mainland China boomed, but Beijing's growing military reach is seen as a major threat. In 2016, Tsai Ing-wen, a critic of mainland China, was elected president. Although Tsai does not advocate formal independence, she does not believe that Taiwan and China form a single nation. As a result, China has pressured international organizations to reject Taiwan as a separate member. In early 2018, Beijing threatened to penalize foreign companies operating in China that list Taiwan as a country on their websites.

Yangtze River

World's third largest (by volume), emerges from the Tibetan highlands onto the rolling lands of the Sichuan Basin, passes through a magnificent canyon in the Three Gorges area, and then meanders across the lowlands of central China before entering the sea in a large delta near Shanghai. -main transportation corridor into the interior of China for millenia and has been famous in Chinese lit for its beauty and power

North China Plain

a large, flat area of fertile soil crossed by the Huang He (Yellow River) -cold and dry in winter but hot and humid in the summer - precipitation is somewhat low and unpredictable -threatened by desertification (the spread of desert conditions in semiarid lands) -seasonal water shortages are becoming severe through much of the plain as withdrawals for irrigation and industry increase -historically suffered from droughts and floods

alluvial plain

an area of fertile soil left by river floods

51%

in 2015, an opinion poll found that a narrow majority "" of the Japanese public had come to support increased immigration. -Robotization= preferred alt. -designed to help the elderly

Manchus

ruled the entire Chinese Empire from 1644 to 1912. -Until the 1800s, they prevented the Han from settling in central and northern Manchuria. Soon outnumbered when the Han were allowed to move in

Yellow River (Huang He)

sometimes called the "cradle of Chinese civilization" -owing to its historical importance -due to the increasing extraction of water for agriculture and industry, the river now often runs dry in its lower reaches.

China

the world's most populous country with more than 1.4 billion people dominates East Asia

tribal

traditional social order based on self-governing village communities