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The massive continent of Asia is divided into “South Asia” (India), “East Asia” (China, Japan and Korea), “Southeast Asia” (Vietnam and Cambodia), and “Southwest Asia” (the Middle East).  In this section we learn about East and Southeast Asia, discussing in particular what happened in China in the Middle Ages (other than the Mongols, whom we discussed in our prior lecture).

The massive continent of Asia is divided into “South Asia” (India), “East Asia” (China, Japan and Korea), “Southeast Asia” (Vietnam and Cambodia), and “Southwest Asia” (the Middle East).  In this section we learn about East and Southeast Asia, discussing in particular what happened in China in the Middle Ages (other than the Mongols, whom we discussed in our prior lecture).

Recall that in the ancient world China first had the Zhou dynasty (1122-221 B.C.) north of the Yangtze River.  Next China had its first imperial or national Chinese dynasty:  the Qin or Ch’in dynasty (221-206 B.C.), which was founded by the ruler of the Zhou vassal state Qin, Prince Zheng.  The Qin dynasty began to construct the Great Wall to defend against foreign invaders, which stretches today for 1,400 miles.  It has been said that the Great Wall is the only man-made structure visible from outer space, but actually several other structures (ancient Egyptian pyramids and the Hoover Dam) are even more visible.<ref>http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/visible_from_space_031006.html</ref>

Recall that in the ancient world China first had the Zhou dynasty (1027-221 B.C.) north of the Yangtze River.  Next China had its first imperial or national Chinese dynasty:  the Qin or Ch’in dynasty (221-206 B.C.), which was founded by the ruler of the Zhou vassal state Qin, Prince Zheng.  The Qin dynasty began to construct the Great Wall to defend against foreign invaders, which stretches today for 1,400 miles.  It has been said that the Great Wall is the only man-made structure visible from outer space, but actually several other structures (ancient Egyptian pyramids and the Hoover Dam) are even more visible.<ref>http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/visible_from_space_031006.html</ref>

The Han empire or dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 220, with only a brief interruption from A.D. 6-23) built on the foundation of the Qin dynasty, extending the walls and roads.  The Han dynasty expanded the territory of China into Southeastern Asia regions of Vietnam and Korea, and administered the country from a centralized and organized civil service.  This Han dynasty was comparable to the Roman empire, and lasted the longest of any dynasty in China.  Its state philosophy was Confucianism.  But the Han dynasty fell just as the Roman empire did.   

The Han empire or dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 220, with only a brief interruption from A.D. 6-23) built on the foundation of the Qin dynasty, extending the walls and roads.  The Han dynasty expanded the territory of China into Southeastern Asia regions of Vietnam and Korea, and administered the country from a centralized and organized civil service.  This Han dynasty was comparable to the Roman empire, and lasted the longest of any dynasty in China.  Its state philosophy was Confucianism.  But the Han dynasty fell just as the Roman empire did.   

The Lu dynasty of Vietnam ruled from 1009 to 1225 and established a capital at Hanoi, which remains the capital to this day.   

The Lu dynasty of Vietnam ruled from 1009 to 1225 and established a capital at Hanoi, which remains the capital to this day.   

The Vietnamese have always been fierce fighters.  They defeated three attempts by the mighty Mongols to conquer Hanoi in the late 1200s.

The Vietnamese have always been fierce fighters.  They defeated three attempts by the mighty Mongols to conquer Hanoi in the late 1200s, defeated France in the 1950s, and defeated the United States in the Vietnam War in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Historians describe the treatment of women in Vietnam as having been better than in China.

Historians describe the treatment of women in Vietnam as having been better than in China.