Beginning of Essay
As early as Han times, China extended its influence to a ring of states and peoples on the borders of the Middle Kingdom. To the northeast, Korea lay within the Chinese zone of influence. While Korea absorbed many Chinese traditions over the centuries, it also m ....

Middle of Essay
.... to learn more about Buddhism. They brought home the arts and the learning of China.. Under the Shilla dynasty, Korea became a tributary state, acknowledging Chinese overlordship but preserving its independence. Koreans also adopted the Confucian emphasis on the family as the foundation of the state. Although Koreans adapted and modified Chinese ideas. For example, they adapted the Chinese civil service examination to reflect their own system of inherited ranks. In China, even a peasant could win political influence by passing the exam. In Korea, only aristocrats were permitted to take the test. During the Koryo age, Buddhism reached its grea ....