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Sinosphere

Sinosphere is a grouping of countries and regions that are currently inhabited with a significant number of people of Chinese Han Chinese

The Han is an ethnic group [i] originating from China [i]. ... 

 descent or historically under Chinese cultural Culture of China

The culture of China is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex civilization [i]s, China [i] ... 

 influence. James C. Bennett, founder of , sees it as a network commonwealth between Chinese people around the world. Bennett envisages the Sinosphere is consisting of China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, and its overseas Chinese in Hong Kong Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is one of the two special administrative regions [i] ... 

, Taiwan Taiwan

Taiwan is an island in East Asia [i], but the term "Taiwan" is also commonly used to collectively refer ... 

, Macau Macau

The Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China , commonly known as Macau... 

, and to some extent, Singapore Singapore

Singapore, formally the Republic of Singapore , is an island [i] city-state [i] and ... 

. One of the main unifying links is based the Chinese language Chinese language

Chinese is a language [i] that forms part of the Sino-Tibetan family [i] of lan ... 

. In East Asia East Asia

East Asia is a subregion [i] of Asia [i] that can be defined in either geographical [i] or cul ... 

n commentator circles, the term Chinese cultural sphere or Chinese character Chinese character

A Chinese character is a logogram [i] used in writing Chinese [i], Japanese [i] ... 

 cultural sphere is used interchangeably for Sinosphere but covering a broader definition.

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Sinosphere is a grouping of countries and regions that are currently inhabited with a significant number of people of Chinese Han Chinese

The Han is an ethnic group [i] originating from China [i]. ... 

 descent or historically under Chinese cultural Culture of China

The culture of China is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex civilization [i]s, China [i] ... 

 influence. James C. Bennett, founder of , sees it as a network commonwealth between Chinese people around the world. Bennett envisages the Sinosphere is consisting of China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, and its overseas Chinese in Hong Kong Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is one of the two special administrative regions [i] ... 

, Taiwan Taiwan

Taiwan is an island in East Asia [i], but the term "Taiwan" is also commonly used to collectively refer ... 

, Macau Macau

The Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China , commonly known as Macau... 

, and to some extent, Singapore Singapore

Singapore, formally the Republic of Singapore , is an island [i] city-state [i] and ... 

. One of the main unifying links is based the Chinese language Chinese language

Chinese is a language [i] that forms part of the Sino-Tibetan family [i] of lan ... 

.

In East Asia East Asia

East Asia is a subregion [i] of Asia [i] that can be defined in either geographical [i] or cul ... 

n commentator circles, the term Chinese cultural sphere or Chinese character Chinese character

A Chinese character is a logogram [i] used in writing Chinese [i], Japanese [i] ... 

 cultural sphere is used interchangeably for Sinosphere but covering a broader definition. Chinese cultural sphere denotes a grouping of countries, regions, and people with Chinese cultural legacies Culture of China

The culture of China is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex civilization [i]s, China [i] ... 

. This includes the Sinosphere under the Bennett definition plus countries that have extensive Chinese cultural heritage or are with significant Chinese populations in modern times, including Japan Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, Korea Korea

Korea
One of the world's oldest civilization [i]s, Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon [i] in 2333 ... 

 , Malaysia Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation [i] of 13 states [i] in Southeast Asia [i], formed in 1963.
... 

, Thailand Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia [i], bordering Laos [i] and Cambodia [i] to the e ... 

, Vietnam Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

, and Singapore Singapore

Singapore, formally the Republic of Singapore , is an island [i] city-state [i] and ... 

. In French, the term le monde chinois is used for this concept.

Modern Origins: 1990s

The concept of Sinosphere, as a network commonwealth, predated the popularization of the modern idea of Anglosphere Anglosphere

The word Anglosphere describes a certain group of anglophone [i] nations [i] which share historical, pol ... 

  in the English-speaking world, and developed largely independent of the Anglosphere. In the early post-Cold War period of the 1990s, economic reforms in mainland China Mainland China

Mainland China is term which is usually synonymous with the area currently administered by the People's Republic of China [i] ... 

, coupled with recognition of the People's Republic of China as a rival government from the part of the Republic of China , increased economic and cultural exchanges between China and overseas Chinese itself, led to emergence of the concept of a network of Chinese people that transcend traditional national borders, political differences, and geographical distances.

Later on, this definition was broadened to include East Asia East Asia

East Asia is a subregion [i] of Asia [i] that can be defined in either geographical [i] or cul ... 

n countries that had historical heritage influenced by China, countries such as Japan Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, North Korea North Korea

[i]n [[country]... 

, South Korea South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is an East Asia [i]n state [i] on the southern half ... 

, and Vietnam Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

 have increased their economic and cultural contacts with the Chinese-speaking communities in both breadth and scope.

Sometimes in East Asia the term Sinosphere is used to imply the concept of East Asian integration.

Defining characteristics

Bennett considers the Sinosphere is unified by first language ability in Chinese Chinese language

Chinese is a language [i] that forms part of the Sino-Tibetan family [i] of lan ... 

. Asian commentators define the unifying factor as influence of traditional Chinese cultural beliefs, marked by Confucianism Confucianism

Confucianism is a Chinese [i] ethical [i] and philosophical system [i] original ... 

, Daoism Taoism

Taoism is the English name for:The English word "Taoism" is used to translate the Chinese [i] ... 

, Mahayana Buddhism Mahayana

Mahayana is one of the major branches of Buddhism [i]. ... 

, and the use of Chinese characters Chinese character

A Chinese character is a logogram [i] used in writing Chinese [i], Japanese [i] ... 

 as a major part of writing system .

Current Developments

The concept of Sinosphere seemed to undergo a setback with the Asian financial crisis East Asian financial crisis

The East Asian financial crisis was a financial crisis [i] that started in July 1997 in Thailand [i] and... 

 and the advent of the dotcom economies in 1997 and 1998. However, with China's membership in the WTO World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organization is an international [i], multilateral [i] organization, which sets the rul ... 

 and continuing economic development there are some repopularizations of the use of the term Sinosphere.

The development of the Anglosphere provides an interesting contrast. The idea of a network commonwealth is common to both Sinosphere and Anglosphere, but the two visions were developed independently from each other. As of the first decade of the 21st century, the concept of the Anglosphere remains at large invisible among Asian commentators supportive of the Sinosphere. Among the few who have heard the concept, the common response is either derision or fear. Those who regard the Anglosphere with scorn take the route that regionalist consolidations will triumph over cultural affinities that are separated by geographical distances, and the Sinosphere is more consolidated on a geographical sense than the more dispersed Anglosphere, and also because they regard China's economic might will overtake the Anglosphere in the not too distant future. Detractors who see the Anglosphere as a threat to the Sinosphere regard the Anglosphere as a concept of Anglo-Saxon imperialism and haegemony, and translate the term into Chinese as ?????? in an attempt to evoke the memory over the historical Japanese concept of Great East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere during the World War II period. Some other commentators point out India is an Anglosphere member and it has the potential to overtake China in economic developments. Some also see the Anglosphere's flexible nature and civil society base as points of strengths that the Sinosphre lack and which will guarantee it will pose a serious competition against the Sinosphere.

Currently Singapore Singapore

Singapore, formally the Republic of Singapore , is an island [i] city-state [i] and ... 

, Hong Kong Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is one of the two special administrative regions [i] ... 

, and Japan Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

 are contested by both Anglosphere and Sinosphere proponents as under each respective sphere of influence. Singapore has 76% Chinese majority but its governmental, legal and business practice are more akin to English-speaking countries courtesy of its British colonial past. Hong Kong's position is similar to Singapore but its population is 98% Chinese and in Hong Kong, Chinese rather than English is commonly used as the daily communication medium. Japan has had ancient Chinese influence ever since the Taika Reform period, however, the Anglosphere has displaced China in influence from the time of Commodore Matthew Perry's visit in 1853.

See also


... 


  • Greater China Greater China

    Greater China is a term referring collectively to both the territories administered by the People's Republic of China [i] ... 

  • List of tributaries of Imperial China
  • Suzerainty
  • Tributary state
  • Anglosphere Anglosphere

    The word Anglosphere describes a certain group of anglophone [i] nations [i] which share historical, pol ... 

  • Indosphere Indosphere

    Indosphere is a term, defined as "a socio-political sphere subsuming those countries, cultures, and lang... 



References

Developments, Exchanges, and Conflicts Between Eastern and Western Civilizations, Professor Lin Binye, East China Normal University, delivered 20 February 2002 at North Point Teachers Centre, Hong Kong

Chinese Cultural Sphere and the Use of Chinese Characters, Zhe Shiya, Lianhe Zaobao, 24 June 2004, Singapore

Export of Chinese Culture and Balance of Power in the World, Shinfeng, People's Daily, 28 March 2006, Beijing

Further reading

  • Language variation: Papers on variation and change in the Sinosphere and in the Indosphere Indosphere

    Indosphere is a term, defined as "a socio-political sphere subsuming those countries, cultures, and lang... 

     in honor of James A. Matisoff, David Bradley, Randy J. LaPolla and Boyd Michailovsky eds., pp. 113–144. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.