| Little China Ideology | |
| T: | 小中華 |
| S: | 小中华 |
| P: | Xiǎo Zhōnghuá |
| Qn: | Tiểu Trung Hoa |
| Chuhan: | 小中華 |
| Hangul: | 소중화 |
| Hanja: | 小中華 |
| Rr: | Sojunghwa |
| Kanji: | 小中華 |
| Kana: | しょうちゅうか |
| Revhep: | Shōchūka |
Little China refers to a politico-cultural ideology and phenomenon in which various Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese regimes identified themselves as the "Central State" and regarded themselves to be legitimate successors to the Chinese civilization.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Informed by the traditional Chinese concepts of Sinocentrism and Sino–barbarian dichotomy, this belief became more apparent after the Manchu-led Qing dynasty had superseded the Han-led Ming dynasty in China proper, as Tokugawa Japan, Joseon Korea and Nguyễn Vietnam, among others, perceived that "barbarians" had ruined the center of world civilization.[2] [3] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
See also: Names of China and Sinosphere.
Since ancient times, the realm of "China" has not been a fixed or predetermined concept based on ethnicity or geographical location. According to the Spring and Autumn Annals, "Chinese" people who adopt the ways of the "barbarians" would be considered "barbarians", whereas "barbarians" who adopt the ways of the "Chinese" would be accepted as "Chinese".[11] Hence, the idea of "Chinese-ness" is a fluid concept and is defined through self-identification and cultural affiliation.
Having been heavily influenced by Chinese culture and political thoughts, numerous Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese regimes identified themselves with descriptive names that are traditionally associated with and used by China. At the same time, these regimes considered themselves as legitimate successors to Chinese culture and civilization.
| Traditional name of China | Rendition in Korean | Rendition in Vietnamese | Rendition in Japanese | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin Zhōngguó Ʈɨuŋkwək̚ | Jungguk Korean: 中國 Korean: 중국 | Trung Quốc Vietnamese: Trung Quốc | Chūgoku Japanese: 中國 Japanese: ちゅうごく | |
| Mandarin Zhōnghuá Ʈɨuŋɦˠua | Junghwa Korean: 中華 Korean: 중화 | Trung Hoa Vietnamese: Trung Hoa | Chūka Japanese: 中華 Japanese: ちゅうか | |
| Mandarin
ꞪˠuaɦˠaX | Hwaha Korean: 華夏 Korean: 화하 | Hoa Hạ Vietnamese: Hoa Hạ | Kaka Japanese: 華夏 Japanese: かか | |
| Mandarin Zhōngxià ƮɨuŋɦˠaX | Jungha Korean: 中夏 Korean: 중하 | Trung Hạ Vietnamese: Trung Hạ | Chūka Japanese: 中夏 Japanese: ちゅうか | |
| Mandarin Zhōngcháo Ʈɨuŋʈˠiᴇu | Jungjo Korean: 中朝 Korean: 중조 | Trung Triều Vietnamese: Trung Triều | Chūchō Japanese: 中朝 Japanese: ちゅうちょう | |
| Mandarin Shénzhōu ʑiɪnt͡ɕɨu | Sinju Korean: 神州 Korean: 신주 | Thần Châu Vietnamese: Thần Châu | Shinshū Japanese: 神州 Japanese: しんしゅう | |
| Mandarin Huá Ɦˠua | Hwa Korean: 華 Korean: 화 | Hoa Vietnamese: Hoa | Ka Japanese: 華 Japanese: か | |
| Mandarin Xià ꞪˠaX | Ha Korean: 夏 Korean: 하 | Hạ Vietnamese: Hạ | Ka Japanese: 夏 Japanese: か |
According to the History of the Three Kingdoms, Silla adopted the clothing and customs of the Tang dynasty as a way of transforming its people from "barbarians" into "Hwa" (Korean: 華):
In the Ten Articles for Instruction, the King Taejo of Goryeo expressed his wish for the Goryeo dynasty to follow the example of the Emperor Yao and highlighted the influence of the Tang dynasty on Korea:
The King Injong of Goryeo once issued an edict that urged the Koreans to discard the ways of the Khitan "barbarians" in favor of Chinese traditions:
The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty labelled Korea as "Sojunghwa" (Korean: 小中華) and highlighted the relations between China and Korea:
The court-commissioned Comprehensive Mirror of the Eastern State by Seo Geo-jeong highlighted the Chinese influence on Korea:
In the 17th century, when the Manchu-led Qing dynasty replaced the Han-led Ming dynasty as the ruling dynasty of China proper, the Joseon dynasty believed that the Qing dynasty was unworthy of succeeding the politico-cultural orthodoxy of "China". Instead, the Confucianist Joseon dynasty asserted itself as the legitimate heir to the Chinese civilization and termed itself "Little Central Kingdom".[1]
Sojunghwa is closely related to the classical sadaejuui.[12]
Numerous Vietnamese dynasties attempted to replicate the Chinese tributary system in Southeast Asia, whilst maintaining tributary relations with Chinese dynasties.[13] Vietnamese monarchs of multiple dynasties adopted the imperial title "hoàng đế" (; "emperor") domestically, but reverted to the royal title "vương" (; "king") when dealing with China—a policy known as "emperor at home, king abroad". On many occasions, some Vietnamese monarchs styled themselves as the "Central Kingdom" or "Central State" and referred to various Chinese dynasties as "Bắc Triều" (; "northern dynasty") in relation to Vietnam, self-styled as "Nam Triều" (; "southern dynasty").[14] In 1010, Lý Thái Tổ issued the Edict on the Transfer of the Capital that likened himself to Chinese monarchs who initiated the relocation of the capital, effectively positioning the Lý dynasty within the politico-cultural realm of China: