Editing Ancient history (section)

====Neighbours of China====
[[File:Gold monster.jpg|thumb|Gold stag with eagle's head, and ten more heads in the antlers. Inspired by Siberian Altai mountain art, possibly [[Pazyryk culture|Pazyryk]], unearthed at Nalinggaotu, [[Shenmu County]], near [[Xi'an]], China. Possibly from Huns of the Northern Chinese prairie. 4th to 3rd centuries BC,{{sfn|Rawson|1999}} or [[Han dynasty]] period. [[Shaanxi History Museum]].<ref name=SHM>{{cite web |title=Shaanxi History Museum notice |url=http://e.sxhm.com/en_product_content.asp?id=49 |website=Shaanxi History Museum |access-date=18 October 2020 |archive-date=14 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114125435/http://e.sxhm.com/en_product_content.asp?id=49 |url-status=live }}</ref>]]

The East Asian nations adjacent to China were all profoundly influenced by their interactions with [[East Asian cultural sphere|Chinese civilisation]]. [[Korea]] and [[Vietnam]] were brought under Han rule by [[Han Wudi]] in the second century BC, and this rule led to cultural influences on both areas for many centuries to come.{{sfn|Bentley|Ziegler|2006|pp=195–196}} Wudi also faced a threat from the [[Xiongnu]], a nomadic people from the Central Asian steppes. Wudi's invasions ended the Xiongnu state.{{sfn|Bentley|Ziegler|2006|pp=196–197}}

In 108 BC, the Han dynasty of China conquered much of Korea but when Han China began its decline, [[Three Kingdoms of Korea|three kingdoms in Korea]] – those of [[Baekje]], [[Goguryeo]] and [[Silla]] – emerged and expelled the Chinese. Goguryeo and Baekje were eventually destroyed by a [[Tang dynasty]] and Silla alliance. Silla then drove out the Tang dynasty in 676 to control most of the Korean peninsula undisputed.{{sfn|Parker|2017|p=150}}

[[Jomon culture]] formed in Japan before 500 BC and under Chinese influence became the [[Yayoi culture]] which built large tombs by AD 200. In the 300s, a kingdom formed in the Yamato plain, perhaps influenced by Korean refugees.{{sfn|Parker|2017|p=144}}