Was distance from China’s political center a factor in the amount of influence that China exerted on other Asian societies, or were other things the most important factors? For example, did trade networks play an important role in spreading Chinese culture historically? Was the spread of religious and philosophical ideologies the important Chinese contribution to early Pacific Asia, do you think? Were these concepts spread independent of other elements of Chinese culture, or were they part of a set of customs brought by Chinese traders and political administrators? If so, how did Chinese philosophies about duty, community and responsibility derived from Confucianism and Daoism shape political and economic practices in early Pacific Asia?
What is nationalism? Why is the development of a shared idea of national identity important in the political and economic development of countries in Pacific Asia? To what extent did the development of ancient China as a political and economic force encourage nationalistic sentiments in neighboring societies? What influence did Western imperialism and colonialism have on the development of nationalism in East Asian societies?