A Shifting Sinosphere: The Responses of the Joseon Dynasty and the Nguyen Dynasty to Western Powers in the Nineteenth Century

Abstract

As members of the East Asian community, Korea and Vietnam historically maintained close relations and shared numerous common values. These shared values of the East Asian community have formed a "Sinosphere" connecting the countries in the region. Studying the response of the Joseon Dynasty (Korea) and the Nguyen Dynasty (Vietnam) to the threats and challenges posed by Western powers in the 19th century provides deeper and more comprehensive perceptions of the context and political transformations of the East Asian social space. The article also focuses on analyzing the perceptions and responses of the two countries' authorities to Western
powers and the multifaceted consequences of the foreign policies of the Joseon Dynasty and the Nguyen Dynasty. Building on this analysis, the article offers some explanations about the reasons behind success and failure, evaluates the results and draws lessons relevant for current efforts to safeguard national independence, sovereignty, national and ethnic interests.