Classical Chinese as Lingua Franca in East Asia in the First to Second Millennia CE: Focusing on the Linguistic Situation in Traditional Korea (original) (raw)

This chapter examines the role of Classical Chinese as a lingua franca and a sacred language in East Asia, particularly in Korea, from the first to second millennia CE. It discusses the emergence of bilingualism among non-Chinese populations and the adoption of Classical Chinese as the primary medium for diplomatic, literary, and scholarly communication, influenced by the spread of Buddhism and Confucianism. The writing systems that developed alongside, including hybrid systems in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, did not entirely replace Classical Chinese, which maintained its elite status for highbrow literary expression and philosophical discourse.