Final answer:
The Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea influenced China's history through facilitating early civilization growth, trade, cultural exchanges, and providing essential resources. These bodies of water also played a role in geopolitics, aiding the establishment of the tribute system with neighboring states.
Step-by-step explanation:
The seas surrounding China, including the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea, have significantly influenced China's history. These seas have provided China with access to essential resources, opportunities for trade and cultural exchanges, and challenges such as managing natural disasters and defending territorial claims.
Impact on Early Civilization and Trade
China's development largely flourished around river valleys with the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers playing a key role. Both rivers provided fertile soil for farming which supported the sustenance of large populations and the growth of early Chinese civilization. The flow of these rivers into the Yellow Sea and East China Sea facilitated trade with neighboring regions. For instance, the Lelang commandery established by the Han empire around 108 BC helped stimulate a vibrant trade network encompassing the Yellow Sea.
Geopolitical Influence
In geopolitics, the seas made the eastern and southern relationships easier to manage. The tribute system established with Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian states depended on sea routes. These maritime connections allowed for diplomatic communications and cultural exchange without the threat of military invasion from the south, thanks to the natural barrier of the Himalayas.
Resource Provision
The Yellow Sea was also a source of critical resources. For example, the state of Qi in Shandong utilized the abundance of fish and the production of salt, a valuable commodity, to feed its population and build powerful armies. Its strategic location allowed for control over trade and contributed to China's economic robustness.