East Asian cultural sphere
The term East Asian cultural sphere defines the common cultural sphere of China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan in East Asia, as well as the geographically and racially distinct but culturally close Vietnam in Southeast Asia. Ethnic and linguistic similarities, shared artistic traditions, written language and moral values suggest that most East Asian people are descendants of the Yellow River civilization, that emerged in the flood plains of northern China around 10.000 years B.P. People within this sphere are sometimes referred to as East Eurasian, and the major languages of this region (including Sino-Tibetan, Austroasiatic, Altaic, Austronesian, Kra-Dai) are thought to have originated from China (see East Asian cultural sphere#historical linguistics).