s
became merely titular sovereigns and Annamite history is occupied
entirely with the rivalry of the two great families, Trinh and Nguyen,
who founded practically independent kingdoms in Tonkin and
Cochin-China respectively. In 1802 a member of the Nguyen family made
himself Emperor of all Annam but both he and his successors were
careful to profess themselves vassals of China.

Thus it will be seen that Annam was at no time really detached from
China. In spite of political independence it always looked towards the
Chinese Court and though complimentary missions and nominal vassalage
seem unimportant, yet they are significant as indicating admiration
for Chinese institutions. Between Champa and Annam on the other hand
there was perpetual war: in the later phases of the contest the
Annamites appear as invaders and destroyers. They seem to have
disliked the Chams and were not disposed to imitate them. Hence it is
natural that Champa, so long as it existed as an independent kingdom,
should mark the limit of _direct_ Indian influence on the mainland of
Eastern Asia, though afterwards Camboja became the limit. By direct, I
do not mean to exclude the possibility of transmission through Java or
elsewhere, but by whatever route Indian civilization came to
Champa, it brought its own art, alphabet and language, such
institutions as caste and forms of Hinduism and Buddhism which had
borrowed practically nothing from non-Indian sources. In Annam, on the
other hand, Chinese writing and, for literary purposes, a form of the
Chinese language were in use: the arts, customs and institutions were
mainly Chinese: whatever Buddhism can be found was imported from China
and is imperfectly distinguished from Taoism: of Hinduism there are
hardly any traces.[903]

The Buddhism of Annam is often described as corrupt and decadent.
Certainly it would be vain to claim for it that its doctrine and
worship are even moderately pure or primitive, but it cannot be said
to be moribund. The temples are better kept and more numerously
attended than in China and there are also some considerable
monasteries. As in China very few except the monks are exclusive
Buddhists and even the monks have no notion that the doctrines of
Lao-tzu and Confucius are different from Buddhism. The religion of
the ordinary layman is a selection made according to taste from a mass
of beliefs and observances traceable to several distinct sources,
though no Annamite is conscious