Was A Song of Ice and Fire inspired by Chinese History, and if yes, to what extent?

Question

I have noticed a few striking parallels between China's history and George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy, "A Song of Ice and Fire" series:

1. The Ice Wall resembles the Great Wall of China. Both are meant to keep out the "outsiders"
2. The Chinese tended to view themselves as the center of the world, and view the others as uncivilized and barbarians. In the same way the people from the Seven Kingdoms in the series view everything outside the Wall as "the Others".
3. Seven Kingdoms fighting among one another for the Iron Throne, this closely resembles the Seven Kingdom in China during Spring and Autumn period.
4. Dragonstone. In the series, "We learn that the Targaryens once ruled all of Westeros until a rebellion, punctuated by a few hideous slaughters, chased them to a small, craggy isle off the coast called Dragonstone" This description reminds me of Kuomingtang's retreat to Taiwan in 1949.

My question is, to what extent A Song of Ice and Fire was (and is) inspired by Chinese History?

Answer 1

1. The idea of the Wall was inspired Hadrian's Wall, but resembles a lot the Great Wall of China.

2. I think a lot of ancient civilizations believed that they were the center of the world. For instance, this also happened in ancient Greece. They thought that everyone else was a barbarian. The word 'barbarian' comes from the Greek word 'Βάρβαρος' (pronounced 'varvaros') ; people couldn't understand what others were saying, and every word sounded like 'βαρ βαρ' (pronc: 'var var'), thus βάρβαρος.

3. George Martin was inspired for his novels by the War of the Roses as well as by the Hundred Years' War, the Crusades and the Albigensian Crusade. ("Interview: George Martin". Deep Magic 41: 19–21. 2005.)

I don't know anything about the 4th point you mention

So, my conclusion would be that no, A song of ice and fire has not been inspired by the Chinese History. Most of Martin's influences are from European history, but I don't believe that that restricted him not to influence from other histories around the globe. So far though, that's all we have been told.

Answer 2

In regard to your first point, according to this recent interview the Wall was not inspired by the Great Wall of China, although readers can certainly infer their own meanings:

... it seems to me that one reason for the huge success of both the book and TV versions is that people of different races and places detect their own experience in Martin's alternative world. Depending on your perspective, the great dividing barrier in the books could be Hadrian's Wall, the Great Wall of China or the security fence on the West Bank.

GRRM: "Well, I can settle that one easily. It was Hadrian's Wall. I've never been to China."

"But the point I'm making is that readers may see their own meanings?"

GRRM: "Oh, sure. And those meanings may very well be there. An author is not necessarily infallible when discussing his own work because so much takes place in the subconscious."

Answer 3

Shevliaskovic answered all the points well. Unless Martin literally spells it out for us, it's hard to know what inspired him. I got the impression the Valyrian were inspired by the Romans. They ruled their world in every direction, had superior technologies (Valyrian steel / Byzantine Fire) but declined very suddenly.

It's not so much a case of China/England/Rome inspired the "A Song of Ice and Fire world" but more all the countries of this world inspired that world.

Answer 4

I know there are already answers including an accepted one. However, I still would like to point out a similarity from JRR's The Silmarillion.

There is clear writing about the wall and the watch too. This is around 27% in the book.

...and they raised up the mountain-walls of the Pelóri to sheer and dreadful heights, east, north, and south. Their outer sides were dark and smooth, without foothold or ledge, and they fell in great precipices with faces hard as glass, and rose up to towers with crowns of white ice. A sleepless watch was set upon them, and no pass led through them, save only at the Calacirya...