ABSTRACT

A History of Asia is the only textbook to provide a historical overview of the whole of this region, encompassing India, China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Engaging and lively, it chronicles the complex political, social, and intellectual histories of the area from prehistory to the present day.

Taking a comparative approach throughout, the book offers a balanced history of each major tradition, also dedicating coverage to countries or regions such as Vietnam and Central Asia that are less frequently discussed in depth. This eighth edition has been streamlined and updated to reflect the most recent scholarship on Asian history, bringing the book up to date with recent events and key trends in historical research. Highlights of the book include close-up portraits of significant Asian cities, detailed discussion of environmental factors that have shaped Asian history, quotes from Asian poetry and philosophical writing, and attention to questions of gender and national identity.

Highly illustrated with images and maps, each chapter also contains discussion questions, primary source excerpts, and in-depth boxed features. Written clearly throughout, A History of Asia is the perfect introductory textbook for all students of the history, culture, and politics of this fascinating region.

chapter |8 pages

Introduction

Monsoon Asia as a Unit of Study

chapter Chapter 1|16 pages

Prehistoric Asia

chapter Chapter 2|19 pages

Asian Religions and Their Cultures

chapter Chapter 3|18 pages

The Societies of Asia

chapter Chapter 4|14 pages

The Civilization of Ancient India

chapter Chapter 5|22 pages

Ancient China

chapter Chapter 6|14 pages

Medieval India

chapter Chapter 7|16 pages

Early and Medieval Southeast Asia

chapter Chapter 8|20 pages

China

A Golden Age

chapter Chapter 9|24 pages

Early Japan and Korea

chapter Chapter 10|19 pages

Central Asia and Mughal India

chapter Chapter 11|29 pages

China's Ming and Early Qing Dynasties

chapter Chapter 12|13 pages

Tokugawa Japan

chapter Chapter 13|20 pages

The European Advance Into Asia

chapter Chapter 14|29 pages

British India

chapter Chapter 15|28 pages

The Triumph of Imperialism in Asia

chapter Chapter 16|29 pages

Nationalism and Revolution in China and India

chapter Chapter 17|22 pages

Japan and the Struggle for Asia, 1894-1945

chapter Chapter 18|30 pages

Revival and Revolution in Japan and China

chapter Chapter 19|28 pages

Korea and Southeast Asia

Decolonization, Cold War, and After

chapter Chapter 20|26 pages

South Asia

Independence, Political Division, and Development

chapter Chapter 21|18 pages

Asia in the Twenty-First Century