Asia Past and Present A Brief History

by Wan, Peter P.; Reins, Thomas D.

• ISBN13: 9781118955185
• ISBN10: 1118955188
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2021-03-23
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

A wide-ranging introduction to the multi-faceted history of Asia—from early origins to the present

Asia Past and Present is an expansive survey of the social, political, and economic history of the continent from the Paleolithic era to the early 21^st century. As there is no physically discrete continent, rather an arbitrary division of the Eurasian landmass, this book focuses on terrain that encompasses India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, the Russian Far East, and Southeast Asia—the area which most modern scholars identify as Asia.

Offering broad chronological and topical coverage of Asia, this book examines subjects including written languages, religions and philosophies, concepts of monarchy, militarism, independence and nation building, and more. Particular focus is placed on the varying levels of influence the core cultures of India and China have had on the continent in a multitude of socio-political areas. Historical dialogues of how colonies, later emerging nations, blended traditional Asian culture and Western political and economic models of modernization complement contemporary discussions of globalization, nuclear tensions, and growing demands for greater individual freedom. Written in an engaging, accessible style, this book:

• Covers of a wide range of topics, perspectives, geographic regions, and time periods
• Highlights India and China as the pre 19^th century cultural cores of Asia
• Presents a relatable political-cultural narrative framework
• Discusses contemporary themes including gender, sexual orientation, the environment, and Western and Islamic influence on Asian culture
• Includes coverage of commonly underrepresented regions such as the Himalayan nations, Maldives, and New Guinea

Asia Past and Present: A Brief History is a valuable resource for undergraduate courses where Asian cultures are introduced, and in courses on Asian politics, diplomacy, environmental issues, and socio-economics.

Author Biography

Peter P. Wan, PhD, was Full Professor of American Language and Literature at East China Normal University, Shanghai, and visiting scholar at Harvard University. Now retired, he is a three-time recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship and author of World History: A Concise Thematic Arrangement.

Thomas D. Reins, PhD, is a Lecturer in the Department of History at Chapman University, California, USA. He has written numerous articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and reviews in publications including Modern Asia Studies, China Review International and Journal of Asian Studies. He is currently working on a book dealing with the consequences of the modernization of Asia, Transforming Asia. 

Table of Contents

About the author

Acknowlegments

Introduction to Book

Introduction to Part 1: Asian and Non-Asian Cultures Interact to ca. 1850 CE

Chapter 1   Cultures and the Development of Core Asian Civilizations

Chapter 2 The Land and the People of Ancient China to 221 BCE:  Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties

Chapter 3 China’s First Empire:  The Qin and Han Dynasties, 221 BCE-220 CE

Chapter 4 The Golden Age of Imperial China:  The Sui and Tang Dynasties, 581-960

Chapter 5 The Peaking of Traditional Chinese Civilization:  The Song and Yuan Dynasties, 960-1368

Chapter 6 The Decline of Imperial China:  The Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, 1368-1840

Chapter 7 Pre-Modern Japan and Korea

Chapter 8 The Formation of Indian Civilization:  1200 BCE to 185 BCE

Chapter 9 The Hindu Synthesis at Home:  185 BCE to 1200 CE

Chapter 10 The Indianization of South, Central, Southeast, and East Asia, 185 BCE to 1200   CE

Chapter 11 India under Islamic Rule:  The Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire, 1206-1707

Chapter 12 On the Indian and Chinese Northern Frontiers:  Asian Empires and Kingdoms on   the Central and Inner Asian Steppe, ca. 1100-1850

Chapter 13 On the Indian and Chinese Southern Frontiers:  Asian Empires and Kingdoms in Southeast Asia, ca. 1100-1850

Chapter 14 European Empires in Asia:  The Foundations for Revolutionary Transformation, ca. 1500-1850

Introduction to Part 2:  The Age of Transformations:  Nationalism and Modernization in the Era of Global Wars and the Search for New Social Arrangements, ca. 1800 to Present

Chapter 15 Foreign Incursions, Domestic Challenges, and Late Qing Dynastic Decline:  China’s Long Road to Modernization, 1840-1911

Chapter 16 The Birth of Republicanism in China, 1911-1949

Chapter 17 The People’s Republic of China, 1949-

Chapter 18 Japan’s Rapid Modernization, 1868-1918

Chapter 19 Japan Goes From Liberalism to Militarism, 1918-1945

Chapter 20 Japan since World War II

Chapter 21 Korea in Modern Times

Chapter 22 The European Struggle for India and the Emergence of Indian Resistance, 1707-1914

Chapter 23 The Impact of World Wars, Revolution, and Nationalism in India and South Asia, 1914-1945

Chapter 24 India Since 1945

Chapter 25 In India’s Orbit:  South Asian Nations in the Cold War Setting and the Rise of China

Chapter 26 Mainland Southeast Asia Since 1945

Chapter 27 Insular Southeast Asia Since 1945

Chapter 28 Colonialism, Independence and Nation Building on the Northern Frontiers of India and China, 1850-2018:  Afghanistan, Central and Inner Asia, and the Russian Far East

Chapter 29 Asia in the 21st Century:  The Problems of Progress