Table of Contents
1 Cover
8 Part 1: Asian and Non–Asian Cultures Interact to circa 1850 CE
9 Introduction to Part 1 1 Cultures and the Development of Core Asian Civilizations What Is Asia? What Is Culture? The Ongoing Influence of India and China in Asia Suggested Readings and Viewings 2 The Land and the People of Ancient China to 221 BCE Introduction to the Study of Chinese History The Land and the People in Paleolithic and Neolithic Times China in the Bronze Age: The Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou Dynasties China Enters the Iron Age: The Eastern Zhou Dynasty, 770–221 BCE The Golden Age of Classical Chinese Philosophy: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism Suggested Readings and Viewings 3 China’s First Empire The Founding of China’s First Empire: The Qin Dynasty (221–207 BCE) Suggested Readings and Viewings 4 The Golden Age of Imperial China The Sui Dynasty (581–618): Reunification The Tang Dynasty (618–907): The “Golden Age” of Imperial China Confucianism and the System of Imperial Examinations for the Civil Service The “Golden Age” of Classical Chinese Poetry Buddhism The Shift of China’s Economic Center from the Yellow to the Yangtze River Valley Suggested Readings and Viewings 5 The Peaking of Traditional Chinese Civilization The Song Dynasty (960–1279): The Epitome of Traditional Chinese Civilization The Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368): China under Mongol Rule Suggested Readings and Viewings 6 The Decline of Imperial China The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644): Powerful, Majestic, Conservative, and Brutal China under Sinicized Manchu Rule: The Early Qing Dynasty (1644–1839) Suggested Readings and Viewings 7 Premodern Japan and Korea Premodern Japan Premodern Korea Suggested Readings and Viewings 8 The Formation of Indian Civilization Aryan Conquest Vedic Period Religion Republics and Monarchies, 600–321 BCE Mauryan Empire (321–185 BCE) Suggested Readings and Viewings 9 The Hindu Synthesis at Home The Emergence of India’s Cultural and Geographical Contours Regionalism and Foreign Invaders: Northern India and Central Asia, 185 BCE–1200 CE Indian Politics, Religion, and Commerce: Domestic Developments and Their Influences Abroad Central and Southern India and Ceylon, circa 300–1200 Hindu Synthesis and Non‐Hindu Religions Conclusions Suggested Readings and Viewings 10 The Indianization of South, Central, Southeast, and East Asia Indian Culture beyond India India in Ceylon/Sri Lanka and the Himalayan Kingdoms India in Persia, Afghanistan, and Central and Inner Asia India in Southeast Asia India in China and East Asia Conclusions Suggested Readings and Viewings 11 India under Islamic Rule