Georgia's Exploring Our World: Africa, Southwest Asia, and Southern and Eastern Asia © 2012

Chapter 8: History and Cultures of Southern and Eastern Asia

Chapter Overviews

Powerful local empires ruled early Southern and Eastern Asia, a region that is home to some of the world's oldest civilizations. Around 2500 B.C., people in Southern Asia developed what may have been the region's first cities in the Indus Valley. The decline of this civilization may have come about because the Indus River changed course. About 1500 B.C., the Aryans settled in Southern Asia, bringing a highly structured civilization based on social status. Southern Asia is the birthplace of the Hindu and Buddhist religions. These religions are still important today. Hindus believe in performing their duty, or dharma, to ensure that when they are reincarnated, their soul will become purer. Buddhists follow the Eightfold Path to escape earthly suffering and reach nirvana. The Mauryan and Gupta Empires arose in early Southern Asia from the 300s B.C. to A.D. 300s. Culture and science thrived under these empires. In the early 1500s, Muslim Moguls formed an empire in Southern Asia. Early dynasties in China were centers of culture and innovation, and later dynasties contributed to China's growth. China influenced Korean culture, and the Chinese and Korean cultures influenced early Japan in the arts, philosophy, government, and religion.

Europeans seeking the region's resources gained control of much of the area beginning in the 1500s. Foreign spheres of influence in China developed because of trade, and Japan's government adopted western technology. Korea and all areas of Southeast Asia except Thailand were dominated by European control. By the mid-1900s, however, most Asian countries had gained independence. During the 1600s, traders from England arrived in India and soon became the dominant power in Southern Asia. By the mid-1800s, the British had colonized most of the region. Although British rule brought modernization to the region, it also caused hardship for the people. By the early 1900s, independence movements had begun. After World War II, Britain divided India into two countries: India and Pakistan. East Pakistan declared its independence in 1971 and, after a civil war, became the country Bangladesh.

Today, several nations have developed strong economies. Japan worked closely with business to plan and develop economic growth and now has the world's second-largest economy after the United States. The Asian Tigers—South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore—have built strong, modern economies. In addition, China has also become a major economic power, developing somewhat later due to its Communist leadership.

Southern and Eastern Asia is one of the world's most densely populated regions. Rapid population growth has created challenges for many countries. In China, government policy limits the number of children a family can have. In countries such as Cambodia and Laos, high birthrates contribute to growth, while countries like Japan and South Korea are shrinking in population. Nearly 60 percent of people in Eastern Asia live in rural areas, but cities in the region are centers of industry and commerce. They are some of the largest cities in the world, and many people leave rural areas to move to cities for higher standards of living. Over the last century, the population of Southern Asia has grown dramatically as a result of better health care and high birthrates. More than two-thirds of South Asians live in rural areas, although the region has several large and growing cities. Overcrowding and widespread poverty exist in urban areas in Southern Asia.

Traditional beliefs and practices have influenced daily life, but the region has also been affected by modern technology and Western culture. Within each Eastern Asian country, people tend to be ethnically similar. In Southeast Asia, the population is more diverse and speaks hundreds of different languages. All the world's major religions are practiced in Southern and Eastern Asia, and art forms such as calligraphy, architecture, and poetry continue to thrive. In Eastern Asia, the family is the center of social life, a lifestyle that reflects the ideas of Confucius. Some traditions are changing, though, because of Western influences. The lives of Southern Asians of all religious faiths center on the family. In many areas, marriages are arranged by families. Education is highly valued in Eastern Asia, which has helped countries build productive economies.