Asia category: 8064 books

Balinese Architecture is a step-by-step guide to the intricacies of Balinese architecture. Traditional Balinese don't live in houses in the conventional sense of the word. Instead, they divide their daily activities between a number a different pavilions which are situated within a family compound...

Angkor is one of the architectural treasures of Southeast Asia. Surrounded by mysterious jungle, the hub of the region is charming colonial town of Siem Reap with its bustling market. Footprint's Angkor covers all the unmissable sights within this spectacular and gargantuan complex, plus lesser-known...

The 2008 elections in Malaysia saw the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional, suffer its worst showing since independence, balancing political power and bringing hope of a more progressive, democratic future. No one expected such a show of support for the untested opposition and a show of dissent against...

There is still a place in the jungles of Thailand, where you can leave it all behind... A cult classic and bestseller in the 1990s, What the Buddha Never Taught is a humorous “behind the robes” account of life inside one of the strictest jungle monasteries in Southeast Asia. In Pahnanachat, the monks...

For over 2,000 years, the area of India that is today western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh has served as the destination for devout Buddhist pilgrims from all over Asia. In 2010, James Kempf and his wife Renate undertook a pilgrimage to the Buddhist sacred sites together with 28 other Western pilgrims....

Tibet is a land bounded by the world’s highest mountains, and it is the repository of an ancient culture. For centuries it was viewed by Europeans as a remote, mystical place populated by Buddhist masters with supernatural powers and profound wisdom. In contrast to this image, it was once a warlike...

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2015 in the subject History - Asia, National University of Malaysia, course: History, language: English, abstract: When it's a matter of relations with Israel, the Malaysian government such as on the horns because any incident could impact the government's...

Justin McCarthy's introductory survey traces the whole history of the Ottoman Turks from their obscure beginnings in central Asia, through the establishment and rise of the Ottoman Empire to its collapse after World War One under the pressures of nationalism. Vividly illustrated with many maps, this...

Post-war Japan offers a compelling case study of national apologies for past wrongdoings. Actions of the Japanese Army and government during the Second World War caused enormous suffering and distress throughout Asia, leaving a legacy of resentment and distrust. Beginning in the mid-1980s, apology...

It is generally accepted in the West that Buddhism is a ‘peaceful’ religion. The Western public tends to assume that the doctrinal rejection of violence in Buddhism would make Buddhist pacifists, and often expects Buddhist societies or individual Asian Buddhists to conform to the modern Western...

Throughout its history, Thailand has shown remarkable resiliency, adaptability, and creativity in responding to serious threats and crises, and this since much earlier times when it was known as Siam. This book, while focusing on the modern period, does reach back to ancient kingdoms but also shows...

Javanese Culture and the Meanings of Locality: Studies on the Arts, Urbanism, Polity, and Society is an examination of the social and cultural geography of Java. This book penetrates and surveys the Javanese world, and examines the traditions, customs, arts, urban habitation, polity, history, and...

Folk tales of the Shaolin Temple depict warrior monks with superhuman abilities. Today, dozens of East Asian fighting styles trace their roots back to the Buddhist brawlers of Shaolin, although any quest for the true story soon wanders into a labyrinth of forgeries, secret texts and modern retellings. This...

Singapore is a young and vibrant city located strategically in the heart of South East Asia. It is a popular tourist destination, attracting a wide variety of visitors from high-powered business executives to budget-conscious backpackers. This book provides a comprehensive guide for travelers...