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East Asian History

The Sook Ching Massacre
An introduction to the Sook Ching massacre of Chinese in Singapore by occupying Japanese forces during WWII.
Fortress Singapore
What is the truth about the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in 1942?
The Ghosts of SIngapore
Who are the ghosts of Singapore and from where do they come?
Pol Pot
The life and times of Cambodian Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot.
Dr Sun Yat Sen
The life and times of the founder of modern China, Dr Sun Yat Sen.
The Development of a Modern Educational System in Thailand
An introduction to the way in which a modern educational system has been created in Thailand and its importance.
Lee Kuan Yew
The life and achievements of the first prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew.
The Assassination of Sultan Mahmud
The assassination of Sultan Mahmud of Johor in 1699 led to a century of anarchy and disconnection.
Chiang Kai-Shek
An introduction to the life and times of Chiang Kai-Shek, Nationalist leader of China and founder of Taiwan.
The Boxers
The Boxer Rebellion of 1898-1900: who were the Boxers and what happened to them?
The Kalok Dance of the Mons
An introduction to the kalok or ghost dance of the Mon people of the Thai-Burmese border region.
Strange Events in Cambodia and Laos: C16th Dutch Explorers Report
An introduction to various Dutch reports from Cambodia and Laos in the little known C16th.
Ya Sang: Traditional Poisons of Thailand
An introduction to the traditional and magical poisons of Thailand.
Moving to Saigon in 1859
What was it like for young French people to move to the new colonies of Vietnam in the nineteenth century? This article explains.
Magical Amulets and Spells of Thailand
An introduction to the magical amulets, talismans and spells of traditional Thai culture.
The Ming Invasion of Yunnan
A description of the Chinese conquest of Yunnan province, eventually achieved by the Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.
Le Thanh Tong, Emperor of Vietnam
An intorduction to the life and times of Vietnamese emperor and hero Le Thanh Tong.
South Seas Piracy
What is the reality of piracy in the South Seas? A long history of misery and exploitation.
The Malay Kingdom of Patani
An introduction to the Malay Kingdom of Patani, now part of Thailand and the subject of bloody insurrection.
Makasar
An introduction to the trade emporium of Makasar on Sulawesi island.
Mao's Women
The indifference with which Mao Tse-tung treated his wives and abandoned children helps show the cruelty with which he threw away millions of lives.
Scholars
An introductio to Scholarship in Ancient China.
Kaya: a Vanished State of Korea
An introduction to the vanished state of Kaya in Korea and a mention of the historiographical controversy that is continues provoke.
Proverbs from Southeast Asia
An introduction to some of the proverbs of Southeast Asia.
Tokugawa Ieyasu
An introduction to the life and achievement of the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Limahong Attacks Manila
An account of Limahong's attack on Manila together with the early history of the city.
Xi Xia
An introduction to the now disappeared state of Xi Xia (Western Xia or Hsia).
The Rise of the Manchus
An introduction to the rise of the Manchus, who established the Qing Dynasty in China, together with the tragic end of the Ming Dynasty.
The Secret History of the Mongols
An introduction to the Secret History of the Mongols.
Songkhran: The Water Splashing Festival
An introduction to the water-splashing festival of Songkhran, the most eagerly anticipated holiday in Thailand.
Poverty and Resourcefulness in Isan
An introductory essay on the subject of the resourcefulness demonstrated by the Isan people in the face of poverty.
The Khmu Rok People of Laos
An introduction to the life and culture of the Khmu Rok people of northern Laos.
Juche
An introduction to juche, the official philosophy of North Korea.
The Betrayal of the Karens: The British Colonisation of Burma, Part 4
Continuing the exploration of the British colonisation of Burma through the issue of the Karen peoples.
When Did the Chinese First Visit the Americas?
An investigation into early contacts between the east and the west.
Pagan
An introduction to the City-State of Pagan - who are Pagans?
Bangkok 1892
Bangkok in 1892 during the throes of modernisation.
The Emperor Guang Wudi
The life and times of the Chinese Emperor Guang Wudi, founder of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Jiang Zemin
The life and career of Jiang Zemin, leader of the Chinese state.
The Spread of Buddhism to East Asia: Fa Hsien's Journey
An introduction to the journey of the Chinese monk Fa Hsien's journey to India in 402 and his importance in spreading Buddhism in China.
Melaka: The Rise of a Great Trade Centre
An introduction to the founding of Melaka (also known as Malacca) and its great years.
The Tic-Balan, Juanita and the Balete Tree
A discussion of the Philippine folk tale concerning the escape of Juanita from the balete tree in which she had been imprisoned by the fiendish Tic-Balan monster.
Heike Monogatari: A Medieval Japanese Epic
An introduction to the Heike Monogatari, the famous Medieval Japanese epic.
The Spread of Buddhism to East Asia, Part I
The first part of a short series of articles on the spread of Buddhism to East Asia, this article deals with the early emergence of Buddhist thought in China.
The British Conquest of Burma: The Process of Empire
The third part of the series on the British conquest of Burma concentrates on the mechanics of creating a colonised state.
The Islamisation of Southeast Asia, Part 2
The second part of a short series of articles dealing with the Islamisation of Southeast Asia.
The Islamisation of Southeast Asia, Part 1
The first part of a description of the spread of Islam in Southeast Asia and its distinctive features.
Homo Floresiensis: An Update on the 'Hobbits' of Indonesia
An update on the debate over the significance of the Homo Floresiensis findings in Indonesia.
Homo Floresiensis: An Update on the 'Hobbits' of Indonesia
An update on the debate over the significance of the Homo Floresiensis findings in Indonesia.
Ningxia
An introduction to the Northwestern Chinese province of Ningxia, home to the Muslim Hui people.
Customs of Cambodia: Angkor in 1296
A description of the Khmer Empire at the hieght of its power by a contemporary Chinese diplomat.
Rubber in East Asia
An introduction to the rubber industry in East Asia.
Silk
A brief introduction to the Hstory of Silk.
The British Conquest of Burma: the Second Anglo-Burmese War
Continuing the story of the British conquest of Burma.
The British Conquest of Burma: The First Anglo-Burmese War
A description of the early stages of the British conquest and colonisation of Burma.
Homo Floresiensis: the Hobbits of Flores Island
An introduction to a sensational new archaeological discovery on the remote Indonesian island of Flores.
The Spice Trade
An introduction to the spice trade that for centuries has linked Europe with the Far East.
The Spice Trade
An introduction to the spice trade that for centuries has linked Europe with the Far East.
Fireworks
An introduction to the history of fireworks.
The Second Opium War
A description of the Second Opium War between Britain and France allied against China.
Alexander Hamilton: Loose in Southeast Asia, 1689-1723
An introduction to the account of East Asia by the C17th-18th Scottish sea captain alexander Hamilton.
Yutalao and the Golden Carp: a Tale of the Dai People
A description of the Dai legend of Yutalao and the Golden Carp.
The First Opium War
The background to and implications of the First Opium War foughtbetween Britain and China.
The Spratly Islands
The Spratly Islands are a group of widely spaced, unpopulated islands in the middle of the South China Sea. Why should we care about them?
The Spratly Islands
The Spratly Islands are a group of widely spaced, unpopulated islands in the middle of the South China Sea. Why should we care about them?
Korea: A Rags to Riches Story
How has South Korea risen from being one of the world's ten poorest countries to one of the richest in just a generation?
Hat Yai
An introduction to the Southern Thai city of Hat Yai.
Hanoi: A Brief History
An introduction to the history of the capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi/
Champasak: Another Forgotten State?
An introduction to the state of Champasak, which once flourished in southern Laos until conquest by the French.
The Sino-Vietnamese War, 1979
What caused the war between China and Vietnam in 1979 and what were the results?
The Mekong river
What is the future of the Mekong River?
Yunnan
An introduction to the history of Yunnan Province of China, where China meets Southeast Asia.
Sima Qian: The Castrated Historian
The life and achgievement of the great Chinese historian Sima Qian, the castrated chronicler.
The Battle of Tarim Basin
The only military encounter between the Chinese and the Arabs led to decisive defeat for the Chinese. What is the background to this incident?
Migration in Southeast Asia
An introduction to the motivations for and implications of migration in Southeast Asian history.
Sticky Rice
An introduction to different types of sticky rice in East Asia and their impact upon local cultures.
The Koguryo War
The disastrous Chinese invasion of Korea at the beginning of the C7th led to the end of the Sui Dynasty. What happened?
Aceh
Introduction to the people and history of Aceh and the consideration of their struggle for independence.
The Younghusband Mission to Tibet
An introduction to the Yuonghusband mission to Tibet, which brought that country into the sphere of imperial politics.
The Younghusband Mission to Tibet
An introduction to the Yuonghusband mission to Tibet, which brought that country into the sphere of imperial politics.
Luchuan
Introduction to the independent Tai state Luchuan, which flourished in southern China during the fourteenth century.
Kuan Yin: Goddess of Mercy and Compassion
Description of the role and nature of the Goddess of Mercy and COmpassion, Kuan Yin
The US Conquest of the Philippines
Analysis of the US conquest of the Philippines in 1898.
Marco Polo
An introduction to the life and work of Marco Polo.
Uncle Ho
An introduction to Ho Chi Minh and the meaning of his life.
Pak Moon Dam and Water Management in Thailand
A discussion of water management issues in Thailand and their impact.
On Historiography
An introduction to the issues relating to the historiography of East Asia.
Dien Bien Phu
An introduction to Dien Bien Phu, the battle that ended the First Indochina War.
The Origin of the Mosquito: a Vietnamese Legend
An introduction to the Vietnamese legend about the origin of the mosquito and a discussion of what it tells us.
The Grand Canal
An introduction to the Grand Canal built in China at the beginning of the 7th century and one of the great works of human engineering.
The Thai-Malaysian Border Region in History
An introduction to the history of the Thai-Malaysian border region and a discussion of the factors that might have lead to it providing a terrorist threat.
The White Lotus Society
An introduction to the White Lotus Society, which has been active in China for hundreds of years as a secret society and a variation of which has most recently been manifested as the Falun Gong movement.
The Ryukyu Islands
An introduction to the history of the Ryukyu islands, south of Japan.
Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan
What was the impact of Commodore Perry's illegal entry of Japanese waters?
A Brief Introduction to Insurrections in Early Thailand
An introduction to revolts and insurrection in Thailand focusing mainly on the pre-twentieth century period.
Genghis Khan
The life and times of Genghis Khan, creator of the Mongol Empire and terror of the earth.
The Haiku of Basho
An introduction to the haiku verse form of Japan and the life and work of Matsuo Basho, its greatest practitioner.
Prehistoric Taiwan
An introduction to the prehistory of the island of Taiwan.
The Chams
An introduction to the civilisation of the Chams, together with a brief description of state formation in Southeast Asia.
The Thai Resistance in World War II
This is a description of the resistance to Japanese occupation by the Thais during World War II.
Xinjiang
An introduction to China's north-west border region of Xinjiang.
Raffles: Sir Stamford Raffles and the Founding of Singapore
An introduction to Sir Stamford Raffles and to the founding of Singapore.
When the Tibetan Armies Threatened China
A description and analysis of the period in which Tibet threatened to overrun China.
Confucius: What Did He Really Say?
An introduction to the life and thought of the Chinese philosopher Confucius.
Angkor Wat: The Capital of the Mighty Khmer Empire
An illustrated introduction to one of the great wonders of the world, the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia.
The Japanese Occupation of Indonesia
An introduction to the themes resulting from the Japanese conquest and occupaton of Indonesia during the Second World War.
Elephant!
An introduction to the elephants of Southeast Asia.
Nanchao: Between China and Southeast Asia
A history of Nanchao, the state that for centuries separated China from Southeast Asia
Fa Ngum Founds the Holy City of Louang Phrabang
The history of the founder of Laos, the Prince Fa Ngum.
Shanghai
A brief introduction to the city of Shanghai and its history.
King Sejong and the Invention of Hangul
The role of King Sejong the Great in inventing the hangul script is analysed.
A Short History of Opium
This article provides a short history of opium production and its impact in East Asia.
Srivijaya: The First Indonesian State
The ancient state of Srivijaya in the islands of Indonesia is described and placed in historical context.
The Voyages of Admiral Cheng Ho
The amazing voyages of the Chinese admiral Cheng Ho are described and placed in historical context.
Kim Il Sung and the Founding of North Korea
The life of Kim Il Sung and the founding of North Korea are set in historical context.
The Tai Ahom Kingdom of Assam
A description of the founding and nature of the Tai kingdom of Ahom in modern day Assam, which is the westernmost point of Tai migrations.
The Achievement of Communism in East Asia
This article describes some of the major achievements of communism in East Asia.
The Trung Sisters and Vietnam's First Resistance
The Trung sisters led early resistance of the Vietnamese against the Chinese. This is their story, together with a historical perspective.
Ramkhamhaeng the Great
The history and achievements of King Ramkhamhaeng the great of Sukothai are described. Ramkhamhaeng continues to be remembered as the father of modern Thai monarxhy and a great hero.
The Empress Wu Hou - China's Only Female Ruler
A history to the life, times and achievements of one of the most remarkable women ever to have lived, the Empress Wu Hou of China.
The Cambodian Civil War, 1970-5
The Cambodian Civil War of 1970-5 saw the defeat of the nationalist government and the rise to power of the Khmer Rouges under Pol Pot. The horrific regime heralded by this is one of the darkest moments of history. Understand how and why it happened.
An Introduction to Chinese History
An introduction and overview of Chinese history.