Asian History

This is the first part of what will be an ongoing series of articles exploring early contacts between the Eastern world and the Western world.

Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest, was the first missionary to China to make much of an impact, though the legacy he left had much more to ...

The only empress in all of China's history broke with a Confucian tradition which not only believed that women should not rule, but that they belonged in the home. Wu Zetian gained her position with cunning and ruthlessness and then went on to be a very good ruler. Find out how ...

Take a trip through the top ten most popular articles here in Oriental History.

Take a brief virtual tour of Bhutan, known to its inhabitants as the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

Learn about the famed Gurkha soldiers from Nepal who have served and fought so well for the British over the years. With a reputation for toughness, it is no wonder that legends have sprung up around these skilled men.

The Kot Massacre was a pivotal event in Nepalese history, paving the way in one bloody night for Jang Bahadur to become prime minister and "dictator" of Nepal. Find out here how it happened.

Ancient Nepal is somewhat shrouded in mystery. Discover some of the important people and events in its far past and view some images of this beautiful land.

A comparison between the Meiji Restoration and the American Occupation and the effects of both eras on the educational system of Japan. Includes a look at "examination hell."

A comparison between the Meiji Restoration and the American Occupation and the effects of both eras on the educational system of Japan.

Biographical fact sheets for three political powerhouses in China's very recent past and present: Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, and Jiang Zemin.