Asian history Books

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Book SynopsisThis volume traces the history of John Pope Hennessy from his early beginnings in famine Ireland to his attempts to rise through the ranks in London, his early postings to Labuan, West Africa, and of course Hong Kong, to his final days with his family. His actions and his personality are laid bare for readers to form their own opinions of one of Hong Kong’s most enigmatic governors.Trade Review"MacKeown’s biography is a fine attempt to explain a complex figure – altogether more comprehensive and more critical than the episodic Verandah published by his professional-writer grandson, James Pope Hennessy, in 1964." - The Irish Times

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Book Synopsis"For this brief moment, the two sisters could be 'together in heart and affection', and through such letters bridge the distance of empire."We often learn about the commerce, diplomacy, and military campaigns of the British empire without reference to the intimate side of life in these times-the development of self, the position of women, and the importance of family. In this book, the story of empire, so often told from a man's perspective, is given a unique vantage point through Eliza Hillier's letters to her younger sister, Martha. Written largely from Hong Kong, Shanghai, England, and Siam, the letters allow us to become a member of her family and follow the daily tribulations associated with the life of a young British woman in the port cities of Asia. We are thus able to share Eliza's experiences as she leaves home to embark on married life, starts and raises a family, grieves at the abrupt and tragic loss of her husband, Charles Batten Hillier, and then sets about re-building her life.At once a reflection on the daily components of empire, an entertaining narrative of familial relationships, and the story of one woman's inner feelings, My Dearest Martha guides us through the vagaries of life for a family who were very much a part of imperial careering and missionary circles in East and Southeast Asia. The letters are complemented by images and commentary from the author, a descendant of Eliza, providing context and depth, which together give us a fuller picture of British colonial life in the mid-1800s from a perspective that will resonate with readers around the world.Table of ContentsIntroduction: An Epistolary RelationshipPart I: Intimate Empire 1. Evangelical Families 2. Letter-writing and the British WorldPart II: The Letters 3. Marriage, 1846-1847 4. Early Motherhood, 1847-1851 5. To Shanghai and Back, August 1851-July 1852 6. Homeward Bound, 1852 7. England, 1852-1855 8. Return to Hong Kong, 1855-1856 9. At Home in Siam, 1856 10. Sorrow and Bereavement, 1856Part III: At Home in the Empire11. Re-building Her Life 12. Bridging the Distance of Empire

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Book SynopsisThe Yale-China Association's long legacy of work in China places it among the premier American organizations engaged in international service. Founded in 1901, Yale-China built on a long tradition of Yale's graduates founding churches, schools, and colleges in far-flung places. In time, the organization evolved into a bicultural educational enterprise, reflecting a spirit of intellectual tolerance and openness that adapted itself to China's changing conditions and needs.From its earliest years at the close of the Qing dynasty through wars, revolutions, and the modern era of reform, Yale-China's history was interwoven with China's own turbulent journey to find its place in the modern world. At certain points in its history, Yale-China was ahead of its time; at others, the organization was overwhelmed by social and political forces beyond its control or comprehension. Yale-China's history thus provides intriguing insights into the vagaries and complexities of America's interaction with China in the twentieth century, as well as the profound ambivalence with which many Chinese viewed the United States-its representatives, educational models, and intentions toward China-in this period.

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Book SynopsisSze-yuen Chung is a veteran Hong Kong politician and an important figure in the development of Hong Kong over the past forty years. He has played a significant role in Hong Kong's political, economic, educational, and social development from its time as a British colony to its designation as a Special Administrative Region of China. Indeed, he is probably the only native son of Hong Kong who was closely and actively involved in the entire process of transferring Hong Kong's sovereignty back to China.These memoirs record Chung's personal experiences in Hong Kong's political scene in the two decades between 1979 and 1999 and his role in the Sino-British negotiations that led to the transition from British colonial rule to a position of autonomy under Chinese sovereignty.Chung's reflections — much of which are published here for the first time — are a valuable source of information on this important period in the history of Hong Kong. It will be of interest to all those who wish to know what actually happened during those pivotal years when the future course of Hong Kong was determined.

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Book SynopsisThis book marks a total departure from previous studies of the Boxer War. It evaluates the way the war was perceived and portrayed at the time by the mass media. As such the book offers insights to a wider audience than that of sinologists or Chinese historians. The important distinction made by the author is between image makers and eyewitnesses. Whole categories of powerful image makers, both Chinese and foreign, never saw anything of the Boxer War but were responsible for disseminating images of that war to millions of people in China and throughout the world.

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Book SynopsisThis is a new biography on Zhou Enlai, one of the most important and yet debatable political figures in the Chinese Communist Party. Based on solid research and first-hand information obtained from official documents as well as from people who had long acquaintance with Zhou, the authors successfully give an in-depth analysis on the complex personality and controversial actions of Zhou, both as a person and a leader of the CCP. The analysis is insightful to the understanding of his political behaviour and, in particular, how such behaviour had played a crucial role in the course of contemporary Chinese history.

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Book SynopsisThe period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907 to 960 BCE) has long been treated as an anomaly in the history of China, an age of great disunity between the empires of the Tang and Song dynasties. Breaking with previous scholarship on China's middle period, this book presents individual studies that focus on the art, culture, and politics of the interregnum, challenging not only the underlying assumptions about the unitary nature of dynastic culture, but also its value as a category of historical analysis. Understanding these decades as a time of important transition, in which the incipient cultural shifts of the mature Tang dynasty turned into the foundations of Song society, this volume also highlights the complex narrative processes that gave birth to Song culture.

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Book SynopsisBased on rare first-hand historical data, the author presents the analysis of the East Turkestan from the perspective of Islamic social structure, the origin and evolution of thoughts on national revolution, the internal structure of the independence movement and the power structure of the Republic, international relations, and international politics. Since it was first published in 1995, the original Japanese edition of this book has been recognized as the most authoritative research work on the independence movement of East Turkestan so far. The English edition of this book has been greatly revised and enriched to provide valuable references for the prominent issues of Xinjiang today.Trade Review“Understanding the complex involvement of powerful outside forces, a brutal world war, and an opportunity for groups that saw a chance at independence requires careful examination, and Professor Wang’s book does an admirable job in doing so. His exceptionally well-written book offers numerous insights, many based on materials that range from diaries and documents to memoirs and personal interviews. Altogether, Wang’s recently translated account strengthens our understanding of Xinjiang’s mid-20th century conundrum.” —Linda Benson, Professor Emerita, Oakland University“This research, now available in English, is an important addition to the growing library of work on modern Xinjiang and Uyghur history.” —James Millward, Professor, Georgetown University

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Book SynopsisThis book is a study of the social and cultural change in Ming China's lower Yangzi delta region from about 1500 to 1644. It takes three social groups?literati, scholar-officials, and merchants?as the framework for discussing the political, socio-economic, and cultural forces that coalesced and reinforced one another to influence and facilitate the region's change. A still wider perspective reveals how the region's political ties with the state and commercial links with external markets impacted the region for better and for worse. The book also discusses the literati's reflection and discourse, which their participation in the change generated, on the issues of morality, money, politics, and disorder. The book evokes the richly textured social and cultural life of Ming China's heartland in an age of commercial and cultural vigor, which then descended into distress and despair.

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Book SynopsisThe publication of this book marks the fifteenth anniversary of the outbreak of SARS epidemic in Hong Kong in 2003. This documentary study, originating as a research project a year after the epidemic, is a comprehensive attempt to examine the development of public health in Hong Kong from 1841 to the early 1990s. It covers the periods of prewar colonial rule, Japanese occupation, postwar reconstruction and growth, and the beginning of decolonisation. It analyses political, social, economic, and cultural factors, including the intersection of colonial priorities and indigenous agency and practices that affected disease outbreaks and development, government and local responses, advances in technology related to health and medicine, as well as the emergence of health agencies and institutions.The historical documents, selected from government archives, personal papers, and special collections, are invaluable source materials for the critical evaluation of such developments. The book provides a much needed and indispensable historical perspective to understanding Hong Kong’s struggle to combat prevalent and emerging diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, avian influenza, and SARS.

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Book SynopsisThe writers discussed here are Merlie Alunan, Sylvia Mayuga, Marra PL. Lanot, Elsa Martinez Coscolluela, and Rosario Cruz Lucero.

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Book SynopsisIslam is a universal civilization built on the foundations of the classical world that has spread to the four corners of the earth. This book, Islamic Far East: Ethnogenesis of Philippine Islam, is a preliminary attempt to integrate/unify the Islamization of the North, South, West, and East into one worldwide phenomenon, and locate the beginnings of Islamization in the Philippines within an Islamic historical framework.

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Book SynopsisCompletely revised since its first publication in 1996, this book is about the transformation of a country over one roller-coaster decade. It is about the econoics of boom and bust, but also about politics, social changes, and popular culture. “Digs much deeper than the superficial analyses of business trends . . . to explain how a whole society is being transformed by an industrial revolution of unprecedented speed.”—Financial Times of London

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Book SynopsisCambodia 1975–1982 presents a unique and carefully researched analysis of the Democratic Kampuchea regime of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge (1975–79) and the early years of the People’s Republic of Kampuchea (1979–89). When it was first published in 1984, the book provided one of the few balanced and reasoned voices in a world shocked by media reports of incredible brutality. Now, 15 years later, the book remains unsurpassed as an original historical document bringing a new interpretation based on the earliest primary sources —interviews with the Khmer people themselves.

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Book SynopsisIn this volume Anthony Reid positions Southeast Asia on the stage of world history. He argues that the region not only had a historical character of its own, but that it played a crucial role in shaping the modern world. Southeast Asia’s interaction with the forces uniting and transforming the world is explored through chapters focusing on Islamization; Chinese, Siamese, Cham, and Javanese trade; Makasar’s modernizing moment; and slavery. The last three chapters examine from different perspectives how this interaction of relative equality shifted to one of an impoverished “third world” region exposed to European colonial power. at UCLA.

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Book SynopsisThis volume brings together Siburapha’s most highly acclaimed novel, Behind the Painting, with three short stories highlighting the plight of the underclass: “Those Kind of People,” “Lend Us a Hand,” and “The Awakening.” Behind the Painting is the story of a Thai student studying in Japan who becomes infatuated with an older Thai woman. The novel reflects postwar Thai society in the vanity of the aristocracy and the pragmatism of the new elite; in the social more of concealing one’s true feelings; and in the restricted existence of unmarried women and the resulting pressure to marry, whatever the circumstance. Paralleling these Thai cultural themes are the universal themes of the fear of aging and the vagaries of love. Siburapha (Kulap Saipradit, 1905-1974) has enjoyed a checkered reputation in the Thai literary world. A popular and accomplished writer of romantic novels in the late 1920s, his later work tackled themes of social injustice and inequality. Imprisoned from 1952 to 1957, Siburapha subsequently sought asylum in China, where he remained for the rest of his life.Table of ContentsIntroduction Behind the Painting Those Kind of People Lend Us a Hand The Awakening Glossary

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Book SynopsisComprised mainly of new and original information, this volume will be of value as a resource for both the specialist and non-specialist -- those who appreciate the region, its peoples, and their history; the artistic beauty and symbolism of its ancient weights; and the metrology and relations of the weights to the various kinds of currency formerly in use. In particular, the book will appeal to the historical metrologist, the oriental numismatist, the art historian, the symbolist, the ethnologist, the antiquarian, the dealer, the collector, the oriental museum curator, the specialist librarian, and the scholar of oriental studies. Earth to Heaven describes the physical characteristics of the weights and their relationships, their manufacture, standardization and usage as well as the various motifs, their origins and transference to Burma. It also includes a fascinating discussion of the different animal shapes and their symbolic significance.Table of ContentsList of Maps List of Tables List of Plates Foreword Writing conventions Introduction 1. Mass Units and Standardisation 2. Mass scales 3. Mass Frequencies, Goods and Masses Weighed, Weighing Procedures 4. Weight Materials and Manufacture 5. Dimensions, Shapes and Decoration 6. Signs and Style Systems 7. Animal Representations in Asia 8. The Weight Bird: Identity and Origin 9. The Weight Beast: Identity and Origin 10. The Symbolism of the Animal Weights 11. The Symbolism of the Bird Weights 12. The Symbolism of the Beast Weights 13. The Symbolism of Anserine-Feline Combination 14. The Sign and Style System Symbolism 15. The Chronological Sequence of the Weights 16. The Transference of the Anserine-Feline Motifs to Burma 17. Summary and Conclusions Appendices Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThailand is often called the “Land of Smiles”, a nickname which sounds at once pleasant and mysterious. It is said that the Thais have a smile for every emotion, and with so many nuances of smiling, the smile often hides more than it reveals. Inside Thai Society looks behind smiles and appearances in order to discover those regularities and expectations that pervade everyday life. It identifies the basic ideas that give meaning and order to existence and that make life in Thai society eminently reasonable.Trade Review"A classic work on Thai society" --The Nation "Inside Thai Society is widely held to be the best interpretation available of the Thais and the Thai world view"-- Bangkok Post

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Book SynopsisPridi Banomyong (1900-83) was one of the greatest figures in twentieth-century Thailand. At the age of just twenty-seven, he started the movement which led to the 1932 revolution against Thailand’s absolute monarchy. Through the 1930s, he introduced a wide range of reforms in law, local administration, economic policy, and foreign affairs. During the Second World War, he formed the Seri Thai resistance movement against the Japanese occupation. After the war, he served briefly as prime minister and became deeply involved in the politics of the Asian region during decolonization. From 1947 onwards, Pridi was opposed by US-backed militarists who seized power by coup, murdered his associates, overturned many of his liberal reforms, and established dictatorial rule. In 1949 he fled into exile and never returned. Pridi by Pridi contains nineteen selections from Pridi’s writings, speeches, and interviews which focus on his personal background and his active political career from 1932 to 1949. They include a new translation of the “outline economic plan” of 1932, which still excites controversy today. They also include first-ever English translations of Pridi’s most important writings about the 1932 revolution, the Seri Thai movement, the monarchy, and his contemporaries.

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Book SynopsisThis account of Kosa Pan’s journal describes in great detail the arrival in Brest in 1686 of the first full Siamese embassy to reach France. This fragment is apparently all that survives of a massive report of the activities of the embassy written for King Narai. It was discovered in Paris in the early 1980s, was published in Thai in 1984, and appears here in English for the first time.

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Book SynopsisThis book analyzes the systematic construction of the image of the Other (that is, non-Muslims) by two radical Islamic Groups, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia and Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia. The author documents discourse patterns in the groups' publications and speeches stereotyping non-Muslims as hostile towards Islam and imagining Islam's imminent victory after an inevitable clash with all other civilizations. Although these groups do not engage in physical violence, the author categorizes their efforts to stereotype non-Muslims as "symbolic violence" and counterproductive because of the religious and ethnic pluralism of Indonesian society.Table of ContentsForeword Introduction --Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia --Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia The Image of the Other As Enemy --Constructing the Image Analyzing the Image of the Other --Roots of the Image --Discourse Patterns Used in Constucting the Image Symbolic Violence Flaws in the Fundamentalist Arguments --Critiquing the Four-Fold Discourse --Another Flawed Arguement: Perpetual Conflict --Misleading Selections from Religious Texts Fundamentalism as a Resistence Movement Summary and Conclusions Notes References

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Book SynopsisZakat, one of Islam's Five Pillars, is the practice of giving a fixed proportion of one's financial assets to those in need, thereby purifying both one's soul and one's remaining wealth. In Indonesia, since the coming of Islam, zakat has been a means of worship, and its collection has been voluntary and decentralized. Arskal Salim's study argues that in the post-New Order regime (1966-1998) zakat practice changed structurally and institutionally through the enactment of a law on zakat management, followed by the establishment of a national zakat agency. A cultural shift is now in progress with two possible outcomes: either zakat collection will become compulsory and centralized or it will become such an intricate part of taxation law that it loses its spiritual relevance.

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Book SynopsisThis monograph examines the dynamics involved in implementing Islamic law in Southeast Asia, and how this issue has become a source of conflict in Kelantan, Malaysia and Aceh, Indonesia. Using textual and fieldwork methodology, the study compares and contrasts the collective experience of trying to apply Islamic law in these two locations. In both Kelantan and Aceh, Islamic law was first developed in the thirteenth century with the coming of Islam to the region, but was later replaced by colonial legal systems, and then by the jurisprudence of national governments following independence. Reinstituting Islamic law has become a dominant political issue in both countries. Through an analysis of the conditions that have made the emergence of Islamic law in Kelantan and Aceh possible, the author helps extend previous studies on this issue by providing a sociological understanding of religious law as a source of both conflict and identity.

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended for modern students, inside or outside the classroom, as a work of reference rather than a "teach yourself" textbook. It presents an introductory sketch of Pali using both European and South Asian grammatical categories. In English-language works, Pali is usually presented in the traditional terms of English grammar, derived from the classical tradition, with which many modern students are unfamiliar. This work discusses and reflects upon those categories, and has an appendix devoted to them. It also introduces the main categories of traditional Sanskrit and Pali grammar, drawing on, in particular, the medieval Pali text Saddaniti, by Aggavamsa. Each grammatical form is illustrated by examples taken from Pali texts, mostly canonical. Although some previous knowledge of Sanskrit would be helpful, the book can also be used by those without previous linguistic training. A bibliographical appendix refers to other, complementary resources.Table of ContentsPreface Grammar: 1. akkhara padani ca magadhabhasaya, Letters and Words in Pali 2. nama, Nouns, Adjectives, Pronouns and Pronominal Adjectives, Numerals 3. akhyata, Verbs 4. nipata, Particles, Adverbs 5. upasagga, Prepositions and Verbal Prefixes 6. samasa, Compounds 7. iti-sadda, Direct and Indirect Speech Appendix 1: Pali Grammatical Terms Appendix 2: English Gammatical Terms Appendix 3: Meter Appendix 4: Bibliographical Essay

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Book SynopsisOnly one person has given us a first-hand account of the civilization of Angkor. This is the Chinese envoy, Zhou Daguan, who visited Angkor in 1296–97 and wrote A Record of Cambodia: The Land and Its People after his return to China. To this day Zhou’s description of the royal palace, sacred buildings, women, traders, slaves, hill people, animals, landscapes, and everyday life remains a unique portrait of thirteenth-century Angkor at a time when its splendors were still intact. Very little is known about Zhou Daguan. He was born on or near the southeastern coast of China, and was probably a young man when he traveled to Cambodia by boat. After returning home he faded into obscurity, though he seems to have lived on for several decades. Much of the text of Zhou’s book has been lost over the centuries, but what remains gives us a lively sense of Zhou the man as well as of Angkor. In this edition, Peter Harris translates Zhou Daguan’s work directly from Chinese to English to be published for the first time. Earlier English versions depended on a French translation done over a century ago, and lost much of the feeling of the original as a result. This entirely new rendering, which draws on a range of available versions of the Zhou text, brings Zhou’s many observations vividly and accurately back to life. An introduction and extensive notes help explain the text and put it in the context of the times.Trade Review"A highly recommended, extremely welcome addition to the field of Southeast Asian studies. . . . A nice selection of color photos supplements the text and helps orient readers to what this traveler, Zhou Daguan, may have seen in 1297." * Choice *

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Book SynopsisMongolian Buddhism is the first book to explore the development of Mongolia's state religion, from its formation in the thirteenth century around the time of Chinggis Qaan (Genghis Khan) until its demise in the twentieth century under the Soviet Union. Until its downfall, Mongolian Buddhism had served as a scientific, political, and medical resource for the Mongolian people. During the 1930s, Mongolian Buddhist monasticism, the caretaker of these resources, was methodically and systematically demolished. Lamas were forced to apostatize, and were either enslaved or executed. Now, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Mongolian Buddhism has reemerged in a country that has yet to fully confront its bloody past. Through historical analysis of Tibetan, Chinese, and Russian accounts of history, Michael Jerryson offers a much-needed religio-political perspective on the ebb and flow of Buddhism and the Sangha in Mongolia.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Early Mongolian Buddhism (1246-1691) 3. Mongolian Buddhism under the Ch'ing Dynasty (1691-1911) 4. Periods of Autonomy in Early Twentieth Century Mongolia (1911-1921) 5. The Beginnings of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (1921-1929) 6. Voices from the Reign of Terror in Buddhist Mongolia (1929-1940) 7. Socialism to Democracy (1940-2000) Appendix: Mongolia's Voices-Personal Narratives Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn Thailand and World War II, Direk Jayanama provides a unique, first-hand account of Thailand's diplomatic, military, and economic history between 1938 and 1948. Diplomat, statesman, academic, and writer, Direk Jayanama helped guide the Thai nation through a turbulent period in its history. He was Deputy Prime Minister when Thailand was forced on 8 December 1941 to accede to Japan's demand that its troops be permitted safe passage through Thai territory on their way to attack Singapore. In early 1942, Direk reluctantly accepted an appointment as Thai Ambassador to Japan. Returning to Thailand in July 1943 for health reasons, Direk went on to play a significant role in the Free Thai movement that sought to make contact with the Allies and overthrow the Japanese during the waning years of the war. Direk Jayanama's remarkable skills were employed to their greatest extent in the immediate post-war years. He not only helped bring the state of war with Britain and Australia to a successful conclusion, but he also played a major role in enabling Thailand to obtain admittance to the United Nations in 1948 and resume its full standing in the community of nations. These detailed and fascinating memoirs include additional chapters by key Free Thai members including Puey Ungphakorn, as well as extensive appendixes containing the text of international treaties and agreements to which Thailand was signatory.

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Book SynopsisWhen the Khmer Rouge troops entered Phnom Penh on 17th April 1975, it seemed that the Cambodian revolution had been secured. During the following four years, Cambodian society was dramatically transformed at great cost in terms of human misery and death. Despite its outward display of total power, the regime of Democratic Kampuchea was deeply fragmented along factional lines within the Communist Party of Kampuchea which eventually ripped it apart. On the morning of 25th December 1978, a huge military force of the People's Army of Vietnam spearheaded a counter attack by the Kampuchean Front for National Salvation, led by a former KR commander, Heng Samrin. They found a country in ruins, the economy shattered and the people shocked and dispirited. This book examines the Cambodian revolution before and after Pol Pot and attempts to explain the reasons for its ultimate failure. In particular, it traces the efforts of the post-DK regime, that of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, to rebuild both the state and the revolution. Many factors intervened to defeat their efforts to restore revolution. Nevertheless, the PRK did rebuild the state and the economy, and it helped return people's lives to the conditions of pre-revolutionary days.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Note on Sources List of Abbreviations Map of the People's Republic of Kampuchea 1. The Cambodian Communist Movement, 1951-1975 2. The Revolution and Its Aftermath, 1975-1978 3. Rebellion and Salvation, 1978-1979 4. Institution-Building: The Administrative Structure of the New State 5. Rebuilding the Economy 6. Political Society 7. Civil Society and Social Action 8. Restructuring the Revolution 9. Defense and War 10. Conclusion Notes Appendix Chronology Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFrom abhayamadra through zoomorphic, this is an essential dictionary for anyone stepping into the fascinating world of South and Southeast Asian art. Now with over 1,300 entries and 112 line illustrations, this revised and expanded edition makes a handy reference for travelers and residents, students, museum goers, and general readers. Explanations are succinct and easy to understand. Entries range from terms encountered in South and Southeast Asian history, religion, mythology, and literature, to those specific to art and architecture. Words are drawn from the diverse religious traditions of the region, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism, and from the countries of the region, including Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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Book SynopsisAccompanied by stunning photographs, this publication animates the story of the origins and physical transformations of the neoclassical City Hall and former Supreme Court- two buildings that have been focal points for many seminal events in Singapore's history- into National Gallery Singapore, which overseas the largest public collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian modern art. Chapters within flesh out the colonial past of the buildings, the conception and organisation of the architectural design competition, and the ambitious ten-year process of envisioning, designing and building this institution.

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Book SynopsisIn a significant departure from other works on Ritwik Ghatak, this book establishes him as an auteur and a maestro on par with some of the great film directors, like Sergei Eisenstein, Satyajit Ray, Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, Kenji Mizoguchi and Luis Bunuel. Based on in-depth research that follows Ghatak’s journey within the context of the Indian People’s Theatre Association, it fills an important gap in the scholarship around Ghatak by offering crucial insights into Ghatak’s unique vision of cinema embedded as it is in the cultural psychic configurations of the people. It analyses Ghatak’s practice by minutely tracing formal similarities across the language of his cinematic oeuvre in the domain of cinematography, lighting, music, and sound. The book develops the way in which cinematic technique enters the domain of conceptual constructs and abstractions. It moves on to chronicle Ghatak’s political odyssey as reflected in his cinema. Moreover, it charts the manner in which Ghatak, through his cinematic idiom, offers a polemic of cinema that further adds to his notion of praxis – a thoughtful Marxist paradigm organically associated with the culture and context of India. By locating Ghatak within the discourse of nationalism, the book brings to the surface Ghatak’s critical insights related to the independence of the nation and the trauma of the partition of Bengal. Ghatak’s cinema served the crucial function of chronicling the mass tragedy of partition and its impact on the human psyche.This book appeals to scholars of film studies and filmmaking as well as to researchers and general readers interested in debates pertaining to culture, politics, art, psychoanalysis, partition and refugee studies, cinema, theatre, and ideology.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- The Man and his Times.- A Search for a Personal Vision of Cinema.- Indian People’s Theatre Association and the Cinema of Social Transformation.- The Episodic Structure in Ghatak’s Cinema.- The Magnum Opus of the Bengal Partition: Motifs and Antinomies.- Recasting the Contemporary in the Crucible of the myth: Interventions and Interpretations.- Cinematography, Lighting, Sound and Music: A Contrapuntal Melody.- Film and Praxis: A Political Odyssey.- Marxism, Culture and Praxis.- The Angst of an Artist.- Survival and Resilience.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a panoramic and extensive exploration of Chinese political philosophy, examining key political problems of the past, and the thinkers who addressed them. As the reader will discover, China’s traditional political philosophy is one with distinctive national characteristics and ideals. Therefore, the book helps to clarify the evolution of Chinese political thought, while also investigating fundamental political issues throughout the country’s history. The book offers a unique resource for researchers and graduate students in the fields of political science, philosophy, and history, as well as ordinary readers who are interested in China’s traditional and political culture.Trade Review“Zhang’s book enlightens and enriches the body of knowledge about the political thought of China. It contributes to a reflective anthropological, sociological, historical, political and philosophical body of scientific work. Students and Scholars within the abovementioned disciplines could benefit from this book as an essential read in Chinese political philosophical thought. It may also attract readers who are critical of China and the west and who constantly compare the two most powerful countries in the world.” (Zi Wang, Journal of Chinese Political Science, Vol. 27, 2022)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Germination and embryonic form: Yin Shang and Western Zhou's Political and Philosophical Concepts.- Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought：the Convergence of the Multiple Perspectives and Purpose of the Pre-Qin Philosophers.- The Discourse on the Natural and Human Spheres of Being: The Reorganization of Concepts and the Systematization of Political Thought in the Two Han Dynasties.- The Substance of Personality: Humanity’s Awakening and the Sculpting of the Ideal Personality in Politics.- Role Paradigms: The Value of Putting People First and Reflection on the Roles of Ruler and Minister.- The Ethical Constitution: Confucian Rationalism’s Consistent Linking of Constitution and Personality in the Two Song Dynasties.- Utilitarian Confucianism: The Appeal of “Kingliness Without” from the Perspective of the Barbarians (Yi), and the Chinese (Xia).- People-oriented perspective and Yi Xia：Political Anxiety and Political Concepts in the Ming Dynasty.- Criticism and Statecraft: Extreme Heights, and the Wane of Traditional Political Philosophy in the Early and Middle Qing Dynasty.

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Book SynopsisThis book joins the discussion on foreign aid triggered by the rise of multiplicity of emerging donors in international development and explores the transformation of Kazakhstan from a recipient country to a development aid provider. Drawing on fieldwork in Nur-Sultan and Almaty (Kazakhstan) between 2016 and 2019, this research evaluates the philosophy and core features of Kazakhstan’s chosen development aid model and explains the factors that account for the construction of aid patterns of Kazakh donorship. This book will be of interest to scholars of Central Asia and the emerging politics of Eurasia as well as scholars of politics and aid.Trade Review“Modernity, Development and Decolonization of Knowledge in Central Asia. Kazakhstan as a Foreign Aid Provider adds a discussion of Kazakhstani aid, a neglected topic, to the scholarly discourse on foreign aid. Nafissa Insebayeva explores Kazakhstan’s transition from a recipient country to a development aid provider. In doing so, she examines how Kazakhstan has constructed its development aid model, assessing its philosophy and main features … . I highly recommend the book” (Lamine Balde, Europe-Asia Studies, August 31, 2023)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Setting the Stage for Research: Theoretical Approaches to Development.- The ‘Development’ Paradigm: Official Development Assistance and DAC.- Kazakhstan as a Humanitarian Aid Donor.- New Actors Through Old Lenses?.- In the Colonial Matrix of Power: The Aftermath of the Soviet Collapse.- Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis book mainly addresses the position, function, influence, and values of folk oral literature in the history of Chinese literature. Divided into 14 chapters, it systematically covers central aspects of folklore literature such as ballads, folk songs, Bianwen, Zajuci, Guzici, Zhugongdiao, Sanqu, Baojuan, Tanci, Zidishu, and so on from the Pre-Qin to the late Qing Dynasties, filling several gaps in literary history studies. It is a comprehensive literary work, and many of the materials cited here are rare and difficult to find. In addition, the book proposes some important theories, especially six highly generalized qualities of folk literature, namely that it is: popular, collective, oral, fresh, effusive, and innovative.With detailed, extensive materials, and quotations, the book represents the most systematic and comprehensive work to date on ancient Chinese folk literature. It is mutually complementary with Guowei Wang’s A Textual Research of the Traditional Chinese Opera in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and Xun Lu’s A Brief History of Chinese Fiction; all three works are regarded as the most essential classics for researching the history of Chinese literature.Table of ContentsChapter 1 What Is Folk Literature?.- Chapter 2 Ancient Ballads.- Chapter 3 Folk Literature in the Han Dynasty.- Chapter 4 Folk Songs in the Six Dynasties.- Chapter 5 Odes and Songs in the Tang Dynasty.- Chapter 6 Bianwen, a Popular Form of Literature in the Tang Dynasty.- Chapter 7 Zajuci, a Popular Literary Form in the Song and Jin Periods.- Chapter 8 Guzici and Zhugongdiao, Popular Literary Forms Featured with Singing and Saying.- Chapter 9 Sanqu, A Type of Verse in the Yuan Dynasty.- Chapter 10 Folk Songs in the Ming Dynasty.- Chapter 11 Baojuan, a Literary Form Featured with Story-telling and Singing.- Chapter 12 Tanci, a Literary Form Featured with Story-telling to the Accompaniment of Stringed Instrument.- Chapter 13 Guci and Zidishu, Popular Literary Forms in the Ming and Qing Dynasties .- Chapter 14 Folk Songs in the Qing Dynasty.- Academical Chronology of Zheng Zhenduo.- Zheng Zhenduo and His History of Chinese Folk Literature.

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Book Synopsis“The Earliest China” is the first archaeological book in China to translate in the dominant language of the world on the origin of Chinese ancient civilization in the Central Plains and the study of Xia dynastic culture. It shows readers all over the world the outstanding achievements in the study of the formation of early state in China and is the first English translation monograph on the birth history of the first dynasty of Hua-Xia nation from the perspective of archaeology. With the specific archaeological data on the basis of excavations and investigation conducted in recent years, this book focuses on the interpretation of the rise and development of the ancient civilization having initially appeared in the Central Plain of China and even in the Eastern Asia. The book contents include abundant manifestations of the first flourishing civilization especially at the Erlitou site along the Yi and Luo Rivers, characteristic of ultra-large capital city, palace buildings, elaborate bronze vessels, and stratified social organization. With the combination of previously literature, the original author attempts to further explain how the earliest China, a royal-powered, and large-scaled state, emerged four thousand years ago. In this book, the analysis on a comprehensive landscape of the ancient civilization prior to the Shang Dynasty leads the point of views, distinctively from the traditional historical perspectives. With a global perspective, he further compares with other significant civilizations in the world and also points out cultural communications between the early China and other external cultures in the Bronze Age. Therefore, this book, the Earliest China of English translated version, is so appropriate to be recommended to foreign scholars and sinologists, as well as everyone who has been attracted by China’s charm overseas. With book contents, ideas, and thoughts that it contains, one can easily acknowledge the goals, methods, and reconstruction process of China’s prehistory, so English readers will acknowledge so well about the Chinese Archaeology in the Bronze Age, which does vary in many aspects from that of European and American. Table of ContentsChapter 1: Explanation for the Theme.- Chapter 2: Creating a New Era.- Chapter 3: Global Perspective.- Chapter 4: Dream-seeking Journey.- Chapter 5: Mystifying Scene.- Chapter 6: Genius of the Central Plain.- Chapter 7: The Imposing Manner of the Royal Capital.- Chapter 8: Building in the Middle and Erecting in the North.- Chapter 9: Affairs of the State.- Chapter 10: The Society of the Capital City.- Chapter 11: Atmosphere of the Civilization.- Chapter 12: Wonderful Workmanship Excelling Nature.- Chapter 13: People’s Livelihood of the City.- Chapter 14: All the Rivers Running into the Sea.- Chapter 15: Powerful Radiation.

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Book SynopsisThis book covers various forms of the production of girmitiya culture and literature. One of the main objectives is to conceptualize the idea of girmitya, girmitology, and girmitiya literature, culture, history, and identity in both colonial and postcolonial contexts. This book aims to document the history, experiences, culture, assimilation, and identity of girmitiya community. It also critically analyses the articulation, projection, and production of their experiences of migration and being immigrant, their narratives, tradition, culture, religion, and memory. It also explores how this labour community formulated into a diaspora community and reconnected/created the home (land) and continues to do so in the wake of globalization and Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This book is an attempt to bring the intriguing neglected diverse historical heritage of colonial labour migration and their narratives into the mainstream scholarly debates and discussions in the humanities and the social sciences through the trans- and interdisciplinary perspectives. This book assesses the routes of migration of old diaspora, and it explains the nuances of cultural change among the generations. Although, they have migrated centuries back, absorbed and assimilated, and got citizenships of respective countries of destinations but still their longing for roots, culture, identities, “home”, and the constant struggle is to retain connections with their homeland depicted in their cultural practices, arts, music, songs, folklore and literary manifestations. Table of Contents1. Introduction.- 2.Language, Literature and Cultural Identity: A Case Study of Malaysian Tamil Diaspora.- 3. Girmit as a Global Labour Regime: Essentials, Expansion and Exceptions.- 4. Tracing the Girmitiya Consciousness in Bhojpuri Folkloric Songs: A Study of Select Bhojpuri Video Songs.- 5. The Poetics of Unsung Chutney Singer Lakhan Karriah of Trinidad.- 6. Poetics of the Crossing (Re)routing Identity in Indenture.- 7. Convicts as the Indentured Labour: Role and Contribution of Indians to the Development Works in the Southeast Asia.- 8. Preservation of Cultural Heritage: A Case study of Girmitya in Mauritius.- 9. Reality and Illusion about India In Girmitiya literature: A Study on Capildeo Family.- 10. Resurgence of Girmitiya; Journey through Indian Diaspora.- 11. The Girmityas and Power Politics: A Genealogical Analysis of Colonial Fiji.- 12. Relocating cultural identity: Pattern and Conditions of Indian Diaspora in Fiji.- 13. Articulating Experiences and Unterrable sufferings of Girmitiyas in Amitav Ghosh’s Sea of Poppies.- 14. Indentured Labour Migration from Bombay Presidency: A study of Marathi speaking Community in Mauritius.- 15. Vivid Girmitiya Sacraments: A Study of Ganga and Ganga Talao.- 16. Swadeshi Girmitology: A Critical Study of Eurocentric History of the Indian Indenture System with Indian perspective.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book is intended for common readers who are interested in the life story of Qian Xuesen (also know as Tsien Hsue-Shen). Based on a large number of original archives and historical materials, this book focuses on Qian Xuesen’s years of seeking knowledge from his birth in 1911 to his return to China in 1955 and describes how he grows into a world-known scientist from the aspect of humanity. This book can be used as reference material for Qian Xuesen’s earlier years.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Family and Education.- Chapter 2 Serve the Country through Engineering.- Chapter 3 Life and Study in the United States.- Chapter 4 From Young Scholar to World-Class Scientist.- Chapter 5 Marriage and Family Life.- Chapter 6 Communism Enlightenment and Dedication to His Country.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents cutting-edge archaeological materials from Xinjiang, from the Bronze Age to the early Iron Age. Through a systematic topological study of major archaeological cemeteries and sites, it establishes chronologies and cultural sequences for three main regions in Xinjiang, namely the circum-Eastern Tianshan region, the circum-Dzungarian Basin region and the circum-Tarim Basin region. It also discusses the origins and local variants of prehistoric archaeological cultures in these regions and the mutual relationships between them and neighboring cultures.By doing so, the book offers a panoramic view of the socio-cultural changes that took place in prehistoric Xinjiang from pastoral-agricultural societies to the mobile nomadic-pastoralist states in the steppe regions and the agricultural states of the oasis, making it a must-read for researchers and general readers who are interested in the archaeology of Xinjiang. Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisThis book looks at East Asian actors in the League of Nations to explore a pivotal moment in the early stage of the development of global international relations. It breaks new ground by drawing on extensive sources in East Asian languages to show how actors from the region played significant roles in shaping the emerging norms and practices that underpin the international system. The chapters cover cases from the three East Asian member states, namely China, Japan and Siam (Thailand) to address topics that involve the intersection of disciplinary fields, such as law and warfare, sovereignty and international organization, and public health and international co-operation. The research draws on new material that will be of interest to academic researchers and is presented in a style suitable for teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels, especially for courses that strive to achieve a global outlook and the decolonization of the curriculum.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction (Christopher R. Hughes and Hatsue Shinohara). - Part 1: The League and Empires. - Chapter 2: “Liberal internationalism” reconsidered: Liberal inter-imperialism and the League of Nations in Asia and the Pacific (Tomoko Akami). - Chapter 3: The League of Nations’ Functional Works in the Years of Growing Nationalism (Harumi Goto-Shibata). - Part 2: Globalism and Inter-Civilizationism. - Chapter 4: The activity and legacy of the Far East Bureau of the League of Nations: A key knot in connecting regional and international order (Kayo Takuma). - Chapter 5: Japanese International Lawyers and the Codification of International Law in the League of Nations (Rikiya Takahashi). - Chapter 6: Intellectual Entanglements between the League of Nations and East Asia: Modernism or Anti-Modernism? (Takashi Saikawa). - Part 3: Member States. - Chapter 7: Attempting Neutrality: Siam’s Coping with the League of Nations’ Multilateralism (Teewin Suputtikun). - Chapter 8: The Council of the League of Nations and Japan: A Challenge to Emerging International Norms (Hatsue Shinohara). - Chapter 9: China’s Policies toward the Abyssinian Question, 1935-1938 (Li Chang). - Part 4: The Case of Manchuria. - Chapter 10: Popular Newspapers in China and the League: A Case of the Lytton Commission (Lunhai Mu). - Chapter 11: Aborted Ideas of an Internationally Administered Manchuria: The Background to the Lytton Report (Haruo Tohmatsu). - Chapter 12: The Diplomatic construction of Chinese sovereignty During the Manchurian Crisis (Christopher R. Hughes). - Chapter 13: Conclusion (Madeleine Herren)

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Book SynopsisThis book gives a panoramic review of China's 70 years of modernization, reveals the historical process and logic of the formation of the modernization path with Chinese characteristics, especially focuses on the key decision-making process in the history of China's modernization, theoretically compares the Chinese model and the western mainstream model and summarizes the characteristics and experience of China's development model. At the same time, it reveals the causes of the global crisis from a historical perspective and puts forward the future of China based on historical experience. The book tries to answer the following hot-debating questions: What is the core of Chinese experience? Is China model a new model of modernization? Is China's model sustainable? Is this model compatible with the mainstream model? What is the relationship between China's revolution and modernization? How will China's development affect the world? This book will be found helpful by all scholars, students and the public who are interested in China's development path.Table of ContentsChapter1. China’s Early Choice of Modernization Path.- Chapter2. Seeking a Chinese Path (1956–1976).- Chapter3. Legacy of the Mao Era and China’s Modernization.- Chapter4. Dialectics of the Market Economy.- Chapter5. Chinese Democracy.- Chapter6. Chinese New Model of Modernization. Chapter7. Understanding Marxism in China.- Chapter8. A Macro-historical View of the Global Crisis.- Chapter9. China’s New Era (2012- ) and Xi Thoughts.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book includes forty-one chapters about foreign observers’ discourses on Japan. These include a wide range of perspectives from the travelogues of curious visitors to academic theses by scholars, which offer us a broad spectrum of contents, reflecting a variety of attitudes toward Japan. The works were written during the period from the 1850s to the 1980s, a timespan during which Japan became, in stages, more open to the outside world after a long isolation under the Tokugawa shogunate. From the perspective of “Japanology,” one can discern three distinct periods of rising interest in the country from abroad. The first tide of such interest came shortly after the opening of Japan, when various foreign travelers, including those who could not be included in this book, came over and wrote down their impressions of the country—which was, for them, a land of mystery and mystique, which had just opened its doors to them. The second wave arose at the beginning of the twentieth century, just after the Russo-Japanese War, when Japan again generated a remarkable surge of interest as a “miracle” in Asia that had pulled off the wondrous feat of defeating a white superpower. The third wave was more recent, which took place from the late 1960s to the 1980s, a period of high economic growth when the “miracle” of Japan’s remarkable economic recovery from the defeat of World War II attracted enthusiastic and curious attention from the outside world once again. It is not the intention of this book to directly highlight such historical transitions, but these forty-two brilliant mirrors (forty-one chapters, including forty-two discourses), even when looked in casually, provide us with unexpected insights and various perspectives. Shōichi Saeki (1922–2016) was Professor Emeritus, the University of Tokyo. Tōru Haga (1931–2020) was Professor Emeritus, International Research Center for Japanese Studies. Table of ContentsChapter 1. Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov, The Frigate Pallada.- Chapter 2. Sir Rutherford Alcock, The Capital of the Tycoon: A Narrative of a Three Years’ Residence in Japan.- Chapter 3. Ernest Mason Satow, A Diplomat in Japan.- Chapter 4. William Elliot Griffis, The Mikado’s Empire.- Chapter 5. Emile Etienne Guimet, Promenades Japonaises Tokio-Nikko, Félix Régamey, Japon.- Chapter 6. Huang Zunxian, Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects from Japan.- Chapter 7. Isabella Lucy Bird Bishop, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan.- Chapter 8. Percival Lowell, The Soul of the Far East.- Chapter 9. Pierre Loti, Japoneries d’automne.- Chapter 10. Basil Hall Chamberlain, Things Japanese.- Chapter 10. Lafcadio Hearn, Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan.- Chapter 11. Lady Fraser, A Diplomatist’s Wife in Japan – Letters from Home to Home.- Chapter 12. Ludwig Riess, Allerlei aus Japan.- Chapter 13. Erwin von Bälz (Baelz), Erwin von Bälz. Das Leben eines deutschen Arztes im erwachenden Japan.- Chapter 14. Muṣṭafā Kāmil Pasha, Al-Shams al-Mushriqa (Rising Sun).- Chapter 15. Ernest Francisco Fenollosa, Epochs of Chinese and Japanese Art: An Outline History of East Asiatic Design.- Chapter 16. Edward Sylvester Morse, Japan Day by Day 1877, 1878-79, 1882-83.- Chapter 17. Rabindranath Tagore, Nationalism.- Chapter 18. Wenceslau de Moraes, Ó-Yoné e Ko-Haru.- Chapter 19. Paul Claudel, L’Oiseau noir dans le Soleil levant.- Chapter 20. Dai Jitao, Theory of Japan.- Chapter 21. Zhou Zuoren, A Personal View of Japan.- Chapter 22. Lady Sansom, Living in Tokyo.- Chapter 23. Bruno Taut, Das japanische Haus und sein Leben.- Chapter 24. Joseph Clark Grew, Ten Years in Japan: A Contemporary Record Drawn from the Diaries and Private and Official Papers of Joseph C. Grew, United States Ambassador to Japan, 1932–1942.- Chapter 25. Ruth Benedict, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture.- Chapter 26. Leocadio de Asis, From Bataan to Tokyo, Diary of a Filipino Student in Wartime Japan 1943–1944.- Chapter 27. Reginald Horace Blyth, Haiku.- Chapter 28. Sir George Bailey Sansom, The Western World and Japan – A Study in the Interaction of European and Asiatic Culture.- Chapter 29. Ronald Philip Dore, City Life in Japan – A Study of Tokyo Ward.- Chapter 30. Donald Keene, The Japanese Discovery of Europe – Honda Toshiaki and Other Discoverers 1720 –1830.- Chapter 31. Earl Miner, The Japanese Tradition in British and American Literature.- Chapter 32. Marius B. Jansen, Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration.- Chapter 33. Roland Barthes, L’empire des signes.- Chapter 34. Edwin Oldfather Reischauer, The Japanese.- Chapter 35. Kim So-un, Ten no hate ni ikuru to mo (Even though I Live at the End of the Skies).- Chapter 36. Lee O-young, The Compact Culture: The Japanese tradition of “smaller is better”.- Chapter 37. Edward Seidensticker, Low City, High City – Tokyo from Edo to the Earthquake.- Chapter 38. Maurice Pinguet, La mort volontaire au Japon.

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Book SynopsisThis book explores contemporary maritime piracy in Southeast Asia, demonstrating the utility of using historical context in developing policy approaches that will address the roots of this resurgent phenomenon. The depth and breadth of historical piracy help highlight causative factors of contemporary piracy, which are immersed in the socio-cultural matrix of maritime-oriented peoples to whom piracy is still a thinkable option. The threats to life and property posed by piracy are relatively low, but significant given the strategic nature of these waterways that link the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and because piracy is emblematic of broader issues of weak state control in the littoral states of the region. Maritime piracy will never be completely eliminated, but with a progressive economic and political agenda aimed at changing the environment from which piracy is emerging, it could once again become the exception rather than the rule.Table of ContentsContemporary Maritime Piracy in Southeast Asia: History, Causes and Remedies Preliminary pages; 1. Introduction; 2. Historical Piracy in Southeast Asia; 3. Causative Factors of Contemporary Piracy; 4. Conclusions and A Way Forward; Appendix A. Background and Further Details of UNCLOS and SUA; Appendix B. Piracy Statistics; Bibliography; Index.

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