East and Southeast Asia has long been a powerful player in the world trading system. Whether it's spices like pepper, textiles, rubber, or microprocessors, this region has much to offer the world, including its amazing cultures. Home to many ethnic groups and some of the world's biggest and smallest countries, the region has produced a unique array of cultural traditions. This book's accessible narrative helps readers understand how geographic features,...

Chronicles what has been learned about the early civilizations that once thrived in the contemporary nations of Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

While European intellectual, cultural, and commercial life stagnated during the early medieval period, Asia flourished as the wellspring of science, philosophy, and religion. Linked together by a web of religious, commercial, and intellectual connections, the different regions of Asia's vast civilization, from Arabia to China, hummed with commerce, international diplomacy, and the brisk exchange of ideas. Stewart Gordon has fashioned a look at Asia...

These visually stunning documentaries are pilgrimages to legendary places in Southeast Asia and Tibet, including the spiritual wonders of Laos, Thailand, Burma, Bali, Cambodia, Java, and Central Tibet. Journey into the living traditions and lost civilizations of this vibrant part of the world and explore the universal ideals of wisdom, compassion, and inner peace at the very heart of these ancient Buddhist cultures.

Examines the traditional culture and customs of countries located in Asia, and Oceania.