Asian warriors employed a variety of swords to achieve victory in military conflicts and signal their social standing. During the 16th and 17th centuries, swords played a pivotal role in altering the outcomes of major wars across Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Even though swords had become less significant as infantry weapons by the 18th century, they continued to be used by cavalry forces, particularly in China and India ...
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024 to the Japanese organisation the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (日本原水爆被害者団体協議会, Nihon gensuibaku higaisha dantai kyōgi-kai), or Nihon Hidankyo (日本被団協). The grassroots movement formed in 1956 by hibakusha, people affected by the nuclear weapons used by the United States in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II, received the Peace Prize for ...
By Elyssa Yong By far one of the most notorious families in the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda Marcos, made their mark on the country, but not in a way one would expect. Elected to the Philippines House of Representatives in 1949, Ferdinand quickly moved up the ranks and by 1965, he was inaugurated to his first term as President of the Philippines. This marked his 20 years ...
by Asian Geographic Editorial Team The Malayan Emergency Following the establishment of the Federation of Malaya, looming uncertainty befell the Chinese majority, who felt excluded from the development and special guarantees of rights given to the Malays, as well as the establishment of a colonial government under the British. This ultimately manifested in the displeasure of the Malayan Communist Party [MCP] (or otherwise officially known as the Communist Party of ...
The Shan people celebrate the ordination of young Buddhist novices with Poy Sang Long – an extravagant spiritual party that usually takes place between late March to mid-April. Text by Claudio Sieber and Rachel Kwek Images by Claudio Sieber Every Buddhist male in Thailand needs to attend a monastery of their choice twice a lifetime: once before 20 years of age and again after that. Most Thais embark on this ...
Researchers say one-fifth of the world’s languages – including numerous Asian dialects – developed from the lingua franca of Taiwanese aborigines. Few will associate primarily Mandarin-speaking, Japanese-influenced Taiwan with the roots of vernaculars spoken by over 300 million people today. But based on archaeological excavations and modern linguistic analysis, researchers are increasingly attributing the small island nation as the proud birthplace of the over 1,200 languages forming the Austronesian language ...
Jia Sidao, the ambitious chancellor of the Song dynasty, creeps over to the daughter of the late emperor. He lulls the trusting little girl into a gripping story about binding one’s feet and then swiftly breaks her foot in a bid to subject her to the practice while her mother is away. This is a heart-wrenching scene out of Marco Polo, a popular American television drama series set in the ...
Text and images by Bryan Chan and Marija Savic Fitted in an enormous cowhide coat and a colourful peaked hat ringed with fur, the qusbegi in full regalia is a sight to behold. Khumarhan Khazubek sits atop a fine stallion broken from the wild, his left hand holds sturdy its reins, and his right arm is held at chest level, on which perches a full-grown golden eagle. Khazubek is one ...
Text and images by Diego A. Garcia Of the countless weapons bought and sold every day around the world, relatively few can be considered a valued part of cultural heritage. Fewer still are thought to contain some element of the supernatural. The traditional dagger known as the keris is an exception. Indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the keris (or kris) is a precious cultural artifact that played a significant ...