Short History of Asia

Colin Mason has been Chief Correspondent in Asia for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, a diplomat, a senator and leader of his party in the Senate.

Praise for the third edition: "This is a really good textbook on the history of Asia, fair and balanced, and with a great deal of accurate and interesting detail about the history of Asia. It is very compact and written in an accessible style that will appeal to students. I strongly recommend it." - Colin Mackerras, Griffith University, Australia "A comprehensive and accessible survey of the histories and traditions that shaped the vibrant nations of contemporary Asia. Concise and balanced, this valuable new edition proves Colin Mason's ample knowledge of the changes and challenges faced by the region." - Ina Asim, University of Oregon, USA Praise for previous editions: "An authoritative, well-organised and well-written book." - D. R. SarDesai, University of California Los Angeles, USA "A former foreign correspondent, broadcaster and diplomat, Mason has actually lived in Asia rather than observed it from afar. With this wealth of experience...he has the confidence to inject anecdote and a real feeling for recent history." - Ed Peters, South China Morning Post "Mason's history reaffirms or reveals many details and also broadly challenges persistent Western approaches to Asian history in an account that roams widely." - The Sydney Morning Herald "The book is quite a remarkable achievement. Mason has covered a great deal of territory and shows that he has both a sense of the current dynamics of Asia and a command of the considerable scholarly literature on the earlier period. The work raises a good many interesting themes to which students would respond positively." - Merle Ricklefs, Australian National University, Australia "What Mason assembles is a very impressive sweep of the history of a colossal portion of the world where he touches upon the main themes, events and personalities, peppered with numerous interesting stories and personal anecdotes. This ambitious undertaking is lucid and interesting, and most useful for the generalist reader seeking to understand the broad events of Asian history." - Anthony L. Smith, Contemporary Southeast Asia "This book will benefit all general readers and first-year undergraduates who are embarking on Asian Studies as part of a multi-disciplinary programme." - Burjor Avari, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK "Succinct, wide ranging and very readable. Ideally suited for the first year undergraduate with little previous exposure to Asian history." - James Chiriyankandath, School of Advanced Study, University of London, UK "Mason's account is readable and is influenced by his experiences as a foreign correspondent, broadcaster, diplomat and parliamentarian." - Peter Lowe, University of Manchester, UK

• List of Maps1. IntroductionPART I: BEFORE IMPERIALISM2. Prehistory and the first Indian Civilizations3. The Development of Indian Culture: Hinduism and Buddhism4. Early South-East Asia: The Ships from India5. China: The Eternal Nation6. Early Japan and the Tang Dynasty in China7. The Awakening of Europe and the Challenge of Islam8. Floodtide in China: The Song, Mongol and Ming Dynasties9. China: Ebb Tide10. The Three Makers of Japan and the Tokugawa PeriodPART II: THE 'WHITE MAN'S BURDEN'11. The Dominators and the Dominated12. South-East Asia: The European and Chinese Impacts13. The Malay World: Majapahit and Malacca14. Indonesia: The Last Independent Kingdoms and the Extension of Dutch Rule15. India Under Two Masters: The Grand Moguls and the East India Company16. Gandhi's India: The Struggle for LibertyPART III: THE MODERN NATIONS 17. The Second World War and the End of Empire18. South Asia: Freedom and Poverty19. India20. Pakistan21. Bangladesh22. Afghanistan23. The Mountain States: Nepal and Bhutan24. Sri Lanka25. China: Two Revolutions26. Modern China: The Communist State27. Mongolia28. Indonesia and Timor Leste29. Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei30. Japan: The Iron Triangle31. Thailand: Two Hats – The Struggle for Democracy32. The Philippines: Trouble in Paradise33. Korea: Divided Nation34. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia35. Burma: Rule By the Gun36. The Asian Century?Suggested Further ReadingIndex.