Culture of Asia

The culture of Asia includes many different customs, traditions, and ways of life practiced by the many ethnic groups across the continent. These traditions cover art, music, literature, food, religion, and more, and have been part of Asia since very early times, even prehistory. Because Asia is so big, it is often divided into six areas: Central Asia, East Asia, North Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Asia. Each of these areas has its own special qualities but also shares some similarities.

Asia is home to some of the world's oldest civilizations. These early societies created many important religions and some of the first stories and writings about right and wrong. Even though Asia is vast and has difficult places like deserts and mountains, people found ways to travel and trade. This trade helped share ideas and culture between different parts of Asia, creating connections across the whole continent.

History

Main article: History of Asia

Multiple cultural regions

Asia's many cultures come from its old centers of civilization.

West Asia (or Southwest Asia) started with ancient places like the Fertile Crescent and Mesopotamia. This area saw empires like the Persian, Arab, and Ottoman, and religions like Judaism and Islam. South Asia, including India, began with the Indus Valley civilisation. East Asia grew from the Yellow River civilisation. Southeast Asia has more recent cultures, shaped by people moving and trading with South Asia and China. North Asia, called Siberia, has a cold climate and mostly nomadic people. Central Asia mixes traditions from both West and East Asia.

East Asia

The East Asian cultural sphere has China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Vietnam. These places share similar customs, languages, art, and writing, mainly from China's Yellow River civilisation. China was important in the past, influencing its neighbors through trade and ceremonies. Important ideas come from Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Each country also has its own special arts, like Japanese gardens and Vietnamese water puppetry.

Southeast Asia

A Confucian ritual ceremony in Jeju, South Korea

Southeast Asia has Mainland and Maritime parts. It has been shaped by India and China, especially through Hindu and Buddhist traditions, and later by Islam. Countries here have made these traditions their own, creating unique cultures and buildings like Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Indonesia. Common features include houses on stilts for safety from floods and rice farming. Dance and drama are important in the culture.

South Asia

South Asia, also called the Indian subcontinent, has India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Ancient cultures here go back thousands of years, with the Indus Valley civilisation as one of the world's earliest cities. Later, the Vedic period brought religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Today, the area has many languages and religions, including Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity. Cultures differ, from Persian-influenced areas in Pakistan to Bengali culture in Bangladesh and India.

Angkor Wat, Khmer Empire

Central Asia

Central Asia lies between the Caspian Sea and East Asia, with countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It has been a meeting place for many cultures, including Chinese, Greeks, Mongols, Persians, and Russians. The region mixes nomadic and city traditions, with influences from many past rulers.

North Asia

North Asia, mostly Siberia, is part of Russia. It was home to groups like the Tatars, but now has many ethnic Russians. Other groups include the Buryats, Evenks, and Yakuts. The area is mostly rural and far away.

West Asia

West Asia has countries such as Turkey, Syria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen. The area has been shaped by ancient Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Today, most people are Muslim, but there are also Christian and other groups. The region is known for its tasty food and literature in languages like Arabic, Persian, and Turkish. Cities like Dubai and Riyadh have become modern centers along the coast.

Architecture

The Great Wall of China at Jinshanling

Asia has many grand and old buildings, mostly places for worship, forts, and palaces. Over time, many of these buildings have been lost, such as the Ziggurats of Mesopotamia, parts of the Great Wall of China, Greek temples, and the royal cities of Persia.

China

Main article: Chinese architecture

Chinese architecture has changed over many years but keeps the same basic rules, only changing its decorations. A key feature is balance and symmetry, seen in big palaces and small houses alike. Since the Tang dynasty, Chinese styles have influenced Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.

India

The Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Main article: Architecture of India

Korea

Main article: Korean architecture

Korean architecture is simple and natural, avoiding extremes and using clear, easy shapes.

Indonesia

Sun temple at Konarka, Odisha, India

Main article: Architecture of Indonesia

Indonesian architecture shows many different influences, from local traditions to Hindu-Buddhist temples, colonial styles, and modern designs. Local houses, called rumah adat, show clever use of the environment. Famous examples include Rumah Gadang, Tongkonan, Balinese houses, and Javanese Joglo. Big stone temples like Borobudur and Prambanan show the Hindu-Buddhist style. Later, European colonizers brought their own building methods.

Japan

Main article: Japanese architecture

Japanese architecture values nature and uses natural materials. Beautiful wooden temples and castles, some over 2000 years old, fit into the landscape. Examples include the Hōryū Temple complex, Himeji Castle, Hikone Castle, and Osaka Castle.

Vietnam

Main article: Vietnamese architecture

A typical example of Dravidian architecture

Traditional Vietnamese houses are wooden with steep roofs covered in special tiles. Some houses have stilts, and often have an odd number of rooms. Different rulers brought new styles. The Lý dynasty added Buddhist designs, building many pagodas. The Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long shows medieval Vietnamese architecture. The Trần dynasty added gardens and tower-temples.

Malay Peninsula

Main article: Malay architecture

Malay architecture was shaped by Chinese, Indian, and European influences. Wood was commonly used, but stone buildings from old kingdoms also exist.

West Asia

Main articles: History of architecture and Architecture of Mesopotamia

West Asia’s ancient buildings, dating back thousands of years, include early towns, houses with courtyards, and ziggurats. Mudbrick was the main building material, often decorated with enamel, and used for homes. Palaces and temples were built on raised platforms with decorated columns.

Art

Main article: History of Asian art

Martial arts

Main articles: Martial arts, History of martial arts, Origins of Asian martial arts, and Modern history of East Asian martial arts

Martial arts have deep roots in many Asian cultures. Some of the earliest martial arts come from ancient China. Today, famous styles like Karate from Okinawa, Judo from Japan, Taekwondo from Korea, and Chinese martial arts known as kung fu are known around the world. Ancient India also had many martial arts. Southeast Asia has its own styles too, such as Vovinam from Vietnam and Pencak Silat from Indonesia. Wrestling styles also come from places like Turkey and Mongolia.

New martial arts continue to develop, and many traditional styles are now popular sports worldwide.

Cinema

Main article: Cinema of Asia

Cinema is very important in South Asia, especially in Bollywood, which makes films in Hindi. Pakistan’s Lollywood is also growing. In the past, Bengali cinema received international praise.

China’s film industry has expanded greatly and now influences Hollywood. Hong Kong was famous for its kung fu films for many years.

Japanese and Korean films, TV shows, and music have become very popular around the world. Japanese anime and manga are enjoyed globally, and Korean films, dramas, and music, known as K-pop, have grown with support from the government.

Languages

Main article: Languages of Asia

Asia has many different languages. These languages come from many language families, and some do not fit into any family. Most major language families in the world are found in Asia, except for the Bantu languages. Many Asian countries have several languages spoken by their people. For example, Indonesia has over 600 languages, and the Philippines has more than 100. India has 30 languages spoken by large groups of people and many more spoken by smaller groups. Korea has just one main language.

Some of the main language families and examples in Asia include:

Literature

Main article: Asian literature

Arabic

Main article: Arabic literature

Arabic literature includes writing in prose and poetry by writers who speak the Arabic language. One famous work is One Thousand and One Arabian Nights.

Chinese

Main article: Chinese literature

During the Tang and Song dynasties, poets like Li Bai wrote important poems. They made poems with lines of equal length and others with mixed lines.

Hebrew and Diaspora Jewish

Main articles: Hebrew literature and Jewish literature

Jewish literature includes writings by Jewish people, both in their homeland and elsewhere. Much of it is written in Hebrew, including the Hebrew Bible.

Indian

Main article: Indian literature

The writer Kālidāsa wrote famous stories like Raghuvamsham and Kumarasambhavam in Sanskrit. Other important works in Sanskrit include plays such as Abhigyanam Shakuntala.

Japanese

Main article: Japanese literature

In the early 1100s, Murasaki Shikibu wrote Tale of the Genji, a masterpiece of Japanese literature and an early novel. Later, Japanese poetry developed forms like haiku.

Korean

Main article: Korean literature

Korean literature started in the Three Kingdoms period. Famous poetic forms include sijo and important works include Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong and The Cloud Dream of the Nine.

Nepali

Main article: Nepali literature

Pakistani

Main article: Pakistani literature

Pakistani literature has a rich history. It includes famous poets who write in Urdu, such as Muhammad Iqbal.

The earliest Vietnamese literature was written in Classical Chinese. Later, Vietnamese developed its own writing. Important works include poems and stories such as Truyện Kiều by Nguyễn Du.

Modern literature

The poet Rabindranath Tagore from India won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Other Asian writers who won Nobel Prizes include Yasunari Kawabata and Kenzaburō Ōe from Japan.

Family

In many Asian cultures, families are very important. Families help children learn who they are and keep them safe. Children are taught to be loyal to their parents and to obey them. This idea is called filial piety, which began in China and is linked to Confucian teachings. Children should show respect in how they act and speak. They are also expected to care for their parents when they get older.

In some cultures, such as Korea, there were traditions where a man would live with his wife's family after marriage. This practice began in the Goguryeo period, continued through the Goryeo period, and ended in the early Joseon period.

Philosophy

Main article: Eastern philosophy

Many important ideas began in India and China. These ideas are often called Eastern philosophy. In India, philosophies like Jain philosophy, Hindu, and Buddhist ideas focus on peace and understanding.

In the 20th century, two leaders shared different ideas. Mahatma Gandhi taught about peace. Mao Zedong shared ideas about sharing resources equally.

Religions

Main article: Religion in Asia

Asia is the home of many important religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Druze, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Mandaeism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism, Yazdânism, and Zoroastrianism. Many religions are practiced across the continent, and new ones keep appearing.

Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism began in India, in South Asia. In East Asia, especially in China and Japan, religions like Confucianism, Taoism, Zen Buddhism, and Shinto developed. Other religions in Asia include the Baháʼí Faith, Shamanism in Siberia, and Animism in parts of the Indian subcontinent.

More than 60% of all Muslims live in Asia. The largest group of Muslims in one country is in Indonesia. There are also many Muslims in the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, China, Russia, Central Asia, and West Asia.

Christianity is widely practiced in Asia. In the Philippines and East Timor, most people follow Roman Catholicism. In Russia, Georgia, and Armenia, Orthodox Christianity is common. Different Eastern Christian groups are found in parts of the Middle East and South Asia. Significant Christian communities also exist in Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. Judaism is the main religion in Israel.

Religions founded in Asia and mostly followed there include:


Religion	Image	Adherents	Followers in Asia
Baháʼí Faith		7 million	3,433,000
Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism Theravada Buddhism Vajrayana Buddhism		520 million	>400,000,000
Hinduism		984 million	>900,000,000
Judaism		14 million	6,373,700
Islam Ahmadiyya Islam Shia Islam Sunni Islam		2.1 billion	1,160,000,000
Christianity: Syriac Christianity Eastern Orthodox Oriental Orthodox Roman Catholic Protestantism		2.4 billion	286,100,000 - 364,000,000
Jainism		>4.2 million	>4,200,000
Shinto		Unknown	Unknown
Sikhism		25 million	Unknown
Taoism		~173 million	~173 million
Druze		1 million	>1 million
Zoroastrianism		190,000	Unknown
Shamanism		Unknown	Unknown
Animism	—	Unknown	Unknown

Festivals and celebrations

Asia has many colorful festivals and celebrations. In China, people enjoy Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. National Day is also a big holiday there.

In Japan, families celebrate Japanese New Year, Children's Day, and O-bon. They also mark The Emperor's Birthday and Christmas.

India celebrates Republic Day and Independence Day. Happy days like Diwali, Holi, and Eid ul-Fitr bring everyone together.

The Philippines loves fiestas all year. These celebrations often honor a patron saint, with events like Sinulog in Cebu and Dinagyang in Iloilo.

In Indonesia, Independence Day and important Islamic days such as Eid ul-Fitr are widely celebrated.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Asia

Asia is a very big place, and people there enjoy many different sports. Association football is popular across the continent. In East Asia, boxing, badminton, and table tennis are loved by many. Baseball is a favorite sport in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. In South Asia, cricket is very popular, especially in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and also in Nepal and Afghanistan. Traditional games like kabaddi and kho-kho are also enjoyed in South Asia.

The bat-and-ball sports baseball (left) and cricket (right) are popular in East and South Asia respectively.

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Asia

In many parts of Asia, rice is a main food that people eat. It is often served steamed or as a soft porridge called congee. China eats the most rice in the world. In places like the Middle East and India, people often eat flatbread made from grains.

In some parts of Asia, people traditionally eat with their hands, but now many use spoons and forks, especially in public places. In countries like China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Vietnam, people usually use chopsticks to eat. The chopsticks look different in each country.

In East Asia, especially Japan, dishes like sushi and sashimi are very popular. These dishes came from Chinese and Japanese cooking traditions.

In India, people often eat with their hands and use many spices like cardamom, cumin, and fennel seeds in their food. Most of these spices come from India.

Durians are a common fruit in Southeast Asia.

The cuisine of Indonesia has many different dishes from each area. People there often eat steamed rice with tasty meat, fish, and vegetables all together.

In Filipino banquet meals, many special dishes came from the country’s history of being ruled by others and trading with nearby cultures.

Chicken tikka, a famous dish around the world.
Philippine cuisine
Kabsa is also called Majboos, and it is popular in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates

Cultural spheres

The culture of Asia is grouped into different areas with shared traditions, called cultural spheres. These include the Sinosphere, Indosphere, Persosphere, and Arabsphere. Each area has its own special way of living and history.