GEOG 240 - Unit I

Asia Pacific Region: Cultural

and Historical Patterns
Francis Yee
Camosun College
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Asia Pacific: Geographical and
Historical Patterns

I. The Asia-Pacific Region

A. Geographical Regions
B. Concepts of Asia
II.   Culture and Religion
III.  Historical Development
IV. Current Political issues

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IA. Geographical Regions
1. Pacific Rim Region (a broad geographical
region) included Americas, Russia, E & SE Asia,
& Australasia

2. Asia-Pacific Region (focus of the course)

a) East Asia
b) Southeast Asia
 Maritimes SE Asia and Mainland SE Asia

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Countries in East and Southeast
Asia
 East Asia  Southeast Asia
 , Taiwan, Hong  Maritimes SE Asia:
Kong, Macao, Philippines,
Mongolia Indonesia, Brunei,
 Northeast Asia: Timor
China, Japan, South  Mainland SE Asia:
Korea, North Korea Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand, Vietnam,
Myanmar,
Cambodia, and Laos

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B. Concepts of Asia
1. Marx’s “Asiatic mode of production”
 Exploitation of rural peasants by the rich &
powerful
2. Colonizer’s Model
 Diffusion of European civilization & progress to
Periphery countries
3. Myths of Asia
 single entity, homogeneous & unity, alien & inferior

4. Environmental Determinism
 an early geographical approach which included biases,
such as ethnocentrism, Euro-centrism, we-they
syndrome (Asia is considered as underdeveloped)

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C. Culture & Religion

1. Spatial diversity in languages, ethnicity and

migration patterns
2. Confucianism
3. Religions
 Universalizing: Buddhism, Islam, and
Christianity
 Ethnic: Hinduism, Daoism, Shintoism,
Animism

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1. Ethno-linguistic Groups in
China and SE Asia –
 large variations in cultural systems
and beliefs
 E.g. 55 minority groups in China
 700 living languages are spoken in
Indones

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 2. Confucianism: which country is
considered the most Confucian?
 Confucianism: spread from
China to Japan, Korea,
Vietnam, Taiwan,
Singapore, Hong Kong
 Confucius – born 551 BC
in Shandong Province; a
leader of ethics, ritual and
philosophy
 Philosophy – hierarchical
structure of responsibility
and duty; filial piety (family
relationship); emphasis on A statue of Confucius at the
education (for all males). University of Xi’an, China
(Photo by F. Yee, 2007) 8
3. Religions: Origins and Spatial Distribution

 Northern India – Hinduism and

Buddhism
 Saudi Arabia – Islam
 Jerusalem - Christianity

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 Universalizing Religions (can you identify
the dominant religion in each country in E or SE Asia?)
 Buddhism – originated 2500 years
ago in N India; widespread
influence in E & SE Asia ; balance
relationship with nature; co-
existence with local religions
 Islam – originated 1400 years ago
and brought to SE Asia through
trade
 Christianity – brought to Asia since
13th century through exploration,
trade and colonial activities, and
globalization
Large number of the Malay population visit the
Mosque regularly, including the
Putra mosque in Putrajaya in Malaysia
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(Photo by F. Yee 2007)
 Ethnic Religions
 Daoism – existed for 2500
years in China, emphasize
on the unity of people and
nature; balance of yin and
yang
• Hinduism – oldest religion,
polytheistic, caste system,
spread from India to SE Asia
• Shintoism in Japan - worship
of spirits in nature; focused
on natural harmony and A Shinto shrine in Kyoto,
human existence; Japan (Photo by F. Chow
• Animism – worship of nature, 2005)
practiced by small groups in
parts of SE Asia
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III. Historical and Political Development
A. European Exploration and Influence
B. Industrialization and commercialization
C. Colonialism
D. World War
E. Decolonization, Independence, and
Nationalism
F. Cold War
G. Post Cold-War

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A. European Exploration and
Influence
 Philippines (Spain control since
1521)
 Indonesia (Dutch control from 1596)
 Macao (Portugal trading base since
1557)

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B. Industrialization and commercialization

 Industrialization:
 Mass production, use of machines, new
market & economic expansion
 Britain (since 1750s)
 Continental Europe (from 1800-1850s)
 Japan (beginning in 1880s)
 Mercantilism (dominated by European powers):
raw materials from colonies;
 manufactured goods from colonial powers;
 trade restricted

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C. Colonialism and Imperialism
Forms of control
 Colonies (direct administrative control),
 Extra-territoriality (administrative and legal
control in parts of the country),
 Spheres of influence (trade and economic
domination)

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China and East Asia
 NE China and Taiwan (controlled by Japan
after 1895)
-Korea (controlled by Japan since 1910 )
-Hong Kong (ceded to Britain by China after
the Opium War, 1840-42)
-Parts of China were under the spheres of
influence and treaty ports control by Britain,
Germany, France and other countries

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D. World War II in Asia Pacific
 1937-1945 (Japan invaded China)
 1941-1945 (Japan controlled most of E and
SE Asia)
 Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere was
promoted by Japan
 1945 Japan surrendered after nuclear
bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

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E. Decolonization, Nationalism &
Independence
Decolonization – process to
become political
independent from colonial
powers.
Peaceful transitions occurred
in
 Philippines (1946)
 Malaysia (1957)
 Burma (1948)

Military struggles took place

before independence
realized in
 Indonesia (1950) [Sukarno]
 Vietnam (1975) [Ho Chi- Billboard celebrating 50 years of
Minh] independence in Malaysia (Photo
by F. Yee 2007)
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F. Cold-War (1950s-1990)
 NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Vs. Warsaw Pact
 Capitalism Vs. Communism
 Domino theory (proposed by U.S.):
spreading of communism in one country (e.g.
Vietnam) will lead to communist control in
neighbouring countries
 Major areas of conflicts between US (NATO)
and communist based or supported countries:
Korea; Taiwan; Vietnam; Cambodia, Laos,

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G. Post Cold War Period

domination of US
Rise of Regional Power - China

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IV. Current Political Issue

 1. US Vs. China
a) ideological differences,
b) economic competition,
c) security umbrella & rise of
military power,
d) access to resources

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Current Political Issue (contd.)

2. Territorial Conflicts between China, Japan,

on Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and between
Japan and S. Korea on Dokdo/Takeshima
3. North Korea Missile and Nuclear Tests
4. Legacies of Japanese colonialism: Forced
Sex Slaves, visit of Yakushuni Shrine
5. Overlapping Claims in South China Sea

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Readings
 Weightman, Dragons and Tigers, ch. 1.

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