ETHNIC GROUPS IN ASIA

(East, South and Southeast)

Perspective on Asian Performing Arts
 Ethnic Groups of Asia
• Ethnic groups are adapted with the different climate zones of the continent
which include Arctic, subarctic, temperate, subtropical, tropical, as well as
extensive desert regions in Central and Western Asia.
• Groups have adopted to mountains, deserts, grasslands, and forests, while
on the coasts of Asia, resident ethnic groups have adopted various methods
of harvest and transports.
• Diversity in Asia are cultural, religious, economic and historical.
 Other practices of Asian Ethnic Groups

• Hunter-gatherers
• Transhumance (Nomadic lifestyle)
• Agrarian / Industrial / Urban lifestyle (e.g. Hong Kong, Singapore)
EAST ASIA
 EAST ASIA
• China
• Hong Kong
• Macao
• Taiwan
• Japan
• South Korea / North Korea
• Vietnam (Sometimes included)
 MAJOR ETHNICITIES OF EAST ASIA
• Han
• Yamato
• Korean
• Other Ethnic groups of East Asia (Tibetan, Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgz, Manchu
and Mongol)
• Other East Asians farther North includes Buryats, Evenks, Yakuts (due to the
national and political dividing lines, the inclusions of East Asians north of
China and Mongolia is not considered)
SOUTH ASIA
 SOUTH ASIA
• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• India
• Maldives
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Afghanistan
• Sri Lanka
SOUTH EAST ASIA
 SOUTH EAST ASIA
(Mainland Southeast Asia & Maritime Southeast Asia)

MAINLAND SOUTHEAST MARITIME SOUTHEAST

• Burma • Brunei
• Cambodia • East Timor
• Laos • Indonesia
• Peninsular Malaysia • East Malaysia
• Thailand • Philippines
• Vietnam • Singapore
• Southeast Asia is greatly influenced by India rather than China except
Vietnam.
• It also had a lot of influence from Western countries due to the lasting legacy
of colionalism. (Philippines)
• Arts and literature is very distinctive as some have been greatly influenced
by Indian, Hindu, Buddhism and Islamic literature.