East Asia

Home to Chinese, Korean and Japanese civilizations that gave us paper, printing, gunpowder, Confucianism and Zen.

6 countries·3 civilizations·7 major empires

Overview

The Yellow River nurtured a continuous civilization for four millennia. Around it, Korea and Japan built distinctive states while sharing script, philosophy and religion.

Historical timeline

c. 1600 – 1046 BCEShang dynasty
221 BCE – 220 CEQin and Han empires
618 – 907Tang golden age
1368 – 1912Ming and Qing
1868 – 1945Meiji Japan and imperial expansion

Civilizations

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Han Dynasty

206 BCE – 220 CE

China's classical age — Silk Road, Confucian bureaucracy, paper.

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Tang Dynasty

618 – 907 CE

Cosmopolitan golden age of medieval China.

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Empire of Japan

1868 – 1947

Meiji modernization to Pacific War empire.

Countries in this region

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China

Beijing · 1.41 billion

The world's oldest continuous civilization, unified under successive dynasties for over two millennia.

An island civilization that blended Chinese influence with a fiercely distinct tradition.

Heir to Joseon Korea; a postwar transformation into a global technology hub.

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Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar · 3.4 million

Homeland of Genghis Khan and the largest land empire in history.

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