Languages
Why Classical Chinese Poems Often Leave the Subject Unsaid
Learn how omitted subjects shape classical Chinese poetry, and how to spot what a translation settles that the…
The collection
Articles
Browse articles on Asian histories, philosophies, languages, arts, and traditions. Each piece takes a specific subject as its starting point and gives the context needed to follow it.
Arts
Ink Stick or Liquid Ink: Two Paths into Brush Writing
Ink stick or liquid ink for brush writing? Compare setup, handling and cleanup to choose a beginner-friendly way to…
History
The Long Road of the Sanskrit Manuscript
Follow the Sanskrit manuscript tradition from copying to reading, and see how material choices, annotations and…
History
The Samurai Were Never One Unchanging Type
The samurai changed with Japan’s political order. Learn how to read their shifting roles and later portrayals without…
Traditions
A First Visit to a Japanese Tea Gathering: What to Notice
A first visit to a Japanese tea gathering can feel hard to read. Learn what to notice, how to follow the host’s cues…
Our approach
Context makes a path worth following
Asia holds many histories and ways of thinking, not one story. We place each subject in its particular setting and pay attention to the details that resist easy generalisation.