In Asian Waters

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This sweeping account explores how Asia's sea routes have dramatically transformed the globe over the past five centuries, shaping the modern world. In the centuries leading up to today, traffic across these routes—from East Africa and the Middle East to Japan—grew significantly, establishing them as the busiest in the world. This surge facilitated a massive exchange of people, commodities, religion, culture, technology, and ideas. The author chronicles how Asia's seas and oceans have influenced the continent's history, leaving a lasting impact on the modern era. Focusing on migration, trade, the environment, and urban development, the narrative examines the long-standing connections between China and East Africa, the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism across the Bay of Bengal, and the intertwined histories of Islam and Christianity in the Philippines. It highlights India's pivotal role in the spice trade, the Indian Ocean's transformation into a "British lake" from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, and the significance of lighthouses and sea mapping in imperialism. The volume concludes by contemplating the implications of a potential future where China dominates the Asian seas, inviting readers to view Asian history as a cohesive narrative shaped by its waters.