Traditional Asian Ceremonies

Images depict traditional Asian attire and ceremonial practices, featuring gamas and cultural garments from Korea and China, set in historic contexts.

Beggar, China, circa 1900's

A Korean gama was a closed chair used by upper classes and nobles, both men and women. In Korea, royalty and aristocrats were carried in elaborately decorated litters called gama. Gamas were primarily used by royalty and government officials. There were six types of gama, each assigned to different government official rankings. In traditional weddings, the bride and groom are carried to the ceremony in separate gamas. Because of the difficulties posed by the mountainous terrain of the Korean peninsula and the lack of paved roads, gamas were preferred over wheeled vehicles.

Elderly Chinese man wearing his own funerary dress, China, Asia

Siam Thailand. Photograph, 1981, from a negative by John Thomson, 1865.

Japan - Kabuki actress with large headdress and sword Date: circa 1901

Beggar, China, circa 1900's

Japanese tea ceremony. .

Empress Dowager Cixi (Wade-Giles: Tz'u-Hsi, 29 November 1835 - 15 November 1908) of the Manchu Yehe Nara Clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908.

Bonzes de la Pagoda Chinoise (Cholen), Saïgon, Cochinchine 1866 Emile Gsell French. Bonzes de la Pagoda Chinoise (Cholen), Saïgon, Cochinchine 288184

The earliest description of the use of opium as a recreational drug in China comes from Xu Boling, who wrote in 1483 that opium was mainly used to aid masculinity, strengthen sperm and regain vigor’, and that it enhances the art of alchemists, sex and court ladies’. He described an expedition sent by the Chenghua Emperor in 1483 to procure opium for a price equal to that of gold’ in Hainan, Fujian, Zhejiang, Sichuan and Shaanxi where it is close to Xiyu. A century later, Li Shizhen listed standard medical uses of opium in his renowned Compendium of Materia Medica (1578), but also wrote that lay people use it for the art of sex’, in particular the ability to arrest seminal emission’. This association of opium with sex continued in China until the twentieth century. Opium smoking began as a privilege of the elite and remained a great luxury into the early 19th century, but by 1861, Wang Tao wrote that opium was used by rich peasants, and that even a small village without a rice stor

Heungseon Daewongun (1820 - 1898), known as the Daewongun. The Great Archduke or formally Internal King Heungseon Heonui, known to contemporary western diplomats as Prince Gung, was the title of Yi Ha-eung, the regent of Joseon during the minority of Emperor Gojong in the 1860s and until his death a key political figure of late Joseon Korea.

Saopha, Chaofa, or Sawbwa was a royal title used by the rulers of the Shan States of Myanmar (Burma). The word means 'king' in the Shan and Tai languages. In some ancient Chinese literature it was recorded as è© (pinyin: Zhao) for example Six Zhao and Nanzhao.

Photography album, images of Japan, 19th-20th century, 9 x 13 x 1 1/2in. (22.9 x 33 x 3.8cm), Gelatin silver prints, hand-tinted, album, Japan, 19th-20th century

Shan Chief Sitting on Cushion Description: Photograph of a Shan Chief sitting three quarter face, left hand resting on cushion. Location: Rangoon, Burma Date: 1906 burma, philipklier

China: 'Chang the Chinese Giant, King sic Foo his wife, and the Tartar Dwarf'. Engraving, c. 1865

Priests or Zen Shu. Felice Beato (English, born Italy, 1832 - 1909)

Oiran () were the courtesans of Edo period Japan. The oiran were considered a type of yujo () 'woman of pleasure' or prostitute. However, they were distinguished from the yujo in that they were entertainers, and many became celebrities of their times outside the pleasure districts. Their art and fashions often set trends among the wealthy and, because of this, cultural aspects of oiran traditions continue to be preserved to this day. The oiran arose in the Edo period (1600-1868). At this time, laws were passed restricting brothels to walled districts set some distance from the city center. In the major cities these were the Shimabara in Kyoto, the Shinmachi in Osaka, and the Yoshiwara in Edo (present-day Tokyo). These rapidly grew into large, self-contained 'pleasure quarters' offering all manner of entertainments. Within, a courtesan’s birth rank held no distinction, which was fortunate considering many of the courtesans originated as the daughters of impoverished families who wer

Portrait of a Buddhist priest; Japan-Buddhist-Priest. .

Joseon Era, Korean noble girl in formal hanbok attire, 1900.

Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Malay-Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era. Members of this community in Malaysia identify themselves as 'Nyonya-Baba' or 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the females and Baba for males. It applies especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who adopted partially or in full Malay-Indonesian customs to become partially assimilated into the local communities. While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese, it may also be applied to the Baba-Yaya community in Phuket and other provinces of southern Thailand.

Gojong the Emperor Gwangmu 1852 - 21 January 1919) was the twenty-sixth king of the Korean Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire.

The young woman wears a striped <i>hta-mein<i/> (wrap-around skirt) and a close-fitting jacket of fine muslin or cotton known as an <i>ein-gyi<i/>. In her hair she wears a floral headband and she is adorned with necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings. During the Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885), rich jewellery, fine fabrics such as silk and garments such as her jacket were reserved for court officials and their wives by law. After the fall of the Burmese monarchy in 1885 they were worn by the wealthy. This photograph is from an album recording aspects of Lord Elgin's Burma tour of November to December 1898. Victor Alexander Bruce (1849-1917), 9th Earl of Elgin and 13th Earl of Kincardine, served as Viceroy of India between 1894 and 1899.

Bonzes de la Grande Pagode 1866 Emile Gsell French. Bonzes de la Grande Pagode 288206

The British conquest of Burma began in 1824 in response to a Burmese attempt to invade India. By 1886, and after two further wars, Britain had incorporated the entire country into the British Raj. To stimulate trade and facilitate changes, the British brought in Indians and Chinese, who quickly displaced the Burmese in urban areas. To this day Rangoon and Mandalay have large ethnic Indian populations. Railways and schools were built, as well as a large number of prisons, including the infamous Insein Prison, then as now used for political prisoners. Burmese resentment was strong and was vented in violent riots that paralysed Rangoon on occasion all the way until the 1930s. Burma was administered as a province of British India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony. Burma finally gained independence from Britain on January 4, 1948.

Clothing, from 1600-1800, in Chesian East Turkestan, Buryats, Dungans, from lks, two women e native, the boy and the man Chesian, but with e native cap, they sd inhabitants of Kuldscha East Turkestan, then e chief of the Dungans, e Dungan woman and e Buret, e Siberian Mongol tribe at Lake Baikal, digitally restored reproduction of a 19th century original, fashion in India.

Monks from the Hemis Monastery dressed up for the Tibetan Carnival, Mario Piacenza's expedition to the Himalayas, from L'Illustrazione Italiana, Year XLI, No 8, February 22, 1914.

Burma/Myanmar/India: King Thibaw of Burma (1859-1916) in exile, with court officials at his daughters' earboring ceremony, Ratnagiri, 1914

The origins of Burmese Dance are traced to the Pyu, Halin, and Mon cultures in the central and lower Irrawaddy regions from at least two centuries before the Christian era. Archaeological evidence shows Indian influences in this. There were also influences from Thai and Khmer cultures during the many invasions and counter-invasions that occurred over the next two millennia.There was a particularly well documented infusion of dance forms, such as the Yama Zatdaw (the Burmese version of the Ramayana) in 1767, when the Burmese sacked Ayutthaya and expropriated a large component of the Thai court. Nonetheless, some of the surviving forms (including the belu, nat gadaw and zawgyi dances) honour folklore characters that are quintessentially Burmese, some of these from pre-Buddhist times. There is also a close relationship between the classical Burmese marionette and human dance art forms, with the former obviously imitating human dance, but also with human dance imitating the movements of th

Priest or Zen Shu. Dated: 1868. Dimensions: image (oval): 24 × 17.5 cm (9 7/16 × 6 7/8 in.) sheet: 28.6 × 22.8 cm (11 1/4 × 9 in.) mount: 49.8 × 34.8 cm (19 5/8 × 13 11/16 in.). Medium: hand-tinted albumen print. Museum: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Author: Felice Beato.

Mendicant Nun; Felice Beato (English, born Italy, 1832 - 1909); Japan; 1866 - 1867; Hand-colored Albumen silver print

John Thomson (14 June 1837 - 29 September 1921) was a pioneering Scottish photographer, geographer and traveller. He was one of the first photographers to travel to the Far East, documenting the people, landscapes and artifacts of eastern cultures. Upon returning home, his work among the street people of London cemented his reputation, and is regarded as a classic instance of social documentary which laid the foundations for photojournalism. He went on to become a portrait photographer of High Society in Mayfair, gaining the Royal Warrant in 1881. Thomson travelled extensively throughout China, from the southern trading ports of Hong Kong and Canton to the cities of Peking and Shanghai, to the Great Wall in the north, and deep into central China. From 1870 to 1871 he visited the Fukien region, travelling up the Min River by boat with the American Protestant missionary Reverend Justus Doolittle, and then visited Amoy and Swatow. He went on to visit the island of Formosa (Taiwan) with th

Mongolian Buddhism: The Bogd Khan was simultaneously religious and secular head of the Mongolian state until the 1920s. Ikh Huree, as Ulan Bator was then known, was the seat of the preeminent living Buddha of Mongolia (the Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, also known as the Bogdo Gegen and later as Bogd Khan), who ranked third in the Lamaist-Buddhist ecclesiastical hierarchy, after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama.

Burma (Myanmar) - Traditional Costume (4/4) A Burmese lady in a beautiful outfit, her long dark hair falling down from her head surrounded by pink flowers, holding a parasol. Date: circa 1910s

An Indian man, wearing elaborate jewellery and make-up, squatting in front of a small table on which is a shrine, perhaps in a temple. Photograph, ca.1900.

Sisiang Mission School In Southern Shanxi. China. Asia. 1933

The Tibetan Muslims, also known as the Kachee (Wylie: ka-che; also spelled Kache), form a small minority in Tibet. Despite being Muslim, they are officially recognized as Tibetans by the government of the People's Republic of China, unlike the Hui Muslims, who are separately recognized. The Tibetan word Kachee literally means Kashmiri and Kashmir was known as Kachee Yul (Yul means Country). Generally speaking, the Tibetan Muslims are unique in the fact that they are largely of Kashmiri and Persian/Arab/Turkic descent through the patrilineal lineage and also often descendants of native Tibetans through the matrilineal lineage, although the reverse is not uncommon. Thus, many of them display a mixture of Aryan and indigenous Tibetan features.

Photo collection Service for army contacts Indonesia. DLC reproductions for the magazine "Weapon brothers". Chinese image of Maria with child. Indonesia, Dutch East Indies

Miko, or Performing in A Temple Dancing at Nara; Attributed to Kusakabe Kimbei (Japanese, 1841 - 1934, active 1880s - about 1912); Japan; about 1890; Hand-colored Albumen silver print

Geisha, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance. Geisha, like all Japanese nouns, has no distinct singular or plural variants. The word consists of two kanji, (gei) meaning'art' and (sha) meaning 'person' or 'practitioner'. The most literal translation of geisha into English would be'performing artist'.

Interior Chinese restaurant, S.F.. Carleton Watkins (American, 1829 - 1916)

Kapitan Cina or Capitan China was originally a Portuguese title for the representative of a Chinese enclave. The 15th century rulers of Southeast Asia, such as Melaka (modern day Malacca) and Banten (or Bantam), chose to deal with a single individual from each ethnic group under their rule. This administrative method of indirect rule was later adopted by the Portuguese when they took over Melaka in the 16th century, as well as the Dutch in the Dutch East Indies, and the English in British Malaya. Kapitan China Chung Keng Quee was the founder and administrator of modern Taiping. Appointed 'Captain China' by the British in 1877, he was a millionaire philanthropist and known as an innovator in the mining of tin. He was involved in many other industries including farming, pawnbroking and logging. He was respected by both Chinese and European communities in the early colonial settlement. His survival in the chaotic era owes much to his standing as leader of the Hai San, a Chinese secret soc

Tonkin, Indochina a priestess of the cult of the three worlds , Léon Busy in Indochina (French - Tonkin , Indochine Une prêtresse du culte des Trois Mondes). Woman, religious habit, divination, events, portrait, vase, religious or votive inscription, furniture, flower, vegetation , botany, Human beings, clothing, registration , information, housing , architecture, nature , environment, Indochina, Tonkin, priestess of the cult of the three worlds

Geisha, Japan, Asia

Oiran () were the courtesans of Edo period Japan. The oiran were considered a type of yujo () 'woman of pleasure' or prostitute. However, they were distinguished from the yujo in that they were entertainers, and many became celebrities of their times outside the pleasure districts. Their art and fashions often set trends among the wealthy and, because of this, cultural aspects of oiran traditions continue to be preserved to this day. The oiran arose in the Edo period (1600-1868). At this time, laws were passed restricting brothels to walled districts set some distance from the city center. In the major cities these were the Shimabara in Kyoto, the Shinmachi in Osaka, and the Yoshiwara in Edo (present-day Tokyo). These rapidly grew into large, self-contained 'pleasure quarters' offering all manner of entertainments. Within, a courtesan’s birth rank held no distinction, which was fortunate considering many of the courtesans originated as the daughters of impoverished families who wer

The Swahili people are a Bantu ethnic group and culture found on the coast of East Africa. The Swahili people mainly reside on the Swahili Coast, in an area encompassing Zanzibar archipelago, coastal Kenya, the Tanzanian coast and northern Mozambique. The name Swahili is derived from the Arabic word Sawahil, meaning 'coastal', and they speak the Swahili language.

Church Dignitaries in Tokyo - Dignitaries of Catholic Church, stand with Japanese girls, chosen to present customary flowers of welcome, in Tokyo, Dec. 3. Dignitaries (left to right) Archbishop Doi of Tokyo. Bishop Thomas McCable of Port Augusta, S. Australia, and Norman Cardinal Gilroy of Sydney. January 1, 1946. (Photo by AP Photo).

Saint Judas Thaddaeus at the Sagrada Familia, Barcelona. Author: ANTONI GAUDÍ (1852-1951). LLORENÇ MATAMALA (1856-1927).

Africa, ethiopia, the queen with the typical bornus embroidered in gold, 1910-20.

Japan - Geisha with crickets in a small cage. Date: circa 1905

Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Malay-Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era. Members of this community in Malaysia identify themselves as 'Nyonya-Baba' or 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the females and Baba for males. It applies especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who adopted partially or in full Malay-Indonesian customs to become partially assimilated into the local communities. While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese, it may also be applied to the Baba-Yaya community in Phuket and other provinces of southern Thailand.

Emperor Duy Tn (Nguyn Phúc Vinh San, 14 August 1899 - 25 December 1945), was a child Emperor of the Nguyn Dynasty and reigned for nine years between 1907 and 1916. His name was Prince Nguyn Phúc Vinh San and was son of the Thành Thái Emperor. Because of his opposition to French rule and his erratic, depraved actions (which some speculate were feigned to shield his opposition from the French) Thành Thái was declared insane and exiled to Vung Tàu in 1907. The French decided to pass the throne to his son Nguyn Phúc Vinh San, who was only seven years old, because they thought someone so young would be easily influenced and controlled, and could be raised to be pro-French. This proved to be a big mistake on the part of the French. Nguyn Phúc Vinh San was enthroned with the reign name of Duy Tn, meaning 'friend of reform' and in time would prove unwilling to live up to this name. As he became older he noticed that, even though he was treated as the Emperor, it was the colonial authori

The Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was founded after the Manchus defeated the Ming, the last Han Chinese dynasty. The Manchus introduced a 'queue order', forcing the Han Chinese to adopt the Manchu queue hairstyle and Manchu-style clothing. The Qing consolidated control of some areas originally under the Ming, including Yunnan. They also stretched their sphere of influence over Xinjiang, Tibet and Mongolia. But during the 19th century, Qing control weakened. Britain's desire to continue its opium trade with China collided with imperial edicts prohibiting the addictive drug, and the First Opium War erupted in 1840. Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in 1842 under the Treaty of Nanking. At the start of the 20th century, the Boxer Rebellion threatened northern China. This was a conservative anti-imperialist movement that sought to return China to old ways. The Empress Dowager, probably seeking to ensure her continued grip on power, sided with the Boxers when they advanced on Beijing. But an Eight-N

AT A BURMESE POOEY (PLAY)

Guido Herman Fridolin Verbeck (born Verbeek) (28 January 1830 - 10 May 1898) was a Dutch political advisor, educator, and missionary active in Bakumatsu and Meiji period Japan. He was one of the most important o-yatoi gaikokujin (foreign advisors) serving the Meiji government and contributed to many major government decisions during the early years of the reign of Emperor Meiji.

Kandy, Ceylon; The Colombo Apothecaries Co., Ltd. (Sri Lankan, about 1880 - 1920s); Kandy, Ceylon; after 1892; Albumen silver print

Portrait of a Manchu Official 17th or 18th century Unidentified artist. Portrait of a Manchu Official 48940

Yoshikado Visiting the Old temple at Soma Toyohara Kunichika (Japanese, 1835-1900). Yoshikado Visiting the Old temple at Soma, 1858, 8th month. Woodblock print (in color), Each sheet: 13 11/16 x 9 11/16 in. (34.8 x 24.6 cm). This triptych captures a popular climatic scene from the kabuki stage. The warrior Taro Yoshikado appears at a temple before a frog sage to ask for supernatural powers to avenge the murder of a warlord. Princess Takiyasha, the daughter of the deceased warlord, lives in hiding at the temple, honing her powers for the same purpose. She appears at the center, releasing a ghost from a chest. In this early work by Kunichika, the influence of Kunisada is clearly evident, particularly in the stylized treatment of the faces. Asian Art 1858, 8th month

Baptism in community of Gullah descendants in North Carolina. 1930 - 1939. Photographs. Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division. Gullahs, Baptismal sermons

The Siamese were avid theatre-goers at the turn of the 20th century. Mime, dance, plays and shadow puppetry were all very popular. Many of the stage plays involved dancers, mostly female, who adorned themselves in jewellery and exhibited lithe movements portraying beauty and flexibility, especially in bending the fingers back. The most common plays were called 'khon', which essentially feature scenes from the 'Ramakien', the Thai version of the Hindu epic 'The Ramayana'.

Japanese Buddhist priests 1880

Taoist Monk praying, China, c. 1925

A collection of four photographs featuring a hooded woman with an umbrella, a man wearing a Mino (a straw raincoat) and a Kasa (a bamboo hat), a woman reading a book, and a woman playing shuttlecock. These images were produced between 1870 and 1889 in Japan and depict various cultural elements such as shawls, battledore and shuttlecock, hats, kimonos, raincoats, and umbrellas. Each photograph measures 14 x 10 cm or smaller

Kisaeng (also spelled gisaeng), sometimes called ginyeo, were female official prostitutes or entertainers. Kisaeng are artists who work to entertain others, such as the yangban aristocracy and kings. First appearing in the Goryeo Dynasty, kisaeng were legally entertainers of the government, required to perform various functions for the state. Many were employed at court, but they were also spread throughout the country. They were carefully trained, and frequently accomplished in the fine arts, poetry, and prose, although their talents were often ignored due to their inferior social status. Women of the kisaeng class performed various roles, although they were all of the same low status in the eyes of yangban society. Aside from entertainment, these roles included medical care and needlework. In some cases, such as at army bases, kisaeng were expected to fill several such roles. Kisaeng, both historic and fictional, play an important role in Korean conceptions of the traditional culture

Three geishas, Japan

Folk traditional costume, clothing, history of costumes, Southern Chinese and merchant in Penang, China, 1880, digitally restored reproduction of a 19...

Anefo photo collection. Film 'Storm over Asia "(" Potomok Chingis-Khana ", Director: VSevolod POEDOVKIN, 1928 released in the Netherlands by up-to-date film in 1950. 1928. Russia, Soviet Union

Susuhunan, or in short version Sunan, is a title used by the kings of Mataram and then by the hereditary rulers of Surakarta, Indonesia. The rulers of Surakarta traditionally adopt the reign name Pakubuwono (also spelled Pakubuwana). Susuhunan is specific to the rulers of Surakarta; the rulers of Yogyakarta, who are also descended from the Mataram dynasty have the title Sultan. The full title of the Susuhunan in Javanese is Sampeyan Dalem ingkang Sinuhun Kanjeng Susuhunan Prabhu Sri Paku Buwana Senapati ing Alaga Ngabdulrahman Sayidin Panatagama (His Exalted Majesty, The Susuhunan, King Paku Buwana, Commander-in-chief in war, Servant of the Most Gracious, Caliph who safeguards the Religion).

The Siamese were avid theatre-goers at the turn of the 20th century. Mime, dance, plays and shadow puppetry were all very popular. Many of the stage plays involved dancers, mostly female, who adorned themselves in jewellery and exhibited lithe movements portraying beauty and flexibility, especially in bending the fingers back. The most common plays were called 'khon', which essentially feature scenes from the 'Ramakien', the Thai version of the Hindu epic 'The Ramayana'.

Turkey. Kurds. 1900

Buddhists in prayer, Japan, 19th century.Artist: A de Neuville

Royal Palace, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina Dancer of the Royal Ballet in Has Sakann costume , Léon Busy in Indochina (French - Palais royal , Phnom Penh , Cambodge , Indochine Danseuse du ballet royal en costume de Has Sakann). Woman, dance, spectacle costume, costume, king , queen, mask, makeup, carpet , hanging, portrait, accessory, jewelry, palace , castle, Human beings, art, clothing, housing , architecture, Indochina

Buddhist Mani-Rimdu festival at Tengboche Monastery, attended by Sherpas (Editorial Usage Only)

Two priests. From Hebert Geddes "Life in Japan" Collection: Vintage Hand Coloured Glass Transparencies of the Meiji-Era. Yokohama, Japan late 19th century work,. These images from various Japanese artists were sold to visitors.

Taotai of Kashgar, China

Natalie Berner, female missionary in Japan, 1912-1922, poses in a traditional kimono, Japan, Asia

Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Malay-Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era. Members of this community in Malaysia identify themselves as 'Nyonya-Baba' or 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the females and Baba for males. It applies especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who adopted partially or in full Malay-Indonesian customs to become partially assimilated into the local communities. While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese, it may also be applied to the Baba-Yaya community in Phuket and other provinces of southern Thailand.

An early photograph by Sarat Chandra Das of a Tibetan priness (lhacham) wearing traditional clothing, heavy jewellery and a very elaborate headdress.

Oiran () were the courtesans of Edo period Japan. The oiran were considered a type of yujo () 'woman of pleasure' or prostitute. However, they were distinguished from the yujo in that they were entertainers, and many became celebrities of their times outside the pleasure districts. Their art and fashions often set trends among the wealthy and, because of this, cultural aspects of oiran traditions continue to be preserved to this day. The oiran arose in the Edo period (1600-1868). At this time, laws were passed restricting brothels to walled districts set some distance from the city center. In the major cities these were the Shimabara in Kyoto, the Shinmachi in Osaka, and the Yoshiwara in Edo (present-day Tokyo). These rapidly grew into large, self-contained 'pleasure quarters' offering all manner of entertainments. Within, a courtesan’s birth rank held no distinction, which was fortunate considering many of the courtesans originated as the daughters of impoverished families who wer

The history of Northern Thailand is dominated by the Lanna Kingdom, which was founded in 1259 by King Mangrai and remained an independent force until the 16th century. Much of Northern Thailand is mountainous.

The king of Sikkim; Palden Thondup Namgyal with his American wife Hope Cooke arriving for his coronation (Ganatok;1956) NO MODEL RELEASED

San Francisco, A Chinese Actor in the Theatre,1891, USA

Children from China in 1880, digitally restored reproduction of a 19th century original, original date unknown

A Japanese Artist at work, circa 1890

The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China. Hmong groups began a gradual southward migration in the 18th century due to political unrest and to find more arable land.

'Burmese Phoongyies Collecting Alms', 1900. Creator: Unknown.

Tonkin, Indochina the main officiant of the there , Léon Busy in Indochina (French - Tonkin , Indochine L' officiant principal du Làm-chay). Buddhism, religious habit, religious practice, sculpture, portrait, accessory, banner , banner, hairstyle , headgear, sculpted decor, man, Religion, clothing, art, human beings, legendary

Tourist group in front of the big Buddha (Daibutsu) in Kamakura

Supayalat (13 December 1859 - 24 November 1925) was the last queen of Burma who reigned in Mandalay (1878-1885), born to King Mindon Min and Queen of Alenandaw. Their reign lasted just seven years when Thibaw Min was defeated in the Third Anglo-Burmese War and forced to abdicate by the British in 1885. On 25 November 1885 they were taken away in a covered carriage, leaving Mandalay Palace by the southern gate of the walled city along the streets lined by British soldiers and their wailing subjects, to the River Irrawaddy where a steamboat awaited. Thibaw was 27 and Supayalat 26. After years of exile in India, Supayalat returned to Rangoon in 1919. She died six years later, in 1925 - shortly before her 66th birthday. Although the colonial government declared the day of her funeral a national holiday, the royal family's request for her to be buried in Mandalay was also refused. Her funeral was, however, held with pomp and ceremony as befitted a Burmese queen. Supayalat lies buried at the

Folk traditional costume, clothing, history of costumes, regent of Cheribon on Java and man from the island of Rias, 1885, digitally restored reproduc...

Seungmu is a Korean folk dance adapted from a Buddhist ritual dance but is not strictly linked to Buddhism. It is one of the most famous Korean traditional dances and designated as South Korea's important intangible cultural asset number 27 in 1969. The Seungmu reflects the most characteristic beauty of Korea among all other dances.

China in a cult building , 1913 - China - Stéphane Paset, 1912 - China - Stéphane Passet (French - Chine Dans un édifice cultuel). Statue, religious practice, interior view, sculpture, altar, object of worship, furniture, Religion , Habitat , Architecture , Art

Tibetan Lamas Watch Chinese March In -- Tibetan lamas, some with their traditional musical instruments, turn out to welcome the troops of the Chinese army. March 31, 1951. (Photo by Camera Press).

The Javanese are an ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Java. At approximately 100 million people (as of 2011), they form the largest ethnic group in Indonesia. They are predominantly located in the central to eastern parts of the island. There are also significant numbers of people of Javanese descent in most Provinces of Indonesia, Malaysia, Suriname, South Africa and the Netherlands. Today the majority of the Javanese people identify themselves as Muslims, with a minority identifying as Christians and Hindus, but because Javanese civilization has been influenced by more than a millennium of interactions between the native animism and the Indian HinduBuddhist culture, the influence is still visible in Javanese history, culture, traditions and art forms.

Tonkin, Indochina a canton chief in ceremonies , Léon Busy in Indochina (French - Tonkin , Indochine Un chef de canton en tenue de cérémonie). Political figure, religious habit, costume, portrait, hairstyle , headgear, man, Personality, clothing, human beings, Indochina, Tonkin, Mandarins: Canton chiefs, notable village in ceremonial costume

Opium Smoking - China, circa 1910

China: Amurlingkui (1886 - 29 May 1930), the 13th jasagh (prince) of the Horqin Left Rear Banner and the last holder of the peerage. Amurlingkui, courtesy name Yimang, Chinese name Se Enfu, was a Khorchin Mongol nobleman descended from Qasar, Genghis Khan's youngest brother.

Garden, with Greek Priest. Jerusalem, Palestine.. Charles Bierstadt (American, born Germany, 1819 - 1903)

An Indian man, wearing a Parsi string and make-up, squatting on a rug with his hand in a rosary bag, in a studio setting. Photograph, ca.1900.

Tonkin (Bắc Kỳ in Vietnamese), sometimes spelled Tongkin, Tonquin or Tongking, is the northernmost part of Vietnam, south of China's Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces, east of northern Laos, and west of the Gulf of Tonkin. Locally, it is known as Bắc Kỳ, meaning 'Northern Region'. The name Tonkin comes from the Chinese meaning 'Eastern Capital'.

Japanese sumo wrestlers, Japan, Asia

Wedding ***** Miss Mei-Ling Soong, sister of Madame ***** and Heneral Chiang Kai-Shek in Smanghai. This was the firs Chinese wedding of Note to be held in accordance with western style, the bridge and bridegroom both wearing European dress. The ceremony was performed by a Chinese Rpiscopal minister, Dr. David Z.T. Yui, who is General Secretary of the Chinese young men's Christian Association. March 6, 1928. (Photo by Sport & General Press Agency, Ltd.).

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