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The West's enduring fascination with Asia

Christopher Harding journeys through centuries of history to understand the West's long-lasting interest in China, Japan and India

Published: January 29, 2024 at 7:01 AM

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Asia has long enthralled people in the west, with voyages of discovery and military expeditions setting out in search of wealth, wisdom and the chance to explore a "strange new world". Historian and author Christopher Harding speaks to Matt Elton about Westerners' enduring fascination with India, China and Japan, and the ways in which it has shaped the relationship between East and West from the ancient world to the 21st century.

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Christopher Harding is the author of The Light of Asia: A History of Western Fascination with the East (Allen Lane, 2024)

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Authors

Matt EltonPodcast editor

Matt Elton is the podcast editor at HistoryExtra

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