When Asia Was the World

by Stewart N. Gordon

While European intellectual, cultural, and commercial life stagnated during the early medieval period, Asia flourished as the wellspring of science, philosophy, and religion. Linked together by a web of religious, commercial, and intellectual connections, the different regions of Asia’s vast civilization, from Arabia to China, hummed with commerce, international diplomacy, and the brisk exchange of ideas. Stewart Gordon has fashioned a fascinating and unique look at Asia from A.D. 700 to 1500, a time when Asia was the world, by describing the personal journeys of Asia’s many travelers-the merchants who traded spices along the Silk Road, the apothecaries who exchanged medicine and knowledge from China to the Middle East, and the philosophers and holy men who crossed continents to explore and exchange ideas, books, science, and culture.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Asia, World History, China, Historical, Middle East

240 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

Stewart N. Gordon is a Senior Research Scholar at the Center for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan.

Reviews

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anytime Avicenna is mentioned (the Persian polymath was one of the greatest and most influential physicians, philosophers and thinkers ever in all the world but is virtually unknown in the West) it is a good thing. Otherwise, a splendid romp along a particular geographical and cultural history.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

First-rate history of Asia from about 500 to 1500 CE, compiled from the memoirs and correspondence of 8 travelers and traders, plus the contents of one shipwreck. 4+ stars. Best history book I've read in a long time.

I picked this one off the shelves at the library, just because the title sounded interesting. Unfortunately , the first chapter, about a Buddhist monk's travels in the early 7th century, was a fine sleep-aid, so I put it aside for a month or more. (I just tried that one again again, and failed again.)

This past week, I needed a thin book I could carry into the concert hall and doctor's office. Fortunately, things picked up with Chapter 2, about an early Islamic ambassador (to Russia!) circa 921 AD. Quite a trip & story! The next chapter, about Ibn Sina, a famous Islamic physicain and philosopher in the early 11th C. is also fascinating. Ibn Sina cured the King of Bukhara, and gained access to the Royal Library, thousands of books on all topics, in an important but hardly major city. The Islamic world really was the center of civilization then.

Around a thousand years ago, a small cargo ship sank between Java and Borneo. It was rediscovered by fishermen in 1996, and systematically salvaged by German archaeologists. This and other shipwrecks revealed wide-ranging trade networks in that era. The Intan shipwreck was loaded with tin and silver ingots: tin from Malaya, the silver bars stamped with Chinese guarantees of purity. Ceramics were everyday wares made in China. The government there encouraged their export, to pay for the wood products, aromatics and spices they imported from Java and other island nations. Gold from Sumatra, glass and ceramics from Arabia, iron pots, spearheads and ingots from China were also in the cargo. Very likely the ship also carried cottons from India and silks from China, but none survived. From the cargo, the ship was probably headed for Java, but never made it.

Abraham bin Yiju (correspondence 1120-1160 CE) was a Jewish trader from what is now Tunisia. He was apprenticed to a master trader in Aden, and eventually moved to a small port on India's Malabar coast, married a local girl (non-Jewish, which caused problems). They had a daughter and son. In 1148, Christian Crusaders captured his Tunisian family and abducted them to Sicily. They were destitute. Abraham tried to help them, but could get no response. Years later, his family was able to escape to Yemen and (eventually) to Egypt. Around 1150, he moved to Yemen, arranged a marriage for his daughter, and then moved to Egypt to be near her in his old age. Bin Yiju's story (and many others) were preserved because the Jewish custom of the time was to save any paper with the name of God written on it. Tens of thousands of these documents were preserved in the Cairo synagogue. Scholars are still researching them.

Ibn Batuta (memoirs 1325-1356) was a famous traveler in the medieval Islamic world. Even I had heard of him! There weren't many places in the 14th century Islamic world (and quite a few beyond) that he didn't visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_Bat... His five-volume memoirs are still in print, and widely studied. His and other similar stories demonstrate that educated men could travel freely and find employment in many Islamic kingdoms throughout Africa and Asia then.

It's interesting to read about these men, their lives and work from a millennium ago. The details have changed, but human nature hasn't. Gordon is a good writer, and his text moves right along. Except for that unfortunate Buddhist monk he opens with....

[Elliot · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept that fails in execution.

In When Asia Was the World Stewart Gordon argues that the shared customs, trade, and religion in Asia, particularly the Indian Ocean, made this area the most powerful part of the world. Clearly, he is right and this is not new information, but the non-Eurocentric emphasis is good to see.

The way Gordon attempts to support his argument is by summarizing the lives of nine people who played prominent roles in history, or were witnesses to important events. I found these accounts disjointed and inconsistent. There were some entertaining stories and interesting information to learn, but the summaries are very surface level. The books in the Suggested Reading are probably much more rigorous academically, more detailed, and more interesting.

The last several chapters were the worst. Gordon's account of Babur was flat out bad. Then, he decides to focus on a Portuguese trader for the last chapter, for a reason I don't understand.

Overall, a quick and easy read that introduces the reader to a non-Eurocentric viewpoint, but its poor execution was disappointing.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could this book not be entertaining with chapters entitled "Monasteries and Monarchs", "Ingots and Artefacts", "Treasure and Treaty" etc.? The first tells the story of the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang (618-632) and his travels to India in search of original Buddhist sutras. "Ingots and Artefacts" tells the story of the Intan shipwreck (circa 1000 CE) with its amazingly diverse cargo, and "Treasure and Treaty" the story of the great 'treasure ships' of the Ming Dynasty (early to mid- 15C) that carried an army of 20,000, ships for horses, trade goods and travelled as far as the coast of Africa. Other chapters cover intra-Asian trade in the 12-13th centuries, the travels of Ibn Fadlan, travel and adventure. In short, it's an ideal book for those interested in easy-to-read stories drawn from Asian history, archaeology, and other such sources.

I work in an Asian history museum and have recommended this book to our trainee docents as an easy introduction to a well-selected range of colourful and entertaining stories drawn from Asian history.

[Mariah Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview of eastern history. You’ll brush up against figures you’ve met in other history books and dive deeper into their time and place to get a bigger understanding of history and the networks of the East.

I was particularly interested in learning how the Jewish population, forced east due to the Crusades, directly influenced the spice trade, more about the city of Damascus, and the military strategies of Genghis Khan.

This would make a good addition to AO Year 11/12.

Note: a brief, graphic mention of how China treated the Portuguese towards the end of the book. (Similar to what we have read in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.)

[Andres Felipe Contreras Buitrago · Rating 4 out of 5]

El primer capítulo, empieza con la búsqueda de comunidades budista por parte de algunos seguidores de esta religión ante la persecución que había sobre ellos, se describen los monasterios que había en este lugar. Bajo esta misma premisa, está la expansión del budismo por varios lugares de Asia gracias al imperio Kushan, otra forma de expandir esta religión fue por medio de las caravanas de los comerciantes en las que muchos peregrinos podían llegar a monasterios a hospedarse. Las estatuas de Buda Por otra parte son un ejemplo de la variedad de estilos que había respecto al arte budista, el gran interés que había por parte de los budistas hacía viajar a la India hacia que hubiese problemas para cualquier chino que viajará a este lugar debido a los diferentes puestos gubernamentales y controles. Para llevar a cabo estos viajes era necesario las caravanas y el apoyo de las diferentes cortes locales en todas las estepas de Asia central.
En estos viajes se muestran cómo los Reyes esteparios vestían túnicas de seda como una forma de poder puesto que la ciudad no habrá moneda aceptada entre China y los no más lo que a su vez mostraron interés de China por sus grandes caballos, otro producto importante para estos grandes pueblos nómadas eran los granos que usaban para sobrevivir en épocas de escasez, en todas estas rutas pasaban diferentes productos como el azúcar que venía desde la India y pasaba por Afganistán, en las caravanas también se transportaban diferentes condimentos y especias, ante la variedad de múltiples idiomas era necesario contar con guías para la traducción de diferentes cosas. Los Reyes de estos lugares siempre apoyan y patrocinan debates y artes budistas puesto que esta religión servía para legitimar a estos gobernantes con sus súbditos, por lo que se puede mencionar que hay una gran red de apoyo para los budistas y monasterios. A manera de conclusión de este primer capítulo se afirma que el budismo ayudó a China a conectarse con El Mundo exterior, el problema es que a futuro el budismo tuvo que competir con otras religiones como el hinduismo y el islam, eso no impidió que en China se tradujera en muchos textos budistas y hubiese un gran auge cultural.
El segundo capítulo es sobre la expedición de una comitiva de la corte del califa hacia un territorio de la actual Rusia cerca del río Volga para apoyar a los búlgaros en su conversión al islam y aliarse con el califa, en este capítulo se encuentra un califato con una gran debilidad en las periferias por lo que era necesario buscar aliados más allá de las fronteras, por lo que la seda era un importante regalo para estos futuros y posibles aliados en el que las caravanas estaban compuestas no por cientos de camellos sino por miles, en el viaje de esta comitiva se podían encontrar todavía personas practicando la religión solo castrista y sectas chiquitas, lugares dominados por los turcos como las estepas de Asia central no todos estos serán convertidos a islam y otras regiones como el Reino de los jázaros, estaba dominado por elementos judíos.
Cuando llegaron estos representantes del califa se dieron cuenta de que estos ya se habían convertido al islam los búlgaros y ya no eran tan cercanos hacia el califa, por lo que la misión fracasó al no conseguir un nuevo aliado y no construir un fuerte que era lo que querían los búlgaros, mostrando así que muchos pueblos de las estepas buscaban alianzas y recursos, por lo que era muy cambiante su postura, eso no impedía que se realizara un rico comercio por medio del río Volga con pieles y esclavos.
El tercer capítulo es sobre un gran filósofo, donde se expone el gran conocimiento y proyecto traductor del mundo musulmán, encontramos matemáticos hindúes que llegan a Bagdad, La creación del papel para poder elaborar más libros pila gran red de eruditos en El Mundo islámico que iban desde Marruecos hasta Persia. Muchos intelectuales llevan de corte en corte buscando el apoyo de Reyes musulmanes, que usaban el conocimiento como una forma de status social, estas personas contaban con grandes bibliotecas reales y eran seguidores del neoplatonismo, un aspecto importante a destacar es que la mayoría de intelectuales musulmanes eran ismaelitas, puesto que estos crean en la razón y el intelecto algo muy importante para el proyecto investigativo, en este apartado también se muestra como diferentes ideas y libros llegan a España y luego se expanden por toda Europa siendo algo muy importante para lo que a futuro será la modernidad.
El cuarto capítulo es sobre el descubrimiento de un náufrago cerca del mar de Java, con este se quiere exponer el gran comercio que había cerca del sudeste asiático, en lo que encontramos en esta embarcación es el estaño de Malaya, ya que Java no era un gran productor, el uso de este producto era para estatuas y objetos religiosos, este metal también puede llegar a China para crear objetos de lujo como espejos para luego ser re exportados, se han encontrado estatuas de Buda de bronce, lo que muestra el gran auge que tenía el budismo en el sudeste asiático. Un metal precioso que se halló fue la plata la cual era importante para comerciar en toda esta región, hierro que venía desde China el cual contaba con grandes fábricas para su creación, vidrios proveniente de Persia, cerámica y seda de China, algo que también podía haber estado entre la embarcación era algo de un indio además de esclavos.
Los marineros estaban bien armados debido a los peligros de la piratería, el comercio en el sudeste asiático se basaba en ciudades que es fungían como almacenes donde llegaban muchos productos, el comercio se realizaba en esta región gracias a los avances en la navegación como el uso de la brújula y la demanda de productos exóticos como el incienso o las especies, El Mundo musulmán también empezó a tener gran presencia en el comercio del sudeste asiático por lo que se expandió rápidamente esta religión, pero algo es importante y es que el mayor producto comercial en esta región como en otros eran los productos de uso común como la comida u objetos de uso cotidiano lo importante es que el comercio ignoraba muchas veces las fronteras religiosas.
El quinto capítulo es sobre un comerciante en la India que demuestra que los puertos locales de este subcontinente era 1 en el que se podían encontrar personas de diferentes etnias y religiones, India se caracterizaba por cultivar diferentes especias como la pimienta negra, productos que eran muy usados en la Europa cristiana y El Mundo musulmán, el comerciante de este capítulo era una persona judía lo que demuestra que desde la época de los cruzados aumentó el sentimiento antisemita por lo que muchas personas de esta religión buscaron fortuna en el océano indo, con lo que era como la competencia entre los diferentes puertos del océano Índico para atraer a estos comerciantes, los viajes realizados en este lugar se hacían por secciones y no se viajaban por grandes distancias, el comercio se realiza basado en la buena voluntad y la confianza, era necesario el uso de los regalos personales para reforzar las relaciones con diferentes comerciantes y tener socios para mejorar esta actividad, por lo que aún no habían muchos gremios y un gran control comercial donde máxima había cierta regulación En el comercio era en China, hoy los diferentes Reyes indios estaban felices de recibir a los comerciantes gracias a los impuestos que podían recoger, algo interesante para concluir este capítulo es que muchos de los comerciantes tenían diferentes mujeres esclavas en los puertos a los que llegaba con las cuales tenían hijos.
El sexto capítulo es sobre un gran viajero musulmán que muestra las grandes caravanas que partían hacia la meca para la peregrinación, varias ciudades necesitaban eruditos por lo que muchos viajeros llegaban a las Cortes musulmanas en la búsqueda de empleo, con ello era importante aprender sobre la entrega de regalos y las reglas y normas de las diferentes cortes, hoy en El Mundo islámico los sufíes, eran importantes para que aguardarán a diferentes viajeros mientras seguían sus rumbos, para el 1341 las descripciones de este viajero musulmán Ibn Batutta, muestran que el comercio de las especias era muy activo todavía en los puertos de la India, muestra cómo las islas Maldivas ya eran musulmanas, otra cosa importante es que no estaba solo muchos hombres como él viajaba por todo El Mundo.
El séptimo capítulo es sobre las grandes flotas chinas del periodo de la dinastía Ming, desde hacía tiempos el comercio chino solo lleva hasta el sudeste asiático, no se llevaban a cabo expediciones comerciales muy lejanas, eso llevó a una gran migración China hacia la isla de Java por ejemplo, donde también se podían encontrar musulmanes e hindúes, el periodo de la dinastía Ming se llevó a cabo las grandes expediciones por todo el océano Índico donde luego terminaron debido a los problemas internos dentro de China.
El octavo capítulo es sobre el creador del imperio mogol Babur, en el que sus descripciones muestran una ciudad como Kabul siendo una ciudad comercial intermediaria muy importante donde se hablaban varios idiomas y llegaban muchos productos de diferentes lugares, mostraban hasta el gran rey disfrutando los placeres de la vida y vistiendo ropas de la moda para la época inclusive llegó a mandar regalos tan lejanos como a lugares como la meca y Samarcanda.
El noveno capítulo es sobre un viajero portugués, en el que se empieza con la descripciones de los primeros viajes lusos hacia el Atlántico en la búsqueda de oro y esclavos para sus plantaciones, con la llegada de este nuevo actor al comercio en el Índico la corona de Portugal no tenía mucho que ofrecer a este comercio por lo que es usó la superioridad armamentística para comerciar, siempre es importante recordar que antes de la llegada de los portugueses ya había un próspero comercio en este lugar hace casi 1000 años, Los portugueses que llegaron aquí vinieron con una mentalidad propia de la reconquista con un odio hacia cualquier cosa musulmana, el relato que se presenta aquí es 1 de una misión diplomática con China la cual siempre tuvo muy malos entendidos debido al conocimiento que tenían de que estos habían tomado por la violencia el estrecho de Malaca el cual era un aliado importante para los Ming, los portugueses siempre se mostraron con superioridad hacia los chinos, al final esta expedición terminó en fracaso los portugueses se tuvieron que conformar con comerciar con este lugar en unos pocos lugares.
En el décimo capítulo vemos un Asia lleno de grandes reinos, imperios y ciudades, contando con grandes redes comerciales y humanas que se extendían por muchos lugares. Las ciudades serán variadas y demandan diferentes productos, así como éstas podrán crear sus propios productos para la exportación. Las religiones como el budismo y el islam fomentaron y patrocinar a los viajes a larga distancia, estas ayudaron a reglamentar la vida social y a la circulación de ideas. Existían instituciones en este mundo asiático para ayudar a las personas a viajar largas distancias y crear comercio en diferentes lugares, en esta época el estado poco interfiere con el comercio puesto que incluso lo apoyaba y lo incentivaba. En últimas El Mundo asiático estuvo lleno de grandes innovaciones en diferentes campos como la guerra y la ciencia en la que al final los europeos usaron la violencia para comerciar.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Asia Was the World is a book that brings up a lot of interesting concepts, but in the end, is somewhat unsatisfying. Gordon presents 9 narratives of travelers throughout Asia between 500 and 1500. His subjects travel for a wide range of reasons—political, economic, religious, diplomatic, military—and while separated in time, their journeys overlap and show how interconnected the vast area of land and water actually was. Each traveler is interesting, although some are certainly more interesting than others. However, I was constantly reminded of high school history textbook sidebars while reading. Their stories felt like little summaries tacked on the side of the text, and although there was a bit of overarching narrative at the end of the work, it seemed laughably oversimplified. I kept feeling like I would have been better off reading the actual writings of the people involved, rather than Gordon summarizing them for me and wrapping things up with a neat little bow. I’m not an expert on medieval Asia, and I’ll happily buy into the theory that it was far more interconnected than I knew, but I have studied enough to understand while some customs were pan-Asian, there was a great deal more cultural diversity than is presented in this work. The last of the narrative chapters presents a different view of Asia, that of a Portuguese explorer and trader who tried to establish contact with the Chinese government. The Portuguese certainly were imperialistic, and made no effort to understand local customs, but the contrast between the cosmopolitan Asian traders with several major religious and hundreds of cultures and languages, all cooperating peacefully and happily vs the bumbling white guy walking in and pissing everyone off is simply incorrect. In this work, when Asian empires crushed local kingdoms, it was considered part of the wonders of trade and travel, but when a Westerner does it, it is clearly the fault of their white/western/Christian worldview. Actual history, both inter-Asian trade, and Western expansion into Asia was a great deal more complicated than that. I don’t really appreciate my history being dumbed down just to make the point of “Asia was really advanced between 500 and 1500”.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Asia Was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks Who Created the “Riches of the East” by Stewart Gordon is a book that encompasses the whole of the ancient Asian culture in a way that is different from other books. This book uses nine different stories of specific ancient Asian peoples as examples of life in the entirety of the continent at the time. What amazed me about this book was that the author didn’t necessarily use “famous” ancient figures, with the exception of a few, but used common people that had typical lives during that period. The author collected the information through peoples memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies, as well as other primary and secondary sources from that time. My favorite of the nine stories was the story of Xuanzang, a Chinese Buddhist Monk because this story shared insight on how those deeply involved in a religion spent much of their time and the stages that a popular religion faces, such as the rise, fall, and times of major influence.
The book’s organization is perfect because it’s as if you are reading a set of nine short stories, not ten chapters of a history book. This made it feel more like a story, with the history intertwined, versus fact after fact with no real plot. I had almost forgotten it was a history book until the last chapter where it tied all of the points together, and I realized how much I learned, how interested I am in this topic, and that I wasn’t bored with the information. The presentation made the book less overwhelming than most history and other nonfiction books.
Overall, I was very pleased with this book as a whole. It made me more interested in getting deeper understanding of the subjects in the book, such as religion and trade, and helped me see that the world didn’t stop during the Dark Ages, only Europe did. Asia thrived as a continent and community. If you are looking for a book to read to get started on studying Asia, or just looking for a good history read, I highly recommend reading this book.

[Jason Herrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in the history of central & South Asia during the Middle Ages (and who isn’t?!), then I think you’ll enjoy this book. It includes the accounts of several travelers & traders across the Middle East, Central Asia, India & China. The short accounts include those of Ibn Battuta, Ibn Sina (Avicenna) & Babur, the Mughal Emperor, as well as several others. They give an interesting view into a world that is often overlooked in most history classes in school. The common Eurocentric view of history is traded for a decidedly Asian one here that can help broaden your appreciation for what the Asian world was like prior to widespread European incursions.

[Kayt O'Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a very interesting book that explores aspects of Asian (Generally the Middle East to India to China, with some venturing geographically nearby) culture and civilization between ~600 and 1550 CE. Most chapters focus on a particular person--a Buddhist monk from China at first, later a Jewish spice trader living in India, an envoy from the Caliph in Baghdad traveling to a king in what is now southern Russia, and more--and explain the reach of a kingdom, the customs and honors nobility expected, the political maneuvering of the day, and more.

Most chapters, therefore, function as a sort of miniature travelogue, which makes the book eminently readable, and able good for picking up and putting down, since while it will reference people and places from previous chapters, any individual chapter can be fairly easily read and understood without needing to recall who was living in Mangalore 500 years earlier.

I had heard of one person before--thanks, Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast for teaching me about Ibn Battuta!--but everyone else was new to me. (And actually, if you're familiar with that podcast, each chapter in this book reads like its own episode.) I have very little education in Asian history, so I loved this: the explanations about courtly life, the excerpts of a Chinese trader documenting the customs of the ports he lands in, and more.

It's not a super scholarly work as other reviewers have noted, but if you want academic writing, you could just check out the extensive notes and citations at the end. It's not fluff, though, either. It's written in a conversational tone that makes keeping up easy, and the narratives are interesting.

[John Isles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merchants, scholars, warriors, and monks traveled great distances through Asia between the 7th and 16th centuries, visiting many lands and leaving us fascinating tales to read in their memoirs. It would be difficult to write a dull book about them, but the author has succeeded. He subscribes to "social network theory" which we are told looks at strong and weak ties between different cultures, networks of trust, degrees of separation, and something called dense connections. No doubt this is laudable and scholarly, but it does get in the way of the adventure stories.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

really loved surprise surprise

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting read and a creative way of writing history. His bias becomes more pronounced throughout (we all have bias, it's just to bad he doesn't acknowledge his), which is too bad, but otherwise I really enjoyed this.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that explores the lives of merchants, doctors, monks, leaders from 600 to about 1500 throughout Asia. Most of them are regular people (except Babur, the conquerer of Kabul and Afghanistan) and their stories survived to depict life in Asia. This is a book about regular people. With the exception of Babur, these people didn't kill or do any of the deeds usually glorified in history except travel and keep a log of their travels. Ibn Fadlan's trip to nowadays Russia, Ibn Battuta's trips through Asia, Abraham the Jewish merchant from Tunisia who ended up working on the western coast of India, the Buddhist monk who traveled from China through Central Asia to Southern India...great snippets of regular people's lives. I highly recommend it if you want to learn about history through the eyes of normal people.

[Grace Tjan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A clear and concise survey of several historical personalities that represent medieval Asia. It is a rather quick read as none of these figures are covered in depth. Perhaps this book is better read as an introduction to the subject. Interested readers can learn more from the books quoted in the bibliography.

The author emphasizes the idea of inter-connectedness between Asian nations based on shared institutions and customs, especially those inspired by Buddhism and Islam, the two great Asian religions of the period. But I suppose the same case could be made for medieval Europe, with its Christian and Roman-based institutions such as the church, the Latin language and Roman law. What made Asia unique in this respect?

[digbybare · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, a very euro-centric view of Asian history. Mostly focusing on Western Asia, and the elements with the biggest impact on European history (e.g. Islam), with only token mentions of of the events in East Asia/South-East Asia/Indian subcontinent. It's fitting that the last account given is of a European trader, as if to drive home the point that all of the history given in previous chapters only matter in the context of how they eventually came to affect Europe.

Gordon tries to use the memoirs of certain representative figures as a springboard to explore the time period, but not often successfully. Mostly, it's just a book summarizing these various memoirs.

[Caleb Lagerwey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly lively account of the golden age of Asia from 500 to 1500 CE, this book uses the stories of individual travelers to illustrate larger patterns and processes across Asia. AP World History teachers and students will find this engaging and useful when discussing trade patterns (e.g., the Silk Roads and Indian Ocean Networks) as well as customs, religions, and political dynasties. Gordon's writing is lucid, his stories are engaging, and the coverage is balanced between illustrative details and comprehensive overviews/background.

[Aysha AlMuhairi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"عندما حكمت آسيا العالم" كتاب يحكي جزءا من تاريخ قارة عن طريق حكايات أشخاص ، كتاب تاريخ أعده غير ممل بتاتا فلقد قرأته بتواصل و انهيت قراءته فقط في بضع ساعات خلال يومين .

الكتاب يتحدث عن آسيا العالم الساحر بكل ما فيه : بمساحاته الشاسعة و تضاريسه و مدنه المتنوعة و اختلاف دياناته و العلاقات التي ربطت كل آسيا ببعضها سواء كانت تجارية أو سياسية على لسان الكاتب و ألسنة رحالة و تجار و قادة عسكريين .

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was reassuring to see that Xians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists agreed that travel is a necessary part of becoming an educated person.

Shira Destinie
MEOW Date: Saturday, June 9. 12014 H.E. (Holocene Era)

[Dr Tejinder Singh Rawal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting travelogues of the travellers who wrote the first-hand account of trips to Asia when Asia was the world.

[阿近 · Rating 4 out of 5]

　　最近幾年都在看小說和漫畫，買了很多歷史書籍都沒讀，想著至少要慢慢消化掉一些，順道平復一下近期閱讀故事變得起伏劇烈的情緒，衡量之下在眾多歷史書籍裡首先拿起《旅人眼中的亞洲千年史》來看。老實說，由於資訊量相當龐大繁複，看的過程雖然很充實，但沒做記錄的情況下，離開這本書後，我就忘了大部份的內容。姑且筆記一下我還記得的部份吧。

　　《旅人眼中的亞洲千年史》分別以不同時代的人的旅途見聞來鋪陳整個亞洲交流網路活絡興盛的景象，說到亞洲，我心裡的狹隘判定大抵是以中國周邊的國家為主，頂多南至東南亞諸國，但是作者Stewart Gordon透過旅人描繪出的亞洲盛況除了我相對熟悉的唐朝至明清社會，更多的透露出阿拉伯、中亞的遊牧民族文化、伊斯蘭文化、東南亞諸國的社會經濟結構。選擇的歷史人物包含僧侶、商人、醫生、外交官、口譯、政治領袖等等，或許他們並非易在歷史課本上知曉的名人，但在他們的時代，都很努力地活下去，靠著個人才情、時代變遷、受賞識的機運活躍在許多地方，見識到一般人無法獲得的寶貴人生經歷。

　　這本書的介紹裡面，我唯一知道的人是玄奘，其他牽涉較多中亞或伊斯蘭文化的歷史人物我都是因為本作才第一次認識。Stewart Gordon在序文裡談及他寫作本書的動機，有一回他和記者朋友聊天，詢問朋友對中世紀有何認識？對方的回答在他預想之內：「城堡、騎士、女人頭上頂著圓錐型的帽子」，我看到這一段，心裡也狂點頭，暗自附和著「沒錯！沒錯！我也是會想到這些偏西方的歷史文化。」但把目光放到亞洲，腦袋忽然一片空白，無法想像那時候的亞洲會是怎麼樣的景況？雖然念書時讀的中國和部份東亞國家文化知識還殘留在腦袋裡，但怎麼樣也不會把它們跟「中世紀」連結在一起，或許對我而言，「中世紀」一詞就是跟著西方歷史知識一起常駐在我腦海裡的存在吧。

　　作者筆下的人物，旅途相對順遂者除了個人才華能夠被在上位者賞識以外，還有地緣政治的狀態剛好能夠讓他們在大時代裡覓得一個自己可以發揮才能、實踐夢想的機會，例如玄奘在前往印度的路上遇到很多國王皆信佛，原因是那些國家的國王正為了設法讓國民可以超越語言、族群建立起忠誠心而傷腦筋，當時被許多國民接受的佛教是個很好的切入點，因此國王們也都欣然信仰佛教，而宗教與政治的密切連結又進一步帶動王侯貴族或商賈人士樂於捐贈財物給寺院，或者贊助佛教僧侶遠行到國外學習佛教。

　　或者伊本．巴杜達，藉由自己豐富的旅遊經驗，將各國見聞轉述給不同的國王聽，滿足這些對鄰近國家的發展情況極度好奇的國王，令他們能在施行內政或外交政策上作為參考，而伊本．巴杜達亦能從中牟利，獲取受到重用的機會。又如巴卑爾充分活用自己的血統（他是成吉思汗的後代）和超越許多地域和國家，在今中亞和土耳其地區廣為被認同的榮譽制度，透過血與鹽建立起忠誠於他的人們，繼而讓自己能享有國王之位的權勢。另有正好搭上明代熱衷下西洋的風潮，由於精通許多語言而被聘用的翻譯人員馬歡，藉此機緣獲得探訪各國文化、豐富人生的經驗。

　　藉由賜予袍服來建立起政治結盟關係的潛規則讓我感到很新奇，不僅僅是這套制度不僅盛行於中國古代王朝對待鄰近其他國家，伊斯蘭文化為主的中亞等國家、氏族或部落結盟時，也常透過袍服的施與受來傳達雙方之間那心照不宣的結盟默契。中亞歷史的變化好像滿複雜的，而且我也不曾系統性的學過那一帶的歷史變遷，旅途經過的國家名稱、那些國家的政經變化我看了之後，也無法全盤理解他們之間盤根錯節的關係，但作者敘述部份氏族或部落與較大國家的結盟時，我感覺到的是他們可能習慣或滿足僅止於此的社會結構，並未想進一步發展成國家，但也很清楚周遭政治情勢變幻莫測，若不未雨綢繆做出應變措施，遭到外敵侵略時恐怕沒有足夠的軍事力量抵禦，因此需要跟擁有較強大勢力的政治勢力結盟。

　　伊本．法德蘭或許會注意到當地與阿拉伯沙漠地帶的相似之處。雖說阿拉伯很熱，歐亞草原很冷，但若要在兩地的稀少人煙與不毛生態中存活下來，同樣都需要格外出色的技巧與兼任。這兩個地區都有以牲口為基礎的經濟，以及以血緣為根據的氏族結構。人們必須從小就懂得騎術、狩獵與戰爭。對於草場、水源的爭奪，以及因血仇而起的戰爭都相當見。阿拉伯的牧民也跟歐亞草原牧民一樣，和綠洲城鎮以及定居農民關係緊張。他們都需要城鎮供應鐵、衣物與食物。城鎮則需要遊牧民族養的動物來拉車與提供肉品。各個城鎮也會將放牧的動物毛皮製成毛毯和布料。只是雙方雖然如此互相依賴，但在阿拉伯與歐亞草原上，遊牧民族與城鎮之間仍然經常發生戰爭。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　——Stewart Gordon《旅人眼中的亞洲千年史》頁五一至五二

　　這一段話特別印象深刻，腦海裡鮮明的浮現《姊嫁物語》裡哈刺魯一方和阿傑爾一方的漫畫橋段，哈刺魯的家族正是定居城鎮的居民，而阿傑爾則率領族人過著遊牧生活，是必須為草場、水源多方協商而傷神的族長，而且由於政治結盟的需求，過去曾陸續送出姊妹和其他氏族聯姻。而上一任族長為了奪取城鎮資源壯大自家的勢力，也曾向城鎮發動戰爭，令愛米爾在娘家與婆家之間左右為難。

　　其他華人社群似乎與朝廷保持緊密的關係，還會派遣使團進貢，如麻六甲。華商也在某些島嶼上定居，與當地女子結婚，他們也多半融入了當地社會。總而言之，朝廷裡普遍認為某些生活在東南亞的華人仍舊與中國有關，所以中國才會叫「中央之國」。

　　　　　　　　　　　　—Stewart Gordon《旅人眼中的亞洲千年史》頁一九零至一九一

　　這段敘述好有既視感，總覺得直到今天也很常見這種狀態呢。如果當事人想當中國人也罷了。如果當事人根本不認為自己是中國人，還硬要把對方當中國人，強行套近乎來維繫關係的手段也太尷尬，也很不尊重早已移民到其他國家、在海外落地生根多年的人了。另外，馬歡的章節提及明代不再推行下西洋活動後，把過去航海的相關紀錄銷毀大半這一點，現在似乎也很常見到相近的狀況，雖然是同樣那塊土地，可明明是不同的時代、不同的政權，為何政府行事作風讓人感到如此的一脈相承呢？

　　另一位印象深刻的是葡萄牙藥商托梅．皮萊資，在航向中國時，基於宗教與種族分群的簡單世界觀為他和夥伴的中國行帶來滅頂之災。讀到作者敘述托梅．皮萊資認為可輕易征服中國時，我想著托梅．皮萊資和歷代中國主政者都自負是最優秀的人，身懷其他族群或國家的人理應都臣服於自家政權的觀念。我很好奇如果同樣讓這兩個自我中心思想的代表對決，會是誰勝誰負呢？托梅．皮萊資在此役落敗，畢竟他和其他船員在人家的地盤上，寡不敵眾是可以想像到的結果。

　　《旅人眼中的亞洲千年史》帶給我最大的收穫是翻轉了亞洲史的印象。雖然由早已將歷史課本的內容忘得七零八落的我來講可能有點欠缺說服力，但以前念書時，中國興衰史在亞洲史裡佔絕大部份，偶爾會提及跟歷代中國互動的其他國家，印象中字裡行間透露出來的價值觀都是要其他族群臣服於歷代中國當政者，總之就是視中國以外的族群皆為矮自己一等的存在。而且多半從制度變化、重大歷史事件引導學生理解歷史，鮮少能夠窺見市井間一般民眾的生活與其他族群交流的面向。本作稍微彌補了這一塊，尤其伊斯蘭文化和中亞、東南亞的穆斯林之活躍可窺見這份連結貿易、宗教、政治、醫療、學術的亞洲網路一角，中亞和印度等區域亦有著屬於他們的政治角力和歷史，讓我獲益良多，感覺得出即使每位冒險旅人並非全都出身良好，但依然憑藉自身才華與膽識在外闖蕩，讓自己獲得豐富難得的人生體驗。如果只是單純好奇古人怎麼營生，在艱困的局勢開拓出自己的一席之地的話，讀這本書相信也會很有收穫。

[Moin Uddin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Asia Was the World" by historian Stewart Gordon is a fascinating exploration of the 14th and 15th centuries, a time when Asia was at the forefront of global culture, trade, and innovation. The book delves into the lives and accomplishments of a diverse group of individuals, including warriors, monks, and explorers, with a particular focus on the Muslim traveler Ibn Battuta and the Mughal emperor Babur.

Gordon paints a vivid picture of the world of Ibn Battuta, who traveled extensively throughout the Islamic world and beyond, leaving behind a detailed account of his journeys. The author skillfully uses Battuta's writings to transport readers to the bustling cities, exotic courts, and remote regions that the traveler visited. The reader can appreciate the new cultures and societies that Battuta encountered as well as the challenges he faced as a traveler. It is also worth mentioning that Battuta is not a plain character, but a complex one with multiple layers, who had to navigate different cultures and societies, and his writings reflect his unique perspective and experiences.

Similarly, Gordon brings the Mughal emperor Babur to life, delving into his early life as a warrior prince, his struggles to establish his rule in India, and his efforts to create a lasting empire. Through Gordon's meticulous research and writing, the reader gains a deep understanding of Babur's character, his military strategies, and his successes and failures as a ruler.

Throughout the book, Gordon weaves in the stories of other notable figures of the time, including the Chinese explorer Zheng He and the Mongol ruler Tamerlane, providing a comprehensive and nuanced look at the history of this exciting period. The author's writing is clear, engaging and makes the reader feel like they are travelling alongside with the characters.

In conclusion, "When Asia Was the World" is a must-read for anyone interested in Asian history, or the history of exploration and empire-building. Gordon's writing is accessible and engaging, and he has a masterful ability to bring the past to life. It is a book that will appeal to both scholars and general readers.

[Mindy McAdams · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 10 well-focused chapters and only 191 pages, the author presents the history and development of Asia in its own right from around 600 CE to the early 1500s. It is a history based on trade and the networks that connected vast territories, from Istanbul to Nanjing, from Aden to the Maldives, Java to Cochin and Delhi. The author has chosen the written records left by travelers and conquerors, including Babur, the first Mughal emperor of India, and Xuanzang, the Buddhist monk who made multiple journeys from China to India. The stories cover the Central Asian steppes and the caravan routes of the Silk Road, as well as the sea routes that connected the spice islands and India's Malabar Coast to the markets of Arabia and later Europe.

This book succeeded in giving me a broad sense of how these many different cultures coexisted and exchanged not only high-end luxury goods (silk, horses, ivory, spices) but also knowledge, religious systems, and systems of diplomacy. Through travel and two extended stays in Southeast Asia, I was exposed to many aspects of how these trade networks from 500–1,000 years ago shaped the areas now marked and divided by map borders and modern governments. I wondered at the lost Buddhist empires of Java, Sumatra and Afghanistan. I experienced firsthand the deep-rooted Islam of Malaysia and Indonesia that had grown and spread from the coastal trading posts established by traveling Arabs long before the Dutch and the Portuguese arrived.

Reading this was a very pleasant way to enhance my understanding of how human cultures evolved and grew, not because there was an emperor in China or a caliphate in Baghdad but because nations had not been established, and ideas moved along with trade goods and the people who carried them. The book presents a view of history focused not on conquerors or empires but on flows between and across boundaries. It shows how similar patterns and practices extended all across Asia, arising from these exchanges and allowing further exchanges to continue. I understand more about how the later colonial projects of the European nations were so different from the shifts and changes that shaped Asia in this time period.

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[Mallee Stanley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book offers an insight into the communication and trade that existed within Asia and the Arab world for over 1,000 years. However, there was no mention that trade had existed between Rome and India 2,000 ago. Since India wanted little from Rome, the deficit was paid in gold coins that have been discovered in different locations within India.
Additionally, when Xuanzang journeys to India to study, the author fails to mention that Nalanda, like thirty other institutions in India, was actually a university. The author concentrated on the Buddhist teachings taught there, but universities taught: Vedas, logic, medicine, sciences, mathematics, classical music, philosophy, martial arts and astronomy. Students from China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia and other Asian countries, travelled to India to attend these prestigious universities. Additionally, India laid the foundation of calculus which the author mentioned, but omitted that this was some two centuries before Newton's time.
Yet in Ibn Sina's chapter, the author didn't fail to mention again and again that the brilliant scholar who wrote over 100 books read Greek and Roman texts as well.
Perhaps because this book was written twenty years ago, that explains its shortcomings. In addition, since I had only read other texts on three of the nine travellers mentioned in the book, I cannot comment on what has been omitted from those chapters.

[Ania · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the type of non-fiction i enjoy reading. It's not all hard facts, but rather told in a story-telling manner, which in my opinion, makes it easier to understand for any type of reader. Whether you already know something about the height of the Asian world/time but would like to remind yourself of how insanely forward it actually was (compared to Europe), this book reminds you of that. It's good supplementary knowledge, which binds to the basics one might already have learned. I enjoyed that rather than taking a broad analysis of the periods, Gordon picked out individual personas with enticing histories which made me want to venture for more about them in other sources. Will definitely look further into Ibn Battuta (the gossip queen he was), Ibn Sina, the Nair social structure, Madmun's influemce and the Cairo Geniza. Again - took my time with reading this one because I wanted to actually understand it, rather than rush it and not get anything from it.
Bonus points for citing my prof lol.

[Luca Dofus · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a clever idea: to show the history, riches, development, etc. of Asia by following people's memoirs, travels, and even looking at remains of a shipwreck. I really struggle with plain history books, facts and years not finding hold in my brain. But this was also storytelling, politics, even plot twists sometimes and it grabbed my attention while, really, just showing me some history of the area.
After a few chapters though it started becoming a bit repetitive: centuries going by but still going through a list of spices and silks and other goods along trade routes. And again, and again.
I was hoping for some descriptions of innovations (agricultural, architecture, science, etc., anything!) but 99% of the book is just about trade and goods.
I read it while travelling across Asia, which made it all the more interesting (the very first chapter started in the towns I was passing while I read it!). So a 3 ⭐ for lack of varying content but I'll up to 4 for the idea and the fact that it was interesting, though repetitive.

[Cordelicacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title was a tad misleading and undersells the book. The book features about 10 different travelers from the 7th century to the 15th century who traveled across Asia. Each traveler is interesting in their own way, and in looking at them as a group, certain patterns emerge. A lot of people might be familiar with the story of Xuan Zang via the stories of Sun Wukong and Journey to the West, but it's interesting to read that this tale isn't a one-off. Xuan Zang's journey was driven by a desire for religious learning, and over the centuries, there were others like him (in search of both Buddhist and Islamic teaching). These cross-continent travels featured patronage by kings along the way as well as a consistent form of gift-giving along the way involving silken robes such that the manners of a court in Cairo might resemble the manners of a court in Malacca.

[Mi Universo Literario Writer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encontré el libro When Asia Was the World de pura casualidad, y debo decir que realmente lo disfruté, sobre todo como amante de la Historia. Fue distinto a lo que me esperaba, sí, pero lo disfruté de todos modos y me parece un gran trabajo de recopilación histórica. El libro de Stewart Gordon es la historia de Asia contada a través de los memoirs y testimonios de 8 viajeros y comerciantes, además de otras fuentes. Las historias dentro de este libro sin duda me resultaron de lo más interesantes e inusuales y, aunque no me parezca una gran lectura ni me haya maravillado, estuvo bien.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book attempts to cover a vast amount engagingly and for the most part succeeds. The choice to try to give a sense culture by using specific biographies as a framework is reminiscent of a school assignment and reads similarly. However, the academic tone of the book is stymied by the inability to go into detail due to the lack of academic focus (and therefor limited support) to many sweeping generalisations and claims. I am grateful to have gotten a little more detail about a broad subject and some key names (just enough to drop into conversation to make me sound smart) and enjoyed the included maps.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gordon profiles nine Asian travelers who left letters and/or memoirs that give us insight into Asia from the 7th century to the 16th (although the final memoir was from a Portuguese man - was he unable to find a local narrative for this period or region?). I found the accounts fascinating, but the book somewhat disappointing as a whole. It may be the publisher's fault due to the synopsis used to promote the book. I expected more comparison of the advances made in the Asian regions compared to the stagnation of Europe. Perhaps the final chapter might have provided an overview of the advances from the East making their way to the Western world.