Medieval Asia

Chinese dynasty representing the height of cosmopolitan culture, poetry, and East Asian political influence

Chinese dynasty achieving unprecedented economic and technological development, including gunpowder, printing, and the compass

Chinese civil service examinations selecting officials through standardized testing rather than birth

Chan Buddhist monastery and legendary birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Chinese martial arts

Meditative Buddhist tradition shaping samurai culture, Japanese aesthetics, and global contemplative practice

Hereditary warrior aristocracy that dominated Japanese society and culture for seven centuries

Ancient Buddhist university and the world's first residential learning institution, transmitting knowledge across Asia for seven centuries