Asian Culture

Asian culture is a diverse one that includes different languages, traditions, and artwork. It is one of the oldest cultures, comprising thousands of elements, including music, lifestyle, literature, politics, traditions, religion, and philosophy. 

In Asian culture, there are different types of ethnic groups that have been maintaining their values and cultural beliefs from prehistoric times. Apart from diversity in groups, this culture has interesting traditions and customs. Let us explore more about this culture and know what makes it unique.

Religions in Asia

Asia has a high population in the entire world and one can find the perfect combination and harmony of multiple religions in this continent. The most popular beliefs that one can see in Asia are Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, and many others. The fact is that religious values highly influence Asian traditions. It is like a small world living on a single continent.

In the Asian culture, one can find numerous religions, which are:

• Islam
• Hinduism
• Buddhism
• Sikhism
• Christianity
• Confucianism
• Jainism
• Judaism
• Shintoism
• Taoism 
• Zoroastrianism

The Islamic religion is highly followed by the people who reside in South and Southeast Asia. According to Islam, Allah is the God, and Muhammad was the last prophet of the God on the earth. Muslim sect follow his teachings very strictly. 

The next largest religion on the Asian continent is Hinduism. It is said to be originated in India, which is one of the most prominent countries of the Asia Continent. Majority of people who follow Hinduism live in India and Nepal. In Hinduism, there are further different sectors and people respect all the communities and their God and Goddesses. 

Asian culture has the significant influence of the religious values and most of the Asian American follows the Christian cultural values. One can also find the influence of the other common religions on this culture.

Food

Asian food is delectable, and one can find a variety of palatable dishes in different Asian countries. That being said, the list of ultimate food items is ever-growing. People like to experiment with different ingredients to make the food more delicious and healthy. 

There is a significant variation available on the overall taste and texture among the different Asian foods like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean food. 

Food in this culture is also known for its variety of ingredients as well as flavours and some dishes are not only popular in one country but in other neighbouring countries too.

One of the common traditions in this culture is that people prepare several dishes and share them with others. Some of the famous Asian foods are- Sushi and Sake in Japan, Gulab Jamun in India, Kimchi in Korea, Chilli Crab in Singapore, Satay in Indonesia, Beef Noodles in Taiwan, and Curry Feast in Sri Lanka.

Clothing style and fashion in Asia

There are various clothing styles in Asia that vary from country to country. The geographical area and cultural values highly influence the fabric of the clothing. 

Undoubtedly, in the modern context, everything is changing, and one can see the significant influence of the western dressing sense on the new generation.  

For example, in China and Hong Kong, any clothing style is taken into account. One can find the various names of the dresses like Qipao, Cheongsam, and many others. There are some particular dresses in China which men and women both can wear. The main conventional dress of China is Cheongsam or qipao, which is a high necked, body-hugging dress with a skirt slit. 

When it comes to Japan, one can find a Kimono robe, which offers a traditional look to the wearer. It comes in different styles and is usually made from silk. Citizens of Korea prefer to wear baggy blouses, which are popularly known as chigori. Further, Daruma, Chima skirt, and Paji are the most prominent clothing items in Korea. 

The most diverse kind of clothing one can see would be in India. Every state of this country is extraordinary in the matter of dress and culture. For example, kurta pajamas (long shirt and pants with drawstring) are majorly worn in many parts. Saree is the prominent dress for women in India. Apart from this, women wear suits with dupattas. In today’s time, Western dresses have made their way in the country and men and women do wear jeans and shirts. But still, on special occasions and festivals, people prefer to wear traditional attire, which is sarees for women and kurta pajamas for men.

Family structure in Asia

The traditional Asian families prefer to live in a joint family. That being said, one family may have several married couples living together with unmarried children. Asian traditions put special emphasis on family values and living with family.

In Asian families, people like to support each other more often and it is a symbol of their bond of love and care for each other. In this way, they forward the family values, cultural values, and traditions to the next generation. 

In general, family is a curial part of Asians and they support each other and prefer to live together. 

Some general customs, traditions and etiquettes in Asia

Asia is also known for its customs and traditions which are as follows:

Greetings

In Asian countries, people join their hands together to greet others. For example, Namaste from India is a well-known greeting style. Similarly, in Thailand, people join their hands together and give a slight bow. Generally, this mode of greeting is done to wish hello or goodbye. 

Bowing

Bowing is also essential in this culture and it is the symbol of saying hello or greeting others. In South Korea and Japan, people perform a bow to greet others and it is also a symbol of respect. In the formal setting of the greetings, bowing is significant and an essential part of the culture. 

Nodding of the head

Nodding of the head is another way of greeting. It is usually done to express yes or thanks to the person. 

Dining etiquettes 

There are some dining etiquettes one must know when visiting countries like Japan and China. In these countries, people lay their chopsticks to the side on the table only. It is vital to note that one should not leave their chopsticks standing up in the bowl because this practice relates much with funeral practices. 

Wrapping Up

Asian culture list is unique in the world because of its range of customs and traditions. If you plan to visit any Asian country, you should be aware of basic etiquette so that you do not offend anyone. 

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