An introduction to: East Asia
Asia is a colossal continent located in the western and northern hemisphere, with a part in the south too.
It is the largest and most populous region on Earth, stretching all the way from Turkey to Indonesia!
Consequently, the continent is divided into five regions including: Central Asia, Western Asia, South Asia, South East Asia and East Asia.
Why it is important to learn what constitutes Asia
Very often, Asia/Asian is used as an all-encompassing term which plays into certain ideas and perceptions which excludes many communities.
As there are five different regions (with many, many countries within them) each with their own unique histories, cultures and identities, it is important that we do not see Asia as an ethnic monolith and learn what constitutes each region.
Quick Facts
East Asia is made up of China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. This is based on their geographic proximity as well as historical and modern cultural and economic ties
East Asians roughly comprise 1.7 billion people, making up 22% of the global population
China is the most populous country in East Asia, and the world, with more than 1.4 billion people
Macau has East Asia's smallest population but it is the most densely populated territory on Earth
These nationalities are so different and using the term Asian to describe them all eradicates their uniqueness and is seen as erasure by many. Though it may be used by people who are Asian to describe themselves - as is their right - when celebrating cultural crossovers for example, we should still be mindful of the implications.
Flags of East Asia (from left to right): Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Mongolia
A Peek into History
East Asia’s culture has largely been influenced by China owed to its economic and cultural dominance in the region throughout the ages. This is known as the Chinese cultural sphere or Sinosphere
This has led to shared or similar values, philosophies, religious and cultural practices, lifestyle, writing systems, literature, architecture, diet, calendar, political and legal systems and more, which has since been developed and adapted to suit each nation
Historically, Imperial China operated a tributary system, dating as far back as the Han dynasty (202 BC), which required foreign envoys to enact symbolic gestures that recognised themselves as vassal states, such as gift-giving and kowtowing, in order to secure peace, investiture and trading opportunities. This subsequently shaped much of East Asia's foreign policy and trade for over two millennia
This has often been compared to the historical influence of Greco-Roman civilization on Europe and the Western World
Mongolia gave birth to the Mongol Empire, the largest empire in human history by area
Flags of East Asia (from left to right): North Korea, Macau, China, Japan
Other Points to Note
Some include Vietnam in East Asia as it is also part of the greater Chinese sphere of influence, and was one of the prominent tributary states of China during the 14th-19th centuries. Today it still shares a border with China. Though Confucianism continues to play an important role in Vietnamese culture, Chinese characters are no longer used and many academics designate it as a South East Asian country
Mongolia is geographically north of China yet Confucianism and the Chinese writing system and culture had limited impact on Mongolian society. Thus, Mongolia is sometimes grouped with Central Asian countries such as Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan
Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, are known as ‘Asian Tigers’ due to their significant economic growth in recent history
Japan and Korea in particular have strong cultural influences that originated from China, including but not exclusively the written language and Confucian societal value system
To finish off, here’s a reminder:
East Asia is China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Conclusion: wherever possible, specify which country you mean, or at least the specific geographic region as they are all very different from each other!
Sources
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/east-asian-countries
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-countries-are-part-of-east-asia.html