East Asia

Climate and Non-Human Life

Eastern Asia includes the countries of China, South and North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and Taiwan. Due to the unique placement of these nations, only three major climate types are found. To the North is a mix of semi-arid and humid continental, the South is mostly humid subtropical and the West is drier the farther you go because of the mountain ranges found the region. In some places, snow is found, such as in parts of South Korea and Northern China.

Overall, the monsoonal climate allows for hot and wet summers all over East Asia and a great variation in temperatures, which has made the vegetation and animal life very diverse. In fact, China is home to over 30,000 species of plants!

The most common vegetation type is the rain forest (Japan is 2/3 forest!). Common plant types are bamboo, palm trees, camphor trees, sweet gum, magnolia, and cherry blossoms. Aside from plants, the animal life is also very unique and diverse. Common animals include red and giant pandas, leopards, lesser bird-of-paradise, tigers, and many monkey species.

Landforms

East Asia is surrounded by a series of mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, the Tian Shan range, and the Altai Mountains. These mountains are responsible for a rain shadow which is responsible for the dry and arid climate in western China. The ranges are also prone to many earthquakes caused by the Indian tectonic plate pushing into the Eurasian tectonic plate.

The Himalayas are home to the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest, which has an elevation of 29,032 ft above sea level. The range acts as a natural border between Nepal and China. This is the best example of the absolutely beauty of Asian mountains. The snowy caps and rugged faces are a wonder to behold.

The Gobi Desert between Mongolia and China is the polar opposite of the mountains previously mentioned which are snowy, cold, and dry. This desert is hot, arid, and dry and is called home by many rare plant and animal species. In fact, many types of ancient fossils from the Mesozoic Era have been found within this exact desert!

Both of these landforms are very popular with tourists. The most popular forms of travel in the Gobi Desert and mountains of East Asia are backpacking, mountain scaling, and jeep tours.

Culture

Over the thousands of years which Asian countries have had time to develop, their cultures have become among the richest on Earth. The most well known or sought after histories of the world are traced back to China and Japan, who are both responsible for creating the fascinating mixture of culture in South Korea. However, each country is still different from one another in many ways.

Chinese people have a variety of traditions, most of which stem from the ancient religion of Confucianism, which has been an important part of past and present Chinese development. One of the most important parts of Chinese culture is food. Each food and ingredient is thought to give the consumer a certain benefit, such as fertility, luck, good health, or fortune. Dumplings, hot and sour soup, tea-roasted duck, noodles, and teas are common popular food items that even we Americans have the blessing to enjoy!

When we think about South Korea now, we tend to go straight to popular culture such as K-pop, K-drama, and Korean talk shows. However, Korea is so much more than that! In a beautiful blend of local, Chinese, and Japanese influence, one can clearly see the amazing advancement of South Korea's culture. One example of Korean culture can be found within the ancient folk villages, called "Hanok" (한넉) which the inhabitants live as though they are alive during the Three Kingdoms Period (c. 18 BC-660 AD). They wear the traditional Hanbok, live in sturdy brick and straw homes, and even use some old-Korean dialects!

Japanese culture values honor and respect and is more influenced by Buddhist and Shinto teachings, unlike the sister countries of South Korea and China. Arts are very respected in Japan and have evolved into a wide arrange of styles over the years. Ancient arts include calligraphy, dance, tea ceremony, martial arts, and the art of Samurai while more modern arts are focused on music and the popular Japanese animation style called "Anime".

However, not all aspects of Asian culture are beautiful. In China, there is such a severe lack of females that many men will die alone with now family of their own. This is a product of general male preference/sexism in Chinese society. With South Korea there is the brother nation of North Korea, which is emerging as a powerful communist state who is currently making terrifying nuclear warfare advancements. Japan, to us Americans, can also seem as scary as North Korea because of our conflicts in WWII, started by the bombing of our own Pearl Harbor.

Economics and Politics

Most people think of Asia as being communist. However, there is a good mix of government/political types in Eastern Asia. China is obviously communist but as for Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and Taiwan, they are vastly different from communist China. They are unitary states, with a presidential seat and a republic/democracy-type election system.

Two examples of current political conflict currently taking place are the COVID-19 pandemic and Taiwanese Nation conflict. Currently, global powers are calling on China to take responsibility for the Coronavirus pandemic, however, it seems China is busy trying to force Hong Kong and Taiwan to give up their independence to become part of communist China.

Economically, most of this region is very well off and among the most advanced in the world today. South Korea and China are the most advanced, followed by the other three nations of Japan, Mongolia, and Taiwan. Their economic success is contributed to their fascination and dedication to technology. Most of the modern technology we use today, such as cars and computers, are an Asian brand!

Conclusion

East Asia is an expansive, diverse, and absolutely stunning area of the world. There is so much to be seen, learned, taught, and immersed in! Everything from the expansive landscapes of the mountains and deserts to the rich culture and food, Asia itself is truly a wonder of mankind.