Art In Asia

When ancient civilizations in Asia flourished, trade became a very important activity. In the process of
establishing trading relationships among Asian countries, they started sharing their cultures and belief
systems. China being one of the oldest civilizations in Asia, has a rich history when it comes to culture
and the arts. Most of their cultural and even religious beliefs and practices are represented through
different artworks. Japan was initially influenced by China in terms of the arts. Later on, they opened
themselves to the Western world, allowing for the fusion of East and West. Both Chinese and Japanese
artworks are concrete manifestations of their cultural identity as people. Philippine art was a product of
several periods in history spanning from the pre-colonial period to the contemporary times. Depending
on a given context, art in the Philippines has served various uses from everyday living to expression of
belief systems and advocacies.