The culture of Asia encompasses the collective and diverse customs and traditions of art, architecture, music, literature, lifestyle, philosophy, politics and religion that have been practiced and maintained by the numerous ethnic groups of the continent of Asia since prehistory. Identification of a specific culture of Asia or universal elements among the colossal diversity that has emanated from multiple cultural spheres and three of the four ancient River valley civilizations is complicated. However, the continent is commonly divided into five geographic sub-regions, that are characterized by perceivable commonalities, like culture, religion, language and relative ethnic homogeneity. These regions are Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and West Asia.The Chinese script is one of the oldest continuously used writing systems in the world, and has been a major unifying force and medium for conveying Chinese culture in East Asia. Classical Chinese was the literary language of elites and bureaucrats. Historically used throughout the region, it is still in use by Chinese diaspora communities around the world, as well as in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and pockets of Southeast Asia.

2. The culture of Asia encompasses the collective and diverse
customs and traditions of art, architecture, music, literature, lifestyle,
philosophy, politics and religion that have been practiced and
maintained by the numerous ethnic groups of the continent of Asia since
prehistory. Identification of a specific culture of Asia or universal
elements among the colossal diversity that has emanated from multiple
cultural spheres and three of the four ancient River valley civilizations is
complicated. However, the continent is commonly divided into five
geographic sub-regions, that are characterized by perceivable
commonalities, like culture, religion, language and relative ethnic
homogeneity. These regions are Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia,
Southeast Asia and West Asia.

3. Cultures from each Subcontinents

4. East Asia
The Chinese script is one of the oldest continuously
used writing systems in the world, and has been a
major unifying force and medium for conveying
Chinese culture in East Asia. Classical Chinese was
the literary language of elites and bureaucrats.
Historically used throughout the region, it is still in
use by Chinese diaspora communities around the
world, as well as in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and
pockets of Southeast Asia.

5. South Asia
Evidence of Neolithic culture has been found
throughout the modern states Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, India,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka that represent South
Asia (also known as the Indian
subcontinent). The great significance of the
Vedic texts (that don't mention cities or urban
life) for South Asian culture, their impact on
family, societal organisation, religion, morale,
literature etc.
Vedic texts

6. SouthEast Asia
A common feature found around the region are stilt
houses. These houses are elevated on stilts so that water
can easily pass below them in case of a flood. Another
shared feature is rice paddy agriculture, which originated
in Southeast Asia thousands of years ago. Dance drama
is also a very important feature of the culture, utilizing
movements of the hands and feet perfected over
thousands of years. Furthermore, the arts and literature of
Southeast Asia is very distinctive as some have been
influenced by Indian (Hindu), Chinese, Buddhist, and
Islamic literature.

7. Central Asia
Central Asia, in between the Caspian
Sea and East Asia. The region was
conquered and dominated by a variety of
cultures, such as the Chinese, Greeks,
Mongols, Persians, Tatars, Russians, and
Sarmatians. As some Central Asian
areas have been inhabited by nomadic
people, numerous urban centers have
developed in a distinct local character.

8. West Asia
Today, almost 93% of Western Asia's inhabitants are Muslim and is characterized by
political Islamic, with the exception of Israel, a Jewish state. At its north-western end,
Armenia and Georgia have an unmistakable Christian tradition, while Lebanon shares a
large Christian and a large Muslim community. Ethnically, the region is dominated by Arab,
Persian, Kurdish, Azerbaijani, and Turkish people. Among them smaller indigenous groups
are the Jews, Assyrians, Druze, Samaritans, Yazidis and Mandeans.

9. Some of the Notable Traditions

10. Different greetings
While you might be used to a handshake, it’s not always the
best way to greet someone in Asia. In Thailand, the main way
to greet someone is the ‘wai’. You bring your hands together
in a prayer gesture and give a slight bow or nod of the head
while saying hello or goodbye. You should also acknowledge
the oldest people in the room when you arrive and leave, as
this is a great sign of respect. In Japan and South Korea,and
china, bowing can be used as a greeting and symbol of
respect. You perform a bow by bending from the waist with
your back straight and eyes down. On the other hand,
Filipinos greet elders with “mano” to show respect.

11. Mind your head and feet
In many Asian cultures, the head is considered the
most sacred part of the body. You should never
touch anyone on the head – even children or
Buddha statues. On the other end, feet are
considered the dirtiest part of the body as they
touch the ground and are furthest from the head.
You should never point the soles of your feet at
anyone or anything sacre. If you’re sitting down in a
temple, restaurant or home, remember to keep
your feet politely tucked beneath you.

12. Share your food
Another common Asian tradition is sharing food.
Most Asian households like to prepare a bunch of
dishes and share them all together around a big
table. Each Asian country has its own unique
traditions. For example in China or Japan, you
should never leave your chopsticks standing up in
your bowl, as this is similar to funeral practices. If
you’re finished with your meal, simply lay them to
the side on the table or on a special chopsticks rest.

13. Public displays of affection
In practically every Asian culture, it’s rude for members of the
opposite sex to kiss, hug or hold hands in public. These are
considered to be intimate acts that are only done in private.
Holding hands
On the flip side, hand-holding between people of the same
gender is totally okay in many Asian countries like India. It’s
simply seen as a sign of companionship.

14. Asian New Year traditions
In most Asian cultures, New Year is a big
deal. And they don’t all celebrate it on
January 1st. China and Vietnam celebrate
the date according to the Lunar calendar
(usually at the start of February), while
Thailand, Cambodia and Laos celebrate
their Buddhist New Year in April.