EyeOpener Gallery Tours: China at The British Museum

Although many parts of Asia have long been connected through trade, commerce and shared religious systems, there are strong regional differences. In addition to major variations in language, Asia has developed localised cultural networks, patterns of government, technology and styles of artistic representation. Room 33 explores the history of the material and visual cultures of the continent. The South Asia section uses objects to chart the major religious systems developed in India: Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. It also examines the impact of these religious systems on Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Tibet. The impact of Buddhism in central and east Asia is also explored in the Chinese section. Chinese civilisation is traced chronologically from the Neolithic period to the twentieth century.