History of Early Southeast Asia

by Kenneth R. Hall

This comprehensive history provides a fresh interpretation of Southeast Asia from 100 to 1500, when major social and economic developments foundational to modern societies took place on the mainland (Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam) and the island world (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines). Kenneth R. Hall explores this dynamic era in detail, which was notable for growing external contacts, internal adaptations of nearby cultures, and progressions from hunter-gatherer and agricultural communities to inclusive hierarchical states. In the process, formerly local civilizations became major participants in period's international trade networks. Incorporating the latest archeological evidence and international scholarship, Kenneth Hall enlarges upon prior histories of early Southeast Asia that did not venture beyond 1400, extending the study of the region to the Portuguese seizure of Melaka in 1511. Written for a wide audience of non-specialists, the book will be essential reading for all those interested in Asian and world history.

Genres: History

398 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 2010

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This survey of Southeast Asia will be very useful for me as a World History teacher. Hall grounds his survey of the political economies of the region up to the early sixteenth century at the intersection of the local and the interregional. Southeast Asian societies were more than products of India, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultural exports. SEA elites fused cultural elements from outside the region with indigenous understandings. Hall has revised his own understandings of the region based on further research, especially archaeology and epigraphic inscriptions.

One implication that I will incorporate more into my teaching is that monumental architecture and the largest polities used both agricultural surpluses from wet-rice agriculture and mercantile surpluses from sea-based trade.

Gender analysis and women's history are weak areas of the book. Although "Societal Development" is part of the subtitled the book is squarely focused on political economy as managed by male elites, with early Vietnam a notable exception.

[Aditya Pratama · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, I can say is one the most comprehensive maritime trade histories in Southeast Asia, written by a very experienced Southeast Asian specialist, Kenneth R. Hall who basically argues in this book that long before Southeast Asians contacted and interacted with the Chinese and the Indians, maritime trade had occurred and been initiated by Southeast Asians themselves, so in this regard, contrary to Georges Coedes who states that there were waves of Indianization in Southeast Asia which creating an advanced civilization the region, Hall argues that Southeast Asia had its own unique civilization which not because of indianization.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for HIST 3950 - I definitely learned a lot while reading this book, but then again prior to taking this class I knew absolutely nothing about early Southeast Asian history. I liked that it traced several different areas on both the mainland and islands, mostly with a trade-oriented focus. However, there were times I wish there wasn't so much information on every page because I felt like there was so much to take notes on and so many similar sounding names that made it confusing at points. I also thought it was kind of dry but I guess it still is not as dry as some of the other readings I have been assigned in this class.

[teohjitkhiam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite rare for me to find far-reaching historical studies on early Southeast Asia & especially an engaging one such as this. It sheds light not just on the past, but implicitly reveals glimpses of patterns in the present-day, & maritime ambitions for the future by regional powers, largely bound by geography & compounded by the long arch of history. Unfortunately for Malaysia's rather rabid ultra-nationalists eager to prove a point of supremacy or two, the much fabled Han Li Po & so-called uncut vegetables aren't mentioned as part of the discourse on the Malacca sultanate-Ming dynasty interactions. #Goodreads