CULTURE, RELIGION, PEOPLE AND

FACTS
 JAPAN

 Japan (Nippon or Nihon, literal meaning: "Origin of Sun") is a country in Far East
Asia, made up of a chain of islands - located between the Pacific Ocean and the
Sea of Japan, east of the Korean peninsula.
 Known as the Land of the Rising Sun, its 13 centuries of recorded history have
created a distinctive culture.
 The Japanese name Nippon is used on stamps and for international sporting
events, while Nihon is used more often within Japan.
 It is from the Chinese version of the name that the English Japan was derived.
 The early Mandarin Chinese word for Japan was recorded by Marco Polo as
Cipangu.
 In Malay the Chinese word became Japang and was thus encountered by
Portuguese traders in Moluccas in the 16th century.
 It is thought the Portuguese traders were the first to bring the word to Europe.
 It was first recorded in English in 1577 spelled Giapan.
 CHINA

 The People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in 1949 after the
Communist Party defeated the nationalist Kuomintang, who retreated
to Taiwan, creating two rival Chinese states - the PRC on the mainland
and the Republic of China based on Taiwan.
 After stagnating for decades under the rigid authoritarian socialism of
founder Mao Zedong, China reformed its economy along partly
capitalist lines to make it one of the world's fastest-growing, as well its
leading exporter. China is now a major overseas investor, and is
pursuing an increasingly assertive foreign and defence policy.
 But economic change has not been matched by political reform, and
the Communist Party retains a tight grip on political life and much of
wider society.
 KOREA

 South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea
is an East Asian country occupying the southern half of
the Korean Peninsula.
To the north, it is bordered by North Korea (Democratic
People's Republic of Korea), with which it was united
until 1945.
To the west, across the Yellow Sea, lies China and to
the southeast, across the Korea Strait, lies Japan.
 INDIA

 The Republic of India, located in the south of Asia and comprising most of the Indian
subcontinent, is the second most populous country in the world and is the world's
largest democracy with over one billion people and more than one hundred distinct
languages.

 The Indian economy is the fourth-largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power
parity.

 The name India is derived from Sindhu, the local name for the river Indus.

 The country is called Bharat (pronounced as bhaarat; after the wise and pious King
Bharata of ancient times) among Indians.

 India borders Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan on land, with
Sri Lanka and the Maldives just across the Indian mainland in the Indian Ocean.
 INDONESIA

 The Republic of Indonesia is a large archipelago located
between the South East Asian peninsula and Australia,
between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Indonesia borders Malaysia on the island of Borneo,
Papua New Guinea on the island of New Guinea and
East Timor on the island of Timor.

Republik Indonesia
 JAPAN

Religion
 95% of Japanese citizens adhere to a syncretic blend
of Shintoism and Buddhism. There are minorities of
under 1% of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs.
 Shinto is the native religion of Japan, which developed in
prehistoric times. It is a polytheistic faith, emphasizing
the divinity of the natural world. Shintoism does not have
a holy book or founder. Most Japanese Buddhists belong
to the Mahayana school, which came to Japan from Baekje
Korea in the sixth century.
 In Japan, Shinto and Buddhist practices are combined into
a single religion, with Buddhist temples being built at the
sites of important Shinto shrines.
 CHINA
Religion

 Under the communist system, religion has been officially
discouraged in China. Actual suppression has varied
from one religion to another, and from year to year.
 Many Chinese are nominally Buddhist and/or Taoist, but
don't practice regularly. People who self-identify as
Buddhist total about 50 per cent, overlapping with the 30
per cent who are Taoist. Fourteen percent are atheists,
four percent Christians, 1.5 per cent Muslims, and tiny
percentages are Hindu, Bon, or Falun Gong adherents.
 Most Chinese Buddhists follow Mahayana or Pure Land
Buddhism, with smaller populations of Theravada
and Tibetan Buddhists.
 KOREA

Religion
 As of 2010, 43.3 percent of South Koreans had no religious
preference.
 The largest religion was Buddhism, with 24.2 percent,
followed by all Protestant Christian denominations, at 24
percent, and Catholics, at 7.2 percent.
 There are also tiny minorities who cite Islam or
Confucianism, as well as local religious movements such
as Jeung San Do, Daesun Jinrihoe or Cheondoism. These
syncretic religious movements are millenarian and draw
from Korean shamanism as well as imported Chinese and
Western belief systems.
 INDIA

Religion
 Greater India is the birthplace of a number of religions,
including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
Currently, about 80% of the population is Hindu, 13% is
Muslim, 2.3% Christian, 1.9% Sikh, and there are smaller
populations of Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Jews and Jains.
 Historically, two religious branches of thought developed
in ancient India. The Shramana led to Buddhism and
Jainism, while the Vedic tradition developed into
Hinduism. Modern India is a secular state, but religious
tensions do flare from time to time, particularly between
Hindus and Muslims or Hindus and Sikhs.
 INDONESIA

Religion
 Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country, with 86% of
the population professing Islam. In addition, almost 9% of the
population is Christian, 2% are Hindu, and 3% are Buddhist or
animist.
 Nearly all of the Hindu Indonesians live on the island of Bali;
most of the Buddhists are ethnic Chinese. The Constitution
of Indonesia guarantees freedom of worship, but the state
ideology specifies a belief in only one God.
 Long a commercial hub, Indonesia acquired these faiths from
traders and colonizers. Buddhism and Hinduism came from
Indian merchants; Islam arrived via Arab and Gujarati traders.
Later, the Portuguese introduced Catholicism and the Dutch
Protestantism.
 JAPAN

CULTURE
 Tea ceremonies are a common part of Japanese culture.
 Another Japanese tradition that is extremely prevalent
throughout the culture is gift giving.
 Whenever you are out drinking with Japanese people, you’re
going to hear the word “Kampai” quite a few times. This is
akin to “Cheers” in English-speaking countries and
translates to “dry glass” or “bottoms up”.
 While in Japan, foreigners might find it odd to see people
sleeping in public places like on trains, park benches, and
similar locations. Pay no attention to this, however, as it is
quite common. It is called inemuri, which translates to “sleep
while being present.”
 CHINA

CULTURE
 China is influenced deeply by Confucianism
 China is "the Middle Kingdom"
 There is great emphasis on family
 Ping pong is the most popular sport in China
 Chinese calligraphy is a revered art form
 Chinese kung fu can be dated back to primeval society
 Tea can show your social status in China
 The Han are the majority, and officially China
has 55 minorities
 Traditional Chinese festivals are key to Chinese culture
 Fortune cookies are not a thing in China — but food really is
 KOREA
CULTURE 
 Upon release of ‘Gangnam Style’ in 2012, South Korean musician Psy, became an
unlikely global treasure; loved and imitated by Prime Ministers and small children alike.
 South Korean men like to make the most of their appearances and, as such, it is believed
that almost a quarter of men use makeup as part of their daily routine.
 Women too like to make the most of their appearances which places South Korea in the
prime position of the country with the highest per capita cosmetic procedures globally.
 Partnering Japan in this honourable accolade, South Korea has the lowest number of
obese citizens in the world.
 The number four is considered unlucky in South Korea. In much the same way that you
won’t find a hospital bed in the UK numbered 13 for example, you won’t find the ‘fourth
floor’ in South Korea and houses won’t be numbered ‘4’.
 Valentine’s Day takes on a new element in South Korea as men are the subject of gifts
and pampering.
 Like a number of other cultures, babies in South Korea are considered one year old at
birth. For those not familiar with this concept, (and to confuse you even more), following
the New Year in South Korea, everybody automatically ages a year.
 INDONESIA
CULTURE 
 The first Javanese traditional ceremony is kenduren or selametan. This
ceremony is conducted for generations as a memorial prayer led by
traditional elders or religious leaders.
 Larung sesaji ceremony is a ceremony held by Javanese living on the
north and south coast of Java. The ceremony is held as a manifestation of
gratitude for the catch of fish during their fishing and as a request that
they always be given safety when in business.
 Baritan ceremony is a ceremony held to reject the plague. This tradition
comes from the Indramayu area. Baritan word probably comes from the
Sundanese language which means “time before sunset” between the
hours of 4 p.m to 6 p.m.
 Sekaten is a Javanese traditional ceremony held in seven days as a
memorial of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. In Javanese
traditional marriage is also known as a very unique and sacred marriage
ceremony. This marriage tradition is very known for its unique stages
that must be passed by the bride and the groom.
 INDIA

CULTURE
 There is no official language in India, according to a Gujarat
High Court ruling in 2010 .Many people living in India also
write in Devanagari script. In fact, it is a misconception that the
majority of people in India speak Hindi.
 India is identified as the birthplace of Hinduism and
Buddhism, the third and fourth largest religions.
 When the Moghul Empire invaded during the sixteenth
century, they left a significant mark on the Indian Cuisine.
Indian cuisine is also influenced by many other countries. It is
known for its large assortment of dishes and its liberal use of
herbs and spices. Cooking styles vary from region to region.
 The most well-known example of Indian architecture
is the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah
Jahan to honor his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It

combines elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman
Turkish and Indian architectural styles. India also
has many ancient temples.
 Indian clothing is closely identified with the colorful silk saris
worn by many of the country’s women. The traditional clothing
for men is the dhoti, an unstitched piece of cloth that is tied


around the waist and legs. Men also wear a kurta, a loose shirt
that is worn about knee-length. For special occasions, men wear
a sherwani, which is a long coat that is buttoned up to the collar
and down to the knees. The Nehru jacket is a shorter version of
a sherwani.