Spanning more than a millennium, this anthology gathers literary sources from across the entire region of Southeast Asia. Its 24 selections derive from a variety of genres and reflect the diverse range of cultural influences the region has experienced. The literary excerpts illustrate the impact of religious and ideological currents from early Buddhism to Islam and Roman Catholicism. The selections reveal how cultural influences from South Asia, China, the Arabic world, and Europe arrived in Southeast Asia and left their marks in the realms of literature, society, and culture. The readings include religious works, folklore, epic poems, short stories, and the modern novel. They range from the Cambodian medieval version of the Ramayana to the 16th century Javanese tales to modern Thai short stories and include selections from Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, and Burma.Spanning more than a millennium, this anthology gathers literary sources from across the entire region of Southeast Asia.
George Edson Dutton is Professor in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at UCLA, US and the Director of the UCLA Center for Southeast Asian Studies. He specializes in early modern through early colonial Vietnamese history.
Chapter 1 Kawi Inscription from Java, Anonymous; Chapter 2 Shwegugyi Pagoda Inscription, King Alaungsithu; Chapter 3 Viet Dinh U Linh Tap, Ly Te Xuyen; Chapter 4 Maniyadanabon, Shin Sandalinka; Chapter 5 Truyen Ky Man Luc, Nguyen Du; Chapter 6 Sejarah Melayu, Tun Sri Lanang; Chapter 7 Prince Samuttakote, Phra Maharatchakhru; Chapter 8 Reamker, Anonymous; Chapter 9 Tale of Kieu, Nguyen Du; Chapter 10 Glass Palace Chronicle; Chapter 11 Babad Dipanagara, Pagneran Dipanagara; Chapter 12 Rantjak Dilabueh, Anonymous; Chapter 13 Noli Me Tangere, Jos? Rizal; Chapter 14 Letters of a Javanese Princess, Raden Adjeng Kartini; Chapter 15 Dumb Luck, Vu Trong Phung; Chapter 16 Oil, Thein Pe Myint; Chapter 17 Return, l³g