Découvertes de l'Asie

An exploration of Asia based on the itineraries of Asians and Europeans who began traveling throughout the continent in the earliest centuries of our era.

The spread of Buddhism in Asia:

• Between the fourth and the seventh centuries, three Chinese pilgrims in search of manuscripts (Faxian, Xuanzang et Yijing) traveled to India along the Silk road and the maritime routes that linked the Far East and the subcontinent.

The first Westerners to discover Asia:

• Commercial and other motives prompted the voyages of 14th century Italian traveler Odoric of Pordenone, who sailed from Europe to Japan, stopping in, among other places, southern Indian and the islands of South Asia.
• Lastly, French colonial civil servant Auguste Pavie traveled throughout continental Southeast Asia. One section will be devoted to the restoration of the temples of Angkor.