Asia | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Asia

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Two people bending over a desk and looking at a book.

National Library of Australia staff looking at an album of paintings of Indian native costume on mica.

Collecting the stories of the Indian diaspora in Australia

We're actively looking for stories from Australians with Indian heritage to add to the national collection.

Information article
Japanese portrait of a women reading

Bijin Shinobazunoike o nozomu, Beauty looking at Shinobazu Pond (1895), nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn5744665

Asian collections

The Asian language collections cover a broad range of formats and focus on contemporary Asia from the 19th century onwards 

Information article
Collection guide
Australian Buddhist Library

Tripitakas, books and audio recordings dealing with Buddhist history, biography, literature, doctrines, philosophy and way of life and Buddhist folk tales.

Collection guide
Map of East India Islands, Dutch colonies, with Thailand, French colonies, Indochina and Malay Peninsula.

Henry Otley Bayer, Malay Archipelag 1:8,500,000, 1942, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-580711626/view

Beyer Collection

Papers, including manuscripts on Philippine ethnography, books and pamphlets in various languages on a wide range of subjects with a focus on the Philippines, photographs and printed and manuscript maps collected by Henry Otley Beyer.

Collection guide
Nine medals awarded to J.P. and J.M. Braga, including an OBE awarded to J.P. Braga

Medals awarded to J.P. and J.M. Braga, including an OBE awarded to J.P. Braga, 1935, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147186954

Braga Collection

Family papers, maps of the Hong Kong and Macau region, pictures, photographs and a large collection of books and pamphlets predominantly historical works, particularly histories of Portugal, the Portuguese colonies, China and Japan.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Bronwyn Thomas Collection

Extensive personal papers and about 200 books and serials mostly relating to Chinese art but also including some works on Chinese history, language and literature and reprints of early travels. 

Collection guide
Collection guide
Burke Collection

Papers, photographs, ephemera, books and journals from Europe, Asia, America and Australia ranging from 1850-1950 collected by Eric Keast Burke.

Collection guide
Sepia photograph of a monastery with people stanidng on the balconies

Adam Whyte, King Theebaw's monastery, Fort Mandalay, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151519086

Burmese collection

The Burmese collections at the National Library of Australia consist of thousands of books, journals and microfilm holdings in Burmese language and Burma/Myanmar-related materials.

Information article
A black and white photograph of Khmer Temple gate surrounded by trees

Yves Coffin, [Northern gates of Angkor Thom, view from the south], nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140374407

Cambodian collection

The Library maintains a small but significant collection of Khmer language materials; it consists of publications mainly from Cambodia, plus some from the Cambodian-Australian community in Australia.

Information article
Collection guide
Carmona Collection

Books and pamphlets relating to Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia, mostly published in Portugal or the colonies from 1840-1950.

Collection guide
Complete Map of the Everlasting Unity of the Great Qing (Da Qing wannian yitong dili quantu)

After Huang Qianren (1694–1771), Complete Map of the Everlasting Unity of the Great Qing (Da Qing wannian yitong dili quantu), Jiaqing period (1796–1820), National Library of China

Celestial Empire

Module

This resource is aligned to Australian Curriculum: History for Year 9 students. It engages students with a rich selection of historical sources and challenges them to draw their own conclusions about the Qing Dynasty.

Digital Classroom
Dancers wearing tradition lion costume performing for Chinese New Year. There are two lions, one red and one yellow, with two people in each costume. Behind them stand spectators and a drummer

Jiayuan Liang, Chung Yee Tong Lion Dance Team performing lion dances, Chinese New Year, Chinatown, Adelaide, 2022, nla.obj-3125334254

Chinese collection

The Chinese collection of the National Library is a rich source of information on the history, culture and current affairs of China.

Information article

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