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Asia

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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
Japanese print depicting scenes where Western, Japanese and Chinese people interact at a trading house

Sadahide Utagawa, Yokohama ijin shōkan no zu, 1861, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151495391

Introduction to the Asian language collection

Learn what is available and how you can find and access items in our Asian language collections in this webinar.

Learning activity for adults
Video
Rima Febriani sitting on an armchair in the Main Reading Room

Rima Febriani, 2025 National Library of Australia Asia Study Grant Scholar

The archive of desires: Tracing sexual knowledge in Indonesia

Learn about National Library of Australia Asia Study Grant Scholar Rima Febriani’s research exploring how ideas about sexuality developed in postcolonial Indonesia.

Blog
A woman with red hair and glasses holding a book with the fold out pages

Caitlin Hughes, 2025 National Library of Australia Scholar

Regional identity and contemporary expression in Eastern Indonesian arts

Learn about 2025 National Library of Australia Scholar Caitlin Hughes’ research into interdisciplinary art in Indonesia. 

Blog
A woman stands on the right-hand side of this image holding a cleaning tool and applying it to a plaque. A man is on the left-hand side watching the cleaning process.

Associate Professor Nicole Tse undertaking some test cleaning of a plaque while Michael Lam looks on

Community Heritage Grant: See Yup Society

Learn about the See Yup Temple, recipient of a 2025 Community Heritage Grant.

Blog
Woman with dark hair, Suprawee (Earn) Asanasak, standing in the stacks of the Library smiling and holding a book

2024 Asia Study Grant recipient Miss Suprawee (Earn) Asanasak

Painting a picture of 19th and 20th century Thai law

Hear about Suprawee (Earn) Asanasak 2024 Asia Study Grant research. 

Blog
Exhibitions team member Nicole Schwirtlich in the galleries
Learn with the curators of the Treasures Gallery

Learn with the curatorial team behind the recently refreshed Treasures Gallery and hear some of their favourite stories behind the collections and services of the Library.

Learning activity for adults
Video
Natasha Naidu standing at a desk behind a stack of books holding one open and smiling at the camera
Beyond the agreement: The regulation of Indian indentured labour in Fiji

Learn about National Library of Australia Scholar Natasha Naidu's research into the regulation of Indian indentured labour in Fiji, 1879–1916.

Blog
An illustration depicting a traditional Confucian story of filial piety.

A portion of the page featuring an illustration of a traditional Confucian story of filial piety from Oryun Haengsil, Volume 1, Image 163, 
nla.obj-3925957800. 

Hallyu and the Oryun Haengsil

Learn more about the Library's exhibitions loan program, as Oryun Haengsil goes on display at Hallyu! The Korean Wave at the National Museum of Australia.

Blog
There is a pond at the base of this image with manicured gardens stretching up the hill behind it. A semi-enclosed outdoor seating area sits halfway up the image on the right-hand side.

Part of the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre.

Community Heritage Grant: Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre

Learn about the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, recipient of a 2025 Community Heritage Grant.

Blog
A large, old text with Chinese characters is bound with traditional thread stitching, sitting on a shelf, supported by a white fabric strap wrapped around its cover. The edges of the pages are uneven, showing wear with the stitching slightly frayed. Other colourful books with Chinese characters are lined up alongside it on the shelf.
Chinese collections research guide

Get help to find and access material from the Library’s Chinese collection and beyond.

Research guide
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

In a recently completed project we called for material from Australians with Indian heritage to add to the national collection. 

Information article

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