“Age of Exploration” “Before the sixteenth century the Europeans saw Asia to the east of the Indus as a shadowy image relayed to them through intermediaries, a circumstance which led to the mixing of myth with fact” (Lach, 1991). The Westerners’ notion about Asia became a reality when they themselves were able to sojourn on Asia. Westerners regarded East Asia in three ways. First, they thought of East Asia as their main ground for resources. As it was the Age of Exploration, they were in search for goods; goods that can be sold in the market. A clear example of this is on how they exploited the natural resources of Asia while in search for commodities, especially for spices. Second, East Asia for them is a place for evangelization of the heathens, and to proselytize the pagan Asians. Religious motives will always be a powerful catalyst for the Westerners to explore the world and influence its people. Third and last, Westerners view East Asia as a zone where they can manifest their glory. They execute this into actions by ruling foreign lands; which has been seen as a mark of nation’s strength and wealth (Junta De Andalucia, n.d.). These are the three ways how the Westerners regarded East Asia. …show more content…
Therefore, the Westerners took into consideration the writings of Marco Polo, and through his writings it paved way for the explorers of the 15th century upto the 17th century to discover and experience East Asia. Also, Westerners’ perceptions about East Asia made some huge impacts. One is, it made them economically and culturally rich. Moreover, these perceptions were considered as a driving force for the Westerners to explore and discover not only East Asia, but also the