"Merchant communities have come increasingly into focus as a dynamic area of academic study. This book is the first to use local primary sources to explore the interaction between foreign and native merchants in Asian countries. Contributors discuss the different economic, political and cultural conditions that gave rise to a variety of merchant communities in Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Singapore and India. The book complements existing research on merchant communities in Europe and shows the importance of Asian mercantile communities to the growth of a global economic system. It will be of interest to economic and business historians, as well as those researching Asian and world history."--Pub. desc