| 1368–1644 | Ming Dynasty in China |
| 1405–1433 | Zheng He’s naval expeditions |
| 1407–1420 | Construction of Beijing as Chinese capital |
| 1467–1600 | Period of civil war in Japan |
| ca. 1500–1600 | Increased availability of books for general audiences in China |
| 1549 | First Jesuit missionaries land in Japan |
| 1557 | Portuguese set up trading base at Macao |
| 1603–1867 | Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan |
| 1615 | Battle of Osaka leads to persecution of Christians in Japan |
| 1629 | Tokugawa government bans actresses from the stage |
| 1639 | Japan closes its borders |
| 1644–1911 | Qing Dynasty in China |
| 1793 | Lord Macartney’s diplomatic visit to China |