Chinese heritage:  Symphony Akelba Christian, a Chinese literature lecturer at Bunda Mulia University, talks during a recent public discussion entitled “Historical Asia: China” held by the 1001 Indonesia community and Periplus Bookstores in Kemang, South Jakarta. The community and Periplus have organized a year-long program called “The Historical Asia: Indonesia-China-India” that started the season with a look at books on China.A community explores the cultural exchange among three of Asia’s biggest nations through literature.There is no mistaking the sharp resemblance between the cultural makeup of Indonesia and the cultural heritage of China and India. It’s a fact that encourages Indonesianists — historians and those concerned with the richness and diversity of Indonesian culture — to delve deeper into the ongoing history of the Asian powers.

“There are hi...