Library Research Guide for History 2690: Asia in the Modern World

This is a rough list of biographical works on Asia.  Some of the citations are incomplete; we can help find them.  Some of these works may only be available in print.

Asia, Southeastern

Dalby, Andrew, 1993. South East Asia : a guide to reference material. London; NY: Hans Zell Publishers, 302 p.  
Widener | RR 3930.7.5
--Biography chapter (Pp. 66-82) gives many more sources.

South Asia

Indexes

Scholberg, Henry. South Asia biographical dictionary index. Bibliotheca Asiatica; 19. Zug, Switzerland: IDC, c1987.
LOCATION: Widener: RR 1646.10 Library has: 2 v.
--Indexes about 43,000 persons in about 100 biographical series and dictionaries.  Names only partially standardized, so one must look under all possible forms.

Asia (by country)

Afghanistan

Collective Biography

Historical and political who's who of Afghanistan / by Ludwig W. Adamec. Graz : Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, 1975. ix, 385 p., [60] leaves : geneal. tables ; Widener | WID-LC | DS355 .A3
--Offers concise biographical information on about 1,500 persons. In four parts: Who is who, 1945-1974; Who was who, 1747-1945; Afghan government positions, 1901-1974; Genealogies of important Afghan families in 92 tables. First Supplement 229701 1979 includes who's who section, followed by diplomatic list, corrections to the first edition, addenda, and a list of "Afghan government positions, 1978-1979."

Adamec, Ludwig W. A biographical dictionary of contemporary Afghanistan. Austria : Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, 1987, 252 p.
Widener | WID-LC | DS371.A2 A33 1987
--Includes about 1600 biographies of government, military, religious, professional, academic, artistic/literary persons, living and deceased, active since 1945.  Persons in his earlier books are included only for additions or corrections.  Includes lists of government ministers and their deputies (1919- ) and of Afghan diplomats and foreign diplomats in Kabul.  Glossary of Afghan terms and 384 photos of biographees. 

Biographies of Afghan Personalities of Yesterday and Today

The biographical dictionary of greater India / edited by Henry Scholberg. New Delhi : Promilla & Co., 1998. 406 p. ; Widener | WID-LC | DS434 .B56 1998
--Covers 157 persons over whole history of South Asia, stressing India but including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Entries alphabetical within chapters on major periods (ancient India through the 20th century) or topics (Great Rebellion, scholars, etc.). Some non-South Asians included. Entries have references.  Name/title index.

Bangladesh

Collective Biography

Who's who in Bangladesh art, culture, literature, 1901-1991 / [compiled & edited by] Abul Fazal Shamsuzzaman. Dhaka : Tribhuj Prakashani, 1992. 303 p.
Widener | WID-LC | NX576.8.B3 W47 1992   NIS
--Short biographical sketches on 573 notables of whom 198 are deceased. Many with photos. Predominantly literary figures. Index by art form, e.g., singer, writer, actor.      

Contemporary

Islam, Manu,  Who's who in Bangladesh 2000. Dhaka: Centre for Bangladesh Culture, 2001, 192 p.
--Entries on 374 cultural figures, with photographs. 

Who's who in Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh : Times Publications
DS 393.w46x Holdings : 1982, 1984
--Gives short career outlines on some 400 living Bangladeshis, arranged in chapters by category of distinction. Lacks a name index.  Apparently only two eds. (1982, 1984) were published. 

Brunei

Collective Biography

Horton, A. V. M.   Negara Brunei Darussalam : a biographical dictionary  (1841-1998).   4th ed, rev. expanded and updated.   Bordesley, Worcestershire : AVM Horton, 1999.   2 v. (xxii, 850 p.).   
Widener | WID-LC | DS650.44 .H676 1998x 
--Note: Earlier eds. 1995, 1996. 1998.
--Brief information on about 10,000 persons, living and deceased.  Sources indicated.  Ends with lists of government officials, glossary, and list of abbreviations (including those for cited sources).

Cambodia

Collective Biography

Brebion, Antoine. Dictionnaire de bio-bibliographie g_n_rale, ancienne et moderne de l'Indochine Francais. ??auteur par Antoine Cabaton. Paris, Soci_t_ d'Éditions G_ographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales, 1935, 446 p. ( Acad_mie des Sciences Coloniales. Annales, t. 8 )
Widener  |  LSoc 1621.87.10 vol.8  
--About 1600 biographies of indigenous persons and Europeans, with lists of their publications (including periodical articles) and secondary works.  Covers 16th century to early 20th century. Includes some living persons. Includes several chronological lists, e.g., Kings and Protectors of Cambodia, Missionaries, etc. Subject index to occupations and activities. Published in Annales, Academie des Sciences Coloniales, t. 8.     

Les cles du Cambodge / by Raoul M. Jennar.  Paris: Maisonneuve et Larose, 1995.   328 p.
Widener | WID-LC | DS554.7 .J46 1995  
--"Profils cambodgiens" [biographies]: p. [183]-276.
--Brief, often very brief, biographical data (pp. 185-276) on about 450 persons living in 1995. Emphasis on government officials but with academics and other occupations represented. 

Personnalites du Cambodge. 1.- ed.; 1963- Phnom-Penh, Cambodia, Realites cambodgiennes.
LOCATION: Widener: Ind 10990.4
--Includes about 150 persons, largely government officials but also some professionals and some foreigners.  Entries have portraits.

Contemporary

Who's Who in Cambodia 2006-2007.   Phnom Penh : MBN International in partnership with Promo-Khmer, 2006. 536 p.  4th ed.
--Largely governmental and commercial information.  Biographies of Cambodian kings and other royal family members.  Names and photographs of government officials.  Not a who’s who in usual sense.

China

See the reviews of Chinese names and biographical sources in Chinese history: a manual (Chapter 3, People, pp. 95-129) and China bibliography: a research guide to reference works about China past and present 159120 (Chaper 4, Biography in China Past and Present, pp. 137-169).

The 2nd part (Persons) of James H. Cole’s Twentieth-century China, an annotated bibliography of reference works in Chinese, Japanese, and western languages is forthcoming. Internet guide for Chinese studies: biographies

Chinese Biographies, edited by Hanno E. Lecher (Internet Guide for Chinese Studies), is a useful list of online sources.

Indexes

Lodwick, Kathleen L. "The Chinese Recorder" index : a guide to Christian missions in Asia, 1867-1941. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 1986. 2 v.
Widener  |  Ch2.3.13.7
--The missionary periodical The Chinese Recorder is a major source for biographical information on Christian missionaries in China.  Vol. 1 is an index by name. Vol. 2 includes indexes of persons by affiliation and by location, together with lists of women, medical doctors, and women medical doctors.  Vol. 2 also includes indexes of non-biographical material by subject and by missions and other organizations.  There is a list of missions and other organizations by location.  The Chinese biographical dictionary Jin dai lai Hua wai guo ren ming ci dian 574384 serves to connect  names of missionaries in Chinese characters to the Western form of the name, whence it can be looked up in The Chinese Recorder" index. 

Bibliography

Wu, Eugene, 1922- Leaders of twentieth-century China; an annotated bibliography of selected Chinese biographical works in the Hoover Library. Stanford, Calif., Stanford University Press, 1956. vii, 106 p. (Hoover Institute and Library. Biographical series, 4) 
Widener | Ch 153.456.15

Collective Biography

Biographical dictionary of Chinese women / editors-in-chief, Lily Xiao Hong Lee and A.D. Stefanowska; assisted by Sue Wiles. Armonk, N.Y. : M. E. Sharpe, c1998- 1. The Qing Period, 1644-1911 -- 2. The twentieth century, 1912-2000.
Widener | WID-LC | HQ1767.5.A3 B56 1998
--Articles of variable length (most commonly two pp.). Source lists with each article. Terminal “Finding List by Background or Field of Endeavor”in each vol. Coverage: vol. 1. The Qing Period, 1644-1911; vol. 2. The twentieth century, 1912-2000; vol. 3. Antiquity through Sui, 1600 B.C.E.-618 C.E.  About 300 biographies per vol.  Vol. 2., The twentieth century, 1912-2000 (only) indexed in Biography and genealogy master index.

Notable women of China : Shang dynasty to the early twentieth century / editor-in-chief, Barbara Bennett Peterson ; associate editors, He Hong Fei ... [et al.]. Armonk, N.Y. : M.E. Sharpe, 2000, 402 p.
Harvard-Yenching  |  (W)    |  HQ1767.5.A3 N68 2000
--Articles on 91 women largely Shang-Qing with substantial source lists. Articles grouped by era. Subject index. 

Biographical dictionary of Republican China. Howard L. Boorman, editor; Richard C. Howard, associate editor. New York, Columbia University Press, 1967-79. 5 v.
Widener | Ch 153.910
--Intended as a supplement to Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing period 280396 and concentrating on figures of the period 1911-49. Includes both living and deceased persons; about 600 biographies in the complete set. The final volume includes an extensive bibliography which lists the writings by the subject of each article in the dictionary, together with the sources (books, periodicals, manuscripts) used in preparing the article. Vol. 5 is a personal name index. A substantial and scholarly work. Full text in World Biographical Information System.

Who's who in modern China : from the beginning of the Chinese Republic to the end of 1953  / by Max Perleberg. Hong Kong : Ye Olde Printerie, 1954. xii, 428 p.
 Widener | Ch 153.902   Full text in World Biographical Information System.

Chinese biographical database “is a freely accessible relational database with biographical information about approximately 470,000 individuals as of May 2020, primarily from the 7th through 19th centuries”.

A Chinese biographical dictionary / by Herbert A. Giles. London : Bernard Quaritch ; Shanghai : Kelly & Walsh, ltd.; 1898, 1022 p.
Widener | Ch 7.1
--Covers figures from the earliest, and even legendary, times to the date of publication. Not completely superseded by more recent works. Full text in World Biographical Information System.
--Many inaccuracies, some of which are corrected by E. von Zach’s "Einige Verbesserungen zu Giles' Chinese biographical dictionary," (Asia major vol. 3 (1926), pp. 545-568), Paul Pelliot’s "A propos du 'Chinese biographical dictionary' de M. H. Giles" (Asia major vol. 4 (1927), pp. 377-389) and Pelliot’s "Les Yi nien lou" T'oung pao vol. 25 (1927), pp. 65-81).  
--Indexed by Supplementary index to Giles' "Chinese biographical dictionary", by Irvin Van Gorder Gillis and Yü Ping-yüeh.

Goodman, David S. G. China's provincial leaders, 1949-1985. Atlantic Highlands, NJ : Humanities Press International, 1986-
Fung Library  |  Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies    |  DS778.A1 G66 1986  
Harvard-Yenching  |  Ref (W)    |  DS778.A1 G66 1986
--Covers from 1949 to the Communist Party conference of Sept. 1985. Lists Party and state officials, and army leaders under province, giving Pinyin and Wade-Giles names, position, and earliest/latest known dates. Based on primary source research. Vols. 2-3 were to have detailed biographies, but only vol. 1 published.

Goldfiem, Jacques de. Personnalits des provinces chinoises. Jouy-en-Josas, France: HEC Eurasia Institute, [1995] 209 p.
Widener | WID-LC | CT1822 .G66 1995x 
--For the post-1985 era. Includes 372 entries alphabetically under province with name index.  

Klein, Donald W. Biographic dictionary of Chinese communism, 1921-1965. Harvard East Asian series, 57. Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1971. 
LOCATION: Lamont: REF.ROOM DS778.A1 K55 1971
--Offers "433 biographies of men and women who contributed to the Chinese Communist movement from the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party in l92l to 1965."-lntrod.  Articles have cross-references and source notes. Appendixes provide various lists (e.g., participation in important events, travel abroad, fields of work). Bibliography. Personal name index, with names of biographees in italics. Full text in World Biographical Information System.

Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing period (1644-1912) Edited by Arthur W. Hummel. Library of Congress. Orientalia Division. Washington, United States Government Printing Office, 1943-44. 2 v. Widener | Ch 68.10    
--Over 800 sketches of eminent Chinese, dying before 1912, of the epoch ruled by the Ch'ing dynasty (1644-1912).  Detailed, authoritative, signed articles with references to sources.  Considerable information on people dying after 1912 may be found within the main articles via the name index.  Terminal list of biographees arranged in chronological order, name index (including names mentioned within biographies), index of titles of books, and subject index. Full text in World Biographical Information System.

Political leaders of modern China : a biographical dictionary / edited by Edwin Pak-wah Leung. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2002, 278 p. Widener | WID-LC | DS755.3 .P64 2002 

Who's who in China, 1918-1950 : with an index / compiled by Jerome Cavanaugh. Hong Kong : Chinese Materials Center, 1982. 3 v.
Widener | WID-LC | DS778.A1 W443 x, 1982 
--Reprints with added index and historical preface the six eds. (with supplements) of Who's who in China. Originally published: 1st ed. 1918; 2nd ed. 1920; 3rd ed. 1925; 3rd ed. Suppl. 1928?; 4th ed. 1932; 4th ed. Suppl. 1933; 5th ed. 1936; 5th ed. Suppl. 1940; 6th ed. 1950. The 5th ed. is the first in the series to include biographies of women. Full text of original eds. in World Biographical Information System.

Contemporary

China in Who's who in the socialist countries (1978).  

Who's who in the People's Republic of China / by Wolfgang Bartke ; [English translation by Franciscus Verellen]. Armonk, N.Y. : M. E. Sharpe, 1981, 729 p.
Harvard-Yenching | Ref (W) | DS778.A1 B33  1981, 1987, 1991
--Eds. 1-3 (1981, 1987, 1991).  Intended as a guide to the currently active leaders of China; information was drawn "primarily from the daily Chinese press...and reports from the Summary of World Broadcasts of the BBC." -Pref. Includes government and mass organization officials at levels specified in the standards for inclusion. Names are entered according to the pinyin system of transliteration; Chinese characters are also given. Details concerning date and place of birth, education, etc., were often not available and numerous entries consist only of positions held and a chronology of appointments and official activities. Many entries include a photograph. An extensive appendix offers background tables, lists of party, govenment, and mass organization officials, etc. The 3rd ed. "contains 4,120 biographies and includes only 40% of the contents of the 2nd ed.' (Pref.) A list of 1,340 cadres who were deceased or lost their official positions since the 2nd ed., with dates of death or "last appearance", is appended to v. 2. All three volumes indexed in Biography and genealogy master index  and full text in World Biographical Information System.

Bartke’s Who was who in the People's Republic of China includes about 3000 biographies revised from the three eds. of his Who's who in the People's Republic of China of persons who have died, resigned, emigrated. Thus persons in one of Bartke’e Who’s who eds. who are still alive and active will not be found in Who was who.

Encyclopedia of contemporary Chinese culture is a good source for post World War II Chinese cultural figures.     

Encyclopedia of contemporary Chinese culture / edited by Edward L. Davis. London ; New York : Routledge, 2005, 786 p.
Widener  |  WID-LC    |  DS779.23 .E53 2005x  

China Vitae
--Offers over 2500 biographies of current Chinese political, military, business, and academic figures.  Sophisticated searching and cross-referencing techniques available. Related database, VIP Appearances, tracks public appearances by senior Chinese officials. 

Who's who current Chinese leaders = Zhongguo dang zheng jun gao ji ling dao ren ci dian, by Meirong He. Hong Kong : Wen Wei Pub. Co. Ltd., 1st ed. 2003, 456 p.     (1989- )
Fung Library Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies DS779.28 .W56 2003x  
--Entries in English and Chinese, most with photographs. Covers about 1,800 "current senior officials at the central level and in the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions." Publishers' note, 2003 ed. Each entry provides birth date, present position, and career summary; current addresses are not listed.  List of personnel of government agencies and political parties at front.  Appendix lists major government units,  their addresses and directors.  Earlier eds.: 2001, 1998, 1994 (also on CD-ROM), 1989.  Full text of 1989 and 1994 eds. in World Biographical Information System.

Personnalits chinoises d'aujourd'hui / Jacques de Goldfiem. Paris : L'Harmattan, c1989. 377 p. 
Widener | RR1658.6.5

Chinese Communist who's who. Taipei, Institute of International Relations, 1970-71. 2 v.
--An updated English ed. of Chung kung jen ming lu.
Widener | WID-LC | DS778.A1 C4913

Who's who in Communist China. [Rev. ed.] Kowloon, Union Research Institute [1969-70] 2 v. (897 p.)
East Asian Res Ctr | 51.877.2 Harvard-Yenching | (W) | DS778.A1 W46 
--Biographies of major personalities in contemporary political, diplomatic, military, cultural, and scientific affairs. Information was drawn from the biographical files of the Union Research Institute and from major Chinese Communist and foreign publications. Text is in English, with Chinese characters added for personal and place-names. About 1,600 biographies in the 2nd ed., earlier sketches having been reviewed and updated as necessary; biographies of some recently deceased persons were retained because of continuing influence. 1st ed., 1966. Full text in World Biographical Information System.

Who's who in China? / [editor-in-chief Gerald Leong]. Singapore : Inspire Publishing, 2004. 429 p.
Fung Library  |  Fairbank Center for East Asian Research    |  CT1822 .W56 2004x

Hong Kong

Contemporary

Xianggang ren ming lu = Who's who in Hong Kong.       1995-   Xianggang : Tian di tu shu you xian gong si, 1994-      Annual   Issued also in English ed.   Who's who in Hong Kong   Compiled by: PA kung kung shih wu chuan yeh ku wen kung  ssu.
Harvard-Yenching | (C) | DS796.H753 A25

Who's who in Hong Kong. Hong Kong : South China Morning Post, 1979-1985?
Widener | WID-LC |  HD DS796.H753 .A28x
--Full text (2nd ed, 1982)  in .World Biographical Information System
--Title varies slightly..Publ. by South China Morning Post, 1979-84. Based on response to questionnaires. English text; index in Chinese and English.
DS796.H753A28

Hong Kong who's who : an almanac of personalities and  their history / edited and published by Rola Luzzatto.   1958/1960- 1970/73. 2 eds.  Hong Kong : Rola Luzzatto,    
Widener | Ch 250.12 (1958-60)    
Widener | Ch 250.10 (1970-73)   
--About 625 rather detailed entries in 2nd ed.; about 900 less detailed entries in 1st.  Both eds. with occupation index. 

India

Indian reference sources: an annotated guide to Indian reference material, by  H.D. Sharma. 2nd ed. Varanasi : Indian Bibliographic Centre, 1988-1989. 2 v.  
Widener | WID-LC | DS407.Z99 S519 x 1988
-- Lists many additional sources in English and in Indian languages.

Bibliography

Eminent Indians: a bibliography of biographies / D. R. Kalia, M. K. Jain. New Delhi: Marwah Publications, 1977 [i.e. 1976] i, 200 p. ; 
Widener | WID-LC | DS434.Z99 K34 x  
--Lists 1377 biographies and autobiographies and 166 works of collective biography, all in English.  Index of authors, editors, compilers.  Terminal list of alternative name spellings.

Collective Biography

The biographical dictionary of greater India. New Delhi: Promilla & Co., 1998.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC DS434.B56 1998

Dictionary of Indian biography / compiled and edited by IBC Research Wing. Varanasi : Indian Bibliographic Centre, 2000. xxvii, 477 p.
Widener | RR 3925.32
--Includes about 1000 deceased persons from the last 150 years. About half are political leaders.  Scholars are well-represented; other occupations receive less coverage.

Eminent Indians who was who, 1900-1980, also annual diary of events. 1st ed. New Delhi : Durga Das Pvt. Ltd., 1985, 420 p.
Widener | WID-LC | CT1502 .E54 1985
--Short biographies of Indians prominent in a broad range of activity, many of whom are not found in Siba Pada Sen's Dictionary of national biography.

Riddick, John F. Who was who in British India. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1998.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC CT1503.R53 1998
--Covers about 3500 non-Indians, largely British, concerned with India from late 16th century to 1947. Entries list the biographee’s books. Terminal bibliography of collective biographical works.  Index by occupation.  Indexed in Biography and genealogy master index.

Women in Indian history : a biographical dictionary / T. P. Saxena. New Delhi : Kalyani Publishers, 1979. 114 p.
Widener | WID-LC | CT3720 .S28
--About 400 women, living and deceased, from all occupations. Name index.

Dictionary of national biography. Edited by S. P. Sen. Calcutta, Institute of Historical Studies, 1972-74. 4 v.
Widener | Ind 2200.89
--Approximately 1,400 signed articles, on persons, both native and foreign, who played a prominent role during 1800-1947. Includes those living at the time of publication. Entries are typically one or two pages and include source lists. 
--Coverage updated and expanded by Dictionary of national biography. Supplement. Athletes and figures in the performing arts, generally omitted from the main work, are to be included here. Vols. l (A-D) and 2 (E-L) have been published.  Four volumes, with some 1,400 entries, are planned. 

Dictionary of Indian biography; by C. E. Buckland. London, S. Sonnenschein, 1906. xii, 494 p.
Widener | Ind 1100.36
--Contains about 2,600 concise biographies of persons noteworthy in the history, service, or literature of India since 1750. Most biographees are English, but Indian and other nationalities are included. Several reprints. Indexed in Biography And Genealogy Master Index.

Contemporary

India who's who. New Delhi : INFA Publications, 1969-2006  eds. 1-29
Widener | RR 1646.15 Latest Widener | Ind 2200.29 Earlier    
--About 5000 entries (2006 ed.) arranged by governmental division or profession.  Terminal name index.  

Other biographical directories include:

Famous India; nation's who's who, 1975-1980. 4 v.

Who's who in India, 1973-?.

Who's who, Indian personages, 1986 (only?) which contains short biographies of more than 1,000 subjects in an alphabetic arrangement. Most are academics or physicians; the balance are business people. Future volumes are intended to expand coverage rather than update existing entries.

Who's who in India (New Delhi, 1967).

Who's who in India (Bombay, 1985-86?).

Who's who of Indian women, international, 1977 (only?)

Who's Who in India, Burma and Ceylon 1930-1941?

Famous India; nation's who's who. New Delhi, Famous India Publications 1975-1980. 4 v.
Widener | WID-LC | CT1506 .F35x

Kothari, Hemraj. Who's who in India. Edited in H. Kothari. Calcutta, Kothari Publications, 1973-?, 464 p. 
Widener | Ind 1107.5.1415

Who's who, Indian personages / [compiled and edited by P. Chavda and H.L. Sagar]. New Delhi : Crystal Ship Pub., 1986- v. : ports. ; Widener | WID-LC | CT1502 .W48 1986

Who's who in India (New Delhi, India) Who's who in India. New Delhi, Guide Publications. 1967.  ports. Widener | Ind 2200.16

Who's who in India (Bombay, India)   Who's who in India.   1985-1986?   Bombay, India : Business Press Private Ltd., 1985- 
Widener | Harvard Depository | CT1500 .W56x

Who's who of Indian women, international / editor-in chief, Amal. 1st ed. Madras : National Biographical Centre, 1977 (only?) 
Widener | WID-LC | CT3720 .W45  Holdings v. 1.

Who's Who in India, Burma and Ceylon NaH 1930-1941?

Indians in news : an annual biographical dictionary. Ludhiana : Medallion Press,  2002-  Not at Harvard

Indonesia

Contemporary

Roeder, O. G. Who's who in Indonesia: biographies of prominent Indonesian personalities in all fields. 2nd ed. Singapore (3808 OCBC Centre, Chulia Str., Singapore 0104): Gunung Agung, 1980.
LOCATION: Widener: WID-LC CT1596.R63 1980

Who's who in U.A.R. and the Near East (1959) continues Who's who in egypt and the near east (1952-58; title varies). Includes (1959) Egypt, Sudan, Iran, Libya, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Aden. Coverage has gradually expanded. First section, arranged by country, gives brief information on governmental officials, diplomatic representatives, and business firms. Who’s who section has roughly 10,000 entries with position, address, clubs. No birth dates or education. Full text (1949, 1952, 1955, 1959 only)  in World biographical information system.

Japan

Bibliography 

Biographical sources for foreign countries. IV. The Japanese empire lists biographical sources for World War II era.

Collective Biography

Biographical dictionary of Japanese history /  supervising editor, Seiichi Iwao ; translator, Burton  Watson.   Tokyo : Kodansha International in collaboration with  the International Society for Educational Information ;  New York : distributed through Harper & Row, 1978.  655 p.
Widener | WID-LC | DS834 .B56 x
--Biographies of 521 persons, including political, military, scholarly, scientific, religious figures.  Many with portraits.  Arranged alphabetically within chapters: Ancient, Medieval (1185-1572), Early Modern (1572-1868), Modern (1868- ).  Appendixes on genealogy of major families, Buddhist sects, political organization, administrative divisions, etc.  Terminal bibliography of Japanese sources.  Name/subject/title index.  In same series: Biographical dictionary of Japanese Art and Biographical dictionary of Japanese Literature (also 1982 ed.) .  For living and deceased artists, writers, performers, journalists, some politicians, etc., see Encyclopedia of contemporary Japanese culture which covers the post-1945 era emphasizing recent decades.  

The Japan biographical encyclopedia & who's who, 1964-65. Compiled and edited by the staff of the Japan Biographical Research Dept., the Rengo Press. 3d. ed. Tokyo, Rengo Press [1963?] 2377 p. maps. 
Widener Jpn 1855.5 Holdings : 1st-3rd ed.; 1958, 1960, 1964/65     
--Gives, in English, concise biographical sketches of about 15,300 notables in all fields, of all periods, living and dead, with names of religious, mythical, and legendary beings and a very few foreigners. Appendixes offer chronological lists of emperors, government officials, diplomatic representatives from other countries, etc., as well as a glossary defining Japanese terms. An "Inseki," indicating familial relationships between two or more of an selected group of Japanese notables, is printed on green paper. 1st ed., 1958; 2nd ed., 1961. 

Weston, Mark. Giants of Japan : the lives of Japan's greatest men and women. New York : Kodansha International, 1999, 377 p.
Harvard-Yenching | (W) | CD1833 .W47 1999 

Contemporary

Who's who in Japan (Hong Kong) Who's who in Japan. Hong Kong : International Culture Institute, c1984-c1991. 3 v.
Widener | WID-LC | CT1836 .W47
--Includes over 2600 figures "from the fields of government, commerce and industry, medicine, journalism, visual and performing arts and cultural areas such as literature and education." Introd. Information is very brief, often no more than birth date, education, current position, and address. The 1991/1992 ed. lists approximately 28,000 entries, and includes an index by very broad professional categories and a classified business directory.  Earlier eds, 1984/1985, 1987/1988. 

An earlier Who's Who in Japan (1912-1940) is still useful for retrospective coverage. It includes a section on Europeans in Japan.

Dai Nihon hakushiroku : = Who's who hakushi in great Japan / edited by K.R. Iseki. Tokyo : Hattensha, TaishÅ* 10- 1921-30. 5v.
Widener | Jpn 1855.12 

Republic of Korea

Collective Biography

Saccone, Richard. Koreans to remember: fifty famous people who helped shape Korea. Elizabeth, N. J.: Hollym International, 1993.
LOCATION: Harvard-Yenching: (W) DS905.S23 1993
--Chosen by interviews with Koreans.

Contemporary

Korea annual. Seoul, Korea : Hapdong News Agency, 1964-2004
Widener  |  RR 4361.7 Latest  
--Includes a who’s who section with roughly 3000 entries.  North Korean section has much less information on each of 350 North Koreans.  Who’s who started in 2nd ed. (1965).   

Laos

Collective Biography

Brebion, Antoine. Dictionnaire de bio-bibliographie g_n_rale, ancienne et moderne de l'Indochine Francais. ??auteur par Antoine Cabaton. Paris, Soci_t_ d'Éditions G_ographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales, 1935, 446 p. ( Acad_mie des Sciences Coloniales. Annales, t. 8 )
Widener  |  LSoc 1621.87.10 vol.8

Malaysia

Contemporary

People at the peak : the who's who of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur : MI Pub., 2004-
Widener  |  Harvard Depository  

New Malaysian who's who. 2nd ed. Kuala Lumpur : Kasuya Pub., 1995. 2 v. (ccli, 1549 p.)
Widener | WID-LC | CT1566 .N48 1995x 
--1st ed. 1989/1990.
--Roughly 5500 biographees (1100 photographs in separate section in back) in 3rd ed. Gives addresses and telephone numbers. Terminal list of biographees and index of companies mentioned in individual career summaries.  Introductory section on government, political parties, honors and awards, and a general overview of the country. May prove difficult to use for those unfamiliar with Malay names

For earlier coverage:
Who's who in Malaysia & Singapore (1956-1984) includes sections on rulers and government officials, and a section of obituary notices in addition to the regular who's who portions. Publisher varies. Title varies: Leaders of Malaya and who's who (1956-1959/60), Who's who in Malaysia (1963-67), Who's who Malaysia and Singapore (1969-71/72), etc.   
Widener | WID-LC | DS595.5 .L4x 

Nepal

Contemporary

Nepal who's who.   Kathmandu : Research Centre for Communication and  Development, 1996-    1st. ed 1997. 
Widener | WID-LC | CT1529 .N36x have 1997   (all published ???)
--About 2150 entries.  Main sequence and addendum included in index, but obituary section for persons dying since last ed. is not.  Index of professions and specialties.  Also indexes of theses and dissertations by title (initial articles indexed) and of field of training.  Section on general information, lists of government officials, and of former rulers and prime ministers. 1st ed. 1997.   See also Who's who-Nepal (1992, 2000 eds)

SAARC women : Nepal, 1988-1990 / compiled, edited, and text by Deepak Aryal. 1st ed. Kathmandu, Nepal : Research Centre for Communication and Development, 1990.
Widener | WID-LC | CT3739 .A79 1990   

Pakistan

Contemporary

Biographical encyclopedia of Pakistan. [Lahore], Biographical Research Institute, Pakistan. ports., maps.
Widener | RR 1647.30 Latest
Widener | WID-LC | DS381 .B5 Earlier    
--Current ed. (2000/2001) has over 900 entries, most with photographs. Arranged by occupation, with terminal alphabetical list. Earlier eds.: 1955/56, 1960/62, 1965/66, 1969/70, 1971/72, 1984/85, 1992/93, 1996/97.

Persons who shape our destiny : a compendium of bio-datas of those persons who are rendering important services in various fields of national activity / compiled and edited by S. Mohammad Reza. Karachi : Dar Publications, 1990-
Widener | RR 1647.20 
--Sketches of very variable length on 448 persons, arranged by occupation, with alphabetical list at the front.  Many of the people included are so old as to almost certainly deceased. Apparently only 1990 ed. published. 

Who's who in U.A.R. and the Near East (1959) continues Who's who in egypt and the near east (1952-58; title varies). Includes (1959) Egypt, Sudan, Iran, Libya, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Aden. Coverage has gradually expanded. First section, arranged by country, gives brief information on governmental officials, diplomatic representatives, and business firms. Who’s who section has roughly 10,000 entries with position, address, clubs. No birth dates or education. Full text (1949, 1952, 1955, 1959 only)  in World biographical information system.

Philippines

Some Philippine biographies included in Archivo Biográfico de España, Portugal e Iberoamérica.

Bibliography

Doeppers, Daniel F., and Michael Cullinane.  A union catalogue of Philippine biographical reference  Works.  Madison, WI : Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Univ of Wisconsin-Madison, 1983. 34 p. 
Widener | WID-LC | DS521.Z99 B53x no. 8   
--Works listed by occupation/social group and by geography. Appendix on pre-1900 Spaniards.  Author index.  See also Biographical sources for foreign countries. III. The Philippines for World War II era sources.  164627 

Collective Biography

Dictionary of Philippine biography, by E. Arsenio Manuel. Quezon City, Filipiniana Publications, 1955-95 4 v.
Widener | Oc 9547.5.25    
--Covers deceased individuals who have contributed significantly to Philippine history or culture. Articles are extremely varied in length and are arranged alphabetically within each volume. Fairly extensive lists of works by and about the persons. Each volume has its own name and subject index; no cumulative index.

Who's who in Philippine history, by Carlos Quirino. Manila : Tahanan Books, 1995. 227 p.
Widener | RR 3955.31
--Includes about 550 native-born Filipinos who died before 1985 and offers name and area of activity indexes.

Filipinos in history  Manila, Philippines: National Historical Institute, 1989-<1994>
Widener  |  Harvard Depository  

Singapore

Bibliography

Prominent Singaporeans: Sources of Information
--Indexes numerous books, and some periodical articles for 92 deceased and living persons. In sections by nationality. Includes mentions of particular persons in general histories, works of description and travel, etc. Name index.

Contemporary

Who's who in Singapore.   Singapore : Who's Who Pub., 2000.   xx, 323 p. 
Widener | Harvard Depository | CT1572 .W46 2000   NIS     (Series, 1981- )
--2006 latest
--Around 1200 entries (3rd. ed., 2006).  Apparently 1981/82, 2000, 2003, 2006 eds. published.  A Who was who in Singapore is planned.  See also Who's who in Malaysia & Singapore 237529

Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Collective Biography

Personalities, Sri Lanka : a biographical study (15th-20th century), 1490-1990 A.D., A-Z / compiled by K.D.G. Wimalaratne. Colombo, Sri Lanka : Ceylon Business Appliances Ltd., 1994. xxxix, 149 p. 
Widener | WID-LC | CT1522 .W56 1994
--Brief who’s who type entries on 834 persons of all ethnic groups dying before 1991.

Contemporary

Who's who in U.A.R. and the Near East (1959) continues Who's who in egypt and the near east (1952-58; title varies). Includes (1959) Egypt, Sudan, Iran, Libya, Cyprus, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Aden. Coverage has gradually expanded. First section, arranged by country, gives brief information on governmental officials, diplomatic representatives, and business firms. Who’s who section has roughly 10,000 entries with position, address, clubs. No birth dates or education. Full text (1949, 1952, 1955, 1959 only)  in World biographical information system.

Taiwan

Collective Biography

Otness, Harold M. One thousand Westerners in Taiwan, to 1945: a biographical and bibliographical dictionary. [Taipei] : Institute of Taiwan History, Preparatory Office, Academia Sinica, [1999] 175 p.  
East Asian Res Ctr | DS799.6.Z99 O86 1999x
--Short entries with biographees’ writngs listed (including some periodical articles).  Terminal bibliography of major sources. 

Contemporary

Who's who in the Republic of China : Taiwan 2001 / [editor Irene Yeung]. Taipei, Taiwan : Government Information Office, c2001. 151 p. ; 
Harvard-Yenching | (W) | DS799.6 .W46 2001x      (Series)
--Entries on about 900 persons.  Terminal section: Members of the Fourth Legislative Yuan (Feb. 1, 1999 - Jan. 31, 2002).  

Zhonghua min guo xian dai ming ren lu / Zhongguo ming  ren zhuan ji zhong xin bian yin ; [zhu bian Zhang  Chaowei].   Zhong Ying wen ban, 4 ban.   Taibei Shi : Zhongguo ming ren zhuan ji zhong xin, Min  guo 87 [1998]   2, 31, 1356, 2, 36 p. [1998]   
Harvard-Yenching | (C) | DS799.832 .C48 1998x    Harvard-Yenching | Ref (C) | DS799.832 .C48 1998x       
--Began with 1983/84
--About 3500 entries in Chinese and English with photographs. Cover title: Who's who of the Republic of China. Earlier eds. 1982, 1984, 1991. Full text of 1982 and 1984 eds. in World Biographical Information System.

Vietnam

Collective Biography

Brebion, Antoine. Dictionnaire de bio-bibliographie g_n_rale, ancienne et moderne de l'Indochine Francais. ??auteur par Antoine Cabaton. Paris, Soci_t_ d'Éditions G_ographiques, Maritimes et Coloniales, 1935, 446 p. ( Acad_mie des Sciences Coloniales. Annales, t. 8 )
Widener  |  LSoc 1621.87.10 vol.

Contemporary

Who's who in Vietnam. Laguna Beach, Calif. : Barons Who's Who, 1997- 
Widener | RR 1657 Current Widener | WID-LC | CT1630 .W567 Earlier    
--Includes 1133 persons, many with portraits. Index by profession.  2nd half is a business directory. Only 1st ed. (1998/99) published.

For earlier coverage:
Who's who in Vietnam. 1st ed., 1967; 2nd ed., 1972; 3rd ed., 1974. 

Who's who in Vietnam. [Saigon] Vietnam Press 1966. v. 1-5. (looseleaf)
Widener | Harvard Depository | XF 254
3d ed. Harvard-Yenching | (V) | DS557.A5 W48 1974