Soutbeast Asia and the South Pacific. North of these two major refuge areas, however, the transforming force of civilized styles of life had everywhere been felt. In southeast Asia and the islands of Indonesia, societies familiar with root agriculture and adept in the arts of primitive seamanship existed before Indian or Chinese explorers penetrated the river mouths of that part of the world. Then, as we have already seen, beginning about the Christian era massive acceptance of Indian culture occurred. After about a.d.