This chapter introduces a volume on the Early Paleolithic of Asia. Two broad Early Paleolithic technological traditions, a bifacial handaxe tradition and a pebble tool tradition, although not mutually exclusive in space or time, provide a useful framework for presentation of results. East Asia was dominated by the pebble tool tradition, especially as represented at Choukoutien, China. The tradition was probably widespread in insular Southeast Asia, and may have extended into Northeast Asia, from where the original populations of the New World originated. The tradition appears to originate with early Homo erectus populations, possibly prior to 1 million B.P., with abundant stone tools present at Choukoutien Locality 1, dated to. 4 to. 6 million B.P. Late occurrences are in the range 20,000 - 30,000 B.P. in Japan. Even more recent dates and associations with anatomically modern hominids are reported from Borneo and the Philippines. The tradition, though commonly thought of as a chopper - chopping tool tradition, is best characterized by the flakes. Possible intentional bone modification is reported from Choukoutien. The apparent homogeneity of stone tools over this large area probably masks considerable diversity in material culture, particularly considering the wide range of environments exploited.