The Man Asian Literary Prize was an annual literary award given from 2007 to 2012. It honored the best novel written by an Asian author, either in English or translated into English, and published in the previous year. The prize was open to writers who were citizens or residents of 34 Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, The Maldives, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Publishers could submit up to two novels by August 31 each year. Entry forms were available starting in May.

From 2010 to 2012, the prize gave USD 30,000 to the author and an extra USD 5,000 to the translator, if applicable. Before that, from 2007 to 2009, the prize awarded USD 10,000 to the author and USD 3,000 to the translator for unpublished novels written by Asian authors from eligible countries. Submissions during these years were made directly by the authors. The prize organizers stated that changes in 2010 were made because it was difficult to find unpublished authors. The new format allowed shortlisted and winning novels to be shared with the public, helping to highlight the best English-language works by Asian authors and increase global awareness of Asian literature.

The prize was sponsored by Man Group, the main sponsor of the Man Booker Prize. In October 2012, it was announced that Man Group would no longer sponsor the prize after the 2012 winner was announced in 2013.