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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading MATTHEWS ASIA STRATEGIC INCOME FUND
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Matthews Asia Strategic Income Fund (the “Strategic Income Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks total return over the long term, with an emphasis on income.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of this Fund.

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2015-08-31
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example of fund expenses, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 49% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 49.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading EXAMPLE OF FUND EXPENSES
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategy
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the Strategic Income Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in income-producing securities including, but not limited to, debt and debt-related instruments issued by governments, quasi-governmental entities, supra-national institutions, and companies in Asia. The Fund intends to achieve its investment objective by investing in income-generating securities across currencies and the capital structure. Investments may be denominated in any currency, and may represent any part of a company’s capital structure from debt to equity or with features of both. Debt and debt-related instruments typically include bonds, debentures, bills, notes, certificates of deposit and other bank obligations, senior secured bank debt, convertible debt securities, credit-linked notes, inflation-linked instruments, repurchase agreements, dividend paying equity securities and derivative instruments with fixed income characteristics.


Asia consists of all countries and markets in Asia and includes developed, emerging, and frontier countries and markets in the Asian region. A company is considered to be “located” in a country or a region if it has substantial ties to that country or region, including for example, if it (i) is organized under the laws of that country or any country in that region; (ii) derives at least 50% of its revenues or profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, or services performed, or has at least 50% of its assets located, within that country or region; (iii) has the primary trading markets for its securities in that country or region; or (iv) is a governmental entity or an agency, instrumentality or a political subdivision of that country or any country in that region. Other considerations, such as headquarters location, apply to supra-national and other types of entities. Instruments will be deemed to be Asian securities if the issuer is headquartered in an Asian country, the instrument is denominated in the currency of an Asian country, or the instrument is issued with respect to a project located in, or secured or backed by assets located in an Asian country, or is otherwise linked to an Asian country.


Up to 50% of the Fund’s total net assets may be invested in securities of issuers from a single country (including the government of that country, its agencies, instrumentalities and political subdivisions), and up to 25% of the Fund’s total net assets, may be invested in the securities issued by any one Asian government (including its agencies, instrumentalities and political subdivisions).


The Fund will not seek to limit its foreign currency exposure and may invest without limitation in non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities and instruments. The Fund reserves the right to hedge its exposure to foreign currencies to reduce the risk of loss from fluctuations in currency exchange rates, but normally does not expect to do so.


The Fund will typically engage in derivative transactions for a variety of purposes, including managing interest rate, currency and credit exposure, involving a variety of underlying instruments, including for example, currencies, debt securities, securities indexes, futures and options on swaps (commonly referred to as swaptions). In particular, the Fund may seek to take on currency exposure by using derivatives such as currency forwards and, as a result, the Fund’s exposure to a currency could exceed the value of the Fund’s assets denominated in that currency and could exceed the value of the Fund’s net assets.


The Fund is permitted to invest in debt securities of any quality, including high yield debt securities rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) and unrated debt securities. The Fund has no stated maturity or duration target and the average effective maturity or duration may change. Matthews has implemented risk management systems to monitor the Fund to reduce the risk of loss through over-emphasis on a particular issuer, country, industry, currency, or interest rate regime.


Matthews also expects to employ a currency overlay strategy for the Fund in an effort to enhance returns and moderate volatility. This strategy involves long and short positions on one or more currencies, with a total or gross notional value of these positions equal to as much as a substantial majority of the NAV of the Fund, although the net market value of these positions, on a marked-to-market basis, at most times, is expected to be substantially lower.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks of Investment
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

There is no guarantee that your investment in the Fund will increase in value. The value of your investment in the Fund could go down, meaning you could lose money. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:


Credit Risk: A debt instrument’s price depends, in part, on the credit quality of the issuer, borrower, counterparty, or underlying collateral and can decline in response to changes in the financial condition of the issuer, borrower, counterparty, or underlying collateral, or changes in specific or general market, economic, industry, political, regulatory, geopolitical, or other conditions.


Interest Rate Risk (including Prepayment and Extension Risks): Changes in interest rates in each of the countries in which the Fund may invest, as well as interest rates in more-developed countries, may cause a decline in the market value of an investment. Generally, fixed income securities will decrease in value when interest rates rise and can be expected to rise in value when interest rates decline. As interest rates decline, debt issuers may repay or refinance their loans or obligations earlier than anticipated. The issuers of fixed income securities may, therefore, repay principal in advance. This would force the Fund to reinvest the proceeds from the principal prepayments at lower rates, which reduces the Fund’s income.


Currency Risks: When the Fund invests in foreign currencies(directly or through a financial instrument) or in securities denominated in a foreign currency, there is the risk that the value of the foreign currency will increase or decrease against the value of the U.S. dollar. The value of an investment denominated in a foreign currency will decline in dollar terms if that currency weakens against the dollar. Additionally, Asian countries may utilize formal or informal currency-exchange controls or “capital controls.” Capital controls may impose restrictions on the Fund’s ability to repatriate investments or income. Capital controls may also affect the value of the Fund’s holdings.


Political, Social and Economic Risks: The value of the Fund’s assets may be adversely affected by political, economic, social and religious instability; inadequate investor protection; changes in laws or regulations of countries within the Asian region; international relations with other nations; natural disasters; corruption and military activity. The Asian region, and particularly China, Japan and South Korea, may be adversely affected by political, military, economic and other factors related to North Korea, the status of Taiwan, border disputes and strained relations between China and Japan. The economies of many Asian countries differ from the economies of more developed countries in many respects, such as rate of growth, inflation, capital reinvestment, financial system stability and the national balance of payments positions. Certain Asian countries are highly dependent upon and may be affected by developments in the United States, Europe and other Asian economies.


Volatility: The smaller size and lower levels of liquidity in Asian markets, as well as other factors, may result in changes in the prices of Asian securities that are more volatile than those of companies in the United States. This volatility can cause the price of the Fund’s shares (NAV) to go up or down dramatically. Because of this volatility, it is recommended that you invest in the Fund only for the long term (at least five years).


Risks Associated with Emerging and Frontier Markets: Many Asian countries are considered emerging or frontier markets. Such markets are often less stable politically and economically than developed markets, and investing in these markets involves different and greater risks. There may be less publicly available information about companies in many Asian countries, and the stock exchanges and brokerage industries in many Asian countries typically do not have the level of government oversight as do those in the United States. Securities markets of many Asian countries are also substantially smaller, less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in the United States.


High-Yield Bonds and Other Lower-Rated Securities: The Fund’s investments in high-yield bonds (“junk bonds,” which are primarily speculative securities) and other lower-rated securities will subject the Fund to substantial risk of loss. Issuers of junk bonds are less financially secure and less able to repay interest and principal compared to issuers of investment-grade securities. Prices of junk bonds tend to be very volatile. These securities are less liquid than investment-grade debt securities and may be difficult to price or sell, particularly in times of negative sentiment toward high-yield securities.


Derivatives Risk (including Options, Futures and Swaps):


Derivatives are speculative and may hurt the Fund’s performance. Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with stocks and bonds. The use of a derivative requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions. Derivatives present the risk of disproportionately increased losses and/or reduced opportunities for gains when the financial asset or measure to which the derivative is linked changes in unexpected ways.


Non-diversified: The Fund is a “non-diversified” investment company, which means that it may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer compared with a diversified fund. An investment in the Fund therefore will entail greater risk than an investment in a diversified fund because a single security’s increase or decrease in value may have a greater impact on the Fund’s value and total return.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney The value of your investment in the Fund could go down, meaning you could lose money.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text] rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus The Fund is a "non-diversified" investment company, which means that it may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer compared with a diversified fund. An investment in the Fund therefore will entail greater risk than an investment in a diversified fund because a single security's increase or decrease in value may have a greater impact on the Fund's value and total return.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Past Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar charts below show the Fund’s performance for each full calendar year since inception and how it has varied from year to year, reflective of the Fund’s volatility and some indication of risk. Also shown are the best and worst quarters for this time period. The table below shows the Fund’s performance over certain periods of time, along with performance of its benchmark index. The index performance does not take into consideration fees, expenses or taxes. The information presented below is past performance, before and after taxes, and is not a prediction of future results. The bar charts and performance table assume reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, please visit matthewsasia. com or call 800.789.ASIA (2742).

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar charts below show the Fund's performance for each full calendar year since inception and how it has varied from year to year, reflective of the Fund's volatility and some indication of risk.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The information presented below is past performance, before and after taxes, and is not a prediction of future results.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading INVESTOR CLASS: ANNUAL RETURN FOR YEAR ENDED 12/31
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Best Quarter


Q3 2012


5.31%


Worst Quarter


Q2 2013


-5.37%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2012
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 5.31%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2013
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (5.37%)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes The index performance does not take into consideration fees, expenses or taxes.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Caption rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2013
HSBC Asian Local Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (5.72%)
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 1.65%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 30, 2011
J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.37%)
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.36%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 30, 2011
Investor Class Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (2.00%)
Maximum Account Fee on Redemptions (for wire redemptions only) rr_MaximumAccountFee $ 9
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.65%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Administration and Shareholder Servicing Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.14%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.63%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.28%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.18%) [1]
Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.10%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 112
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 382
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 679
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,524
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 13.62%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 (0.50%)
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.50%)
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.80%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 30, 2011
Investor Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.90%) [2]
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.38% [2]
Investor Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.21%) [2]
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.93% [2]
Institutional Class Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (2.00%)
Maximum Account Fee on Redemptions (for wire redemptions only) rr_MaximumAccountFee 9
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.65%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Administration and Shareholder Servicing Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.14%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.44%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.09%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.19%) [1]
Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.90%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 92
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 321
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 576
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,306
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.20%)
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.01%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 30, 2011
Institutional Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.70%) [2]
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.51% [2]
Institutional Class Shares | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.05%) [2]
Average Annual Returns, Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.06% [2]
[1] Matthews has contractually agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses until August 31, 2015 to the extent needed to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses to 0.90% by waiving class specific and non-class specific expenses for the Institutional Class and agreed to reduce the expense ratio by waiving an equal amount of non-class specific expenses for the Investor Class. Because certain expenses of the Investor Class may be higher than the Institutional Class and class specific expenses may be waived solely for the Institutional Class, the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement for the Investor Class may exceed 0.90%. If the expenses fall below the expense limitation in a year within three years after Matthews has made such a waiver or reimbursement, the Fund may reimburse Matthews up to an amount not to cause the expenses for that year to exceed the expense limitation. The fee waiver and expense reimbursement may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees or the Trust on behalf of the Fund on 60 days' written notice.
[2] After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.