This course is designed to introduce students to commonalities and differences among the countries of East Asia: China, Korea, and Japan. We explore the classical Chinese civilization to accommodate their own indigenous traditions. Our objective is to understand the dynamic process of invention and interpretation that have shaped the major social and cultural traditions of East Asia over the ages. Students are encouraged to draw on their knowledge of Western civilization and engage critically with East Asian ways of thinking about topics including governance and institutions, human nature and the relationship between the individual and society, and what constitutes an ethical way of life.