This course is designed to introduce students to some of the major themes of East Asian history focusing on China, Japan, and Korea, from the Neolithic period to roughly 1800. The course begins by defining the notion of East Asia, and subsequently explores continuity and change in the region as a whole and within its discrete cultural components. Major themes include the origins of cultural continuity, the rise of the bureaucratic state, the evolution of Confucian thought and social roles, and the development and spread of Buddhism.
Foundations Program
This course fulfills the Forum requirement in the Foundations Program.