This is a survey course of East Asian communities from the ancient pre-Confucian era to the present. In the course we first examine the development of an East Asian social, political and cultural ideal in China. We then compare and contrast that ideal with the formation of other East Asian communities formed in Japan, Mongolia, and Vietnam. Finally, we examine the role of Westernization and its impact on the transformation of that ideal to the present day. Liberal ArtsSemester(s) Offered: Fall.