East Asian Cultural Foundations

3 credits · Undergraduate

(3 hrs Lecture) This course introduces students to the cultural traditions and belief systems of East Asia (primarily China, Japan, and Korea). Traditions examined include Confucianism, Daoism (Taoism), and Buddhism. Special attention is given to the examination of ideas stemming from primary source documents (in translation) within their historical and cultural contexts. Emphasis is given to the central role played by developments in China for the formation of East Asian cultural values.