William Theodore De Bary

William Theodore de Bary was a leading authority in East Asian studies, instrumental in charting and making accessible a vast corpus of East Asian literature, history, and culture. His editorial work with primary sources, particularly from Chinese and Japanese traditions, profoundly shaped academic understanding of the region. De Bary championed the universality of Asian values and is recognized as the founder of Neo-Confucian studies. Through his scholarly contributions, he enriched the global discourse on civilizations and their interconnectedness.