In the bustling halls of Lexington High School, a unique classroom with only a handful of seniors sparks intellectual curiosity and cultural exploration. Nestled within the English academic course offerings, the Journeys in East Asian Literature course educates seniors on the rich stories, philosophical concepts, and cultural nuances that have shaped the region. 

Marshall Dury, an LHS English teacher, was inspired to create this course through his own interest in philosophy and the three great teachings of ancient China: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.  

Dury designed the curriculum to educate students on the diversity and depth of East Asian literature.

“I look at a variety of genre types, poetry, classical texts of philosophy, novels, graphic novels, and plays,” Dury said. 

Dury encourages students to exercise their creativity through group projects. He emphasizes the need for a mix of not only traditional reading and assessments but also interpretive learning and hands-on exploration. 

“I think something that seems to be universally enjoyed to some degree is the Chinese landscape project. We study, and students research classical Chinese landscape paintings. And they have also read classical Chinese poetry by Wang Wei. Then they have to academically respond to certain questions about Chinese landscape paintings, they have to paint a landscape painting that is inspired by classical Chinese landscape aesthetics, and they have to write a poem inspired by the understanding of how a poem is similar to a classical Chinese landscape painting,” Dury said.

Despite the initial unfamiliarity students may have with the topic, many others acknowledge the importance of diversifying literary perspectives and developing a broader cultural worldview through global literature. 

“It’s really important to learn about different types of cultures, especially when you’re learning about literature, because I think as a community we tend to have a big bias on Western literature, especially in junior year when you learn about the American dream… taking East Asian Literature is like a breath of fresh air, and it makes you more aware of what else is out there in literature because English is not just Walt Whitman or poems about flowers and daisies. It can also be from Laozi, who is a philosopher, or it can be about how you want to live,” Ava Wu, a senior taking the course, said.

This course and its emphasis on deep philosophical ideas have been largely impactful for the students who have taken the course. 

“I honestly think it’s been one of the best classes I’ve ever taken. It’s one of those classes where you take it and your entire perception of your world kind of changes because a lot of what you learn in the class is applicable to real life. And a lot of the content in the class is based around ways you can improve the way you’re living and the way you guide yourself,” Wu said.