The term Eastern can have multiple meanings depending on its context. Most modern uses of the term refer to Eastern philosophy, the Eastern world, Eastern history or ancient Asian culture, typically also including those countries whose ethnic identity and their dominant culture derive from ancient Asian culture. Thus, in various contexts, the term "Eastern" may refer to something that came from the East.

Culturally, the term is usually associated with a tradition that traces its origins to ancient Indian and East Asian thought and religions like Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jainism and Taoism. Cornerstones in this tradition are beliefs

Eastern culture is said to be Daoist in its integration of apparent opposites, as signified by the yin and yang. Eastern culture is sometimes contrasted with Western Culture which is accused of being likely to engage in false dichotomies. (Interestingly, a critique of Western thinking styles using this line of argument is itself subject to accusations of Western-style false dichotomy, since it divides the world into two parts and poses them against one another.)

Examples include:

• Eastern bloc
• Eastern district, Hong Kong
• Eastern Orthodoxy
• Eastern philosophy

See also

• Eastern world
• East, East Asia, Orient
• Orientalism
• Western world