The field of inquiry in comparative history, wrote Marc Bloch, may be either societies that are neighbors and contemporaries or societies that are remote from each other in time and space. Western and East Asian history as a field in connoarative studies includes both types of comparisons. Focus on such a field has a number of advantages. Among these are the wide range of similar phenomena from feudalism to imperialism, the significant number of population involved, and the variety within each culture area to make possible regional comparisons and checks. Although the inclusion of additional societies might enable statistical study, the narrower gauge provides an opportunity for more depth. The range is sufficient to avoid the pitfalls arising from knowing only one other society.