What values do Plutarch and Confucius promote? What similarities and differences do you see in their moral and educational philosophies? How are those similarities and differences related to the history and structure of their respective societies and the problems of creating a common elite class culture to govern far-flung empires?

Plutarch believed in an eternal and good God who created the world. Plutarch saw all life as connected by a world-soul, which was basically evil. One tenet of his philosophy was the necessity of reason, as Plutarch saw man's soul as subject to evil passions. Reason, therefore, was required in order to free the self from bodily passions and to achieve happiness. Plutarch was not overly dogmatic and believed that a moral life was achieved by moderation in all things.
The philosophy of Confucius revolves around the Tao. The Tao is the "principle of order" in nature, natural elements, and human beings. It manifests itself in cold and heat, feminine and masculine, yin and yang, order and chaos. According to Confucius, it is by the study of the Tao, ourselves, and others that we can become better people.
One interesting point of agreement between Plutarch and Confucius is that they both emphasize the need to impose order on chaos. Plutarch saw evil manifested when men were enslaved by their chaotic bodily desires. Confucius saw all of life as a balance between order and chaos.
http://philosophos.org/philosophical_connections/profile_025.html

https://www.the-philosophy.com/confucius-philosophy-summary

Plutarch promoted the ideas of free will and the immortal soul. He preferred to contemplate religious and moral questions rather than abstract, theoretical ones. His values were also monotheistic; he believed that one Being created the universe, and this Being was represented in the gods and myths of other religions. Plutarch opposed other popular teachings of the era, such as the materialism present in Stoicism and the atheistic theories of Epicureanism. He also did not view the gods of the Greek pantheon as literal beings, but as sources of philosophical lessons and vessels for a singular higher power.
The foundation of Confucian philosophy is the Five Constants: humanity, justice, rite, knowledge, and integrity. The goal of these teachings is to help followers find balance through the contemplation of their own human-ness. Confucianism is a reactionary philosophy that emerged during the Warring States period of Chinese history. Born in a time of chaos and confusion, Confucianism focused on the importance of achieving mental tranquility.
Plutarch and Confucius are similar in their value of connecting to a higher power via contemplation, as well as a goal of unifying with the universe. The creation theories in the two philosophies differ slightly. Both teach that the universe was created from matter. However, Plutarch believes this matter, originally evil and chaotic, was harnessed by a single being and endowed with order and reason. Confucius taught that the universe created itself out of matter in a chaotic state, coming together through the balancing opposing forces. This balance became known as yin and yang.
https://asiasociety.org/education/confucianism

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plutarch/