Chinese Culture Courses
01:165:473 The Silk Road: A History of Cultural and Material Exchanges
- Course Code: 01:165:473
- Course Title: The Silk Road: A History of Cultural and Material Exchanges
- Semester(s) Offered: Spring
- Credits: 3
01:165:473 The Silk Road: A History of Cultural and Material Exchanges
Description: This course introduces the history of the Silk Road—a complex network of trade routes that connected China with the rest of the Eurasian continent over land and sea—and its role in fostering cultural and material exchanges between the peoples it connected. The course covers the period between 500 BCE and 1500 CE, during which the Silk Road contributed to the forming and transforming the cultural, ethnic, and religious identities of different peoples, such as Chinese, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Turks, and Mongolians, and their perceptions of one another. The course, moreover, explores topics, including conspicuous consumption, cultural diversity, religious pluralism, and nomadic migration, as well as the financial, judicial, religious, and social institutions that were the fruits of these exchanges. The course begins and ends with an analysis of conceptualizations of the “Silk Road” against the backdrop of the “Great Game” that played out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among various colonial powers and its legacy to this day. It also examines the recent push by the Chinese government to establish the so-called “Silk Road Economic Belt” by tapping into its rich legacy.
Number of Credits: 4
Prerequisites:
01:165:215 Introduction to Chinese Civilization
- Course Code: 01:165:215
- Course Title: Introduction to Chinese Civilization
- Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 3
- SAS Core Certified: AHp, HST
01:165:215 Introduction to Chinese Civilization
This course surveys the history of China from antiquity to the beginning of the twentieth century. Students learn how to analyze historical records, philosophical works, fictional narratives, and visual images. In examining a wide range of materials, students encounter individuals, institutions, events, and ideas that helped shape Chinese history. Students seek to understand how Chinese people from all walks of life experienced the world around them and created a unique culture for themselves. Readings are all in English. No knowledge of East Asian languages and cultures is required. During the semester, each student has to participate in the project, “Illustrated History of China,” and deliver a presentation. This course is certified for AHp (Arts and Literatures) and HST (Historical Analysis).
Grading: Attendance and participation 10%, Project and presentation 25%, Take home midterm exam 25 %, Final paper 40%
Please do not miss any lecture during the semester. While in class, every student should raise questions and participate in classroom discussions.
During the semester, each student has to complete a project entitled “Illustrated History of China.” The goal of this project is to learn how to combine visual and textual sources to understand Chinese history. The detailed steps are as follows:
- Each section has three or four presenters.
- The presenters work independently, creating a presentation related to the week’s lecture. The title of the presentation could be “Buddhist Influence on Chinese Paintings in the Tang Dynasty” or “Fashion and Women’s Clothing in Ming Dynasty China.”
- Each presenter should use relevant visual sources (paintings, statues, films, etc.) to develop a coherent presentation. The presentation runs for 20 minutes followed by questions from the TA and other students.
- The student presentations will be on Mondays.
Questions in the midterm exam are all based on the lectures and the weekly reading materials. The exam consists of three parts: 1) Single-choice questions; 2) Multiple-choice questions; 3) Essay questions.
Each student should write a well-crafted and clearly argued final research paper based on your group project. In the paper, you should engage secondary sources (monographs and scholarly articles) if you think they are helpful to your analysis. The paper should contain footnotes and a bibliography.
For citations, you may use CMS, MLA, or APA, as long as the citation practice is consistent throughout the paper. Quick guides for all three styles can be found under the “Research and Citation” tab at the Purdue Writing Lab website: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html
Course Material: Harold M. Tanner, China: A History (Volume 1), from Neolithic Cultures through the Great Qing Empire 10,000 BEC–1799CE, Hackett, 2010.
01:165:470/16:217:533
- Course Code: 01:165:470
- Course Title: The City in Modern Chinese Literature & Film
- Semester(s) Offered: Spring
- Credits: 3
16:217:533/01:165:470 The City in Modern Chinese Literature & Film
Description: Modern literary and cinematic imagination of Chinese cities.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
01:165:480 / 16:217:534
- Course Code: 01:165:480
- Course Title: Cultural Memory in Contemporary China
- Semester(s) Offered: Spring
- Credits: 3
01:165:480/16:217:534 Cultural Memory in Contemporary China
Description: The aim of the course is to examine the representation of cultural memories in contemporary Chinese-speaking communities. By discussing works of film, fiction, memoirs, photographs, and installation art, students explore questions of memory, trauma, historical violence, nostalgia, and amnesia.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
01:165:476
- Course Code: 01:165:476
- Course Title: Women in Pre-Modern China
- Semester(s) Offered: Fall
- Credits: 3
01:165:476 Women in Pre-Modern China
Description: An overview of women (metaphorical or real) in premodern China, introducing students to many roles women played in Chinese society. Examines how women were perceived and portrayed in texts.
Number of Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
Semesters Offered: Varies