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Aug 19: Introduction
Our impressions of Asia and China, and our expectations for the course.
Begin making a sturdy map, including all border lands, modern provinces,
major cities ,
main geographic features, and areas of
personal interest.
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Aug 24:
Discussion of "The Myth of
Asia" at http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/mythofasia.html,
and excerpts of Marco Polo's (1254-1324) travels in China at http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/marcopolo.html ;
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Aug 26: Geography and
Impressions of China
Continue discussion of previous readings and beginning of Ebrey text. *For next class: finish handmade maps due Aug 31
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Aug 31 Geography, Paleolithic
and Neolithic China.
Present Map findings and see NOVA video on the Tokadian mummies.
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Sept 2 Chinese geography,
language and ethnography. Discuss articles on Chinese language and
ethnography at http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chinethn.html
; on the Sino-Tibetan Language family at: http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chinlng2.html ,
on Chinese pronunciation at http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chinlng1.html
and on the Pinyin Wade-Giles writing article at http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chinlng3.html)
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Sept 7 First Written Evidence:
Shang China, oracle bones, the I-Ching, and Mandate from Heaven.
Corresponding Ebrey readings; and read "The Mandate of Heaven, Selections from the Shu
Jing (The Classic of History) (6th Cent. BCE) here.
*For next class:
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Sept 9 Philosophies/early
religions. Classical Chinese Philosophies: All related Ebrey readings for
Confucius, Taoism, Legalism.
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Sept 14 Philosophies
continued.
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Sept 16 The Qin and Han periods.
All related Ebrey Readings.
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Sept 21 Review for test
*Further readings to be posted.
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Sept 23 Mid-Term Exam I
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Sept 30 Pattern and reformulation
Text: Chapter 4 "Buddhism, Aristocracy, and Alien
Rulers: The Age of Division 220-589.
Questions to consider:
How does this pattern of disunity similar to the Warring States
period?
What was the appeal of Buddhism to the peasants and the
aristocracy?
Readings: #21 "Ge Hong's Autobiography," #22
"Buddhist Doctrines and Practices," #23 "Tales of Ghosts and
Demons," #24 Cultural Differences Between the North and the South"
**Video #3 of the Silk Road series
Oct 5-7 Sui/Tang
Text: Chapter 5 "A Cosmopolitan
Empire: The Tang Dynasty 581-907"
Readings: #25 "Emperor Taizong on
Effective Government," #26 "The Tang Legal Code," #26 "The
Errors of Gomancy," #28 "The Dancing Horses of Xuanzong's Court,"
#29 "Family Business," #30 "The Examination System," #31
"A Pilgrim's Visit to the Five Terraces Mountain
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Oct 12 Song
Text: Chapter 6 "Shifting South: The
Song Dynasty 907-1276"
Readings: #32 through #43
Oct 14 Yuan
Text: Chapter 7 "Alien Rule: The Liao, Jin, and Yuan
Dynasties 907-1368
Readings: #44 through #46
Oct 19-28 Mr. Lu (from the
N.G.C.S.U. library) will come talk to our class from 10:10 AM Tuesday or
Thursday. The first half of class will be devoted to reviewing for the
second exam and
discussion of the Judge Dee novels in the context of our review of the Tang
period, arguably the most pivotal period in the history of early modern
China. Judge Dee people should be ready to present their books in the form
of the starter questions.
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Nov 2 Second Exam
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Nov 4 -- finish texts, discuss
projects in the context of our studies and review for the final.
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Dec 9 Final Exam (8-10AM)
A full range of Western impressions of early China have evolved since Marco Polo
first introduced it to the West in the fourteenth century. Western impressions
of China, however, have not always been realistic from a Chinese perspective.
Even modern scholarship has limitations. In this survey class, we seek to become
more aware of the subjectivity of sources on China and construct our own
impressions, studying a wide selection of primary sources translated from
Chinese. Our studies will include Chinese environment, aesthetics, philosophy,
concepts of history, religion, human rights, and leadership. Our studies should
shed light on the dilemmas of civilization not only in early China, but the
modern world as well.