History of Traditional China Fall 2009

Description: This course examines m= ajor trends in the development of Chinese civilization from prehistory thro= ugh the seventeenth century. While China as China will generally be the foc= us of study, China will also be understood as comprising, to a large extent= , other areas such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. After all, China was undou= btedly "the source" from which most of the fundamentals of civili= zation derived, throughout East Asia. At the same time, careful attention w= ill be given to ways in which China creatively modified the foundations of = its civilization over the centuries so as to create a distinctive evolving = cultural complex. Along with political and military developments, the cours= e examines the abiding elements of Chinese culture, specifically the philos= ophical approaches to the world advanced by Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism,= Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism.

Quizzes, Exams, & Grading: There will be two exams (September 29 and December 8), each counting 25= % of the final grade. The exams will not be cumulative in the strict sense = of the term, though students will be expected to demonstrate mastery of the= earlier information as is necessary to compare and contrast the material s= tudied insightfully. Exams will typically include both "objective"= ; (map identifications, true/false; multiple choice; matching, etc) and ess= ay components, though the latter will typically account for the majority of= the point value of the exam.

Brief quizzes will be given on a biweekly basis, and cumulatively will = count as 25% of the final grade. The quizzes are designed to ensure that st= udents master the details of Chinese history on a regular basis. Given that= much of the information integral to the study of China is foreign to begin= ning students, it is essential that students attempt to digest it in reason= able increments. The quizzes, testing geographic details, familiarity with = names, events, etc., will typically be "objective" in nature. Tho= se who attend and participate meaningfully in class, read carefully and ref= lect upon assigned readings, and review class lectures, discussions, and as= signed readings with an eye toward meaningful integration of the material, = should have no difficulties with the quizzes.

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Students will also be expected to write a brief "thesis" pape= r (5 pages) on a topic of their choosing, related to traditional Chinese hi= story. More than mere reports, these papers should seek to develop a thesis= , defined by the student, on the basis of their readings and in-class exper= iences with Chinese history. One sample thesis, for example, would be "= ;Buddhism was more of a political force than a personal religious force in = early Chinese history." Another might be "Daoism was more influen= tial as a promoter of civilization and peace than a philosophy for non-conf= ormists." Often the thesis will develop as students engage the reading= s meaningfully. Rather than choose a thesis in advance of doing any of the = readings, students are encouraged to allow their thinking to unfold natural= ly with their progress in the course. It is essential, given the limited re= sources available through Joyner Library, that students choose their thesis= on the basis of materials available, rather than in isolation from them. T= hesis papers, which will count for 25% of the grade, are due on the last da= y of class, December 8. Earlier submissions will be accepted. <= span lang=3Den-US style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;line-height:125%;language:en-US'> =

Objectives: This course is the fi= rst half of a two-semester survey history of China, and is meant primarily = to prepare students for a more meaningful appreciation of the development o= f modern Chinese history. At the same time, the course seeks to provide for= students an appreciation of the fundamentals shaping East Asian civilizati= on, be they religious, philosophical, economic, literary, linguistic, or ar= tistic. Thus, by the end of the semester students should have an understand= ing of the nature of East Asian geography, Confucianism, Daoism, varieties = of East Asian Buddhism, the essential emphases of East Asian legal systems,= literatures, and philosophies, as well as the key components of East Asian= languages as defined by classical Chinese. Given this broad background in = the fundamentals, students who complete the course successfully should be a= ble to more insightfully assimilate new information and studies related to = China and East Asia. Additionally, as is true with the study of any foreign= culture, students should have realized significantly more about themselves= and their "own" culture. =

Required Readings: In order to rel= ate contemporary news to Chinese history, students will be given "emai= l" handouts on a regular basis. Material in them will be discussed in = class, the stuff of quizzes, and possibly exams. In addition, the following= are the texts required for the course.

Ebrey, Patricia Buckley. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Ebrey, Patricia Buckley. Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook. New York: The Free Press, 1993.

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Students are encouraged to read extensively about Asia, using the Joyne= r Library collection, interlibrary loan materials, postings on the internet= , or their personal library. At the same time, the two texts assigned must = be read carefully since they are the material on which students will be tes= ted. Generally speaking, students will not be expected to "know" = details which appear only in the readings assigned. However, any material t= hat is mentioned in class and appears in the readings is fair game for the = quizzes and exams. Two newspapers, in English, are recommended = Xinhua and = ; The People’s Daily.

&nb= sp; Severe weather alerts
= Emerg= ency alerts
emerg= ency information hotline: 252-328-0062

History of Traditional China
HIST 3629/001
TR 9:30-1= 0:45
Brewster B-203&= nbsp;

John A. Tucker, PhD
Office hrs T/Th 1:00-2:00
Brewster A-317
252.328.1028
Tuckerjo@ec= u.edu

Disability Statement: East Carolina University seeks to comply fully with the Americans with= Disabilities Act (ADA). Students requesting accommodations based on a cove= red disability must go to the Department for Disability Support Services, l= ocated in Slay 138, to verify the disability before any accommodations can = occur. The telephone number is 252-737-1016.

Schedule for Lectures, Readings, and Dis= cussions:

August 25/27: Orientalism and the Problem of Understandin= g China in Other Ways

September 1/3: Ancient Cultures and the Rise of Civ= ilization

Required Read= ing: Cambridge Illustrated History of China (China), ch. 1;

Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook (CC), 1-5.

September 8/10: Age of the Philosophers

Required Read= ing: China, ch. 2.

September 15/17: Age of the Philosophers, continued

Required Read= ing: CC, 6-8.

September 22: The First Empire (221 BCE -220)<= /p>

Required Read= ing: China, ch. 3. CC, 9-14

September 24/29: Study Day and First Exa= m