History 340K (Unique 39585) & ANS 340K (Unique 31830)
T 5:00-8:00 PM, GAR 2.112
Professor: Roger Hart
Office: GAR 3.216
Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1:30–3:00 p.m. and by appt.
E-mail: rhart@mail.utexas.edu
Note: Please bookmark this syllabus—I will be revising it and making adjustments to the readings as the course progresses.
This course offers a cultural history of traditional China from some of the earliest historical records (about 1200 BCE) up through the late imperial period (about 1800 CE). We will cover the major historical events, developments, and trends -- social, political, economic, military, philosophical, literary, and cultural. The main focus of the course will be on primary sources. We will read (in translation) the most important writings from the Chinese tradition. These include Shang dynasty oracle bone inscriptions (used for divination), early Chinese philosophy (including Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism), religion (Buddhism and popular religions), dynastic histories, historical biographies, novels, satires, poetry, songs, ritual manuals, diaries, scientific treatises, philological studies, and political debates. We will take an interdisciplinary approach, integrating history with literary studies, philosophy, and anthropology, in order to better understand these texts in their historical context. This is a substantial writing component course.
Class attendance is mandatory.
The grade will be based on in-class quizzes and class participation (20%), mid-term and final examinations (30%), and a final paper (50%).
For resources for help with writing, see the web page of the Undergraduate Writing Center. For suggestions on writing the final paper, see "Writing Term Papers."
Sources of Chinese Tradition, vol. 1, From Earliest Times to 1600, ed. William Theodore de Bary et al., 2nd ed. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999. ISBN-10: 0231109393. ISBN-13: 978–0231109390).
John R. Trimble, Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing, 2nd ed. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000. ISBN-10: 0130257133. ISBN-13: 978–0130257130).
Conrad Schirokauer and Miranda Brown, A Brief History of Chinese Civilization (Wadsworth Publishing, 2005. ISBN-10: 0534643051. ISBN-13: 978–0534643058).
All other readings will be made available through electronic reserves:
http://reserves.lib.utexas.edu/coursepage.asp?cid=338
This electronic reserves page is password-protected; please email me if you need the password.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 3–16.
“The Oracle Bone Inscriptions of the Late Shang Dynasty,” chap. 1 of Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 3–23.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 17–23.
Classic of Changes (Yi jing 易經 or Zhou yi 周易, 9th? c. BCE), together with commentaries Several Disciples Asked (Er san zi wen 二三字問), Appended Statements (Xi ci 繫辭), selections, trans. in Edward L. Shaughnessy, Yi Jing: The Classic of Changes, 1st ed., Classics of Ancient China (New York: Ballantine Books, 1997).
Classic of Documents (Shang shu 尚書 or Shu jing 書經, 6th? c. BCE to 4th c. CE) and Classic of Poetry (Shi jing 詩經, 1000? to 600? BCE), selections, trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 24–40.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 24–38.
Analects (Lun yu 論語, 500?–250? BCE), attributed to Confucius (Kongzi 孔邱, c. 551–479 BCE), selections, trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 41–63.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 38–49.
The Classic of the Way and Virtue (Dao de jing 道德經, 3rd? century BCE), attributed to Laozi 老子 (n.d.), selections, trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 77–87.
Zhuangzi 莊子 (350? to 50? BCE), attributed to Zhuang Zhou 莊周 (fl. 320? BCE), selections, trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 95–104.
Mencius (Mengzi 孟子, 300? to 250? BCE), attributed to Meng Ke 孟軻 (c. 371–289 BCE), selections, trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 112–131.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 50–55.
Legalists: Guanzi 管子 (7th? century BCE to 100? BCE), attributed to Guan Zhong 管仲 (d. 645 BCE); Book of Lord Shang (Shang jun shu 商君書, c. 350?–200? BCE), attributed to Shang Yang 商 鞅 (385–338 BCE); Han Feizi 韓非子 (250?–c. 233 BCE), by Han Fei (c. 280–c. 233 BCE); and memorials by Li Si 李斯 (280?–208 BCE). Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 190–212.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 56–70.
“The Codifying of the Confucian Canon,” Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 311–18.
Records of the Grand Historian (Shi ji 史記, c. 100 BCE), completed by Sima Qian 司馬遷 (145?-86? BCE). Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 227–234 and 278–282.
Han ideologies: Lu Jia 陸賈 (?-170 BCE), New Discourses (Xin yu 新語); Jia Yi 賈宜 (201–168? BCE), New Writings (Xin shu 新書); Dong Zhongshu 董仲舒 (195?-105? BCE), Luxuriant Gems of the Spring and Autumn Annals (Chun qiu fan lu 春秋繁露). Selections. Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 283–305.
John R. Trimble, Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing, 2nd ed. (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2000).
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 71–81.
Economic writings: Edicts of Wang Mang (45 BCE-23 CE) and Emperor Wen (r. 180–157 CE); memorials by Chao Cuo (fl. 178 CE) and Dong Zhongshu; Debate on Salt and Iron. Selections. Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 353–366.
Outline due (in class).
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 85–106.
Midterm Examination: in class, Tuesday, March 8. Make-up examinations will be permitted only for documented emergencies. The review session for the midterm examination will be Monday, March 7, from 6:30-8:30 PM, in MEZ 1.122.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 85–106.
Buddhism: Mouzi 牟子, Disposing of Error (Li huo lun 理惑論); writings of Huiyuan; Fanwang Sutra; Jizang, The Profound Meaning of the Three Treatises; Xuanzang, Confimation of the Consciousness-only System; Lotus Sutra. Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 415–55.
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 106–35.
Social and political documents: House Instructions of Mr.Yan (Yanshi jiaxun); Zhangsun Wuji (?-659), Great Tang Code (Tang lü); memorials and essays by Yang Yan, (727–781), Lu Zhi (754–805), and Liu Zongyuan (773–819). Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 539–64.
Han Yu (768–824), Essentials of the Moral Way (Yuandao), selections, and other writings. Emperor Wuzong’s (r. 841–46) edict to suppress Buddhism (845). In Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 568–86.
Writing sample due (in class).
Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 136–55.
Essays and memorials on political reform: Ouyang Xiu (1007–1070), “Essay on Fundamentals” and “On Parties”; Cheng Yi (1033–1107), “Memorial to the Emperor Renzong”; Cheng Hao (1032–1085), “Ten Matters Calling for Reform” and “Remonstrance Against the New Laws”; Zhang Zai (1020–1077), “Land Equalization”; Su Xun (1009–1066), “The Land System.” Wang Anshi (1021–1086), “Memorial to Emperor Renzong,” “Memorial on the Crop Loans Measure,” and “In Defense of Five Major Policies”; Su Shi (1037–1101), “Memorial to Emperor Shenzong”; Sima Guang (1019–1086), “A Petition to Do Away with the Most Harmful of the New Laws”; Zhu Xi (1130–1200), “Wang Anshi in Retrospect.” In Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 609–626. In Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 587–609.
“The Ming Dynasty,” chap. 7 of Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 155–89.
Zhu Xi (1130–1200), Complete Works of Master Zhu. Selections. Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 697–714.
Zhu Xi, Great Learning by Chapter and Phrase, The Mean by Chapter and Phrase, and proposals and proclamations. Selections. Trans. in Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 720–751.
“The Ming Dynasty,” chap. 8 of Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 190–217.
Founding of the Ming: Ming Taizu, “August Ming Ancestral Instruction”; selections from the Ming Code, Commandments, and Great Pronouncements. In Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 779–799.
Wang Yangming (1472–1528), selected writings; Li Zhi (1527–1602), selected writings. In Sources of Chinese Tradition, pp. 842–855 and 865–874.
“East Asia and Modern Europe,” chap. 9 of Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 218–233.
Christianity in China: Matteo Ricci, Introduction and chap. 1, “A Discussion on the Creation of Heaven, Earth, and All Things by the Lord of Heaven, and on the Way He Exercises Authority and Sustains Them,” in The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven, pp. 57–97 (English translation is on odd-numbered pages). Li Zhizao (d. 1630), Preface to The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven; Xu Guangqi (1562–1633), “Memorial in Defense of Western Teaching”; Yang Guangxian (1597–1669), “I Cannot Do Otherwise.” In Sources of Chinese Tradition, vol. 2, pp. 142–152.
Term paper due (in class).
“The Qing Dynasty,” chap. 10 of Schirokauer, Brief History, pp. 235–257.
Han Learning: Dai Zhen (1724–1777), “Letter to Shi Zhongming Concerning Scholarship” and “Letter in Reply to Advanced Scholar Peng Yunchu.” In Sources of Chinese Tradition, vol. 2, pp. 41–52. Qing statecraft: Chen Hongmou (1696–1771), selected writings. In Sources of Chinese Tradition, vol. 2, pp. 156–68.
Documents on the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion, in Sources of Chinese Tradition, vol. 2, pp. 198–223.
Rewritten papers due (in class).
The final examination will be scheduled by the University Registrar approximately one month before the end of the semester. Please note that the University allows exceptions only by petition to the Dean. Make-up examinations and incompletes will be given only for documented emergencies.
Policies on academic integrity are posted on the following webpage:
http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/history/about/academic-integrity.php
Students with disabilities may request appropriate academic accommodations from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 471-6259.