Early China to 1500

History 335

Early China to 1500

Prof. Dodgen

Fall 2010

        China today is the most populous nation on earth and is rapidly becoming one of the most dynamic economies on the planet. Having embraced capitalism in order to strengthen their regional and global influence, the Chinese are also rediscovering elements of their ancient tradition and repackaging them for use in a modern, post-industrial world. The capitalism and the vision of modernity they embrace, however, is very different than that found in the West: ancient cultural and social traditions emphasizing family, hierarchy and order still predominate. Just as Roman law and the morality of the medieval church influence modern Western institutions, so Confucianism and Daoism, Moism and Legalism, Buddhism and folk religion, continue to inform the social and political world of modern China. This course looks at the development of China from prehistoric times up to about 1500.

Books:

        There are four books required for the course.

The Cambridge Illustrated History of China and Chinese Civilization: A Sourcebook by Patricia Buckley Ebrey are the texts. We will also read Monkey by Wu Ch’eng-en and Celebrated cases of Judge Dee by Robert Van Gulik.

There will also be links on the class web page to other short readings available on the web. Most are available through Professor Paul Halsall’s website at:

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/index.html 

        Students should be ready to discuss and be quizzed on any of the assigned readings in class on the day they are assigned.

Grading:

        I will base your grade on two take-home writing assignments, two in-class essay exams and quizzes. Each take-home and in-class will count for 22 percent of the grade. The quizzes will make up the final 12 percent. The in-class exams will require short essays on the terms listed in the syllabus and longer essays on the themes of the course. The mid-term writing assignment will draw upon Monkey. The final will similarly use The Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee as the source for the essays. I will provide you with three sets of issues and your job will be to use the assigned readings to construct an essay around one of the three choices. The essays must be 4-5 pages, typed, and double-spaced. Both writing assignments require that students cite the readings in support of their arguments. Students can only use sources listed in the syllabus. The purpose of the essays is to show that you have read the assigned readings carefully and thoughtfully.

        Terms for exam 1 can be found at: http://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/dodgen/terms/study terms for early china.doc 

Terms for the final can be found at: http://www.sonoma.edu/users/d/dodgen/terms/study terms for early china2.doc 

        Papers will be reduced one letter grade per day if late, and I will not give grades of incomplete or make-up exams unless there is a documented medical excuse or a prior arrangement based on compelling need.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s ideas or words without giving them credit, including turning in someone else’s work as your own. It is an intolerable intellectual crime. If you have any question about how to use the ideas and arguments made by others in your essay, raise the issue with the instructor. We will also discuss this subject in class.

        My office is Stevenson 2066, extension 42462. My e-mail address is dodgen@sonoma.edu . My office hours are M-W 12:30-1:45 and by appointment.

Syllabus

Week of                                                             Topics and Assignments

Part I: Pre-imperial China

8/25                        --Introduction: language, geography and prehistory.

8/30-9/1                --Religion, myth and philosophy before Confucius.

                        Readings: Cambridge Illustrated History of China (CIHC), pages10-42; "Chinese Logographic writing" at:

                        http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/chinlng4.html . Begin reading Monkey by Wu Ch’eng-en.