This course introduces the form and types of prose in classical Chinese literature by critical reading of some basic Chinese texts and their English translations on various themes, such as history, philosophy, religion and art. Through a wide variety of reading materials, it focuses on the relationships between food/drink consumption and commerce, religion, social regulation, medicine, and cultural identity, among others. In addition to close reading and interpretation, we will situate these texts in their social and cultural contexts, examining critical moments of transformation in Chinese history and the enduring questions they raise in terms of philosophy, religion, gender, ethnicity, and politics.
This course introduces the form and types of prose in classical Chinese literature by critical reading of some basic Chinese texts and their English translations on various themes, such as history, philosophy, religion and art. Through a wide variety of reading materials, it focuses on the relationships between food/drink consumption and commerce, religion, social regulation, medicine, and cultural identity, among others. In addition to close reading and interpretation, we will situate these texts in their social and cultural contexts, examining critical moments of transformation in Chinese history and the enduring questions they raise in terms of philosophy, religion, gender, ethnicity, and politics.
