This course seeks to understand East Asian civilizations through texts, images, and objects exhibited at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Students study various texts, paintings, bronzes, architecture, sculptures, porcelains, and other objects, and explore their historical, aesthetic, and critical meanings. We cover a broad selection of materials from different periods in Chinese history, devoting special attention to the specific form that certain philosophically relevant issues take in Chinese political discourse, such as the role of formal standards versus that of character, the interplay between institutions and ethical discretion, the role of education versus legal coercion, and the advantages of central versus local administration. Readings will include selections from the Documents, Guǎnzǐ, Mòzǐ, Analects, Mèngzǐ, Xúnzǐ, Dàodéjīng, Zhuāngzǐ, Hánfēizǐ, Discourses on Salt and Iron, Jī Kāng, Guō Xiàng, Bào Jìng Yán, Luó Yǐn, Oūyáng Xiū, Chéng Yí, Wáng Ānshí, Chéng Hào, Hú Hóng, Chén Liàng, Fāng Xiàorú, Gù Yánwǔ, Huáng Zōngxī, and Táng Zhēn.
This course seeks to understand East Asian civilizations through texts, images, and objects exhibited at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Students study various texts, paintings, bronzes, architecture, sculptures, porcelains, and other objects, and explore their historical, aesthetic, and critical meanings. We cover a broad selection of materials from different periods in Chinese history, devoting special attention to the specific form that certain philosophically relevant issues take in Chinese political discourse, such as the role of formal standards versus that of character, the interplay between institutions and ethical discretion, the role of education versus legal coercion, and the advantages of central versus local administration. Readings will include selections from the Documents, Guǎnzǐ, Mòzǐ, Analects, Mèngzǐ, Xúnzǐ, Dàodéjīng, Zhuāngzǐ, Hánfēizǐ, Discourses on Salt and Iron, Jī Kāng, Guō Xiàng, Bào Jìng Yán, Luó Yǐn, Oūyáng Xiū, Chéng Yí, Wáng Ānshí, Chéng Hào, Hú Hóng, Chén Liàng, Fāng Xiàorú, Gù Yánwǔ, Huáng Zōngxī, and Táng Zhēn.
