AS 120 Introduction to East Asian Cultures

Tentative Schedule, Assignment, and Web Links

(To view Syllabus, click here.)

 (The syllabus may be changed for any good reason.  Any such changes will be announced and explained in advance.)

January

I.  China

Background

14W        Introduction to Class

19M       Martin Luther King Jr's Day, no classes.

21W      The geography & peoples of China

Reading: Smith, pp. 1-26 (on Blackboard)

video clip:  Beauty of Terraced Paddy Fields,  Yellow Earth

Questions(1): 

26M       Early History:  The rise of Chinese civilization

Xia through Zhou Dynasty, and the Oracle-bone inscriptions.

Reading: de Bary: pp. 1-23, 29-40

Questions(2):   

28W        Chinese written language and its influence

Reading: Smith, pp. 101-129, 299 (On Blackboard)

Questions(3):   

Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism

02M       Confucianism: historical context and themes

Confucius, the teacher.  Introduction of the main concepts of Classical Confucianism.

Reading: de Bary, pp. 41-63

Reference: (on Blackboard)

Questions(4):  

1st. Essay Assignment due on Wednesday, February 11

February

04W       Group discussion #1 Confucius and the Analects  

Reading: de Bary, 112-116

Questions(5):  

09M Early evolution of Confucianism: Mencius and Xunzi

Reading: de Bary,   Mencius: 1A:1 (116-117), 6A:4-12 (148-158)

Xunzi:  159-160, 170-174, 179-183

Questions(6): 

 11W      Daoism: Historical context and themes, Laozi and Daodejing

Reading: de Bary, pp. 77-94

                          Reference: Smith pp. 150-165; 172-185

Questions(7): 

16M      Laozi (Continued); Zhuangzi

Reading:  de Bary, 95-103

Questions (8): 

1st. Essay Assignment due.

18W      Early Evolution of Daoism: Zhuangzi

Reading: de Bary, 103-111

Questions(9):  

2^nd Essay Assignment due on Wednesday, February 25

23M      Buddhism, origins and basic concepts and Mahayana Buddhism

                                   The Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, samsara, karma, nirvana

                                   Reading: de Bary: pp. 415 ~432

Questions(10):   

25W      Mahayana Buddhism in China and Schools of Buddhist Practice

Conflict and Accommodation

                                   Reading: de Bary: 420-427, 433-436 ;

Pure Land: 476-481, 481-483, Chan: 491-494

Reference:  (On Blackboard: Buddhism)

Questions(11):   

March

02M      Poetry and Chinese Aesthetics

Reading: click here

Questions(12):   

2nd Essay Assignment due

04W       An Introduction of Dream of the Red Chamber

Reading: Dream of the Red Chamber, Ch. 1-15

Questions(13):  

09M       Dream of the Red Chamber: plot

Reading: Dream of the Red Chamber, Ch. 16-30.

Questions(14):   

11W       Group Discussion #2 Dream of the Red Chamber: philosophy and religion

Reading: Dream of the Red Chamber, Ch. 31-40.

16-20      Spring Break  (Mid-Term Exam, 2008)

II.  Japan

Background

23M       Film: the Ballad of Narayama

Questions(15): 

25W      Introduction to Japan: Geography, Language, and People

Reading: Varley, pp. 1-18 (On Blackboard)

Questions(16):   

30M     Archaeology of Early Japan and Rise of Early State

The communities of Jomon and Yayoi cultures

             Earliest written records of Japan

Yamato/Nippon in Chinese and Japanese historic account

                                   Reading: Handouts:  de Bary, 3-13

Reference: Paul Varley,  17-34;

Question (17):

April

Japanese Classical Era

01W        Early Shinto, Kojiki, Nihonshoki, the construction of the imperial genealogy

Norito, Izanagi, Izanami, Amateratsu, Susanao, Ise Shrine.

Reading: de Bary, 13-31, 31-36

Questions(18):   

06M       The state of Early Japan, Asuka & Nara period,

introduction of Chinese system and Buddhism

Reading: de Bary, 40-55, 63-74 ; Manyoshu , also here

Recommanded Reading: de Bary, 75-83 (Taika Reform)

Questions(19):   

08W       Heian politics and Buddhism, the kana syllabaries

Taidai (Saicho), Shingon (Kukai)

Reading: de Bary, 125-133, 140-142, 150-152, 153-157

Questions (20):  

13M       Heian aristocratic culture:  Murasaki Shikibu, and Tale of Genji,  & Kokinshu

Reading: de Bary, 197-204, Evening Face (Ch. 4), Heartvine (Ch. 9), translated by Edward G.Seidensticker

Questions (20):   

3rd Essay assignment: Tale of Genji, due on Wednesday, April 15

The Tale of Genji is considered by many to be a window into the world of Heian court culture. How does it portray the court culture in the "Evening Face" & "Heartvine" Chapters? What sorts of lives do the characters lead? What are their concerns? What is the concept or nature of love in Tale of Genji? (Focus should be placed on Prince Genji and court ladies.)

* You should not interpret this chapter based on your own cultural value/standard.

Japanese Medieval Era

15W     understanding of Shoen & Emergence of warrior class, 

Fujiwara, Taira, and Minamoto

Reading:  Rise of the Warrior Class; Growth of Shoen

Questions (21):  

27M     The Kamakura & Ashikaga Shogunate; the emergence of the Warrior class

Film “Hoichi the Earless” from Kwaidan

Reading: de Bary, 205-210, 265-291

The Tale of Heike (Excerpt, Story Summaries)

Hojoki (An Account of my Hut) by Kamo no Chomei

Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness) by Yoshida Kenko (1283?-1352?)

Questions(22):  

3rd Essay Assignment due

29W      Medieval Religion, Pure Land,  Nichiren, and Zen Buddhism

Reading: de Bary, 205-210, 211-228, 292-305, 306-328

Questions(23): 

The Early Modern Era Tokugawa Period

May

04M       Medieval Religion, Zen and historical context

                           Aesthetics in late Medieval Japan

Film “Practice of Zen Buddhism”

Reading: de Bary, 364-398

Questions(24):  

4th Essay assignment due.

06W       Film “Tea Ceremony”

Reading: Okakura, The book of Tea (or PDF)

Questions(28): 

4th Essay assignment due on Wednesday, May 13

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