HIST74 HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL CHINA Fall 2004
Department of History Macalester College
Prof. Y. H. Tam T, Th 1:00-2:30, OM 10
This course considers the traditional culture and society of China from the earliest times to the 19th century when the impact from the West was strongly felt. Primarily an introductory course for beginners in Chinese culture and history, this course examines a variety of significant themes in political, economic, social, and cultural developments in the pre-modern times. The coverage will not overlap with that of HIST 275 “History of Modern China” which starts with the Opium War (1840) to the present day.
ASSIGNMENTS & ASSESSMENT:
Map Exercise 5%
Oral Attendance & Discussion Participation 25%
2 Short Papers or Book Reviews (5-8 pages, title own choice) 40%
Final Exam: 30%
REQUIRED READINGS:
Required readings, will be assigned from the following books and other books on reserve at the library:
1) Reischauer, Edwin 0,, Craig, Albert M. & Fairbank, John K. China:
Tradition and Transformation . (Houghton Mifflin).
2) Ebrey, Patricia B. (ed.). Chinese Civilization and Society. (Free Press).
And recommended readings will be assigned from other publications from time to time.
Except for medical reasons or family emergencies about which the Dean of Students has been properly notified, late papers and make-up examinations will receive a reduction of 20% in grading.
OFFICE HOURS
T,Th 4:30-5:30; W 2:30-4:30, and by appointment.
Office: Room 305, Old Main Tel. 696-6262 E-mail: tam@macalester.edu
Please feel free to call me at home (651-457-6529) if necessary. The best time to get hold of me is 6:30-7:30 p.m. on weekdays.
HIST174 HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL CHINA Fall 2004
Department of History Macalester College
Prof. Y. H. Tam T, Th 1:00--2:30, OM 10
1st Week (9/6)
Orientation Meeting: Course introduction
[No readings this week]
2nd Week (9/13)
Land and People
Beginning of Chinese civilization:
Prehistory legends, state & religions in Hsia & Shang dynasties (ca.
1751-1123 B.C.)
Readings: Fairbank & Reischauer, China: Tradition & Transformation (hereafter CTT), chapter 1
Recommended readings: Kwang-chih Chang, The archaeology of ancient Chinese civilization: Anthropological perspectives, ch. 1-2.
Discussion topics: What are the significant features of the geographical setting in China? Why are they significant? What do the legends imply in terms of cultural development?
Map Exercise begins (due two weeks later)
3rd Week (9/20)
Age of Philosophers: Confucianism, I
Age of Philosophers: Confucianism, II
Readings: (CTT, chs. 2 & 3; Ebrey (ed., Chinese civilization: A Sourcebook (hereafter CCS), documents 2-6. Recommended readings: Cho-yun Hsu, Ancient China in transition, ch. 1; and papers.
Discussion topics: What are the characteristics in the feudalism in Chou China (cf. European or Japanese feudalism)? What is the central problem of Chinese society as viewed by the classic thinkers? What do their answers have in common? To what extent are Confucians traditionalists or reformers? What are the elements of elitism and egalitarianism in Confucianism? What are the elements of idealism and realism in Confucianism? Is there a common denominator in the teachings of Confucius, Mencius and Hsun Tzu? Interesting points in the first few readings in CCS?
4th Week (9/27)
Age of Philosophers: Taoism
Age of Philosophers: Legalism & Other Schools
Readings: CCS, docs 7-10; Wm. de Bary, et al (eds.), Sources of Chinese Tradition (hereafter, SCT), chs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Recommended Readings: Wei -ming Tu. Confucian Thought: Selfhood as Creative Transformation; and Frederick W. Mote, The intellectual foundation of China.
Discussion topics: What is the ideal relationship between the individual and society in Taoism? What are the characteristics of an ideal state according to Lao Tzu? How should the ideal ruler behave according to the Confucians the Taoists Mo T7u and the Legalists? What are the criticisms of Confucianism made by Mo Tzu? by the Taoists? by the Legalists? How do the criticisms of each school reflect its own theories?
OCTOBER
5th Week (10/4)
Formation of the imperial system: Ch’in Dynasty (221-207 B.C.)
Han Dynasty (206 B.C.- A.D. 220): Political & Economic Development
Readings: CTT, ch. 4; CCS, docs. 11-18.
Recommended Readings: Derk Bodde, China’s first unifier; Ying-shih Yu, Trade and expansion in Han China, ch. 3; Burton Watson (tr.), Records of the grand historian of China.
Discussion topics: What weaknesses in the Legalist philosophy can be seen in the way the Ch’in dynasty collapsed? To what extent does the Han represent a new stage in Chinese history? What Confucian teachings were embodied in the imperial institutions of Han times? Taoist teachings? Legalism teachings? Were the governmental institutions of Imperial China based on the assumption that human nature is good? evil?
6th Week (10/11)
Disintegration & reunification: Six dynasties & the Sui (589-618)
Buddhism in China
Readings: CTT, ch. 4; CCS, docs. 21-24.
Recommended Readings: Kenneth Ch’en, Buddhism in China, chs.
1-3; SCT, chs. 12-14.
Discussion topics: What are the positive and negative effects of the periods of disunity on the historical development of China? What was the driving force behind the persistence of the ideal of a unified China during periods of disunity? Considering the appeal of Buddhism to the rulers; to the scholar-class; to artists; to the common people; which sects tended to appeal to each? In what respects can Chinese Buddhism be considered a foreign faith?
7th Week (10/18)
Growth of the imperial system: T’ang dynasty (618-907)
Blossoming of T’ang culture
Readings: CTT, ch. 5; CCS, docs. 25-28 & 30-31;
Recommended Reading: T’ang poetry, as much as you can read.
Discussion topics: What are the outstanding elements in cosmopolitanism and isolationism as exemplified in T’ang China? How would you characterize the leadership and institutions of the early T’ang in the light of Confucian ideals (militia; equal-field system; examination system; character and behavior of Emperor T’ai-tsung, etc.)? How would you define the scholar-official class (literati)? What are the level of economic development of China as suggested by the change to the Twice-year Tax?
8th Week (10/25)
Political & socioeconomic changes in the Sung (960-1279)
10/28 Mid-Term Break--No Class
Readings: CTT, ch. 6; CCS, docs. 33-38 & 41-42.
Recommended Reading: Cyril Birch (ed. ), Anthology of Chinese Literature, Vol. I, 217-257, 288-299; Arthur Waley, The poetry and career of Li Po; William Hung, Tu Fu, China’s great poet; James T. C. Liu, Reform in Sung China: Wang An-shih, chs. 4-5; James T. C. Liu, Ou—yang Hsiu, chs. 3 & 5.
Discussion topics: Who is your favorite poet in the T’ang? Your most favorite works? What were the causes and effects of the rising merchant class in the Sung? What problems are dealt with by Chu Hsi that were not emphasized by Confucians of the Classical period? of the Han period? In what ways Neo-Confucianism can he viewed as an answer to Buddhism? What is the influence of Buddhist concepts on the system of Chu Hsi?
NOVEMBER
9th Week (11/01)
Neo-Confucianism and cultural development
Alien rule in non-Han dynasties
Readings: CTT, ch. 7; CCS, docs. 39-40 & 44.
Recommended Reading: Wei-ming Tu. Confucian Thought: Selfhood as
Creative Trans formation; Wing-tsit Chan (tr. ), Reflecting on things at
hand: The Neo—Confucian anthology, “Introduction” & chs. 4-5; John P.
Langlois (ed.), China under Mongol rule, chs. by David Farquhar,
Yan-shuan Lao, and Morris Rossabi.
Discussion topics: What would be the strength of Neo-Confucianism? What would be the
positive & negative impact of the examination system on Chinese society? To what extent did
“barbarian rule” of China differ from Chinese rule? In what ways did “barbarian” rule affect
Chinese society? What was the major impact of “barbarian” invasions on Chinese civilization:
institutions introduced by conquest dynasties; contributions of “barbarians” to Chinese culture
and daily life?
10th Week (11/8)
Restitution of the Han rule: the Ming (1368-1644)
Culture and thought in Ming times
Readings: CCT, ch. 8; CCS, docs. 47-58
Recommended Readings: Charles Hucker, The traditional Chinese state in Ming times; Edward Farmer, Early Ming government, chs. 2 & 6; Wang Yang-ming, Instruction for practical living and other Neo-Confucian writings, “Introduction” ; Wm T. de Bary (ed.), Self and society in Ming thought, “Introduction”; Kuang-chuan Hsiao, Rural China: Imperial control in the nineteenth century, chs. 3 & 5.
Discussion topics: How would you characterized the censorate as a Confucian institution and as a Legalist institution? To what extent can the Wang Yang-ming school be viewed as a political liberalizing force in Ming China; as a restatement of Confucian orthodoxy; as a synthesis of the critiques of the imperial system of other thinkers?
11th Week (11/15)
Manchu rule: Political and Economic Change
Manchu rule: Society and Culture, I
Readings: CTT, ch. 9; CCS, docs. 59-67.
Recommeded Readings: Mary Wright, The last stand of Chinese conservatism, chs. 5 & 7; Jonathan Spence, The death of woman Wang; Cao Xueqin (Ts’ao Hsuen-ch’in), The story of the stone; Wu Ching-tzu, The scholars.
Discussion topics: How would you characterize K’ang-hsi and Ch’ien-lung as Confucian monarchs and foreign rulers? What were the reasons for the success of the Manchus in ruling China? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional society in China? What could the examination system measure: Confucian virtue? knowledge of the Confucian Classics? literary skills? bureaucratic ability? What did the imperial state need? Any interesting points in the recommended readings? How would you characterize the status of woman in society? Substantiate you argument by referring to examples quoted from Spence, Wu or Cao?
12th Week (11/22)
Manchu Rule: Society and Culture, II
11/25 Thanksgiving, No Class.
Readings and discussion topics same as last week.
13th Week (11/29)
Decline of the Imperial System
Western Invasion
Readings: CTT, ch. 10. CCS. doc. 68
Recommended readings: Frederic Wakeman, Strangers at the gate, Parts 1 & 2; Albert Feuerwerker, China’ s early industrialization, ch. 1; Benjamin Schwartz, In search of wealth and power, chs. 4-5; Hao Chang, Liang Ch’i-ch’ao and intellectual tradition in China, chs. 6 & 8
[To be continued]
13th Week (11/29) [Continued]
Discussion topics: What were the major problems that the Europeans faced in dealing with the Chinese government before and after 1840? What broad cultural conflicts can be seen in the particular disputes between the British and Chinese that eventually led to the Opium War?
14th week (12/6)
Imperialist Encroachment on China
Reforms in Late Ch’ ing
Readings: CTT, chs. 11 & 12; CCS, docs. 71, 73-76.
Discussion Topics: How the Chinese respond to the impact from the West? Discuss Japan’s function in China’s modernization cause.
15th Week (12/13)
Rebellions & Revolution
Traditional China in Review
Readings: CTT, ch. 13. CCS, docs. 70.
Recommended Readings: Philip A. Kuhn, Rebellion and its enemies in the late imperial China, chs. 3-4; Albert Feuerwerker, Rebellion in nineteenth century China.
Discussion topics: What were the reasons for the reforms & revolution? Assess the achievements of the reforms and revolution? What would be the strengths & weaknesses of traditional China?
Final Exam to be arranged.