East Asian Studies (B.A.)

Courses

* EAST 016a / HSAR 016a, Chinese Painting and Culture  Quincy Ngan

This course focuses on important works of Chinese painting and major painters from the fourth century CE to the twentieth century. Through close readings of the pictorial contents and production contexts of such works of art, this course investigates the works’ formats, meanings, and innovations from social, historical, and art-historical perspectives. In this course, students become familiar with the traditional Chinese world and acquire the knowledge necessary to be an informed viewer of Chinese painting. Discussions of religion, folkloric beliefs, literature, relationships between men and women, the worship of mountains, the laments of scholars, and the tastes of emperors and wealthy merchants also allow students to understand the cultural roots of contemporary China. Enrollment limited to first-year students. Preregistration required; see under First-Year Seminar Program.
MW 1pm-2:15pm

EAST 220b / HIST 321b, China from Present to Past, 2015–600  Valerie Hansen

Underlying causes of current issues facing China traced back to their origins in the premodern period. Topics include economic development, corruption, environmental crises, gender, and Pacific island disputes. Selected primary-source readings in English, images, videos, and Web resources. *Optional additional Chinese-language and English-language sections.  HU
TTh 1:30pm-2:20pm

EAST 237b / HSAR 237b, Arts of China  Staff

Arts of China is a window to the nation’s history, culture, society, and aesthetics. This course introduces the visual arts of China from the prehistoric period to the twentieth century. We look at the archaeological findings (including pottery, jade, and bronze vessels) as well as ancestor worship and belief in posthumous souls and immortal mountains. We look at the art and architecture inspired by Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. We investigate the place of Chinese painting and calligraphy in court and elite cultures and explore how these arts intertwine with politics, printing culture, and popular culture. Lastly, we investigate the decorative arts, like ceramics, textiles, and furniture, as well as the art and architecture that reflect foreign tastes.
TTh 1:30pm-2:20pm

EAST 240a / CHNS 200a / EALL 200a / HUMS 270a, The Chinese Tradition  Lucas Bender

An introduction to the literature, culture, and thought of premodern China, from the beginnings of the written record to the turn of the twentieth century. Close study of textual and visual primary sources, with attention to their historical and cultural backdrops. Students enrolled in CHNS 200 join a weekly Mandarin-language discussion section. No knowledge of Chinese required for students enrolled in EALL 200. Students enrolled in CHNS 200 must have L5 proficiency in Mandarin or permission of the course instructor.  HU
MW 10:30am-11:20am

EAST 241a / EALL 211a / LITR 174a / WGSS 405a, Women and Literature in Traditional China  Kang-i Sun Chang

A study of major women writers in traditional China, as well as representations of women by male authors. The power of women's writing; women and material culture; women in exile; courtesans; Taoist and Buddhist nuns; widow poets; cross-dressing women; the female body and its metaphors; footbinding; notions of love and death; the aesthetics of illness; women and revolution; poetry clubs; the function of memory in women's literature; problems of gender and genre. All readings in translation; no knowledge of Chinese required. Some Chinese texts provided for students who read Chinese. Formerly CHNS 201.  HU
TTh 1pm-2:15pm

* EAST 242b / EALL 230b / HUMS 269b, Poetry and Ethics Amidst Imperial Collapse  Lucas Bender

Du Fu has for the last millennium been considered China’s greatest poet. Close study of nearly one-sixth of his complete works, contextualized by selections from the tradition that defined the art in his age. Exploration of the roles literature plays in interpreting human lives and the ways different traditional forms shape different ethical orientation. Poetry as a vehicle for moral reflection. All readings are in English.  WR, HU
HTBA

EAST 252b / EALL 255b, Japanese Modernism  Seth Jacobowitz

Japanese literature and art from the 1920s through the 1940s. The avant-garde and mass culture; popular genre fiction; the advent of new media technologies and techniques; effects of Japanese imperialism, militarism, and fascism on cultural production; experimental writers and artists and their resistance to, or complicity with, the state.  HU
HTBA

* EAST 261a / EALL 286a / HUMS 290a / LITR 285a / PORT 360a, The Modern Novel in Brazil and Japan  Seth Jacobowitz

Brazilian and Japanese novels from the late nineteenth century to the present. Representative texts from major authors are read in pairs to explore their commonalities and divergences. Topics include nineteenth-century realism and naturalism, the rise of mass culture and the avant-garde, and existentialism and postmodernism. No knowledge of Portuguese or Japanese required.  HU
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

EAST 301b / HIST 307b, The Making of Japan's Great Peace, 1550–1850  Fabian Drixler

Examination of how, after centuries of war in Japan and overseas, the Tokugawa shogunate built a peace that lasted more than 200 years. Japan's urban revolution, the eradication of Christianity, the Japanese discovery of Europe, and the question of whether Tokugawa Japan is a rare example of a complex and populous society that achieved ecological sustainability.  HU
TTh 11:35am-12:25pm

* EAST 303a / HIST 303Ja, Hong Kong and China: A Cross-Border History  Denise Ho

This departmental seminar studies the historical development of Hong Kong and China in relation to each other, from the colonial and late imperial experience to their shared histories in national and political movements, from postwar industrialization to reform-era economic growth, culminating in the 1997 handover and its attendant political and economic integration. The readings from the first half of the semester come primarily from the literature in history, while the readings in the second half draw from anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology. Each week readings include primary sources in or translated into English.  HU, SO
F 1:30pm-3:20pm

* EAST 309a or b / HIST 309Ja or b, Uses of the Past in Modern China  Denise Ho

Modern China's use of the past in state-sponsored narratives of nation, in attempts to construct heritage by elites and intellectuals, and in grassroots projects of remembrance. Theories on history and memory; primary sources in English translation; case studies from twentieth-century China. Interdisciplinary readings in art history, anthropology, cultural studies, and history.  WR, HU
HTBA

EAST 338a / ECON 338a / GLBL 318a, The Next China  Stephen Roach

Economic development in China since the late 1970s. Emphasis on factors pushing China toward a transition from its modern export- and investment-led development model to a pro-consumption model. The possibility of a resulting identity crisis, underscored by China's need to embrace political reform and by the West's long-standing misperceptions of China. Prerequisite: introductory macroeconomics.  SO
MW 10:30am-11:20am

* EAST 340a / EALL 300a, Sinological Methods  Pauline Lin

A research course in Chinese studies, designed for students with background in modern and literary Chinese. Exploration and evaluation of the wealth of primary sources and research tools available in Chinese. For native speakers of Chinese, introduction to the secondary literature in English and instruction in writing professionally in English on topics about China. Topics include the compilation and development of Chinese bibliographies; bibliophiles' notes; editions, censorship, and textual variation and reliability; specialized dictionaries; maps and geographical gazetteers; genealogies and biographical sources; archaeological and visual materials; and major Chinese encyclopedias and compendia. Prerequisite: CHNS 171 or equivalent. Formerly CHNS 202.  HU
HTBA

EAST 375a or b / HIST 375a or b, China from Mao to Now  Denise Ho

The history of the People's Republic of China from Mao to now, with a focus on understanding the recent Chinese past and framing contemporary events in China in historical context. How the party-state is organized; interactions between state and society; causes and consequences of economic disparities; ways in which various groups—from intellectuals to religious believers—have shaped the meaning of contemporary Chinese society.  HU
HTBA

* EAST 390b / RLST 102b, Atheism and Buddhism  Hwansoo Kim

A critical examination of atheism and religions (Buddhism), with a focus on intellectual, religious, philosophical, and scientific debates about God, the origin of the universe, morality, evolution, neuroscience, happiness, enlightenment, the afterlife, and karma. Readings selected from philosophical, scientific, and religious writings. Authors include some of the following: Charles Darwin, Bertrand Russell, Christopher Hitchins, Richard Dawkins, Deepak Chopra, Sam Harris, Owen Flanagan, Stephen Batchelor, and the Dalai Lama.  HU
Th 1:30pm-3:20pm

* EAST 391b / EALL 296b / RLST 121b, Religion and Culture in Korea  Hwansoo Kim

Introduction to Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Christianity, and new religions in Korea from ancient times to the present. Examination of religious traditions in close relationships with social, economic, political, and cultural environments in Korean society. Examination of religious tensions, philosophical arguments, and ethical issues that indigenous and foreign religions in Korea have engaged throughout history to maximize their influence in Korean society.  HU
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

* EAST 402b / HIST 305Jb, Empire and Identity in Qing China  Staff

This seminar covers the history of the Qing empire, which governed China and large parts of Inner Asia from 1644 to 1912, with a thematic focus on a key question: how did the politics of identity manifest in a society organized under a governmental structure and set of intellectual assumptions very different from those we are familiar with today? The course examines the roles of identity categories like ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, and status in the Qing empire and interrogates the role of the Qing imperial system, as a particular political system, in managing different forms of identity. In addition to its core focus on the Qing, the course includes discussions of Chosŏn Korea and the Republic of China, to consider both the role of Qing empire in regional politics and the legacy of empire in China’s later history.  HU
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

* EAST 404a / HIST 307Ja, The Written Word in Japan, Prehistory to 1600  Staff

In premodern Japan, text and writing had the power to imbue swords with ritual meaning, evoke the pathos of cherry blossoms, or reveal means of salvation. People from all walks of life produced and consumed the written word in different ways, whether they hoped to shape military regimes or simply send messages to loved ones, as we might today. In what ways did textuality (or, in some cases, its absence or conscious rejection) shape Japan’s social, political, economic, and religious development? What is a “text”? How does understanding its use by diverse peoples across centuries challenge our underlying assumptions about how documents, writing, and communication function in society? Surveying these issues from prehistory to 1600, this course uses writing traditions and documentary culture as a lens through which to understand Japanese history and ways of being in Japan’s premodern world. Students use primary and secondary readings to discuss core issues in writing and textual culture, such as language, orality, transmission, translation, gender, genre, communication, and visuality. A complementary emphasis on how we, as modern readers, writers, and scholars, interpret and use written materials further provides students with new strategies for thinking about how history is recorded, consumed, and evaluated. No previous knowledge of Japanese or Japanese history is required.  HU
M 3:30pm-5:20pm

* EAST 406b / ANTH 241b, Nature and Culture in and of East Asia  Staff

How is nature in East Asia shaped by distinct histories of modernization, colonialism, militarism, the Cold War, and developmentalism in the region? What is the impact of transnational flows of objects, people, ideas, and discourses—whether they are natural resources, waste, environmental activists, or green urbanism—on nature? How do recent anxieties about adulterated food, radiation, and pollution reveal environmental interconnections among Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, and beyond? Why are marginalized groups like Okinawans, indigenous people, and rural poor peasants disproportionately affected by environmental problems? By addressing such questions, this course aims to unpack the relationship between nature, culture, and power in East Asia. Reading interdisciplinary accounts from history, anthropology, and literary and cultural studies, we engage the growing field of environmental humanities from a uniquely East Asian perspective. Topics include the relationship between East Asian colonial experience and nature; state power and water resources; air pollution; nuclear radiation; the emergence of environmental conservation discourse; interspecies connections; and food safety.  SO
W 1:30pm-3:20pm

* EAST 454b / ECON 474b / GLBL 312b, Economic and Policy Lessons from Japan  Stephen Roach

An evaluation of modern Japan's protracted economic problems and of their potential implications for other economies, including the United States, Europe, and China. Policy blunders, structural growth impediments, bubbles, the global economic crisis of 2008, and Abenomics; risks of secular stagnation and related dangers to the global economy from subpar post-crisis recoveries. Focus on policy remedies to avert similar problems in other countries. Prerequisite: an introductory course in macroeconomics.  SO
T 3:30pm-5:20pm

* EAST 469a / HSAR 469a, Contemporary Art and Culture in China  Staff

This course is an introduction to the art and culture of contemporary China, covering the period from 1960s to the present day. It focuses on art objects, performances, propaganda, and exhibitions produced by the government, the business sector, curators, and avant-garde artists in Mainland China. We also look at China’s Olympic stadiums, the Three Gorges Dam, and skyscrapers (including those in Hong Kong and Taiwan). Class meetings discuss the required readings and investigate artworks, films, and events that speak to China’s political ideologies, society, and economy, as well as its role in globalization and international conflicts. To establish a cross-cultural interpretation, this class also explores how Euro-American artists and filmmakers used their arts to express their views on contemporary China.
T 9:25am-11:15am

* EAST 474b / HSAR 484b, Japanese Screens  Mimi Yiengpruksawan

The screen-painting tradition in Japan, particularly as it emerged in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The format, techniques, and functions of screen painting; poetic and literary connections, as well as studio practices and politics, of the principal lineages of painters; aesthetics and styles associated with varying classes of patronage, from the shoguns to Buddhist monks to the Japanese court.  HU
W 9:25am-11:15am

EAST 480a or b, One-Term Senior Essay  DUS: Director of Undergraduate Studies

Preparation of a one-term senior essay under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Students must receive the prior agreement of the director of undergraduate studies and of the faculty member who will serve as the senior essay adviser. Students must arrange to meet with that adviser on a regular basis throughout the term.
HTBA

* EAST 491a and EAST 492b, Senior Research Project  DUS: Director of Undergraduate Studies

Two-term directed research project under the supervision of a ladder faculty member. Students should write essays using materials in East Asian languages when possible. Essays should be based on primary material, whether in an East Asian language or English. Summary of secondary material is not acceptable. Credit for EAST 491 only on completion of EAST 492.  ½ Course cr per term
HTBA

CHNS 170a, Introduction to Literary Chinese I  Michael Hunter

Reading and interpretation of texts in various styles of literary Chinese (wenyan), with attention to basic problems of syntax and literary style. After CHNS 151, 153, or equivalent.  L5
TTh 9am-10:15am

CHNS 171b, Introduction to Literary Chinese II  Pauline Lin

Continuation of CHNS 170. After CHNS 170.  L5
HTBA

EALL 200a / CHNS 200a / EAST 240a / HUMS 270a, The Chinese Tradition  Lucas Bender

. An introduction to the literature, culture, and thought of premodern China, from the beginnings of the written record to the turn of the twentieth century. Close study of textual and visual primary sources, with attention to their historical and cultural backdrops. Students enrolled in CHNS 200 join a weekly Mandarin-language discussion section