HISTORY 470: Chinese Social & Cultural History
Spring 2011
MWF12:00-12:50 pm
Pawling Hall 101
Instructor: Dr. Liyan Liu
Office: Pawling 205
Office Hours: M & W 12:50-2:30 pm, Tue 10:45 am-2:00 pm, Th 12:00-2:00pm, or by
appointment
Office Phone: 863-7092
E-mail: liyan_liu@georgetowncollege.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The major themes of Modern Chinese history are CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION.
This course is a general survey of Chinese social and cultural history and an examination of how
they developed and transformed throughout different historical periods. This course intends to
introduce to students major Chinese traditions, both in theory and practice, and offer them a better
understanding of the true picture of the Chinese society. Students will have opportunities to learn
various activities on how the Chinese think, eat, work, play, get married, prepare funerals,
celebrate holidays, or do other things similar or different from western countries. Discussions will
also be devoted to issues such as women status, family relations, bound feet, human rights, legal
system, “one child per family” policy, religious beliefs, etc. The course adopts a comparative
approach in studying Chinese traditions and cultural developments. Throughout the course,
historical events and current affairs will be introduced to better understand the Chinese cultural and
social institutions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The student who successfully completes this course will
 demonstrate a core knowledge of the development of Chinese social & cultural history in
tests, papers, and class discussion
 consider and engage an array of diverse and often conflicting points of view
 use key concepts, themes, vocabulary, and theories to critically analyze cross cultural
interactions view in tests, papers, and class discussion
 analyze the influence of different thoughts and philosophies on historical developments in
tests, papers, and class discussion
 identify and describe major political, economic, and cultural developments that influenced
and transformed the development of Chinese culture and society, as demonstrated through
class discussion, tests, and papers.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
1. Jeanna Waley-Cohen, The Sextants of Beijing: Global Currents in Chinese
History, W. W. Norton & Company, 1999
2. Jonathan D. Spence, Chinese Roundabout: Essays in History and Culture,
W. W. Norton & Company, 1992
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3. Lu Xun, Diary of a Madman & other Stories, University of Hawaii, 1990.
4. Pang-Mei Natasha Chang, Bound Feet & Western Dress, Anchor Books, 1996.
5. Pa Chin, Family
6. Cao Xue-qin, Dream of the Red Chamber, chapters 1, 2, 11, &12
Throughout the quarter I may also be handing out brief selections to supplement or replace
textbook readings.
GRADES:
Students' grades will be determined according to the following:
Exam I
20%
Exam II
20%
Term paper:
10%
Book discussions, projects and presentations:
35%
China cultural profile
5%
In-class Learning, Participation, and Attendance
10%_
Final grade
100%
EXAMINATIONS: consist of multiple-choice, map questions, identifications, and short answer
questions. Questions come mainly from lectures and assigned readings. This instructor strongly
discourages students to rely on Wikipedia.com for information, especially for identification of
historical terms and events because Wikipedia is a non-academic and non-monitored website
which only provides general information for public interest without academic scrutiny. Simply use
the information from Wikipedia to answer IDs in the exam will be ignored.
CHINA CULTURAL PROFILE: is a package of general information on Chinese culture and
society. Format of the package is up to your own design. The package should include the
following:
--Your year of animals according to the Chinese lunar calendar and the zodiac character of
your animal sign;
--Your choice of Chinese name and the meaning;
--China’s national flag, anthem;
--Basic data of China (population, size, etc);
--Major holidays (political & traditional), their meanings and activities involved;
--Famous Chinese cuisines, a couple of recipes, and your favorite Chinese food;
--A couple of examples in comparison & contrast of the Chinese & western/US culture &
traditions;
--Other information you think interesting to include in the package.
--Students must not cut-and paste the online information into the profile. Sections on
Chinese cuisines, major holidays, and cultural comparison discussion in particular require work on
paraphrasing and serious writing.
THE GROUP PROJECTS: in the forms of both a written paper and a class presentation, is to be
accomplished by three to five students in concert. The written material will be graded by the
instructor, and the presentation of the paper will be judged by the audience, the students yourselves.
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Each member of the group should equally contribute to the project and will share the same result.
You have to be aware of that to work and collaborate with your classmates is also part of the
learning process.
IN-CLASS LEARNING:
Students will be evaluated on their preparation for class discussion and their actual learning during
each period. Your willingness to interact with the ideas in the readings and videos, as well as learn
from one another, will make this component of your learning one-fifth of your semester’s work.
Attendance in discussion groups is mandatory. Occasionally there will be discussion questions to
prepare. That means each student will be responsible for writing a set of 3-5 questions to both
structure and stimulate discussion of reading for that class. The questions should help create
conversations about the readings and create connections between previous readings and
discussions. If a question can be answered in a phrase or just one sentence then re-work it so that
it can lead to a conversation. The student(s) writing the questions should think about how the
question might be answered. If several answers are possible, is there a follow-up question which
can draw out the differences in the responses?
PAPER: Separate hand-out will explain these in more detail.
MATTERS OF POLICY:
No make-up exams will be accepted unless you have an acceptable documented reason.
Acceptable excuses include: serious illness, death in the family, and natural disasters. I will only
accept late papers if you have a documented excuse, (as outlined above) and you notify me before
the assignment is due. Late papers, even with a legitimate excuse, will be marked down a half a
letter grade per day for each day they are late, weekends included. Course overloads and work
duties are not acceptable excuses for late assignments, missed examinations, or for failure to
participate fully in other class activities.
Students are responsible for all materials, lectures, discussions, films, and readings, including
announcements about course procedure. All college rules regarding cheating and plagiarism are
applicable and it is the student's responsibility to be familiar with them. This syllabus and any study
aids supplied to the students in History 113 are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.
Other Distractions: Cell phones are forbidden to use during class and tests. History 113 is not the
place to text messaging. If you bring your cell phone during a test, please turn it off before the test,
or leave it with me for the duration of a test. Please do not read newspapers or the like during class.
History 113 is also not the place to do your homework. Please try to get to class on time because
coming in late disturbs your fellow classmates. If you must come in late, or leave early for an
appointment, please do so quietly and unobtrusively.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Please note that some changes may be made in the content and sequence of lectures as the course
progresses.
Week 1, Jan. 18-21
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Course Introduction, class rosters, and procedures
Demystification of Chinese characters
Written language
Oracle bones
Week 2, Week 2, Jan. 24-28
Geography and Mythology
Chinese Holidays; Culinary Culture
The Emperor System and Dynasties
National Heroes
Lunar calendar, Chinese New Year, & Other festivals
Chinese ghost stories
Emperors, concubines, the Forbidden City
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 1 & 7; Spence, pp. 50-67; 93-108; 165-205
Lu Xun, Diary of a Madman & other Stories; Pa Chin, Family
Chang, Bound Feet & Western Dress
Film: The Last Emperor
Presentation: Student self-introduction in Chinese
Map assignment due
Assignment due, “The Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains”
Week 3, Jan. 31-Feb 4
Chinese Holidays; Culinary Culture
The Emperor System and Dynasties
National Heroes
Lunar calendar, Chinese New Year, & Other festivals
Emperors, concubines, the Forbidden City
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 1 & 7; Spence, pp. 50-67; 93-108; 165-205
Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family; Chang, Bound Feet
Film: New Year’s Sacrifice
Presentation on Chinese Holidays and food
Week 4, Feb 7-11
The Emperor System and Dynasties
National Heroes
Lunar calendar, Chinese New Year, & Other festivals
Emperors, concubines, the Forbidden City
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 1 & 7; Spence, pp. 50-67; 93-108
Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family; Chang, Bound Feet
Video clips of national heroes
Presentation on national heroes
Week 5, Feb. 14-18
The Emperor System and Dynasties
Lunar calendar, Chinese New Year, & Other festivals
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Emperors, concubines, the Forbidden City
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 1 & 7; Spence, pp. 50-67; 93-108
Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family; Chang, Bound Feet
Video clips of emperors
Presentation on Emperor and dynasties
Week 6, Feb. 21-25
Philosophies, religions & beliefs
Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Christianity & other religions
Examination System
Government control
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 2 & 3; Chang, Bound Feet;
Spence, pp. 11-49, 109-123, 124-140, 315-336
Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family
Video clips of Chinese idioms
Group Project I due
Week 7, Feb. 28-Mar 4
Philosophies, religions & beliefs
Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Christianity & other religions
Examination System
Government control
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 2 & 3; Chang, Bound Feet;
Spence, pp. 11-49, 109-123, 124-140, 315-336
Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family
Video clips of Chinese idioms
Presentation/performance on Chinese idioms
Week 8, Mar. 7-11
Society & Political System
Legal Systems
CCP Political Structure
Rural vs. Urban life
Modern political system
Criminal law, civil law, & social order
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 3-5; Spence, pp. 68-90, 228-256;
Chang, Bound Feet; Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family
Exam I on Wed. Mar. 9
Week 9, Mar. 14-18 Spring Break! Play safely!
Week 10, Mar. 21-25
Women, Marriage & Family
Tradition, wedding, & family
Bound feet
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“One Child” policy
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 4-6; Spence, pp. 155-163; Chang, Bound Feet;
Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family
Film: Small happiness
Book discussion on Bound Feet & Western Dress
Week 11, Mar. 28- April 1
Ancestor Worship
Minority vs. Majority
Funeral & Memorial Day
Ethnic groups & Peasantry
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 6; Spence, pp. 155-163 & 219-227;
Lu Xun, Madman; Pa Chin, Family
handouts: Dream of Red Chamber
Video clips of ancestor worship
Book discussion on Family
Week 12, April 4-8
Chinese Literal Tradition
Tang poetry, Classic works,
Lun Xun & New Cultural Movement
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 7; Spence, pp. 304-356;
Lu Xun, Madman; handouts: Dream of Red Chamber
Book discussion on Lu Xun’s Madman
Week 13, April 11-15
Chinese Literal Tradition
Tang poetry, Classic works,
Lun Xun & New Cultural Movement
Reading: Waley-Cohen, chpt. 7; Spence, pp. 304-356;
handouts: Dream of Red Chamber
Film: Dream of Red Chamber
Discussion on Dream of Red Chamber
Group Project II due
Week 14, April 18-22 NO CLASS on April 22, Good Friday
Culture, Entertainment &Sports
Movies & operas
Sports & MTV
Newspapers & pop culture
Reading: Spence, pp. 277-292
Cultural Profile due and presentation
Week 15, April 25-29
Education System
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University, textbooks, & curriculum
Employment , welfare & medical care system
Iron bowl, State & private sectors, & lay-off
Life under Communism
One-child family policy & Modernization
Hospital, retirement, & housing problem
Military buildup & National Defense
Units, service, benefits, & glory
Reading: Spence, pp. 141-164, 205-227; 259-276
Exam II on Fri. April 29
Week 16, May 2-4
Reforms since the 1980s
Four Modernizations
Reform in urban & rural areas
Contemporary Issues
Hong Kong & Taiwan
Controversy over Tibet
China & Globalization
Reading: Spence, pp. 293-312
Group Project III due on Mon. May 2
Paper due in last day class Wed. May 4
Websites for Your Reference:
1.
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3.
4.
5.
6.
Get a Chinese name: http://www.mandarintools.com/chinesename.html
Find your year of the Chinese animal signs: http://chinese.astrology.com
Chinese cuisines: http://www.chinatour.com/cuisine/cuisine.htm
Chinese government organization: http://www.chinatoday.com/gov/a.htm
Chinese Communist Party (CCP): http://www.chinatoday.com/org/cpc
Chinese National Flag and Anthem:
http://www.chinese-tools.com/songs/song/292/guoge.html
7. Chinese minority ethnic groups: http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Minorities
8. Chinese military:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/index.html
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/agency/pla.htm
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