Home>Course>[CHES3300/CCSS3102] China Summer Field Trip/Contemporary China: Summer Fieldwork>CHES3300/CCSS3102

In this course, students will be guided to explore significant issues such as urban development, religious sites and practices, immigration history, preservation of cultural heritage, music and entertainment culture in Southern China. Through the case study of Quanzhou, the course aims to prepare students for future fieldwork in China and other Chinese-speaking communities.

For example, as a key historical city, Quanzhou in Fujian province has a rich history of maritime trade. The name of the city, Zayton 刺桐, became worldwide famous since the 11th century. Regarded as the starting point of Maritime Silk Road, the city was visited by travelers like Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta. The diverse population residing in the city also resulted in the co-existence of various religions, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islamism, Manichaeism, to name just a few. Religious practices are married to local culture in every aspect of life. Nanyin 南音, literally translated as the Music of the South, is an essential component of Buddhist and Daoist culture. Classified as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2009, Nanyin remains popular among the locals regardless of age. As a port city, Quanzhou was also the ancestral homeland of the immigrant population in Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries. The Belt and Road initiative adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 has once again brought government support and public attention to the city. Today, Quanzhou is the home of many domestic manufacturers of clothes and shoes, including Anta, Qipilang, and Tebu.

Methodology

Maritime Culture and History of Southern China

Religious Life in Southern China

Music and Cultural Heritage in Southern China

History of Immigration and Contemporary Connections with SE Asia