Course Code and Course Title
Chinese Literature in Translation
Time and Venue
TUE 2:30pm-4:15pm
Instructor
Prof. Yunwen Gao
Course Description
This course introduces the classical Chinese literary tradition in translation. In this course, we will explore genres including fiction, poetry, essays, and biographies in relation to three major sets of themes and traditions: 1) the fantastic, the immortal, and the ghostly; 2) the moral, the loyal, and the outlaws; and 3) the romantic, the scholar, and the beauty. These themes and traditions are, however, intertwined in the history of Chinese literature, influencing the consumption pattern of readers of popular literature. Through these themes and traditions, we analyze key issues regarding the formation of literary canon in China and how Han Chinese literati define the relationship between the foreign and the domestic, the Han and the non-Han, male and female, lawful subjects and outlaws in the process of literary canonization. The texts we read for this course will demonstrate Chinese culture as a dynamic, diverse, and hybrid one jointly shaped by domestic traditions and foreign influences. All readings are available in English translations. No prior knowledge of Chinese is assumed.
Course Outline
Week 1 Jan 10 Course Overview: Myth and Mythology of Traditional Chinese Culture
I. The Moral, the Loyal, and the Outlaws
Week 2 Jan 17 The Noble Person and the Knight-errant
Week 3 Lunar New Year, No Class
Week 4 Jan 31 Feminine Virtues and the Martial Arts Feminism
Week 5 Feb 7 The Righteous Outlaw and the Folk Culture
Week 6 Feb 14 Synthesizing Filial Piety in the Buddhist Tradition
II. The Fantastic, the Exotic, and the Ghostly
Week 7 Feb 21 Life as a Dream: The Daoist Tradition and the Transformation of Things
Week 8 Feb 28 The Peach Blossom Spring and the Utopian Narrative
Week 9 Reading Week
Week 10 Mar 14 The Ghosts, the Monsters, and the Supernatural Power
Week 11 Mar 21 A Thousand Faces of the Monkey King
III. The Romantic, the Scholar, and the Beauty
Week 12 Mar 28 Femme Fatale and Eternal Love
Week 13 Apr 4 The Return of the Ghost and the Kun Opera
Week 14 Apr 11 The Cult of Qing and the Writing of the Family History
Week 15 Apr 18 Marriage, Concubinage, and the Gendered Space