Post on 01-Oct-2015
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Bin Liu
Exploring China as a Time Traveler: An Introduction to Chinese Culture
Proposed Syllabus
Table of Contents Lesson 1 Lets Start Here: Class Orientation ........................................................................................................ 4
Session 1: What is Culture? ...................................................................................................................... 4
Session 2: The Seeds of Ancient Chinese Culture ......................................................................................... 4
Lesson 2 Cornerstone of Chinese Civilization: The Origins of the Early States in Ancient China ...................... 5
Session 1: The Truth of Myths and Sagas ..................................................................................................... 5
Session 2: Prototype of Nations .................................................................................................................... 5
Lesson 3 Family is Everything: Patriarchal System of Ancient China ................................................................. 5
Session 1: Respect for ancestor and lineage ................................................................................................. 5
Session 2: The word Nation in Chinese is actually state-family (-) ............................................. 5
Lesson 4 Art of Cuisine: Chinese Food Culture ................................................................................................... 6
Session 1: A taste of food is a taste of life ..................................................................................................... 6
Session 2: Beyond the Taste Buds ................................................................................................................. 6
Lesson 5 System of Li (Etiquette, Rituals and Ceremony) in Ancient China ................................................... 6
Session 1: Origin and functions of li (etiquette, rituals, and ceremony) .................................................. 7
Session 2: Types of Li and ancient Chinese wedding as an example ............................................................ 7
Lesson 6 Primitive Faith and Festivals in Ancient China ..................................................................................... 7
Session 1: Primitive faith .............................................................................................................................. 7
Session 2: Festivals ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Lesson 7 Trinity of Faith Systems in Ancient China: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism ........................... 8
Session 1: Buddhism and Taoism: Two religions in the strict sense ............................................................. 8
Session 2: Confucianism: A religion rooted in the soil of imperialism ......................................................... 8
Bin Liu
Lesson 8 System of Imperial Examination in Ancient China ............................................................................... 8
Session 1: How it works ................................................................................................................................ 8
Session 2: Exam in Action ............................................................................................................................. 9
Lesson 9 Evolution of Book Binding and Literature in Ancient China ................................................................ 9
Session 1: Three eras of book binding .......................................................................................................... 9
Session 2: Pearls of Chinese Literature ........................................................................................................ 9
Lesson 10 Arts in China (1): A Historical View .................................................................................................. 10
Session 1: Primitive forms of Chinese arts ................................................................................................. 10
Session 2: Plastic arts ................................................................................................................................. 10
Lesson 11 Arts in China (2): A Historical View .................................................................................................. 10
Session 1: Art of light, movement and sound .............................................................................................. 10
Session 2: Beyond High-class Arts ............................................................................................................. 10
Lesson 12 Systems of Ethics and Values in Ancient China ................................................................................ 11
Session 1: Understanding of Personal Values, Education and History ...................................................... 11
Session 2 Understanding of history and philosophy ................................................................................... 11
Lesson 13 Science and Technology in Ancient China ........................................................................................ 11
Session 1 Faded Glories or Dust-covered Pearls? ..................................................................................... 11
Session 2 Four Inventions of Ancient China ............................................................................................... 12
Lesson 14 Traveling Around: Means of Transportation and Adventure Seekers in Ancient China .................... 12
Session 1: Evolution of Chinese Vehicles .................................................................................................... 12
Session 2: Great Chinese Travelers Stories ............................................................................................... 13
Lesson 15 Cross-cultural Hotpot with the Dominance of Han Culture: Multi-ethnic cultural integration and
Western Learning ................................................................................................................................................ 13
Session 1: Within-border Integration: majority culture of Han and cultures of minority ethnic groups .... 13
Session 2: Cross-border integration: Two decisive moments ..................................................................... 13
Bin Liu
Lesson 16 A Recap on Tradition: Historical Evolution of Chinese Culture ........................................................ 14
Session 1: Emergence of Chinese Culture Dynasties of Qin and Han (till 220 AD) ............................... 14
Session 2: Diversification, integration and confrontation (220 1911 AD)............................................... 14
Lesson 17 Facilitators of Modern China: Chinese Culture during the Period of Republic of China (1912-1949)
and May Fourth Movement (1912) ..................................................................................................................... 15
Session 1: RoC Culture (1912-1949) .......................................................................................................... 15
Session 2: May Fourth Movement (1912) ................................................................................................... 15
Lesson 18 Cultural Revolution, Chinese Pop Culture and the Future of Chinese Culture ................................. 15
Session 1: Throttling of Chinese Culture: Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) ............................................. 15
Session 2: More than a flash in pan: Chinese Pop Culture ........................................................................ 16
Bin Liu
Lesson 1 Lets Start Here: Class Orientation
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.Laozi
Session 1: What is Culture?
Broad and narrow definitions of culture in English and Chinese
What is the relationship between culture and civilization? Cultured and civilized? Culture and
history? Cultural studies and social studies?
Class discussion/voting: decide whether some concepts are related to culture or not, e.g. architecture,
science, democracy, food, arts, books, government, language
The moment one begins studying another culture, an instantaneous preference emerges from the task
(McCool 2009: 100). A truly intercultural lens means putting away our atlas of stereotypes and prejudice!
The fact that we live in one culture is not a reason good enough to dismiss other cultures as uninhabitable.
http://kimalbrecht.com/thesis/2013/05/26/mapping-stereotypes-atlas-of-prejudice/
http://blogoscoped.com/prejudice/
Session 2: The Seeds of Ancient Chinese Culture
What is China? Ancient China?
Debate of land-based civilization versus sea-based civilization: A geographical perspective
One source of origin or multiple sources?
Prehistoric times: The New Stone Age (Neolithic Era) and latest archaeological findings in China
Three cultural agglomerates in prehistoric China
Class activity: (Treasure Hunter) identify those artifacts from the archaeological sites of different native
tribes that were active during the New Stone Age of ancient China
Bin Liu
Lesson 2 Cornerstone of Chinese Civilization: The Origins of the Early States
in Ancient China
Session 1: The Truth of Myths and Sagas
Reading discussion: Discuss over the essays about selected Chinese myths and sagas pre-assigned for this
week
Three types of Chinese myths and sagas
Archaeological findings validating the history of well-known Chinese myths and sagas
Session 2: Prototype of Nations
The birth of the Chinese term zhongguo (China or Middle Kingdom)
Yellow Emperor (Huangdi): Everlasting importance of lineage and national unification
The Bronze Age: from abdication of throne to blood-relationship inheritance
Class discussion/essay: What are the possible advantages and disadvantages of blood-relationship
inheritance? Pros and cons of abdication of throne?
Lesson 3 Family is Everything: Patriarchal System of Ancient China
Session 1: Respect for ancestor and lineage
Share with the class: Report back to the class about your findings through interviews with Chinese
acquaintances, reading, or watching YouTube videos (What does family mean to Chinese?)
Dynasty of Zhou (1046 - 256 BC): Updated inheritance system and founding of ancestral temple
Dynasties of Wei and Jin (220-907 AD): Rise and fall of aristocratic families; implication of a noble family
name
Session 2: The word Nation in Chinese is actually state-family (-)
Close ties between patriarchal system and state system
Clan-wide and nation-wide sacrifice shrines
Bin Liu
Family-related metaphors in Chinese
Class discussion: Can you think of any English metaphors, slangs or proverbs about family?
Lesson 4 Art of Cuisine: Chinese Food Culture
Food is the First Necessity for the Masses. The Historical Records of Han Dynasty (82 AD)
Session 1: A taste of food is a taste of life
Class discussion about food: what is your favorite food? Did you ever pay attention to table manners of
your own or others? Anything you know about Chinese food?
Dining etiquette
Special occasions for banquet: Weddings and funerals
From the taste of food to the taste of life
Session 2: Beyond the Taste Buds
Watch an excerpt of a popular documentary program about Chinese food: A bite of China
Food and political chicanery
Charm of gourmets life in ancient China
Homework: Watch a English-subtitled Chinese movie The Wedding Banquet (Xi yan) directed by Ang Lee
and write a short reflection essay
Lesson 5 System of Li (Etiquette, Rituals and Ceremony) in Ancient China
One who does not learn Li is not fit to converse with.Confucius
Bin Liu
Session 1: Origin and functions of li (etiquette, rituals, and ceremony)
Share with the class: Report back to the class about your summary of assigned readings (students are
assigned an essay of how ancient Chinese celebrated important farming days and each student takes charge
of one month)
Li helps ancient Chinese address three major challenges of survival (man-nature, interpersonal, and
intrapersonal), maintain social stability and facilitate individual disciplining
A brief introduction to three ancient classic works on Li
Session 2: Types of Li and ancient Chinese wedding as an example
Five types of Li
Evolution of ancient Chinese weddings
Class discussion: in what ways do you think a Chinese wedding different from a Western (American)
wedding? Any other etiquette, rituals, and ceremony you know of (ancient or modern)?
Lesson 6 Primitive Faith and Festivals in Ancient China
Session 1: Primitive faith
Four forms of primitive faith: heavenly gods, earthly spirits, ghosts, and goblins
Class discussion: Look at some ancient pictures of these forms and guess what category they belong to.
Session 2: Festivals
Solar calendar versus lunar calendar (Find your birthdate as per lunar calendar: http://kalender-
365.de/lunar-calendar.php?yy=1990 )
Spring Festival
Clear-and-Bright Festival (Qingming Festival)
Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Festival)
Mid-autumn Festival
Bin Liu
Homework: Prepare a presentation on any one of Chinese festivals not discussed in class.
Lesson 7 Trinity of Faith Systems in Ancient China: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism
Session 1: Buddhism and Taoism: Two religions in the strict sense
Class presentation: student-selected festivals (teacher will refer to the religious influences on how these
festivals are celebrated)
Taoism: The native religion (history, main doctrines and influences on Chinese culture)
Buddhism: The imported and most influential religion (history, main doctrines and influences on Chinese
culture)
Session 2: Confucianism: A religion rooted in the soil of imperialism
Watch an excerpt of the movie Confucius directed by Hu Mei and have a class discussion: anything you
can relate to according to what we have discussed so far in this course?
Confucianism: a religious philosophy (history, main doctrines and influences on Chinese culture)
Interweaving relationship of the three
Homework: read an excerpt of a classic Chinese novel, Pilgrimage to the West. Then write a reflection essay
and also predict the ending of this novel
Lesson 8 System of Imperial Examination in Ancient China
"To learn and to practice what is learned time and again is pleasure, is it not?" (Beginning sentence of the
Analects)Confucius
Session 1: How it works
Class discussion: if you were free to choose, what is your favorite way of competing for a job position in
the government? Interview, test, or recommendation? Any other way you can think of?
Bin Liu
HR screening in Chinese history: recommendation versus exams
Procedures of imperial examination
Session 2: Exam in Action
Exam Syllabus
Rules and Regulations
Testimony of Test Takers
Guess what it is: some pictures about the test centers and facilities
Homework: discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such an examination system if the practice were
continued today.
Lesson 9 Evolution of Book Binding and Literature in Ancient China
The book is the ladder of human progress.Maksim Gorky
Session 1: Three eras of book binding
Bamboo strips
Silk (or paper) scrolls
Paper-based albums
Invention of papermaking and letterpress (typographic) printing
Matching: match the classics works (publication dates are given) with the format of book binding
Session 2: Pearls of Chinese Literature
The book of odes and hymns and The Songs of Chu (approx. 2600-600 BC)
Pre-Qin prose (before 211 BC) and Han rhyme prose (202 BC - 220 AD)
The poem of Tang dynasty (618 - 907 AD) and the verse of Song dynasty (960 - 1279 AD)
Poetic drama of Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368 AD) and fiction of Ming and Qing dynasty (1368-1911 AD)
Class discussion: What kind of Chinese literature you may like? Why?
Bin Liu
Evolution of Chinese writing (typesetting, character, and discourse)
Homework: write a reflection essay on the evolution of book binding. Do you think that the trend of e-books is
irreversible? Will people not read hardcopies any more in near future?
Lesson 10 Arts in China (1): A Historical View
Session 1: Primitive forms of Chinese arts
Class discussion: what are types of arts? What is your favorite art form? Why?
Arts of remote antiquity (3 million years ago- 2100 BC)
Session 2: Plastic arts
Architecture
Sculptures
Chinese styles of painting
Painting detective: tell Chinese painting apart from Western paintings
Homework: research some Chinese architecture designs, and report back to class about your findings (explain
your personal preferences).
Lesson 11 Arts in China (2): A Historical View
Session 1: Art of light, movement and sound
Music
Opera and stage performances
Class discussion: play different types of Chinese music
Session 2: Beyond High-class Arts
A myriad of folk arts
Bin Liu
Class discussion: are there any forms of folk arts you are aware of in your life? Compare them with Chinese
folk arts
A summary of ancient Chinese arts
Homework: students are shown some websites of Chinese museums, and they are asked select one or some of
exhibits that they find impressive to report back to class
Lesson 12 Systems of Ethics and Values in Ancient China
Session 1: Understanding of Personal Values, Education and History
Class presentation of museum arts
Ten traditional virtues valued in Chinese history
Education and history studies in Chinese Tradition
Session 2 Understanding of history and philosophy
Case study: discuss some of cases that necessitates the application of ethical judgment
History studies in Chinese tradition
Chinese life philosophy (how this may apply to doing business in China)
Chinese philosophy in brief
Homework: write a reflection essay on the one or some topics that students find most thought-provoking and
discuss whether Chinese thinking necessarily differs from their preconceptions of the topics under study
Lesson 13 Science and Technology in Ancient China
Session 1 Faded Glories or Dust-covered Pearls?
Astronomy
Mathematics
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Bin Liu
Class discussion: what do you think TCM can do to thrive with Western medicine dominating the scene?
Or is any attempt at avoiding extinction simply a lost cause?
Session 2 Four Inventions of Ancient China
Papermaking and letterpress printing (refer to Lesson 9)
Gunpowder (and evolution of firearms)
Compass (preview of Lesson 14)
Class discussion: what are the characteristics of science and technology in ancient China?
Homework: Crystal (2003: 122) argued that the biggest potential setback to English as a global language, it has
been said with more than a little irony, would have taken place a generation ago - if Bill Gates had grown up
speaking Chinese. Based on what weve learned so far, what do you think are the possible reasons why China
lagged behind in science? Write a reflection essay explaining your ideas.
Lesson 14 Traveling Around: Means of Transportation and Adventure Seekers
in Ancient China
The World is for all.Sun Yatsen
Session 1: Evolution of Chinese Vehicles
Primitive forms of Chinese vehicles (che in Chinese)
Evolution of horse accessories
Evolution of sedan-chairs (jiaozi in Chinese)
Evolution of ships
Compare and contrast: show students some pictures of modern vehicles, and some pictures of ancient
vehicles, and ask them to tell the Chinese version apart from the Western (European) version within each
group (which one is an easier task, the modern group or the ancient group?)
Bin Liu
Session 2: Great Chinese Travelers Stories
A selection of important travelers in Chinese history (Columbus Chinese counterpart-Zheng He, Xuan
Zang, Zhang Qian, Xu Xiake)
Class discussion: Chinese language has separate terms for two different travelling style; one is to go on a
package tour with a group and a tour guide (lvyou), with no need to care about the schedule and
accommodation, while the other is to go on a more laborious but maybe more fulfilling DIY tour, usually
bringing along the camping gears (lvxing). Which do you prefer, lvyou or lvxing? Why?
Lesson 15 Cross-cultural Hotpot with the Dominance of Han Culture: Multi-
ethnic cultural integration and Western Learning
To have friends come from afar is happiness, is it not?"Confucius
Session 1: Within-border Integration: majority culture of Han and cultures of minority ethnic
groups
Marriage of farming culture and nomadic culture
Influences of the minority on the majority
Class discussion: What can China do to protect the minority cultures? What lessons can we learn from
America, well-known for its cultural openness?
Session 2: Cross-border integration: Two decisive moments
Introduction and communication of Buddhism (100 AD)
Western learning (1600 AD)
Class discussion: Have you ever been aware of the term Westernization or Americanization? In contrast
to Americas successful export of pop culture, Chinese governments and academia have been making every
effort at promoting Chinese culture to the outside world, only to see negligible results. Discuss possible
solutions to this problem.
Bin Liu
Homework (preparatory work for the Final paper): select a topic of your interest and write an essay for the final;
this weeks task is to draft an outline to be finalized next week.
Lesson 16 A Recap on Tradition: Historical Evolution of Chinese Culture
"At fifteen, I aspired to learning. At thirty, I established my stand. At forty, I had no delusions. At fifty, I knew my
destiny. At sixty, I knew truth in all I heard. At seventy, I could follow the wishes of my heart without doing
wrong."Confucius
Session 1: Emergence of Chinese Culture Dynasties of Qin and Han (till 220 AD)
Prehistoric times: Birth of Chinese culture
Dynasties of Yin, Shang and Western Zhou: From God-oriented to man-oriented
Spring and Autumn Period & Warring States Period: Axial era of Chinese culture
Dynasties of Qin and Han: Unification of empire and culture
Session 2: Diversification, integration and confrontation (220 1911 AD)
Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern dynasties: Diverse culture development in social turbulence
Dynasties of Sui and Tang: Cultural prosperity
Dynasties of Northern and Southern Song: A culture of self-reflection and delicateness; emergence of folk
culture
Dynasties of Liao, Xia, Jin and Yuan: Clashing and fusing of nomadic culture and farming culture
Dynasties of Ming and Qing: Demise and birth
Homework (preparatory work for the Final paper): select a topic of your interest and write an essay for the final;
this weeks task is to finalize your outline with the teacher and develop your outline into a paper.
Bin Liu
Lesson 17 Facilitators of Modern China: Chinese Culture during the Period of
Republic of China (1912-1949) and May Fourth Movement (1912)
Session 1: RoC Culture (1912-1949)
Propeller of Western Learning: Government-funded study-abroad programs
Pioneers in contemporary Chinese literature
Household names in sciences and arts
Industrial and business figures
Political leaders and activists
Session 2: May Fourth Movement (1912)
It all begins with a student protest: historical context
Western Learning comes to a standstill: From capitalism to socialism
Incubator of Chinese Communist Party
New era of literature: a new literature of China
Homework (preparatory work for the Final paper): select a topic of your interest and write an essay for the final;
this weeks task is to work on your paper.
Lesson 18 Cultural Revolution, Chinese Pop Culture and the Future of Chinese
Culture
When future generations look back to my time, it will probably be similar to how I now think of the past.
Wang Xizhi
Session 1: Throttling of Chinese Culture: Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)
Historical context
Red Guards: Fanatic militia of Maos doctrines
One influential movement: Chinese educated urban youth relocating and working in the remote, rural areas
or mountainous areas
Bin Liu
Literature and arts subject to the influence
Science and technology development in spite of the event
Class discussion: some people argue that due to its value-neutral characteristics, the development of science and
technology can sustain the evolution of socio-political contexts. What do you think of the neutrality of science
and technology?
Session 2: More than a flash in pan: Chinese Pop Culture
influences of cultural imports: Music, TV shows, movies, video games, and anime
Some new developments in China: boom of fan-fictions and online novels, cultural adaptation of Western
TV shows
Generation gaps in China: what do Chinese men and women like to do at different ages?
Homework: Submit the final paper.
Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself. Chinese Proverb
I hope you enjoy the view through the opened door, thank you!