KSCB075 Seminar in Chinese Literature

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2020
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Roman Shapiro, PhD (lecturer)
doc. Lucie Olivová, MA, Ph.D., DSc. (alternate examiner)
Guaranteed by
doc. Lucie Olivová, MA, Ph.D., DSc.
Department of Chinese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. et Mgr. Dušan Vávra, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Chinese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Tue 10:00–11:40 K32
Prerequisites
KSCA017 Chinese literature II || KSCA023 History of Chinese Literature
fluency in English
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This seminar is following the topics that are studied during lectures in the course KSCA023 History of Chinese Literature. The seminar is providing an opportunity to go deeper into the selected topics, read contemporary and original sources and therefore better understand these issues.
The course will cover the history of classical literary heritage and the formation of modern and contemporary literature. The students are expected to deepen their understanding of the main periods of classical Chinese literature, of the mutual influence of Chinese and other national literatures at various historical stages, of the interplay of tradition and innovation in Chinese literature.
The course will focus on specific authors and works and on reading these works in translation and their fragments in the original.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course students will be able to:
- know representative works of Classical and Modern Chinese literature.
- read these works in the original.
- analyze literary genres and techniques found in these works.
- improve their skills of reading and analyzing English-language works on Chinese literature.
Syllabus
  • 1. Chinese myths, archaic folklore and epic: Shijing songs.
  • 2. Chinese philosophy from a literary perspective: Confucius, Mengzi, Laozi, Zhuangzi.
  • 3. First individual poets: Qu Yuan and Song Yu.
  • 5. Late Han poetry: fu (Sima Xiangru) and yuefu.
  • 6. Chinese historiography from a literary perspective: Sima Qian and Ban Gu.
  • 7. Early medieval poetry: Mulan ci, Tao Yuanming.
  • 8. Tang poetry: Li Bai, Du Fu, Meng Haoran, Wang Bo, Bai Juyi.
  • 9. Classical Chinese Story: the Story from a Pillow, Pu Songling.
  • 10. Yuan and Ming drama: The Injustice to Dou E. The Peach Blossom Fan.
  • 11. Vernacular prose: Classical novels (fragments). Feng Menglong.
  • 12. Classical Chinese essay: Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan.
  • 13. Modern Chinese short story: Lu Xun and Lao She.
Literature
  • A companion to modern Chinese literature. Edited by Yingjin Zhang. First published. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell, 2016, xiv, 573. ISBN 9781118451625. info
  • Ancient and early medieval Chinese literature : a reference guide. Edited by David R. Knechtges - Taiping Chang. Leiden: Brill, 2010, x, 791. ISBN 9789004191273. info
  • A history of contemporary Chinese literature. Edited by Zicheng Hong. Boston: Brill, 2007, xix, 636 p. ISBN 9787301040393. info
  • HUANG, Yibing. Contemporary Chinese literature : from the cultural revolution to the future. 1st ed. New York, N.Y.: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007, x, 219. ISBN 9781403979827. info
  • Classical Chinese literature : an anthology of translations. Edited by John Minford - Joseph S. M. Lau. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000, lix, 1176. ISBN 0231096763. info
  • IDEMA, W.L and Lloyd HAFT. A guide to Chinese literature. Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese studies, 1997, xi, 376. ISBN 0892641231. info
  • Anthology of Chinese literature. Edited by Cyril Birch. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1967. info
Teaching methods
The course is designed as a series of seminars. Students are required to read literary writings in translation and in the original throughout the semester.
Additional requirements for MA. students: Each students will hand in an essay (10 pages) during the semester.
Assessment methods
One unexcused absence during semester is allowed. The student must give one presentation in class and pass the final test.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
Reading: other articles to be supplemented as necessary.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2018, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2020, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2020/KSCB075