Introduction to East Asian Civilizations

Course Description

This course investigates the history of East Asia from the beginning to 1800. It focuses on three major civilizations–China, Korea, and Japan–in the attempt to reveal the economic growth, cultural development, political changes, social conditions and transformations, and intellectual traditions of premodern East Asia as well as its great achievements and legacies in the arts and humanities. Meanwhile, emphasis will be given to the exchange of goods and ideas within East Asia, and to the connections of East Asia to other parts of the world especially Central Asia and Europe.

The materials to be covered in this course encompass historical documents, literary works, maps, and various types of visual evidence. Topics include material culture of the Bronze Age, Confucianism and state policies, Buddhism and its diffusion in East Asia, China in periods of unification and division, the invention of the Korean alphabet, the Mongol conquest in East Asia, samurai and tea ceremony in Japan, the importation of Western techniques and ideas, and so forth.

Course Objectives

1. General understanding of the cultural, political, and social history of premodern East Asia.
2. Familiarity with key terms and concepts associated with East Asian civilizations.
3. Development of a comparative mind when investigating aspects of different cultures.
4. Development of the ability of analytic writing.

Requirements

• Attendance and participation, 10%
• Analytic paper 1 (6 pages),  20%
• Analytic paper 2 (6 pages), 20%
• Midterm exam, 20%
• Final exam, 30%

Required Texts

1. Ebrey, Patricia,  Anne Walthall, and James Palais. 2006. Pre-Modern East Asia: To 1800. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
2. De Bary, Wm. Theodore, ed. 2008. Sources of East Asian Tradition. Vol. 1. New York: Columbia University Press.

Schedule

SESSION #	TOPICS & READINGS	KEY DATES
1	Introduction
2	Prehistory of East Asia Ebrey, 3-9.
3	Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties Ebrey, 10-24. De Bary, 13-21.
4	Axial Age: Thinkers and Sage Kings Ebrey, 25-42. De Bary, 22-28.
5	Confucius & Confucianism De Bary, 29-40, 69-105.
6	Daoism De Bary, 49-68, 217-22.
7	Qin and Han: China Unified Ebrey, 43-70. De Bary, 126-30.
8	From Legalism to the Great Syncretism De Bary, 106-25, 131-51.
9	Buddhism in the Age of Division Ebrey, 71-87. De Bary, 223-37.
10	Schools of Buddhist Philosophy and Practice De Bary, 240-59, 264-87.	Analytic paper 1 due
11	Sui and Tang China Ebrey, 88-110, 112-15. De Bary, 290-307.
12	Early Korea Ebrey, 116-36. De Bary, 485-532.
13	Early Japan Ebrey, 137-52. De Bary, 621-83.
14	Rival regimes in China: Song, Liao, Jin, Xi Xia Ebrey, 153-75.
15	Midterm Review
16	Midterm Exam
17	Neo-Confucianism De Bary, 308-86.
18	Koryo Dynasty Ebrey, 176-91. De Bary, 543-62.
19	Heian Japan Ebrey, 192-207. De Bary, 684-736.
20	Kamakura Japan Ebrey, 208-24. De Bary, 754-800.	Analytic paper 2 due
21	Mongol Conquest in East Asia Ebrey, 225-51. De Bary, 387-93.
22	Japan in the Muromachi and Momoyama Periods Ebrey, 252-68. De Bary, 815-62.
23	Ming China Ebrey, 269-89. De Bary, 394-401.
24	Learning of the Mind-and-Heart De Bary, 428-70.
25	Early Choson Korea Ebrey, 290-306. De Bary, 563-81.
26	Qing China and the Encounter with the West Ebrey, 308-30.
27	Edo Japan Ebrey, 331-47.
28	Late Choson Korea Ebrey, 348-64. De Bary, 582-605.
29	Final Review
30	Final Exam