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Reading China: from Mandarins to Revolutionists

Module description

In this module you will learn the foundational elements of Chinese culture and society from a historical perspective, which will enable you to understand the present-day China better. You will have opportunities to explore major periods and issues up to the early modern era, as well as the intellectual traditions and social and political structures that shaped the nation.

This module is intended for students who have no previous knowledge of Mandarin Chinese and is suitable for both specialist/non-specialist students who are interested in acquiring some basic knowledge of Chinese culture and society. It is also recommended for interdisciplinary pathways.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of the module is to provide you with a good basic knowledge of Chinese history and introduce you to some crucial aspects of Chinese culture and society. It examines the formation and development of Chinese civilization as well as China’s interactions with European civilization and its modernisation process since the late nineteenth century. You will have chances to read and appreciate aspects of Chinese culture and literature through English translations and have a glimpse of the life in Chinese society. Films and other multimedia materials are integrated and discussed in lectures and seminars. This module offers a background to more specialized study related to China, including Chinese history, literature, economics, law, policy, international business, and philosophy.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Acquire a good understanding of the main historical developments and trends in China up to the twentieth century
• 2. Demonstrate familiarity with the basic aspects of Chinese philosophies and social structures
• 3. Show the ability to analyze and discuss key aspects of Chinese culture

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate a basic ability to analyze key readings and relate them to their historical context
• 5. Use available learning aids, in a variety of media, to consolidate his/her own learning

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Through essay-writing, develop basic skills in research and construct clear and coherent argument.
• 7. Work productively with others as a team and be able to present information and ideas orally and/or in writing clearly and appropriately
• 8. Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to cultural diversity and equality

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Introduction:  China and becoming Chinese
• The hundred schools: Confucianism and Taoism
• The Chinese empire and Chinese scholar-officials
• Chinese women and China’s modernisation
• Chinese revolution in the Twentieth Century: The people and the land
• The Transition: China as a Post-socialist development state

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• De Barry, William Theodore, Wing-Tsit Chan and Burton Watson. (2000). Sources of Chinese Tradition. New York: Columbia University Press. Vol.1& 2.
• Ebrey, Patricia Buckley (1993) The Inner Quarters: Marriage and Lives of Chinese Women in the Sung Period. Berkley: University of California.
• Gray, Jack. (2003). Rebellions and Revolutions: China from the 1800s to 2000 , Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Chang, K.C. (1983). Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University.
• Fei, Xiaotong. (1992/1948). From the Soil: The Foundations of Chinese Society [乡�中�] Hamilton and Wang Zheng (trans.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
• Fung, Edmund S. K. (2010). The Intellectual Foundations of Chinese Modernity: Cultural and Political Thought in the Republican Era. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Latham, Kevin (2020) Routledge Handbook of Chinese Culture and Society. London: Routledge.
• Mitter, Rana (2016) Modern China: A Very Short Introduction (2nd edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Perry, Elizabeth and Mark Selden (2010) Chinese society: change, conflict and resistance. London: Routledge.
• Ropp, Paul S. (1990). Heritage of China: Contemporary Perspectives on Chinese Civilization. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
• Twitchett, Denis and John K. Fairbank. (1979) The Cambridge History of China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Vol.1-15
• Zang, Xiaowei (ed.) (2016) Understanding Chinese Society (2nd edition). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3589 

Key words search

China, culture, Chinese history