Subject Area: Chinese Studies

This course presents a number of major topics in classical Chinese literature from pre-Qin period (c. 1122-221 BC) to Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). We will link these topics to various genres including philosophy, poetry, essays and fiction, as well as literary criticism. The topics are individual freedom in pre-Qing philosophers (including Lunyu, Mengzi and Zhuangzi), love and nature in poetry (including Shijing, Tang shi and Song ci), fine arts in literati style essays (focusing on the interrelationship between poetry and painting), biographies of heroes and villains in Chinese historiography (Shiji), as well as courtship and romance in vernacular fiction (from Caizi jiaren stories to Honglou Meng). The course will enhance students' ability to read and appreciate classical Chinese literature in its different forms.