Topics in Chinese History and Culture: Rituals in Imperial China

Catalog description

This is a topics course. Course content varies. Current topic description: This seminar explores the rituals practiced across various societal domains in imperial China. Through the analysis of texts, video screenings, and examination of artifacts, it delves into four main themes: the significance of rituals in Confucianism; the ideology and function of rituals in imperial governance; the role of rituals in community building and family relationships; and rites of passage.  Additionally, by using rituals in imperial China as a focal point, the course engages in discussions with existing scholarship on broader issues such as the relationship between beliefs and performance, rituals and emotions, and rituals and social change.