Cultural Translations: China and the West

Catalog description

This course offers a broad overview of cultural interactions between China and the West over the past four hundred years, beginning with the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in China in the late 16th century. It seeks to explore these cultural interactions through the lens of translation, examining both translated texts of major cultural and historical significance, and those created within translational contexts rather than as direct translations. The course approaches translation as an interpretive act shaped by linguistic and cultural factors. It also views translation as a reciprocal process, inviting students to explore both how key Chinese texts and ideas made their way into Western languages and how influential Western works and concepts have been introduced into China at various points in history. Through detailed case studies conducted within broad historical contexts, students will gain a deeper, more nuanced understanding of translation as a form of cultural exchange. Prerequisite: None Fulfillment: CORE HPC/IPC; GCS Chinese Media, Arts, and Literature.