China: Confucius to the Ming Dynasty

Catalog description

This course is an overview of Chinese civilization from the time of Confucius during the Axial Age of world history to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Students will consider what forces came together to produce Chinese civilization and how they contributed to the formation of the notion of “Chineseness” over time, as well as the roles of intellectual or philosophical thinkers in the development of Chinese cultural tradition and the values, ideals, and folk traditions of ordinary Chinese people.