Advanced Readings in Modern Chinese Literature

Catalog description

This course surveys major literary movements in China since the end of the Cultural Revolution (1978–present). The 1980s and 1990s—often referred to as the “New Era”—marked a period of unprecedented intellectual openness and creative vitality. The course provides an overview of New Era literature through close readings of influential works published in the final two decades of the twentieth century. Selected films adapted from literary works of this period are also included. Designed for students with native or near-native proficiency in Chinese reading, the course requires extensive reading and places strong emphasis on the development of critical essay-writing skills in Chinese. The course is conducted entirely in Chinese.