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Semester 2

Society and culture in pre-modern East Asia (ASST08052)

Subject

Asian Studies

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

2

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Course Summary

The countries of East Asia show a remarkable diversity of social and cultural forms, whether it be a re-working of Chinese exemplars (which pervade the region, due to China's historical pre-eminence) or permutations of their rich indigenous cultures. This course looks at the various forms of pre-modern society, and the cultural diversity of their arts, both narrative and graphic.

Course Description

This course introduces students to the world-views that underlie the fascinating diversity of social forms and practices in the countries of East Asia, and looks in some detail at the cultural artefacts that they have produced. Topics may include the literary traditions of China and Japan, as well as the arts broadly understood (painting, calligraphy, sculpture). Throughout, the roots of cultural activity in the social forms, including ritual, are kept to the forefront, allowing for an integrated insight into the region's cultural history. Students who have taken "Pre-modern East Asian history and the forces that shaped it" (Semester 1) will appreciate the role of the body politic in these processes. The course is built around the following modules: 1 Fundamentals of Chinese Buddhism and Daoism 2 Permutations of Japanese Buddhism 3 Shinto in Japanese life 4 Ritual and performance in China and in Japanese life 5 Narratives, prose fiction, drama and poetry. On completion, students will have gained a broad insight into society and culture in East Asia and will have had the opportunity to engage with examples of Chinese and Japanese culture in particular through materials in translation.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

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