2019/2020

Chinese Culture and Contemporary China

Type: Optional course (faculty)

Delivered by: School of Asian Studies

Where: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs

When: 1 module

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

Contact hours: 2

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course will cover the following main areas of topics: (1) the foundations of Chinese civilization: its geography, language, and history; (2) the core concepts in Chinese philosophies and religions: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism; (3), literature and arts, including Chinese calligraphy, painting, Tang poetry, and classical fiction; (4) society and life, including education, the role of women, Chinese food, and traditional holidays; (5) travel and landscapes, including well-known Chinese cities, mountains, ethnic regions and customs; (6) Chinese media, culture and sports, including TV and movies, fashion, Chinese gongfu and taiji.

Learning Objectives

• This course of Chinese Culture and Contemporary China will explore the foundations of Chinese civilization and the dimensions of Chinese culture. It will pay particular attention to the relationship between Chinese culture and the present-day life of the Chinese people and to the different elements of the culture which are under the present social structures, belief systems, literature, arts, customs, etc. The course aims at providing students with a deeper knowledge of Chinese culture, thus enabling them to better understand China.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrates the knowledge of the learned material.
• Verification of acquired material.

Course Contents

• 1. Essentials of Chinese Confucian Thought
  Confucian culture is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture. In this segment, we introduce the three basic concepts of Confucian culture: Li or ritual etiquette, Ren or benevolence, and Tao. In the Confucian view, the variety of practiced rituals maintains the balance of society. Benevolence is the core of the ritual because only with benevolence one can truly observe li. Tao is the natural laws or order of the universe. One has to research the objective universe genuinely, to find those natural laws, and then use what was found to structure the human world. All these elements make the benevolence great.
• 2. Essentials of Chinese Painting
  In this unit, we introduce the world of Chinese painting, which is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. We discuss three important features that make Chinese art of painting unique and different from the Western painting. We also analyze the possible philosophical reasons lying behind that difference. By the end of the unit, one will know things like why Chinese paintings are usually not framed and without many colors, or why Chinese people when drawing might prefer having more than one artistic perspective, as well as other aspects of Chinese art.
• 3. Essentials of Chinese Music
  This unit mainly focuses on three topics of Chinese music culture which are the origin and essence of the Chinese musical style, Confucian effect on the understanding of traditional Chinese music and Contemporary Chinese music development under the influence of western music. It is hoped that after completing this unit, students could feel and realize the uniqueness of Chinese traditional music, and have an overall understanding of the development of Chinese music culture.
• 4. Essentials of Chinese Costume
  With a large variety of clothes and accessories, from the dragon robe of emperor to the humble clothes of common people， Chinese traditional costumes show the beauty of the material world. It’s also related to the social classes, feudal ethics and traditional philosophies. This unit centers on three major questions, trying to show specific details of the splendid costumes as well as explaining the cultural implication, such as the ranks of imperial court, the customs of weddings and funerals, the gender issue in Tang dynasty, etc.
• 5. Chinese Cuisine
  Chinese food is well-known throughout the world for its appearance, aroma and flavor. The uniqueness of Chinese food lies not only in its appearance and flavor, but also in its style of preparation, cooking and presentation. Chinese food culture was gradually formed in the development of Chinese society and civilization and was in turn helped shape the character and temperament of the Chinese people. As a panorama of Chinese culture, Chinese food is generally believed to be one of the best channels to know this country, its people and culture. There is a profound philosophy under Chinese food culture, and this lesson will help the learners understand why eating and drinking is of special importance to the Chinese, not only to their physical wellbeing but also to their mental health and harmony.
• 6. Chinese Traditional Festivals
  Festivals are an important part of Chinese culture. A significant number of festivals in folklore are rich in various elements of Chinese traditional culture. Do you know what the most important Chinese holiday is? Do you know what Chinese people eat, what clothes they wear and what other interesting things they do during those holidays? More important do you know the reason why they are doing that? Watch the "Festival Culture" unit to find that out. The unit is rich in contents supplied with exciting media that brings you to the amazing world of Chinese festivals.
• Debate
  Before final grading the students must get acquainted with the results of their participation in the debate.

Assessment Elements

• Test after the 1st week (10 minutes)
• Debates
  Debates missed by a student for a good reason (illness, scientific or academic trip, participation in a conference, etc., documented to the training office), if agreed with the teacher, may not be taken into account and the weight will be redistributed to all elements of the online course control. The retake of the exam is possible in accordance with the “Regulation on the organization of intermediate certification and ongoing monitoring of student performance at the Higher School of Economics”.
• Test after the 2nd week (10 minutes)
• Test after the 3d week (10 minutes)
• Test after the 4th week (10 minutes)
• Test after the 5th week (10 minutes)
• Test after the 6th week (10 minutes)

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (1 module)
  0.1 * Debates + 0.15 * Test after the 1st week (10 minutes) + 0.15 * Test after the 2nd week (10 minutes) + 0.15 * Test after the 3d week (10 minutes) + 0.15 * Test after the 4th week (10 minutes) + 0.15 * Test after the 5th week (10 minutes) + 0.15 * Test after the 6th week (10 minutes)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• China’s 40 Years of Reform and Development : 1978–2018. (2018). Netherlands, Europe: ANU Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.ADA01123

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Laurence J. Brahm. (2011). Art of the Deal in China : A Practical Guide to Business Etiquette and the 36 Martial Strategies Employed by Chinese Businessmen and Officals in China. [N.p.]: Tuttle Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1568264