Fall 2020
CHIN 4090: Readings in Masterworks of Classical Chinese Fiction
TTR 9:00-10:15am, Zoom, Dr. Li Guo, ([email protected]); Office: Zoom, TTR 8:00-9:00 am
Description: This upper-level content-based course is an introduction to traditional Chinese fiction, with a focus on masterworks from vernacular fictional traditions. The Chinese equivalent term for fiction or novel “small talks” (小說), as scholar Lin Yutang 林語堂 proposes, suggests the rise of traditional Chinese fiction from vernacular traditions including chats, conversations, folk storytelling, singsong tales and oral accounts on everyday happenings by and for ordinary civilians. Through close reading and discussions of vernacular fiction, we explore the seminal features of traditional society, including: religious and philosophical beliefs, the imperial system and dynastic change, gender relations, notions of class, ethnicity, virtue, kinship, family, and romance. Key questions: How do literati scholars, women authors, folk storytellers facilitate diverse imaginings of virtue, valor, and chivalry? How do we understand intertextuality between diverse genres? How does poetry blend into fictional narratives? How does fiction engender dramatic modes, which in return inspire new tales and textual representations? How do premodern literary masterworks inspire modern and contemporary media adaptations in film, anime, comic books, computer games, web sites, music, theater, art, and other media? Course goals: To guide students in reading excerpts from classical novels as well as from late imperial biographies, short stories, fantasy tales, folklores, travelogues, and chantefable stories. To provide students methods to analyze significant details or patterns, and develop an in- depth understanding of the text’s form, craft, meanings. To introduce students to historical backgrounds, contextual information, as well as modern and contemporary critical receptions of masterworks of classical Chinese literature To understand the canon of traditional Chinese literature, and reconsider literary canon as a "living tradition," both in contemporary societies, and in the global Chinese diaspora.
Course goals as corresponding to IDEA goals: 7. Gaining a broader understanding and appreciation of intellectual/cultural activity (music, science, literature, etc.) 8. Developing skill in expressing myself orally or in writing
Required Texts 1. Shi, Nai'an. Water Margin Stories. Tuttle. 9780804840958. 2. Luo, Guanzhong. The Three Kingdoms: The Sacred Oath. Tuttle. 9780804843935.
No Language Prerequisites: All works are read in translation; no language background is necessary. Original Chinese texts in excerpts are provided for all selected readings. Course Requirements: Attendance 5% Oral Presentation 8% Etiquette 2% Essay 1, 15% Active participation 8% Essay 2, 15% Quizzes 8% Essay 3, 15% Weekly Reading Posts (1% ea) 10% Final Exam 6% Paired teaching demo 8%
1 Fall 2020
Grading: Final grades are assigned based upon the following percentages of the total of points: A = 94 - 100% A- = 90 - 93% B+ = 87 - 89% B = 83 - 86% B- = 80 - 82% C+ = 77 - 79% C = 73 - 76% C- = 70 - 72% D+ = 65 - 69% D = 60 - 64% D- = 55 - 59% F = 54% or less
Attendance: Regular attendance of the class is important and highly related to a student’s performance in class. You are allowed 2 unexcused absences. Each additional absence is 1% of your total grade. In case of illness, emergency, or university activities, please notify me by email in advance, and submit an official university excused absence sheet when you return to class. Also, excessive absences will affect your in-class participation (8%) proportionately, and therefore should be consciously avoided.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism includes knowingly "representing, by paraphrase or direct quotation, the published or unpublished work of another person as one's own in any academic exercise or activity without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged used of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials." The penalties for plagiarism are severe. They include warning or reprimand, grade adjustment, probation, suspension, expulsion, withholding of transcripts, denial or revocation of degrees, and referral to psychological counseling.
Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment is defined by the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as any "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature." If you feel you are a victim of sexual harassment, you may talk to or file a complaint with the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Office located in Old Main, Room 161, or call the AA/EEO Office at 797-1266.
Classroom etiquette: Materials developed for this class, including lesson plans, handouts, visual aids, tasks for translation are only designed and used by class members and shall not be openly circulated to anyone outside the class for protection of instructor’s copyrights for these materials. Please do not engage in any activities that may cause disruption or difficulty for instructional process, or create disrespectful impact or influence over classmates or the instructor, such as: ² Cell phone usage for surfing, texting, chatting during class. ² Surfing online irrelevant materials or engage in emails, online shopping, doing homework for other classes when in this class. ² Late arrival to class (except in unchangeable situations) and early leave from class. ² Sleeping, chatting on irrelevant contents or topics. ² Interrupting or creating obstruction for conversation and communication. ² Having loud or distracting paralleled conversations that obstruct other students from hearing those are answering questions or participating in course tasks. ² Use discriminatory language to refer to others’ religion, national origin, gender, sex, race, marital status, parental status, income, disability, physical traits, family background or use derogative sayings to caricature others.
2 Fall 2020
Day Contents Assignments
I Virtue, Chivalry, & Folk Heroism: The Water Margin Chinese original: 1) simplified is here. 2) traditional is here.
9/1 T Introduction; [reading];[preview ppt]
9/3 R “The Panther Head" Lin Chong & "The Little Whirlwind”Chai Jin, Chap. 1&2 (1-25)
9/8 T Chap 3&4 (26-49) mock quiz
9/10 R Chap 7&8 (70-93) Post 1
9/15 T Chap 9-11 (94-126) Q1
9/17 R “The Timely Rain” Song Jiang and The Tiger Slayer Wu Post 2 Song,” Chap 21 &22 (250-273)
9/22 T Chap 24& 25 (306-331) Q2
9/24 R “The Black Whirlwind” Li Kui & “The Daredevil Third Brother” Post 3 Shi Xiu, Chap 42 & 43 (522-547)
9/29 T Chap 46&47 (571-586) Q3
10/1 R ‘Flea on a Drum” Shi Qian and “The Magic Traveler” Dai Post 4 Zong, Chap 52&53 (621-639)
10/6 T Chap 54&55 (640-655) Q4
10/8 R “The One-Hundred and Eight Heroes” Post 5 Chap 56&57 (656-671)
10/13 T Intro; “Homunculus,” “The Painted Wall,” “Talking Pupils,” Q5 “Spitting Water” [Download reading here]
10/15 R Gender: “The Laughing Girl," “Princess Lotus,” "The Girl from Nanking" [Download reading here]
3 Fall 2020
10/20 T Ghosts: "Living Dead" “Biting a Ghost,” “Ghost Foiled, Fox Put to Rout,” “A Fatal Joke,” "Past Lives," "Wailing Ghosts." [Download reading here]
10/22 R Foxes: “Catching a Fox,” “Fox as Prophet,” “Fox Control,” Essay 1 “The Fox of Fenzhou,” “Fox Trouble,” commentaries by Rania Huntington.
10/27 T Humor and Caution, The Book of Swindles: Selections from a Q6 Ming Collection. Zhang Yingyu. {download reading here}
III. “All under Heaven”: Brotherhood, Heroism and the Nation in Three Kingdoms
10/29 R “The Sacred Oath,” Chapters 1 and 2 Post 7
11/3 T Chapters 3 and 4 Q7
11/5 R Chapters 5 and 6; Film appreciation Post 8
11/10 T Chapters 8 and 9
11/12 R Cao Cao Brewing the Wine and Talking about Heroes Chapters 21 and 22
11/17 T “The Sleeping Dragon,” Chapters 36 and 37 Q8
11/19 R Chapters 38, 43 and 44 (hardcopy) Post 9
Q9 11/24 T “Zhuge Liang ‘Borrows’ the Arrows,” Chap 46-48
12/1 T Chapters 49-51 Post 10
12/3 R Chapters 55-56 [PDF Download] Q10
12/8 T Women’s chantefable story: Destiny of Rebirth [Handout]
12/10 R Paired oral presentation on final paper.
12/17 R Final Exam: 9:30-11:20am
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