Chinese 250/350: Topics in Chinese Culture – Modern Chinese Literature

Monday, Wednesday 3 – 4:20, AD 204

Jennifer Thackston Johnson, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Chinese

Office: AD 301 Office Hours: Monday 9 – 9:50 AM, Wednesday 1:30 – 2:50, Friday 11 AM -12:20 PM

With its place of social importance in the Chinese tradition, literature is a natural lens through which to examine modern . In this course, we will examine the myriad of changes to Chinese society since the fall of the last imperial dynasty, the Qing. We will move through the major upheavals of the twentieth century (the May Fourth movement, the Communist take-over, the , the democracy movements of 1989, and Open Market Reform and its continuing effects), using literature as a guide to how these sweeping social changes impacted those living through them and altered the very fabric of culture. No background in Chinese language or culture is required.

Requirements and Grading: NB: In fairness to everyone, I accept late homework and/or administer late quizzes and exams only in the case of religious observances, and medical/family emergences. [Students with absences excused by the college need to make up the work BEFORE it is due.] ** It is expected that all of the work done for this course will conform to Austin College’s Academic Integrity Policy, available at http://www.austincollege.edu/wp- content/uploads/2009/11/Environment10-11.pdf. I place a very high value on academic integrity and intellectual property; a finding of cheating or other form of academic dishonesty will result in your failing the assignment and may result in your failing the course. ALL instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. All written work for this course will be run through TurnItIn! ***Austin College seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities and will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines. It is the responsibility of the student to register with and provide verification of academic accommodation needs to the Director of the Academic Skills Center as soon as possible. The student also must contact the faculty member in a timely manner [before the second week of the semester] to arrange for reasonable academic accommodations. For further information regarding disability services or to register for assistance, please contact the office at 903-818-2454 or visit the Academic Skills Center. For additional information, see the Center’s web pages http://www.austincollege.edu/campus-life/academic-skills-center/disability-services/.

Attendance = 3% Works of culture acquire meaning largely through the discussion they inspire. To this end, attendance and participation are essential elements of success in this course. You will lose one point off your final average for each of your first three unexcused absences. An unexcused absence is defined as any absence for which you cannot provide documentation for why you were unable to attend class. Upon your fourth unexcused absence (over 10% of the course), the penalties to your grade will escalate to a deduction of 3% per absence and your mentor will be notified. Upon your seventh unexcused absence (over 20% of the course), barring exceptional circumstances, you will be dropped from the course. If you arrive late, but before you’ve missed much, and are not disruptive when you come in, your attendance deduction will be reduced to a half point (all of these conditions are the sole determination of the professor).

Participation = 7%

Sleeping during class, holding a private conversation during class, working on homework for another class during my class, texting, or any other uncivilized behavior that would make the people who raised you cringe is not only detrimental to your learning in this class, it is an action that is disrespectful to the professor and to your classmates. This class is relatively small; these actions do not go unnoticed. It’s a more pleasant and productive environment for all of us if everyone is engaged and committed to the learning process. Classroom incivilities severe enough that I remember them when I get back to my office after teaching for the day will result in a half point deduction from your final average under this category.

Otherwise, point values in this category are assigned as follows: 6-7: You are nearly always attentive, enthusiastic, prepared, and willing to make your best effort when called upon. 4-5: You are prepared about 80% of the time. It’s also possible that you don’t always make your best effort or contribute to the class environment in a positive way. 2-3: You’re prepared about half the time. You may often be distracted and/or have an exceptionally poor attitude. 0-1: I can rarely count on you to be prepared.

Response Papers = 30%

You are required to turn in 1-3 page response papers that present an argument through critically engaging the primary texts discussed in this course. You may choose which texts and topics to write about. Your paper is due as a hard copy at the class in which we discuss the text(s) you have selected to write about; late papers will be penalized at 5% per class meeting. No response papers will be accepted after May 7. Some discussion questions and topic ideas will be distributed before each week; it is my hope that some or all of the resulting response papers will figure into your final projects. To be eligible for an A in this course, you must write 5 response papers. To be eligible for a B in this course, you must write 4 response papers. To be eligible for a C in this course, you must write 3 response papers. To pass this course, you must write 2 response papers. You may rewrite one paper after conferencing with the instructor. You may not write another paper until you have received your previous paper back graded (papers will be available in my box—by the elevators on the third floor of AD—starting at 11 am the day after they are received).

Presentations = 10%

You will be required to give a five-minute presentation outlining the argument you put forth in your response paper. No late presentations will be permitted.

In-Class Mid-term / Detailed Reader Response Journal = 20%

Wednesday, March 7 is reserved for a mid-term. I am allowing you to pick your poison on this one. 1) You take an in-class, closed-note midterm. It will cover all readings and important social moments discussed in class. 2) You turn in an in-depth reader response journal. This journal needs to offer brief analysis (NOT summary) of each work discussed in class, relating these works to the important social moments discussed in class.

Final Paper / Website / Social Movement Design = 25%

I am also allowing you to pick your poison for the final assessment. You may: 1) Write a traditional academic paper. You may draw on your response papers, but the Final should be a polished summation of what you learned in this course. 2) Website. You may create a web-based reflection on what you’ve learned in this course. 3) Design Your Own Social Movement. Most of the works we’ll be reading in this course have been bound together by history as elements of major social movements of the PRC, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Tibet. Drawing on the examples provided by these works, think about a social movement you’d like to see in your own homeland. What would the supporting cultural works look like? Who would be your ideal cultural leaders? What metaphors would need to be employed? In all cases, you’ll need to consult with me. Students Enrolled in 350: You still get to pick your project, but it must be a research project. We will set up library meetings to get you familiar with academic level research. You are expected to employ no fewer than five extra, academic sources.

Schedule:

Week One:

Monday, January 30: Introductory Lecture, “The Significance of Chinese Literature”

Wednesday, February 1: “May Fourth and the Dawn of the Modern Era” Lu Xun 鲁迅: “Preface to the First Collection of Short Stories, Call to Arms” 《呐喊序言》 (1923) “Diary of a Madman” 《狂人日记》(1918), “New Year’s Sacrifice” 《祝福》 (1924)

First Writing Assignment Due: “Should You Wake the People in the Iron House?”

Week Two:

Monday, February 6: Lu Xun 鲁迅: “Kong Yiji” 《孔乙己》(1919), “Ye Shaojun 叶绍钧: “A Posthumous Son” 《遗腹子》(1926), Yu Dafu 郁达夫: “Sinking” 《沉沦》 (1921)

Wednesday, February 8: Poetry by Xu Zhimo 徐志摩 and Wen Yiduo 闻一多; Xu Zhimo, “Art and Life” (1922); Wen Yiduo “Form in Poetry” 《诗的格律》

Week Three:

Monday, February 13: Ding Ling 丁玲 “Miss Sophie’s Diary” 《莎菲女士的日记》(1927), Ling Shuhua 凌叔华: “Midautumn Festival” 《中秋节》(1928), “Embroidered Pillows” 《绣 枕》 (1928), Lu Xun 鲁迅: “What Happens When Nora Leaves Home?” 《娜拉走后怎样？》 (1923)

Wednesday, February 15: 茅盾: “Spring Silkworms” 《春蚕》 (1932), Lao She 老 舍: “An Old and Established Name” 《老字号》 (1936)

Week Four:

Monday, Feburary 20: Shen Congwen 沈从文: “Xiaoxiao” 《萧萧》 (1929), Ba Jin 巴金: “Dog” 《狗》 (1931)

Wednesday, February 22: Wu Zuxiang 吴祖湘: “Young Master Gets His Tonic” 《官官的补 品》(1932), Xiao Hong 萧红: “Hands” 《手》(1936)

Week Five:

Monday, February 27: Zhang Ailing 张爱玲: “Sealed Off” 《封锁》(1943), Ding Ling 丁玲: “When I Was in Xia Village” 《我在霞村的时候》(1940)

Wednesday, February 29: Mao Zedong 毛泽东: “Talks at the Yan’an Forum on Art and Literature” 《在延安文艺座谈会上的讲话》(1942), Ding Ling 丁玲: “Thoughts on March Eighth” 《三八节有感》 (1942)

Week Six:

Monday, March 5: Ru Zhijuan 茹志鹃: “Warmth of Spring” 《春暖时节》(1959), Wang Yuanjian 王愿坚, “Party Membership Dues” 《党费》(1956), Zong Pu 宗璞: “Red Beans” 《红豆》(1957), Ru Zhijuan 茹志鹃: “Warmth of Spring” 《春暖时节》(1959)

Wednesday, March 7: In Class Midterm

Week Seven:

No Class: Enjoy Your Spring Break

Week Eight:

Monday, March 19: Liu Heng 刘恒: “Dogshit Food” 《狗日的粮食》(1986), Mo Yan 莫言: “Iron Child” 《铁孩》 (1993)

Wednesday, March 21: Chen Yingzhen 陈映真: “Roses in June” 六月里的玫瑰花 (1967), Bai Xianyong 白先勇: “Eternal Snow Beauty” 永远的君雪艳 (1965), “Winter Nights” (1970)

Week Nine:

Monday, March 26: Lu Xinhua 卢新华: “The Scar” 《伤痕》(1978), Zhang Jie 张洁: “Love Must Not Be Forgotten” 《爱是不能忘记的》(1979), Ding Ling 丁玲: “Sketches from the ‘Cattle Shed’” 《在牛棚的作品》 (1980) **Last day to change grading system or drop without a grade.

Wednesday, March 28: A Cheng 阿城: “Chess Master” 《棋王》(1984)

Week Ten:

Monday, April 2: Yu Hua 余华: Chronicle of a Blood Merchant〈许三观卖血记〉(1995)

Wednesday, April 4: Yu Hua 余华: Chronicle of a Blood Merchant〈许三观卖血记〉(1995)

Week Eleven:

Monday, April 9: Su Tong 苏童: “1934 Escapes” 《1934 年的逃亡》 (1991), 王安 忆: “Granny,” an excerpt from Fuping 〈富平〉(2000), Chen Sue 陈素娥: “born at the wrong time,” an excerpt from Beijing Doll 〈北京娃娃〉(2004)

Wednesday, April 11: Alai 阿来: “Fish!” 《鱼！》 (2000)， Han Shaogong 韩少功: “The Leader’s Demise” (1992), Qiu Miaojin: “Letters from Montmarte” (1996), Zhu Tianwen 朱天文: “Fin de Siècle Splendor” (1990)

Week Twelve:

Monday, April 16: Lijia Zhang, Socialism is Great! (2008)

Wednesday, April 18: Lijia Zhang, Socialism is Great! (2008)

Week Thirteen:

Monday, April 23: Ma Jian 马建：Beijing Coma 〈北京植物人〉 (2008)

Wednesday, April 25: Ma Jian 马建：Beijing Coma 〈北京植物人〉 (2008)

Week Fourteen:

Monday, April 30: Ma Jian 马建：Beijing Coma 〈北京植物人〉 (2008)

Wednesday, May 2: Ma Jian 马建：Beijing Coma 〈北京植物人〉 (2008)

Week Fifteen:

Monday, May 7: Review Day: Selections from Ai Weiwei 艾未未’s blog