Instructor: Xin Zhang, Ph.D.
Office: CA 503B
Phone: 274-4898

Asia has again entered our attention not for the political turmoil or the crash of stock market that we saw in China and Japan in the recent years but as a growing economic power in the world. There is a growing interest among students of this university to understand more about Asia, their tradition, culture, and modernization efforts. This course is designed to meet this interest.

This course offers a brief survey of history of China, Japan, Vietnam and Korea in traditional/modern period. It presents a general idea of how the cultures in this area are interrelated. The emphasis of the lecture is on the development of the social structure, political system and culture. Since the instructor of the course has a strong Asian cultural background, the class welcomes discussion on the issues that concerning the Asian culture in general and its comparison to Western culture such as that of America.

Although the course will cover the events and figures of Asian history, its approach to the study of Asian history is different. Instead of viewing the history of countries as separate entity, we examine them within a large framework of Confucianism. And through that framework, we examine their endeavors to reach modernity. We look back to the historical roots embedded in the tradition, culture and society of these countries and to analyze their present development within the historical context. Thus, in this course, students will be presented with a dynamic picture of Asia, which includes its marketing structure, the emergence of the power of elites and the reshaping of the balance between the state and society. In order to allow students exposure to the recent achievements in the study of modern China in the West, this course will also include a summary of the development of the `Asian Field' in last 50 years. During the lectures, major theories developed in recent years as well as the contributions made by the leading scholars in the field will be presented.

Students taking the course are required to take two written exams, a mid-term and a final, and also to write one 8-12 page term paper on a subject related to East Asia. The final exam will include only the materials covered since mid-term.

It is highly recommended to use computer for your writing.

Additional requirements for graduate students: Graduate students will do more reading and writing than undergraduates, and will be expected to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency on written work and in discussion. Graduate students' research papers should be 15-20 pages in length. There will be several extra meetings between the professor and graduate students in order to discuss matters of bibliography and historiography relevant to this course.

Assessment Methods: mid-term Exam (30%), term paper (30%), final exam & class performance (40%).

Required Texts:

Fairbank, John et al. East Asia: Tradition and Transformation (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989)

Suggested reading:

de Bary, at al., Sources of Japanese Tradition Sources of Chinese Tradition

Lectures & Readings (Weekly Assignment):

1. The Setting of East Asian History

2. Early China: The Birth of A Civilization

3. Classic China: The Golden Age of Chinese Thought

4. The First Chinese Empire: The Ch'in and Han Dynasties

5. The Regeneration of the Empire

6. The Late T'ang and Sung: The Flowering of Chinese

7. China and the "Barbarians"; The Mongol Empire

8. States and Society under the Ming

9. Traditional China at Its Height under the Ch'ing

10. Vietnam: A Variant of the Chinese Pattern

11. Early Korea: The Emergence of a Chinese Type of State

12. Yi Dynasty Korea: A Model Confucian Society

13. Early Japan: The Absorption of Chinese Civilization

14. Feudal Japan: A Departure from the Chinese Pattern

15. Tokugawa Japan: A Centralized Feudal State

Policy concerning plagiarism

Plagiarism is the offering of the work of someone else as one's own. Honesty requires that any ideas or materials taken from another source from either written or oral use must be fully acknowledged. The language or ideas taken from another may range from isolated formulas, sentences, or paragraphs to entire articles copies from books, periodicals, speeches, or the writings of other students. The offering of materials assembled or collected by others in the form of projects or collections without acknowledgment is also considered plagiarism. Any student who fails to give credit for ideas or materials taken from another source is guilty of plagiarism.

A faculty member who has evidence that a student is guilty of cheating or plagiarism shall initiate the process of determining the students' guilt or innocence. No penalty shall be imposed until the student has been informed of the charge and of the evidence on which it is based and has been given an opportunity to present a defense. If the faculty member assesses a penalty within the course and promptly reports and the case in writing to the dean of the school or comparable head of the academic unit. The report should include the names of any other students who may be involved in the incident and recommendations for further action. The dean, in consultation with the faculty member if the latter so desires, will initiate any further disciplinary proceeding s and inform the faculty member of any action taken. In every case, a record of the offenses remains on file in the Office of the Dean.