History 410 Ming-Ching China

Course Description

This is the second course in the upper-division survey of Chinese history; it covers the period from the founding of the Ming dynasty in 1368 through the middle of the Qing dynasty (to the end of the 18th century). Weekly, seminar-style discussion sections are paired with lectures that introduce the main themes of the course. Five main themes form its basis: 1) the growth of autocratic government and the political consequences of centralization; 2) the relationship between the bureaucracy and local society; 3) the commercial boom of the 16th and 17th centuries and its impact on the social order; 4) the interaction between elite and popular cultures; and 5) the dynamics of China’s initial encounters with the West, along with the conditions of Empire and tradition as perceived and lived out by Chinese on the verge of confrontations with the West.

Course Policies

The course format, which consists of alternating lectures and discussion seminars on Tuesdays and Thursdays, provides students with background information as well as an opportunity to learn more actively through discussion and in-depth familiarity of the reading materials. Weekly readings are moderately heavy, with a focus on scholarly articles and, on occasion, the use of primary source materials

40% Completion of all the required reading and participation in weekly, seminar-style discussions. Weekly homework assignments on the readings (in preparation for class discussion) and one in-class presentation are included in this grade.
20% One 3-4 page take-home midterm examination
40% One 5-7 page final research paper

Required Texts

The following texts are available for purchase at Mother Kali’s Bookstore:

Robert Van Gulik, Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee.
Ray Huang, 1587, A Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty in Decline.
Philip Kuhn, Soulstealers: The Chinese Sorcery Scare of 1768.
David Roy (trans.), The Gathering (volume one of Plum in the Golden Vase).
Jonathan Spence, Emperor of China: Self-portrait of K'ang-hsi.

The following texts will be consulted as well. They may be available second-hand at the Smith Family Bookstore.

Jacques Gernet, History of Chinese Civilization, 1982.
Jonathan D. Spence, The Search for Modern China, 2nd ed.

Some readings are available on E-reserve (on-line through the Library Home Page), as indicated on the Course Syllabus. All required readings for this course (books and articles) are on reserve at the Knight Library.

Course Schedule

May 7, 2002: Take-home midterm due in class
June 12, 2002: Final paper due by 3:00 p.m. in my mailbox in the history department office (first floor, McKenzie Hall)