Religious Studies 302 Chinese Religions, Fall 2001-2002
Instructor: Mark T. Unno, Office: PLC 812, Tel. 346-4973, Email: munno@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Office hours: Mondays 2:00-3:00 p.m., Wednesdays 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Lectures: 13:00-13:50 MWF Gilbert 232 Home Page: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~munno/
Selected strands of religious thought in China. This course will examine various Chinese religious traditions, in particular Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Rather than provide a comprehensive survey of all of the strands of Chinese religion (which is impractical in a ten-week quarter), this course emphasizes in-depth understanding through the study of primary religious texts supported by secondary readings in the relevant scholarly literature. The focus of our examination will be on the philosophical understanding of religious ideas in critical historical context. We will study key ideas within the context of various cultural and historical issues such as gender, class, and ritual.
Requirements
1. Attendance: Required. Students can have one unexcused absence without penalty. Each class missed thereafter without prior permission will result in 1/2 grade penalty for the course grade.
2. Short exams: There will be two short, in-class exams, based on materials from the readings, lectures, and course web site.
3. Short papers: Students will write three short papers based on topics that will be provided by the instructor.
4. Final paper: Each student will hand in a medium length final paper of 5-6 pages double-spaced. Suggested topics will be provided. Students may choose to create their own topics with the consent of their section leader. In the case of the latter, a one-paragraph description of the topic must be submitted by email to the instructor one week prior to the due date.
5. Late policy on written assignments: Three grace days total will be allotted excluding the medium-length final paper for which no extensions will be given. For all other assignments, a cumulative total of three late days will be allowed without penalty. Thereafter, each late day will result in a two-point deduction from the course grade. Weekends are not counted against the grace days.
Email. Students should all have email accounts. Notices for the class will be posted by email.
Grades
Required Texts
1. Herbert Fingarette, Confucius-The Secular as Sacred (New York: HarperCollins, 1972).
2. D. C. Lau, tr., Lao Tzu-Tao Te Ching (New York: Penguin, 1963).
3. Burton Watson, tr., Chuang Tzu (New York: Columbia University Press, 1964).
4. Burton Watson, tr., Hsun Tzu (New York: Columbia University Press, 1963).
5. Course Reader, Religious Studies 302 Chinese Religions, Fall 2000-01
Available at the Copy Shop, 539 E. 13th Street, Eugene, OR 97401, TEL 485 6253.
Required Articles on Reserve
1. D. C. Lau, trans., Mencius (New York: Penguin, 1970), 54-59, 68, 76-80, 82-83, 100-101, 115-116, 166-167, 173-176, 192.
2. D. C. Lau, trans., Confucius - The Analects (New York: Penguin, 1970), 149-150, 130-131
(Item 2. is attached to the end of item 1. Check reserve for "D. C. Lau, trans., Mencius")
1. Wade-Giles Romanization System
2. Notes for Lecture: Ancient China
3. Map of Ancient China-Warring States Period
4. Confucius' World of Ideas (diagram)
5. Key Terms of Early Confucianism
(Note: All articles below are cited in footnote/endnote format.)
6. A. C. Graham, "A Conservative Reaction: Confucius," Disputers of the Tao (LaSalle, IL: Open Court, 1989), 9-22.
7. Philip J. Ivanhoe, "Reweaving the 'One Thread' of the Analects," Philosophy East & West 40:1 (January 1990) 17-33.
8. _____, "Confucian Moral Self-Cultivation and Mencian Extension," unpublished paper (Stanford University, 1996) 1-18.
9. _____, "Comments on Lau's Translation of the Tao Te-ching" 1-4.
10. _____, "The Concept of de in the Daodejing," unpublished paper (Stanford University, 1995) 1-18.
11. Finding List for Footnotes from Ivanhoe Article on Chuang Tzu.
12. Philip J. Ivanhoe, "Zhuangzi on Skepticism, Skill, and the Ineffable Dao," Journal of the American Academy of Religion LX:4 639-654.
13. Helmut Wilhelm, "Death and Renewal," in his Lectures on the I Ching (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1979) 135-165.
14. Dan Lerman, "Language and the Nature of Distinctions: An Analysis of Hsun Tzu and Chuang Tzu, unpublished paper, (1996) 3-13.
15. Philip J. Ivanhoe, "A Happy Symmetry-Xunzi's Ethical Thought," Journal of the American Academy of Religion LIX:2 309-322.
16. Philip J. Ivanhoe, "Moral Understanding and Human Nature in Xunzi," unpublished paper, Stanford University, 1992, 1-17.
17. Robert A. F. Thurman, trans., The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1987) 56-63, 73-77.
18. Mark Unno, "Key Terms - Nagarjuna and Early Chinese Buddhism"
19. Taitetsu Unno, "Philosophical Schools-San-lun, T'ien-t'ai, and Hua-yen" in Buddhist Spirituality, ed. by Takeuchi Yoshinori (New York: Crossroad, 1993) 343-365.
20. Heinrich Dumoulin, Zen Buddhism: A History-India and China (New York: Macmillan Publishing, 1988) 85-94.
21. Philip Yampolsky, tr. The Platform
Sutra of Hui-neng (NY: Columbia University Press, 1967)
125-153.
RS302 Chinese Religions - Class schedule (CR: Course Reader; CR 1: Course Reader, 1st Selection)
Week 1 - The Background of Ancient China
9/24 Mon. Introduction to the Course-Chinese Religions: Whose Religions?
9/26 Wed. The Background of Ancient China: "Notes for Lecture: Ancient China," and other materials, CR 2-4.
9/28 Fri. Graham, "A Conservative Reaction: Confucius," CR 6.
Week 2 - Confucius: The Original Confucian?
10/1 Mon. Confucius: Fingarette, The Secular as Sacred, 1-36; "Key Terms of Early Confucianism" CR 5
10/3 Wed. Confucius: Fingarette, The Secular as Sacred, 37-70.
10/5 Fri. Confucius: Ivanhoe, "Reweaving the 'One Thread'," CR 8.
Week 3 - Mencius: Confucianism and Human Nature
10/8 Mon. Mencius: Lau, trans., Mencius, (Library Reserve)
10/10 Wed. Mencius: Ivanhoe, "Confucian Moral Self-Cultivation," CR 9.
10/12 Fri. Precursors to the Taoists: Lau, trans., Confucius (Library Reserve - Attached to end of "D. C. Lau, trans, Mencius") Short Paper I due in class.
Week 4 - Lao Tzu: Return to the Tao
10/15 Mon. Lao Tzu: Lau, trans., Lao Tzu-Tao Te Ching, 57-100.
10/17 Wed. Lao Tzu: Lau, trans., Lao Tzu-Tao Te Ching, 101-143;
Ivanhoe, "Comments on Lau's Translation," CR 11.
10/19 Fri. Lao Tzu: Ivanhoe"The Concept of de in the Daodejing," CR 12. Short exam I in class.
Week 5 - Chuang Tzu: Skillfulness at Play
10/22 Mon. Chuang Tzu: Watson, trans., Chuang Tzu, 1-30.
10/24 Wed. Chuang Tzu: Watson, trans., Chuang Tzu,31- 88(31-49, 62-63, 78-81).
10/26 Fri. Chuang Tzu:Watson, trans., Chuang Tzu, 89-140 (94-95, 126-140).
Ivanhoe, "Zhuangzi on Skepticism, Skill," CR 14.
Week 6 - Hsun Tzu: Ritual and the Reform of Human Nature
10/29 Mon. Hsun Tzu: Ivanhoe, "A Happy Symmetry-Xunzi," CR 17; Watson, tr. Hsun Tzu, 157-171. Short Paper II due in class.
10/31 Wed. Hsun Tzu: Ivanhoe, "Moral Understanding," CR 18; Watson, tr. Hsun Tzu, 157-171. 89-120
11/2 Fri. Hsun Tzu and Chuang Tzu: Lerman, "Language and the Nature of Distinctions," CR 16; Watson, tr. 15-32, 79-88.
Week 7 - Buddhism: Indian Background
11/5 Mon. Early Indian Buddhism: The Buddha Gotama
11/7 Wed. Early Indian Buddhism: Nikaya: Wilhelm, "Death and Renewal," CR 15.
11/9 Fri. Mahayana Buddhism: Nagarjuna and Emptiness: "Key Terms - Nagarjuna," CR 20
Special lecture, 4 p.m., place TBA, attendance required.
Carl Bielefeldt, Professor of Buddhist Studies, Stanford University will speak on Zen Buddhism - "Why Zen Master's Don't Fly."
Week 8 - Buddhism: Indian Bodhisattva, Chinese Philosophical Schools
11/12 Mon. The Lay Bodhisattva Vimalakirti: The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti, CR 19.
11/14 Wed. The San-lun School: T. Unno, "Philosophical Schools," 343-350, CR 21. Short Paper III due in class.
11/16 Fri. The T'ien-t'ai: T. Unno, "Philosophical Schools," 350-356, CR 21.
Week 9 - Chinese Buddhism: Philosophical Schools and Zen Master
11/19 Mon. The Hua-yen: T. Unno, "Philosophical Schools," 356-364, CR 21. Short Exam II in class.
11/21 Wed. The First Zen Master: Bodhidharma: Dumoulin, Zen Buddhism, CR 22.
11/23 Fri Thanksgiving Break
Week 10 - Zen Buddhism: The Platform Sutra
11/26 Mon. Story of Hui-neng: Yampolsky, tr. The Platform Sutra, 125-134.
11/28 Wed. Wisdom and Meditation: Yampolsky, tr. The Platform Sutra, 134-153.
11/30 Fri. Last day of class. Final Papers due in class.