OVERVIEW

The course delivers an introduction to the knowledge and understanding of the early stages of Chinese history, culture and literature from the archaic era, followed by the early stage of the imperial period, until the fifth century AD, highlighting similarities and influences with others countries of the Asian context.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at providing an overview of the first phases of the evolution of Chinese culture and the most significant literary genres and major works (a selection of which will be taught using the Italian version with the parallel text and its phonetic transcription), with a focus on pre-imperial and imperial China up to the the Six Dynasties, dedicating particular attention to the main philosophical and literary concepts that constitute Chinese culture in their historical context.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students will be able to familiarize with the cultural and geo-linguistic space of imperial and pre-imperial China, highlighting the main peculiarities emerged from the analysis of iconographic, documentary and material culture sources, displaying the understanding of the foundations of Chinese civilization. The students will acquire the knowledge of the historical context within the early stages of the development of Chinese civilization and will be able to highlight those elements of the traditional culture that still are essential key points in contemporary Chinese society.

PREREQUISITES

In-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of Italian language equal to a native speaker or at least to CEFR level C1.

TEACHING METHODS

Frontal lessons

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The program consists of lectures, delivered in Italian, on the contents of both the compulsory monographs (related to quite general topics) and the selected works listed in the bibliography, focused on the contemporary reception of some key elements of traditional Chinese culture. Regarding the early phases of the development of the Chinese language and literature, a wide repertoire of reference texts, as well as of extracts from the canon of the Chinese thought, will also be introduced in both original language and translation.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Compulsory works:

• Castorina, Miriam, La cultura cinese, Milano, Hoepli, 2011.

• Testi integrativi fornite durante il corso

And in addition one text chosen from the following titles:

• Abbiati, Magda, La scrittura cinese nei secoli. Dal pennello alla tastiera, Roma, Carocci, 2017.

• Crisma, Amina, Confucianesimo e Taoismo, Bologna, EMI, 2016.

• Scarpari, Maurizio, Ritorno a Confucio. La Cina di oggi tra tradizione e innovazione, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2015. 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LUCA PISANO (President)

GIOVANNA PUPPIN

XIAODANYANG ZHANG (Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

CHINESE LITERATURE AND CULTURE I

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral interview in Italian. The students will show their ability to relate the various topics covered in the course. During the exam (with open questions, relating to the whole program including the compulsory books and the selected texts introduced during lessons), the quality of the presentation, the correct use of the lexicon (in particular while clarifying texts of philosophical content), the critical competence will all be carefully assessed.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The students will have to demonstrate the assimilation of the main topics, to have acquired the basic knowledge of the course contents, to be able to elaborate a short speech on one or more topics, related with the compulsory monographs and/or wirh the selected texts introduced during the course, placing them in the Chinese and Asian historical and cultural contexts. Attendance and active participation during the lessons will facilitate the examination process.

Exam schedule