This courses examines murals in Chinese temples and tombs from their earliest appearance in the first millennium BCE through the 20th century. Some are in situ; others are in museums. Murals are studied alongside paintings on silk and paper. Chinese wall painting is also studied alongside murals in temples and tombs in Korea, Japan, and Mongolia.

Home to four of the five most populous states and four of the five largest economies, the Asia/Pacific is arguably the most dynamic region in the twenty-first century. At the same time, Cold War remnants (a divided Korea and China) and major geopolitical shifts (the rise of China and India, decline of the US and Japan) contribute significantly to the volatility of our world. This course will examine the political, economic, and geopolitical dynamism of the region through a survey of relations among the great powers in Asia from the sixteenth century to the present. Special emphasis will be given to regional and global developments from the perspective of the three principal East Asian states--China, Japan and Korea. We will explore the many informal, as well as formal, means of intercourse that have made East Asia what it is today. Graduate students should consult graduate syllabus for graduate reading list, special recitation time and graduate requirements.

Home to four of the five most populous states and four of the five largest economies, the Asia/Pacific is arguably the most dynamic region in the twenty-first century. At the same time, Cold War remnants (a divided Korea and China) and major geopolitical shifts (the rise of China and India, decline of the US and Japan) contribute significantly to the volatility of our world. This course will examine the political, economic, and geopolitical dynamism of the region through a survey of relations among the great powers in Asia from the sixteenth century to the present. Special emphasis will be given to regional and global developments from the perspective of the three principal East Asian states--China, Japan and Korea. We will explore the many informal, as well as formal, means of intercourse that have made East Asia what it is today. Graduate students should consult graduate syllabus for graduate reading list, special recitation time and graduate requirements.

Where are East Asian economies and education headed? Can a new model of East Asian economy and education be established to achieve economic sustainability and equity in rapidly changing global contexts?
In this seminar, we will survey 1) evolution of the East Asian economic model, focusing on changes in economic development strategies, labor market structures, and relationships with global economies; and 2) features of East Asian educational systems, focusing on educational opportunities and learning outcomes. In reviewing East Asian economy and education, a central question is not only how productive East Asian economy and education is but also how equal economic and educational opportunities are in the region. In the final part of the seminar, students will come up with some policy recommendations for East Asian economy and education to better achieve economic sustainability and equity.
This graduate-level course is also open to advanced undergraduate students.

The Chinese writing system is the only major surviving script in the world that is partially picto-ideographic, Egyptian hieroglyphic and Sumero-Akkadian cuneiform having passed out of use about two millennia ago. Partly because it is so unique, a tremendous number of myths have grown up around the Chinese script. In an attempt to understand how they really function, this seminar will examine the nature of the sinographs and their relationship to spoken Sinitic languages, as well as their implications for society and culture. We will also discuss the artistic and technological aspects of the Chinese characters and the ongoing efforts to reform and simplify them. The use of sinographs in other East Asian countries than China will be taken into account.

This course explores Romance of Three Kingdoms the most popular classica l novel in East Asia and an important source for understanding Chinese culture, politics, history, and military strategy. We propose to read this work not only as a textbook of Chinese literature and culture, but also as a guidebook for career development and risk assessment. Why didn't t Pangtong have a career as successful as Zhuge Liang? Why did Ma Su volunteer in a project that he is not good at? If Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Quan run for presidency in the U.S., who would you vote for and why? These are some of the questions that we will explore alongside our inquiry into the the historical development of various genres of Chinese fiction. In addition to Romance of Three Kingdoms, this course introduces Sun Tsu's The Art of War and other classical Chinese novels such as Dream of the Red Chamber and Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, as well as classical literary criticism such as Cao Pi's On the Standard of Literature (Dian lun), Lu Ji's Essays on Literature (Wen lun), and Liu Xie's The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons.

The goal of this course is understanding the development of visual, performing, and literary arts in Korea and the historical, religious, and social contexts in which they flourished. It serves as an introduction to the arts of Korea, with emphasis on painting, sculpture, ceramics, and architecture and additional consideration of dance, drama, poetry, and culinary arts. Covers the whole history of Korea, from prehistoric times to the twenty-first century. Students enrolled in this graduate number are expected to do research in an East Asian language.

Survey of Chinese buildings and building technology from the formative period in the second millennium BCE through the twentieth century. The course will deal with well-known monuments such as the Buddhist monasteries of Wutai, imperial palaces in Chang'an and Beijing, the Ming tombs and the Temple of Heaven, and less frequently studied buildings. Also covered will be the theory and principles of Chinese construction.

This seminar is designed for incoming graduate students in the department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, offering a thematic overview of the academic study of Chinese and Japanese history and cultures from the Neolithic period to the 21st century. Over the course of the semester, students will be introduced to different scholarly approaches to the study of East Asian history and culture through a close reading and analysis of the work of leading scholars in the fields of Sinology and Japanology. Together, we will learn about the diverse approaches to the study of China and Japan, from the various subfields of historical studies (such as social, intellectual, legal, and religious history) to other academic disciplines such as religious studies, anthropology, gender studies, and archaeology. We will examine the different methodological frameworks and tools used by past and present scholars and draw on them in order to problematize and enrich our understanding of East Asia. In addition, this seminar will provide incoming students with the relevant skills to produce their own original graduate-level research and present it in a clear and persuasive fashion both orally and in written form. While original-language research for the final project is encouraged, all weekly readings will be in English.

This seminar is designed for incoming graduate students in the department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, offering a thematic overview of the academic study of Chinese and Japanese history and cultures from the Neolithic period to the 21st century. Over the course of the semester, students will be introduced to different scholarly approaches to the study of East Asian history and culture through a close reading and analysis of the work of leading scholars in the fields of Sinology and Japanology. Together, we will learn about the diverse approaches to the study of China and Japan, from the various subfields of historical studies (such as social, intellectual, legal, and religious history) to other academic disciplines such as religious studies, anthropology, gender studies, and archaeology. We will examine the different methodological frameworks and tools used by past and present scholars and draw on them in order to problematize and enrich our understanding of East Asia. In addition, this seminar will provide incoming students with the relevant skills to produce their own original graduate-level research and present it in a clear and persuasive fashion both orally and in written form. While original-language research for the final project is encouraged, all weekly readings will be in English.