Reading assignment:
General Introduction
Han Qi Visits the State of Zheng
Reference tools:
Transcription Systems of Chinese
Textual Sources
There are two types of reading for you to do in the days between our first and second classes. The "General Introduction" should be read straight through - it's intended simply to orient you to some large-scale issues and "common knowledge" facts about China. While reading it consult the "Transcription Systems" page, which will orient you to the "pinyin" system of representing Chinese pronunciation used in our online readings (you can ignore the section on the "Wade-Giles" system for now).
The reading that you should prepare specifically for Thursday's class discussion is "Han Qi Visits the State of Zheng." This narrative will be your first "window" on ancient China -- through it, you'll see a slice of life in China's classical age, in its complexity and strangeness to us. The text of this tale (printed in boldface) is pretty brief. To help you understand what you see, I have inserted a variety of useful (or annoying) explanatory comments, designed to help you construct a picture of the society surrounding the incidents you'll witness, and to introduce certain basic issues and themes that will be important in G380.
I have posted here also a link to a reference reading on some major sources for early Chinese history, including the Zuo zhuan, from which the tale of Han Qi is taken. The "Sources" reading is one you may find useful to consult periodically during the term.
In class, we'll discuss the narrative of Han Qi, focusing on the "study questions," which appear at the end of the reading (you should always look at study questions before you read - it will help focus your reading and wind up saving you time). Think about these questions as preparation for class - in particular, numbers 2, 4, 5, and 6.
See you Thursday!
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