CHIN 015. Intro to East Asian Humanities

(Cross-listed as ASIA 015, LITR 015CH)
This course is an introduction to the humanistic traditions of China, Japan, and Korea from antiquity to around 1600. We explore some of the foundational ideas, texts, and issues that reflect the East Asian experiences with the self and the world. Through close engagement with a wide variety of source materials selected from all three cultures, we will investigate both the deep connections shared among them and the unique trajectories of each as they approached modernity. To that end, this course focuses on the written artifacts broadly conceivable as literature, historiography, and philosophy, although we will also read some of the canonical works of East Asian religions. Our goal is not to survey everything there is, but to develop a critical ability in both understanding the East Asian traditions and in reﬂecting upon their relevance to the present day. No prior knowledge or experience with East Asia is required. Open to freshmen and seniors alike.
Humanities.
1 credit.
Eligible for GLBL-Paired
Fall 2025. Ridgway.
Catalog chapter: Modern Languages and Literatures: Chinese
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/chinese

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