EAAS GR8030

We read some of the most interesting and important works of pre-modern Chinese fiction and were introduced to some of the most influential scholarly work pertaining to them. Students will finish the course having greatly improved their facility in reading and understanding Classical and other forms of literary Chinese, and having acquired a set of analytical tools with which to think about and discuss pre-modern literature as opposed to modern works.

We learned a complete thread of premodern literature, and many surprising connections among them. It is truly fascinating how Prof. Shang organized them to connect with each other. I would describe my experience reading them, 穿越, or traveling through time. The organization of this course made me understand the premodern writers more, or any writers who ever read works from the past, before they start their own writing process.

I would recommend this course only to students with a good command of Traditional Chinese as well as Classical and other forms of literary Chinese.

I would highly recommend this course to any graduate student who wants to focus on premodern Chinese literature, but these people probably don't need me to recommend. So I would recommend it even more, to non-premodern focused folks, who had dreamed of 穿越 traveling through time. Or who is unsatisfied with existing TV drama and literature on going back to the premodern. Who wants to figure it out by themselves, and see if they are willing to give up electricity for candles, in exchange for a more grand, or a more meaningful, and reflective life. And finally write a very reflective paper about it... 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Spring 2022 Course: EAASGR8030_001_2022_1-PRE-MODERNCHINESEFICTION : EAASGR8030_001_2022_1 - PRE-MODERN CHINESE FICTION Instructor: Wei Shang

I read The Plum in the Golden Vase and got to knew some relative issues.

Focusing on the performative aspects and evolution of dramas, this course provides a valuable, thought-provoking perspective in complementary to the textual sides of premodern plays.

I highly recommend this course to any students interested in navigating through Chinese theater and history, or theater studies.

I learned a lot about Qing dynasty novels and their relationship with empire and modernity. The selected titles are a bit obscure but fascinating. Reading them side by side with secondary scholarship is illuminating. I’m learning how to close read primary text and critically engage secondary materials.

It was only during this course that I realized there are so many dimensions to the study of Chinese fiction.

Analysis; early to late Qing novels and politics, cultural comparisons