Zachary Berge-Becker

Weekly 300 word discussion posts (25%), in-class midterm exam (25%), final (30%), attendance/participation (20%) Grading was fair and generous, especially for the midterm exam (I can't speak to the final yet). I usually spent about 1-2 hours per discussion post.

I learned close-reading and other perspectives of opinions toward classical asian texts

INCREDIBLE! Professor Berge-Becker is so caring, thoughtful, and organized. His syllabus is probably the clearest one I've seen in my four years at Columbia, with all the relevant downloads embedded and the references carefully curated. His lectures are clearly well thought out, and his passion for the subject is infectious; I'm not a history buff by any means, but I always looked forward to class with him. He cares so much for his students and his class, making sure we explore our own sub-interests in history and giving us avenues to get the most out of the class for each and every individual, from flexible discussion prompts to complex lecture slides. He always gives timely and carefully written feedback for each of my assignments. It's been a delight to take a class with Prof. Berge-Becker.

I have definitely gained a better understanding of topics and concepts, especially on Confucius beliefs, Buddhism, Daoism, and etc. that were covered throughout the duration of this course. I have also gained a broader perspective on certain philosophies on religion, culture, characters (both fictional and non-fictional), literature, and etc., which I may have been oblivious to or not taken the time to do so had I not taken this course.

I learned about the different perspectives, schools of thought, and some texts that are considered classics in East Asia, mainly from China, Korea, and Japan.

Fundamental philosophies prevail in east asia, getting to know classic stories from China, Korea and Japan

- cultural, philosophical and social themes of ancient to pre-modern East Asia (China, Korea, Japan)

philosophies of social order and historical nostalgia in East Asian Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism

The course effectively connects literature with history, philosophy, and religions, offering valuable insights into East Asian literature, particularly Chinese, Japanese, and Korean works. I appreciate the emphasis on teaching us how to read texts critically and engage in meaningful discussions with peers through thought-provoking questions

I learned about the major Chinese, Japanese, and Korean texts surrounding pre-modern religion, politics, and philosophy.