HISTORY OF CHINESE PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIONS 2

The course closely examines a range of key topics in Chinese religious and cultural history from the late medieval period to modern times and focuses in particular on the analysis of the relationships between Buddhism, Taoism and popular religion, religion and gender, self-cultivation and Neoconfucianism, and the relationship between religion and society. This is one of the electives of the BA Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and North Africa and contributes to the learning outcomes of the Humanities' CdS.

By the end of this course unit students should normally:

1. Have gained a good knowledge and critical understanding of the main topics concerning the cultural history of Chinese religion in the second millennium of the common era.
2. Have gained an understanding of the continuties and discontinuities between modern and with pre-modern Chinese societies
3. Be able to find and use critically a range of materials including books, journals, primary sources, and web-based resources relevant to the topics studied in the course.
4. Write a sustained argumentative essay on the basis of their study of the texts in the bibliography of the course.

You must have completed the course History of Chinese philosophy and Religions 1 [LT0470] and successfully passed the examination. You must also possess a good background knowledge of Chinese imperial history.

The Chinese religious world from the medieval period to late imperial times. Buddhism, Taoism and Neoconfucianism in theory and practice. In particular, we will study the relationship between religion, power and society.

Cheng, A., Il pensiero cinese, Torino, Einaudi, 1997.
[tutto il vol. II (capp. XVII-XXII)]

Francesca Tarocco, Livia Kohn, Paolo Santangelo e John McRae, Buddhismo, Daoismo e Neoconfucianesimo in La Cina. L'eta' imperiale dai Tre Regni ai Qing a cura di Mario Sabattini e Maurizio Scarpari, Einaudi, 2010: 429-689.

More materials will be made available on the website of the course in Moodle.

A short (500-700 words) essay on a topic selected by the candidate that references and cites the texts we have studied. The topic must refer to keywords on the e-learning platform of the course. Students are encouraged to work on the paper beforehand but shall not be allowed to use their notes during the exam.

Lectures-style class and in-class discussions supplemented by a dedicated a e-learning platform for the course available at moodle.unive.it

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