CLASSICAL CHINESE LANGUAGE

The course aims at providing the methodological and linguistic tools and the cultural knowledge to study simple imperial historiographical texts.

Knowledge of Classical Chinese Grammar, knowledge of the historiography of the Early Medieval period. Experience in reading early medieval historiography and biography.

The course does not require knowledge of classical Chinese. It aims at providing the basics of the grammar of Classical literary Chinese and reading short pieces from the Hou Han shu 後漢書 in the original language. The course is taught in Italian.

The class is for students with and without prior knowledge of the Classical Chinese Literary Language. The aim is to provide the basics of classical Chinese grammar and to read simple texts in the original language. For this, we are going to work with excerpts from the dynastic history of the Later Han dynasty (25-220), the Hou Han shu 後漢書 by Fan Ye 范曄 (398-446). Apart from learning the grammatical basics, reading biographies in the original language will give participants a better idea of the tools and objectives of biographical writings. It will also help getting accustomed to the language of historical works and biography collections, which are important sources for the imperial history.

For participants who have no prior knowledge of Classical Chinese, there will also be a Tutorium.

Hans Bielenstein, “The Restoration of the Han Dynasty with Prolegomena on the Historiography of the Hou Hanshu.” BMFEA 26 (1954), pp. 5–209, 1954.

———. “Wang Mang, the Restoration of the Han Dynasty, and Later Han.” In: Twitchett – Loewe 1986, pp. 223–290, 1986.

Zhong Shulin 钟书林. 1991. Fan Ye zhi renge yu fengge 范晔之人格与风格. Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe.

Bret Hinsch, „The Textual History of Liu Xiang’s Lienü zhuan“, Monumenta Serica Vol. 52 (2004), pp. 95-112.

Barbara Bisetto, In altre parole: traduzione e riscrittura nell'opera Lienü zhuan yanyi, 2014.

Donald Holzman: „The Place of Filial Piety in Ancient China“, Journal of the American Oriental Society 118.2, 1998, pp. 185-199.

Li Chi, „The Changing Concept of The Recluse in Chinese Literature“, Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 24 (1962 - 1963), pp. 234-247.

Alan J. Berkowitz, „The Moral Hero: A Pattern of Recluson in Traditional China“, Monumenta Serica, Vol. 40 (1992), pp. 1-32

———. „Topos and Entelechy in the Ethos of Reclusion in China“, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 114, No. 4 (Oct. - Dec., 1994), pp. 632-638.

———. Patterns of Disengagement. The Practice and Portrayal of Reclusion in Early Medieval China. Stanford University Press.

On-cho Ng and Edward Q. Wang, Mirroring the Past - The Writing and Use of History in Imperial China, Honululu, 2005.

Knapp, Keith N., Selfless Offspring - Filial Children and Social Order in Medieval China, Hawaii, 2005.

Written exam, translation from Chinese (individual phrases) , questions concerning the grammar and constructions

written

28-30L: mastery of topics covered in lecture and textbooks; ability to hierarchize information; use of appropriate technical terminology;
26-27: good knowledge of topics covered in lecture and, to a lesser extent, in textbooks; fair ability to order information and present it; familiarity with technical terminology;
24-25: not always thorough knowledge of topics covered in lecture and in textbooks; oral exposition orderly but with not always correct use of technical terminology;
22-23: often superficial knowledge of topics covered in lecture and in textbooks; oral exposition unclear and lacking in technical terminology;
18-21: sometimes lacking knowledge of topics covered in lecture and in textbooks; oral exposition confused, with little use of technical terminology.

The course is taught in presence. Individual and group reading, translation, discussion.