HIS 113 - Chinese Civilization

3 Credits, 3 Contact Hours
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods

Introductory survey of the civilization of China from its origins to the present. Formative Period (prehistory - 221 B.C.), unification and expansion (221 B.C. - A.D. 221), period of disunity (222-588), flowering of Chinese culture (589-1279), impact of the Mongols on Chinese civilization (1280-1368), Ming Dynasty peace and prosperity (1368-1644), Qing Dynasty - The Manchu Conquest (1644-1911), Republican China (1912-1949), and People’s Republic of China (1949- ).

Gen-Ed: Meets AGEC - HUM or SBS and G; Meets CTE - A&H or SBS and G.

1. Describe the ancient Chinese formative period.
2. Discuss the unification and expansion of Chinese civilization.
3. Discuss the Period of Disunity.
4. Describe the flowering of Chinese culture.
5. Explain the impact of the Mongols on Chinese civilization.
6. Describe the peace and prosperity of the Ming Dynasty.
7. Discuss the Qing Dynasty.
8. Discuss Republican China.
9. Describe the People’s Republic of China.

A.       Neolithic China

B.       Bronze Age - Shang Dynasty

C.       Feudal Society - Zhou Dynasty

                    1.        Age of philosophy - Confucianism and Daoism

                    2.        Iron Age - maturation of warfare

II.         Unification and Expansion (221 B.C.-A.D. 221)

A.         Qin Dynasty

                    1.        Unification and standardization under a centralized bureaucracy

                    2.        Influence of Legalist philosophy

B.       Han Dynasty

                    1.        Military campaigns of expansion

                    2.        Trade with the western world through the “Silk Road”

                    3.        Confucianism triumphs as the official court philosophy

III.       Period of Disunity (222-588)

A.       Northern barbarians - invasion and assimilation

B.       Rise of the south in economic importance

C.       Impact of disunity on Chinese religion and philosophy

                    1.        Golden age of Buddhism

                    2.        Emergence of Neo-Daoism and Popular Daoism

IV.      Flowering of Chinese Culture (589-1279)

A.       Sui Dynasty - reunification of China

B.       Tang Dynasty

                    1.        China’s cosmopolitan era - height of foreign influence

                    2.        Civil service examination system matures

C.       Song Dynasty

                    1.        Commercial revolution

                    2.        Urbanization of society          

                    3.        Development of Neo-Confucian philosophy

V.        Impact of the Mongols on Chinese Civilization (1280-1368)

A.       Direct contact with the west - influence of European merchants

B.       Development of vernacular literature and drama

VI.      Ming Dynasty Peace and Prosperity (1368-1644)

A.       Consolidation of imperial power

B.       Maritime expeditions and the tribute system

C.       Early Jesuit success

VII.     Qing Dynasty - The Manchu Conquest (1644-1911)

A.       Rule of the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors

B.       Impact of western missionaries and traders

                    1.        Rites controversy and suppression of Christianity

                    2.        Canton System of trade

                    3.        Opium Wars, “unequal treaties,” and foreign concessions

                    4.        Taiping and Boxer Rebellions

C.       Failure of reform and self-strengthening movements

D.       China’s defeat in the first Sino-Japanese War

E.       Sun Yat-sen and the revolutionary movement

VIII.   Republican China (1912 - 1949)

A.       May 4th Movement and New Culture Movement

B.       Rise of Warlordism and Civil War (1927-1949)

                    1.        Jiang Jieshi and the Guomindang Party (Nationalists)

                    2.        Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

C.       Japanese militarism

                    1.        Twenty-one Demands

                    2.        Establishment of Manchuguo

                    3.        Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)

IX.      People’s Republic of China (1949-     )

A.       Consolidation of Communist Party power - land and thought reform campaigns

B.       “Hundred Flowers” period and the Great Leap Forward (1956-1958)

C.       Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)

D.       1980’s: “Open Door” reforms under moderate leadership

E.       Democracy Movement and the Tiananmen Square Massacre (1989)

F.        China’s modern challenges