Chinese Culture Ii
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course offers a reflection on the specificities of contemporary Sinophone culture, both within and beyond the geopolitical borders of the People's Republic of China. Starting from the notions of "center" and "periphery," articulated in political, social, and aesthetic dimensions, a critical exploration of the diverse identity issues within the Sinophone universe will be unfolded. The course will adopt the perspective of Sinophone literary and cinematic productions to probe into some of the core themes of contemporary society, such as gender identity, situated at the margins of Chinese cultural hegemony. The intention is to provide the class with an overview of the complexity and polyphony of certain current cultural phenomena, as well as the conflicts with hierarchical structures of dominant discourse.
One of the primary objectives of the course is to stimulate critical, communicative, and research skills, including group work and discussions on selected topics.
One of the primary objectives of the course is to stimulate critical, communicative, and research skills, including group work and discussions on selected topics.
Expected learning outcomes
Attending the course, the class will have the opportunity to exercise their learning abilities by examining complex texts, including those in the Chinese language, and enhance their communication skills through presentations and public discussions of written works and multimedia materials. The formation of critical thinking will be encouraged through discussions, debates, and the organization of conferences and meetings with guest speakers. By the end of the course, the class will:
- Have gained familiarity with the concept of "Sinophone" and its manifestations in the framework of the contemporary cultural context, within the field of Sinophone Studies.
- Have developed a critical awareness of some of the historical and cultural issues occurring within the contemporary Sinophone world.
- Be able to articulate a conceptually and terminologically competent critical discourse on the main themes of contemporary Chinese culture covered during the course.
- Be capable of assessing their reflection within the context of literary and aesthetic production.
- Have gained familiarity with the concept of "Sinophone" and its manifestations in the framework of the contemporary cultural context, within the field of Sinophone Studies.
- Have developed a critical awareness of some of the historical and cultural issues occurring within the contemporary Sinophone world.
- Be able to articulate a conceptually and terminologically competent critical discourse on the main themes of contemporary Chinese culture covered during the course.
- Be capable of assessing their reflection within the context of literary and aesthetic production.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
The course consists of two teaching units.
Unit 1: Education and Culture, aims to retrace the major changes and debates about education and schools in modern and contemporary China. Drawing from examples from cinema and literature, the lessons will discuss these transformations, the value system promoted, and the tension or continuity between tradition and modernity in 20th- and 21st-century China.
Unit 2: Popular Literature, Modernity, and Tradition, aims to analyse the presence of Chinese tradition in modern and contemporary popular literature. Through reading texts, we will seek to evaluate the purposes of using tradition, with particular attention to certain genres developed in 21st-century China.
Unit 1: Education and Culture, aims to retrace the major changes and debates about education and schools in modern and contemporary China. Drawing from examples from cinema and literature, the lessons will discuss these transformations, the value system promoted, and the tension or continuity between tradition and modernity in 20th- and 21st-century China.
Unit 2: Popular Literature, Modernity, and Tradition, aims to analyse the presence of Chinese tradition in modern and contemporary popular literature. Through reading texts, we will seek to evaluate the purposes of using tradition, with particular attention to certain genres developed in 21st-century China.
Prerequisites for admission
Students are expected to have passed the Chinese culture 1 LIN exam, and possess a solid understanding of the cultural history of the People's Republic of China.
Teaching methods
Lectures (in Italian) and hosted seminars. During class, students are strongly invited to engage in active discussions with the instructor and classmates on relevant topics.
Participation in activities and events is strongly recommended. News and updates on events and teaching materials will be available on ARIEL.
Participation in activities and events is strongly recommended. News and updates on events and teaching materials will be available on ARIEL.
Teaching Resources
Bibliography for students who will attend the course:
1. Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity (Capitolo 1, pp. 28-53).
Oppure:
Lee, Thomas H. C. (2000), Education in Traditional China: a History, Leiden, Brill (Capitolo 1, pp. 1-40).
2. Tesar, Marek et al. (2019), "Children's Literature in China: Revisiting Ideologies of Childhood and Agency", Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 20(4), pp. 381-393.
Oppure:
Tsang, Mun (2000), "Education and National Development in China since 1949: Oscillating Policies and Enduring Dilemmas", China Review, pp. 579-618.
3. Cockain, Aleix (2020), "Youth, exam, and the pressure to conform", in Kevin Latham (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Chinese Culture and Society, London-New York, Routledge, pp. 69-82.
Oppure:
Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity, (capitolo 5, pp. 144-173).
4. Huang Yonglin (2018), Narrative of Chinese and Western Popular Fiction. Comparison and Interpretation, Berlino, Springer (cap. 1, 2, pp. 1-43).
5. Chen, Jinhua (2016), "Zhou Shoujuan's Love Stories and Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies Fiction", in Kirk Denton (ed.), The Columbia Companion to Modern Chinese Literature, New York, Columbia University Press, pp. 111-121.
Bibliography for students who will not be able to attend the course:
1. Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity (Capitolo 1, pp. 28-53).
Oppure:
Lee, Thomas H. C. (2000), Education in Traditional China: a History, Leiden, Brill (Capitolo 1, pp. 1-40).
2. Tesar, Marek et al. (2019), "Children's Literature in China: Revisiting Ideologies of Childhood and Agency", Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 20(4), pp. 381-393.
Oppure:
Tsang, Mun (2000), "Education and National Development in China since 1949: Oscillating Policies and Enduring Dilemmas", China Review, pp. 579-618.
3. Cockain, Aleix (2020), "Youth, exam, and the pressure to conform", in Kevin Latham (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Chinese Culture and Society, London-New York, Routledge, pp. 69-82.
4. Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity, (capitolo 5, pp. 144-173).
5. Huang Yonglin (2018), Narrative of Chinese and Western Popular Fiction. Comparison and Interpretation, Berlino, Springer (cap. 1, 2, pp. 1-43).
6. Chen, Jinhua (2016), "Zhou Shoujuan's Love Stories and Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies Fiction", in Kirk Denton (ed.), The Columbia Companion to Modern Chinese Literature, New York, Columbia University Press, pp. 111-121.
7. Ni, Zhange (2020), "Xiuzhen (Immortality Cultivation) Fantasy: Science, Religion, and the Novels of Magic/Superstition in Contemporary China", Religions, 11.1, 1-25.
Participation in activities and events is strongly recommended. News and updates on events and teaching materials will be available on ARIEL.
1. Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity (Capitolo 1, pp. 28-53).
Oppure:
Lee, Thomas H. C. (2000), Education in Traditional China: a History, Leiden, Brill (Capitolo 1, pp. 1-40).
2. Tesar, Marek et al. (2019), "Children's Literature in China: Revisiting Ideologies of Childhood and Agency", Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 20(4), pp. 381-393.
Oppure:
Tsang, Mun (2000), "Education and National Development in China since 1949: Oscillating Policies and Enduring Dilemmas", China Review, pp. 579-618.
3. Cockain, Aleix (2020), "Youth, exam, and the pressure to conform", in Kevin Latham (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Chinese Culture and Society, London-New York, Routledge, pp. 69-82.
Oppure:
Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity, (capitolo 5, pp. 144-173).
4. Huang Yonglin (2018), Narrative of Chinese and Western Popular Fiction. Comparison and Interpretation, Berlino, Springer (cap. 1, 2, pp. 1-43).
5. Chen, Jinhua (2016), "Zhou Shoujuan's Love Stories and Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies Fiction", in Kirk Denton (ed.), The Columbia Companion to Modern Chinese Literature, New York, Columbia University Press, pp. 111-121.
Bibliography for students who will not be able to attend the course:
1. Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity (Capitolo 1, pp. 28-53).
Oppure:
Lee, Thomas H. C. (2000), Education in Traditional China: a History, Leiden, Brill (Capitolo 1, pp. 1-40).
2. Tesar, Marek et al. (2019), "Children's Literature in China: Revisiting Ideologies of Childhood and Agency", Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 20(4), pp. 381-393.
Oppure:
Tsang, Mun (2000), "Education and National Development in China since 1949: Oscillating Policies and Enduring Dilemmas", China Review, pp. 579-618.
3. Cockain, Aleix (2020), "Youth, exam, and the pressure to conform", in Kevin Latham (ed.), Routledge Handbook of Chinese Culture and Society, London-New York, Routledge, pp. 69-82.
4. Ryan, Janette (2019), Education in China: Philosophy, Politics and Culture, Cambridge, Polity, (capitolo 5, pp. 144-173).
5. Huang Yonglin (2018), Narrative of Chinese and Western Popular Fiction. Comparison and Interpretation, Berlino, Springer (cap. 1, 2, pp. 1-43).
6. Chen, Jinhua (2016), "Zhou Shoujuan's Love Stories and Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies Fiction", in Kirk Denton (ed.), The Columbia Companion to Modern Chinese Literature, New York, Columbia University Press, pp. 111-121.
7. Ni, Zhange (2020), "Xiuzhen (Immortality Cultivation) Fantasy: Science, Religion, and the Novels of Magic/Superstition in Contemporary China", Religions, 11.1, 1-25.
Participation in activities and events is strongly recommended. News and updates on events and teaching materials will be available on ARIEL.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment is based on an oral exam. In the discussion, space will be given to the ability to contextualize and discuss the contents of the course.
Class attendance, active participation, as well as group work, and the elaboration of reports or short papers on films or conferences, are also duly taken into consideration for the final assessment.
Class attendance, active participation, as well as group work, and the elaboration of reports or short papers on films or conferences, are also duly taken into consideration for the final assessment.
L-OR/21 - CHINESE AND SOUTH ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professors:
Cella Gloria, Mottura Bettina Marta Rosa
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)