HIS 261 Classical and Imperial China to 1911
A survey of the early history of China from its first dynasties (Shang, Chou) to its last (Ch'ing). This course will examine the complex internal dynamics that came to shape its peoples and institutions. External forces on China's past, before, during, and after sustained contact with the rest of Asia (Buddhism, for instance, and the Mongols) and the West (Marco Polo and the White Lotus and Boxer Rebellions), will be given special attention. Emphasis on social, cultural, economic, and military developments. Extended analysis of primary source documents, web-based materials, and film through the complex and often contradictory perspectives of age, gender, ethnicity, and class will be a major focus. Strong geographic component. This course is offered some fall semesters.