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HarvardX: SW12.1x China’s Political and Intellectual Foundations: From Sage Kings to Confucius

China: Civilization and Empire 

Instructor

Peter K. Bol 
Charles H. Carswell Professor of East Asian Languages Civilizations
Harvard University 

China and the Modern World is taught by Professor William C. Kirby

Overview

Modern China presents a dual image: a society transforming itself through economic development and infrastructure investment that aspires to global leadership; and the world's largest and oldest bureaucratic state, with multiple traditions in its cultural, economic, and political life. The modern society and state that is emerging in China bears the indelible imprint of China's historical experience, of its patterns of philosophy and religion, and of its social and political thought. These themes are discussed in order to understand China in the twenty-first century and as a great world civilization that developed along lines different from those of the Mediterranean.

ChinaX makes the riches of Harvard's collections and the expertise of its faculty accessible to learners worldwide. We will engage intellectual and religious trends, material and political culture, the local diversity and the national unity, art and literature, and China’s economic and political transformation— past, present and future.

China: Civilization and Empire explores the development of this great civilization from the Neolithic to the last dynasty. We see the formation of political structures and social practices that have lasted into the present; we learn to appreciate artistic and literary traditions of sophistication and refinement; we inquire into its philosophical and religious legacies and their significance for our own lives; and we trace the creation of the largest economy in world history. 

Objectives

In China: Civilization and Empire, you will learn to develop your own approaches to history and gain a critical appreciation of China’s literary, philosophical, political and cultural resources. You will also learn to express ideas more clearly and confidently; to think more analytically and critically through the study of primary and secondary sources. 

Parts 1-5 span over 6,000 years of history. Each part consists of 4-8 sections, each with videos, readings, interactive engagements, assessments, and discussion forums. 

China: Civilization and Empire consists of the following five parts, a total of 25 sections:  

ChinaX (Part 1): China’s Political and Intellectual Foundations: From Sage Kings to Confucius  
Learn about China’s origins, its integral early thinkers, and competing states and schools of thought.

This course, the first in a comprehensive series on China, introduces you to the history, geography, and culture of the country.

Time, space, and identity — enduring issues in Chinese history — are explored. You’ll study China’s early dynasties to understand how physical geography impacted its inhabitants and how the many ethnicities within the country affected Chinese identity. You’ll learn about China’s origins as told in ancient texts and through modern archeology. You’ll explore the first dynasties during the Chinese bronze age, the many facets of Confucianism and his Analects, and the competing schools of thought that followed.

New political and moral ideas appear in Chinese culture in this period — ideas that make up the country’s intellectual foundations and still resonate today. Join us to learn about China’s origins and how early concepts in Chinese culture still matter in the 21st century.

What you'll learn in ChinaX (Part 1)

  • China’s history from political, geographic, and cultural perspectives.
  • The beginning of Chinese history in archaeology and mythology.
  • The blossoming of Chinese thought, from Confucius to the Legalists.
  • Historical methods for explaining how complex civilizations are formed.
  • How to analyze texts and artifacts.
  • Methods for the analysis of philosophical and political arguments.
  • A critical appreciation of China’s literary, philosophical, political, and cultural resources.

Readings

No books are required for the course. Many readings from the course are contained in Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, eds., Sources of Chinese Tradition, 2nd ed., volume 1 and 2 (Columbia UP, 2000 and 2001). If you want to supplement your study, Patricia Buckley Ebrey, The Cambridge Illustrated History of China, 2nd ed. (Cambridge UP, 2010), is a text that accompanies the sections and discussions by providing essential chronological survey information. 

Grading

Performance in the course will be evaluated based on the following:

  • Section 1 Assessments (15%)
  • Section 2: Assessments (15%)
  • Section 3: Assessments (15%)
  • Section 5: Assessments (15%)
  • Section 6: Assessments (15%)
  • Discussion (10%)
  • Final Assessments: (15%)

Certification

EdX offers an optional fee-based ($90 USD) verified certificate to those who have passed the course. If you achieve a passing grade of 65% in this course, you are eligible to receive a verified certificate. Your certificate will indicate you have successfully completed the course, but will not include a specific grade. You can find your current score on the Progress page. Your score is based on the assessments in each section.

EdX provides optional verified certificates to those who have:

  • passed the course by January 26, 2020
  • verified their identity
  • paid the certificate fee

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Our Discussion Forum Guidelines 

These forums are intended for you to share your work and actively build community with other learners/participants in this course. We encourage you to share materials and ideas with other participants to solicit feedback, and foster a diverse network of learners interested in this topic.

In the spirit of creating an inclusive and engaged community, we offer the following recommendations about interacting with others in discussion forums:

  • Be open to new ideas. Discussion is about hearing what others have to say and working to shape and reshape your own thoughts and perspectives. Different perspectives can further everyone’s understanding of the issue or concept being discussed—they represent opportunities for learning.
  • Work to create group cohesion. Discussions are about group learning. When you function well as a group, you will be more open to all the benefits that this type of learning can offer. Give positive feedback to one another, use light humor, and avoid comments that could be taken as insulting.
  • Enjoy yourself. The online environment comes with many benefits, including learning from your peers in addition to the course team. Take advantage of the opportunity offered by discussion forums to build networks with other learners and hone your skills and ideas.

If you encounter any issues with discussion forums in this course, please contact edX support for help: https://courses.edx.org/support/contact_us or title a discussion post with [STAFF] to alert the course team.