Heroes and Bandits in Chinese History and Fiction
History 338
Thurs. 1:00-4:00 (KJ 107) Thomas A. Wilson (Office: KJ 128)
• photocopies
e electronic reserve on Burke Library home page (under “RESERVES”)
* on reserve in Burke Library
◊ background or supplementary reading
√ JSTOR
I. The Problem of History and (vs.?) Fiction 9/9
• Hayden White, “TheValue of Narrativity in the Representation of
Reality,” The Content of the Form: Narrative Discourse and Historical
Representation, 1-25
√ Gabrielle Spiegel, “Genealogy: Form and Function in Medieval Historical
Narrative,” History and Theory 22 (Feb. 1983) 1: 43-53
√ Michael Nylan and Mark Csikszentmihalyi, “Constructing Lineages
and Inventing Traditions through Exemplary Figures in Early China,” T’oung
Pao 84 (2003): 59-99
II. Experimental Reading in History and Fiction 9/16
Wu Tzu-hsu/Wu Zixu (6th century BC)
“Biography of Wu Tzu-hsu,” Records of the Historian, 16-29
• “Wu Tzu-hsu,” Tun-huang Popular Narratives, 123-165
√ David Johnson, “Epic and History in Early China: The Matter of
Wu Tzu-hsu,” Journal of Asian Studies 15 (Feb. 1981) 2:255-271
◊ Charles Hucker, China’s Imperial Past, 21-47
Friday, first essay due: the problem of narrative and history 9/17
III. Studies on Loyalty and Dissent 9/23
Ch’ü Yuan/Qu Yuan (338?-278 bc) & Chia I
e “Biographies of Ch’ü Yuan [Qu Yuan] and Master Chia,”
Records of the Grand Historian of China 1:499-516
• Qu Yuan, “Li sao On Encountering Trouble,” The Songs of
the South, 67-78
* Laurence Schneider, A Madman of Ch’u, 1-47
IV. Ancient Chinese Historians 10/7
A. Ssu-ma Ch’ien/Sima Qian
• “Biography of Ssu-ma Ch’ien,” Ssu-ma Ch’ien,
Grand Historian of China, 42-69
* Durrant, The Cloudy Mirror, 1-27
• Michael Nylan, “Sima Qian: A True Historian?,” Early China
23 (1998)
◊ Burton Watson, Early Chinese Literature, 92-103
B. Pan Ku/Ban Gu (32-92) & Pan Chao/Ban Zhao (d. ca. 116)
• Lynn Swann, Pan Chao: Foremost Woman Scholar of China, First Century
A.D., 40-73, 82-99
◊ Watson, Early Chinese Literature, 103-119
V. Hagiography 10/14
Confucius/Kongzi
• “Confucius,” Selections from Records of the Historian (tr.
Yang), 1-27
• “Pictures of the Sage’s Life”
• Zhu Weizheng, “The Confucius of History and the History of Confucius,”
Coming Out of the Middle Ages, 63-80
• Thomas Wilson, “Ritualizing Confucius/Kongzi: The Family and State
Cults of the Sage of Culture in Imperial China,” On Sacred Grounds, 43-94
• Lionel Jensen, “The Genesis of Kongzi in Ancient Narrative: The
Figural as Historical,” On Sacred Grounds, 175-221Friday, second essay
due: morality and judgment in historical writing 10/15
VI. Emperors and Would-be Kings 10/21
“The Basic Annals of Hsiang Yü [233-202 BC],” Records of the
Historian, 68-104
• “Hegemon King says Farewell to his Queen,” Eight Chinese
Plays from the 13th Century to the Present, 111-37
“The Basic Annals of Emperor Kao-tsu [Liu Pang (247-195 bc)],” Records
of the Historian, 105-148
• “The Five Emperors, Basic Annals,” The Grand Scribe’s
Records, 1-18
◊ Hucker, China’s Imperial Past, 121-133
VII. Knights and Assassins 10/28
A. Wandering Knights
• “Wandering Knights,” Records of the Grand Historian of China
2:452-461
• “Wandering Knights,” Courtier and Commoner in Ancient China:
Selections from the History of the Former Han, 222-246
* James Liu, “The Historical Knight-Errant,” The Chinese Knight-Errant
(CR 4529.C6 L5), 1-44
B. Assassins
• Ching K’o in “The Assassin-Retainers,” Records of
the Historian (Watson trans.), 55-67
• "The First Emperor of Ch'in, Basic Annals," The Grand Scribe's
Records, 127-177
Alternative translations:
“The Assassin-Retainers,” The Grand Scribe’s Records (Nienhauser
trans.), 319-334
“The Assassins,” Records of the Historian (Yang Hsien-yi trans.),
385-402
VIII. Film 11/4
“The Emperor and the Assassin,” åtÁeéhê`â§
Chen Kaige, dir. (1999, 163 mins.)
IX. Student presentations 11/11-18
topics selected by students in consultation with professor
Friday, third essay due 11/19
X. The Three Kingdoms (A.D. 221-280)
A. Historical fiction 12/2
Luo Guanzhong, Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel(Moss Roberts, trans.)
* Liu, An Introduction to Chinese Literature, 195-212
√ Prasenjit Duara, “Superscribing Symbols: The Myth of Guandi, Chinese
God of War,” Journal of Asian Studies (Nov. 1988),778-795
• Yang, “From History to Fiction–The Popular Image of Kuan
Yü,” Renditions (Spring 1981), 67-79
B. Opera 12/9
• “The Battle of Ch’ang-pan P’o,” Famous Chinese
Plays (895.1208 A72f), 25-37
• “Beating the Drum and Cursing Ts’ao Ts’ao,”
Famous Chinese Plays, 39-52
• “The Capture and Release of Ts’ao Ts’ao,” Famous
Chinese Plays, 132-151
• “The Meeting of the League of Heroes,” Famous Chinese Plays,
201-210
• “The Yellow Crane Tower,” Famous Chinese Plays, 230-251
last essay due: the Three Kingdoms and history in fiction 12/10
Course requirements
Each student is expected to read the assignments very carefully and to participate
in class discussions with great enthusiasm.
Papers: There are four essay assignments (5-8 pp.) based on the sources listed
in the syllabus. My expectations for these papers are high: cogent prose and
thoughtful analysis of the texts. The essays are due in my mailbox in the history
office (do not send via campus mail) by noon on the assigned date. Please arrange
your study schedule so that you have enough time to write and print out your
essays in a timely manner. Revisions: Any paper that receives a grade lower
than C– may be revised; the final grade is the average of the original
and revised grades.
Grading criteria: A “good” (i.e., B) essay is clearly written and
logically sound. An “excellent” (i.e., A) essay presents a compelling
argument for a thoughtful and imaginative interpretation of the sources that
is evident only upon thoroughly re-reading the sources and careful reflection
upon the problems raised. A compelling argument requires (1) a clear formulation
of a problem, (2) analysis of the texts under scrutiny, and (3) a scrupulous
use and citation of supporting evidence from the texts. A thoughtful interpretation
requires digging beneath the surface meaning of the texts to a subtler understanding
of their connections to broader contexts. A “prose” grade of C–
(i.e., slightly less than “satisfactory”) is assigned to grammatically
correct but informal and stylistically weak writing; and D+ or below for repeated
infractions of basic rules of writing, depending upon frequency and egregiousness
of such errors.
An important part of a writing assignment is to formulate an interesting and
original topic or theme. Rather than summarize the content of your sources,
develop an argument or a thesis based on your own interpretation of the sources.
Be sure to develop your ideas fully. State your most important ideas clearly,
explicate key points fully, and document you argument carefully. Don’t
assume that any major point you want to make is self-evident. If you quote a
passage from the sources, provide enough information so that your reader does
not need to consult the source for further clarification. In using evidence
to support your argument, don’t assume that the facts speak for themselves.
A thorough understanding of a text requires reading, reflection, and re-reading.
A well written paper requires editing, self-critique, and re-writing.
Documentation: You must cite all sources of information used, even if you don’t
quote a source directly. If you do not cite the sources from which you derive
information, or on which you base your description of an event, or interpretation
of an idea, etc., the implication is that the idea is your own, or that it is
based on your own primary research. Failure to cite such sources is plagiarism.
Be sure to cite exact page numbers of any source from which you quote directly,
although it is rarely necessary to cite the same source more than once in the
same paragraph. Use proper citation forms (i.e., footnotes, end notes, in-text
parenthetical notes) as described in the Hamilton College Style Sheet. Be consistent
in the citation format used.
An interpretive essay might include a critical examination of ideas about a
political practice, certain social relations (gender, ideological), or cultural,
philosophical values. You need to describe such practices, put them in historical
perspective, and critically assess prevailing attitudes toward them. An interpretive
essay might also entail a critical examination of the perspective, sensibilities,
values, etc. of the author of a particular text. Think about what the author
is trying to say. Also think about what the author is trying to conceal from
the reader. Raise your own criticisms and reflect on how you think the author
might respond to them. Engage in a dialogue or argument with the author through
the text. Don’t be a passive reader by allowing the text to divulge its
meaning at its own leisure… turn up the bright light and interrogate it;
ask your questions.
Grading criteria for class participation: “Excellent” (A range):
frequent participation that demonstrates thorough understanding of the readings
by using concrete examples with critical assessment of the sources. “Good”
(B range): consistent participation showing sound grasp of the readings by using
concrete examples with occasional critical assessment of the sources. “Satisfactory”
(C range): participation that shows an understanding of the readings. “Poor”
(D range): infrequent to rare participation that suggests hasty or inattentive
reading of the sources.
Course grading criteria
regular class participation: 20%
essay assignments: 20% each = 80%