PHILOSOPHICAL MASTERS
PHILOSOPHICAL MASTERS OF ANCIENT CHINA
History 133
Spring 1999

Required Texts:

A.C. Graham, Disputers of the Tao: Philosophical Argument in Ancient China
Frederick Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 2nd Ed.
Basic Writings of Mo Tzu, Hsun Tzu, and Han Fei Tzu, Burton Watson (trans.)
Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings, Burton Watson (trans.)
Mencius, D.C. Lau (trans.)

*Photocopied materials (required reading)

INTRODUCTION (Jan. 18-25)
1. Course problems & themes; format & requirements (1/18)

2. Basic concepts; the problem of Chinese "philosophy" (1/20)

distinction between philosophy & religion and its effects: dichotomy between thought & action, mind & body

Readings: Schwartz, The World of Thought in Ancient China, 16-39

3. Exercise in the problem of translation & methods of reading (1/25)
Readings: selections from the Book of Change and Book of Odes

HIGH ANTIQUITY (Jan. 27-Feb. 1)

Hsia/Xia 2205-1766 B.C.

Shang 1766-1122 B.C./1700-1027 B.C.

4. Polity & authority (1/27)
Readings: *"The Five Emperors: Basic Annals One" (The Grand Scribe's Records) 1: 1-19
"The Hsia: Basic Annals Two" (The Grand Scribe's Records) 1: 21-40
"The Yin: Basic Annals Three" (The Grand Scribe's Records) 1: 41-54

5. Divination, shamanism, cosmology (2/1)

oracle bones, bronze ritual vessels, the king's relationship with the gods, cosmology

Readings: Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 315-30

THE CLASSICAL ERA (Feb. 3-15)

Western Chou, 1027-771 BC

Eastern Chou, 770-221 BC

Spring and Autumn period, 770-476 BC

Warring States period, 475-221 BC

6. Zhou conquest of Shang (2/3)

use of religion to legitimate military conquest, Heaven vs. Ti; mandate of Heaven; Chou humanism

Readings: *Book of History
Announcement of the Duke of Shao
The Numerous Officers
Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 1-25
Keightley, "Early Chinese Civilization," in Heritage of China, 15-54
Schwartz, The World of Thought in Ancient China, 40-55
Shaughnessy, "'New' Evidence on the Zhou Conquest" (Before Confucius), 31-67

7. Chou Sovereignty & Feudalism & their demise (2/8)
Readings: "The Chou: Basic Annals Four" (The Grand Scribe's Records) 1: 55-85
The Tso Chuan, selections

8. Shamanism in the Chou (2/10)
Readings: *Book of Songs, 226-238, 160-63, 188
Shaughnessy, "From Liturgy to Literature" (Before Confucius), 165-95
*"Nine Songs," The Songs of the South, introduction (95-100), text (100-18), notes (118-22)
*"The Biography of Ch'ü Yuan [Qu Yuan] and Master Chia," from Record of the Grand Historian, 489-516

Paper 1: on ancient cosmology & shamanism (due: 2/12)

9. Canon formation and problems with reading canons (2/15)

 THE HUNDRED SCHOOOLS of the EASTERN CHOU (Feb. 17-May 3)

10. The Hundred Schools (2/17)
Readings: "The Great Learning"

11. Lao-tzu (2/22)
Readings: *Tao te ching Book 1
Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 59-73

12. The Confucian School & Confucius/K'ung-tzu, 551-479 BC (3/1)

 13. Discussion of the readings (3/3)
Readings: Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 9-33
Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 26-46
*Confucian Analects, James Legge, tr. (1892), selections
*The Analects of Confucius, Arthur Waley, tr. (1938), selections
*The Analects, D.C. Lao, tr. (1979), 67-131
*The Original Analects, Bruce Brooks, tr. (1998), selections
*"Biography of Confucius" (Records of the Historian), 1-35

14. Rites vs. Humanity in the Analects (3/8)
Readings: Herbert Fingarette, Confucius-The Secular as Sacred, 1-56
Tu Wei-ming, "Jen as a Living Metaphor in the Confucian Analects," 81-92
*The Book of Rites 21 & 22: 210-54
*The Ceremonial Rites 35: 135-46
Ebrey, Confucianism and Family Rituals, 14-44

15. Mo Tzu, fl. 479-38 BC (3/10)
Readings: Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 33-52
Mo Tzu: Basic Writings
Honoring the Worthy
Universal Love
Moderation in Funerals
The Will of Heaven
Explaining Ghosts
Against Confucians

Paper 2: on Confucius and/or Mo-tzu (due: 3/11)

16. Sectarian planning sessions (3/29)

 17. Disputing the Tao I: Confucians vs. Mohists (3/31)

 18. Mencius/Meng Tzu, 371-289 BC (4/5)
Readings: Mencius (Mengzi)
Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 107-37
Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 46-54

19. Discussion of the readings (4/7)

20. Hsün Tzu, ca. 312-238 BC (4/12)
Readings: Hsün Tzu
Encouraging Learning, 15-23
The Regulations of a King, 33-55
A Discussion of Heaven, 79-88
A Discussion of Rites, 89-111
Dispelling Obsession, 121-38
Rectifying Names, 139-56
Man's Nature is Evil, 157-71
Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 235-66
Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 54-58

21. Discussion of the readings (4/14)

Paper 3: on Mencius and/or Hsün Tzu (due: 4/16)

22. Sectarian planning sessions (4/19)

23. Disputing the Tao II: Mencius vs. Hsün-tzu(4/21)

24. Chuang Tzu, 369-286 BC (4/26)

Readings: Chuang Tzu
Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 170-211
Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 73-76

25. Discussion of the readings (4/28)

26. Han Fei Tzu, 280-233 BC (5/3)
Readings: Han Fei Tzu, 16-20, 30-34
Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 267-92
Mote, Intellectual Foundations of China, 99-114

EARLY IMPERIAL CHINA (May 5)

Ch'in 221-207 B.C.

Han 202 B.C.-A.D. 220

27. Political Unification & Philosophical Synthesis (5/5)
Readings: *Chuang Tzu, "The World," 362-77
*Ssu-ma T'an, "The Discussion of the Essentials of the Six Schools," 43-48
*Hsün-tzu, "Contra Twelve Philosophers" (Xunzi), 212-229
Wilson, Genealogy of the Way, 112-25
Graham, Disputers of the Tao, 370-82

Final Examination
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