Late Imperial China: the Great Wall and Beyond

HIST20422 Late Imperial China: the Great Wall and Beyond 20 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 2 Rian Thum Unit coordinator Mark Baker Unit coordinator Yang-Wen Zheng Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Middle part of Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 This course is a broad survey of China’s last two imperial dynasties – the Ming and the Qing (1400  to 1800), a most important period as it helps shaped not just modern China.  We study Ming-Qing  politics, assess its socio-economic and cultural developments; we also explore the factors that led to the collapse of these two states.  What makes this module unique and attractive is that it highlights Ming-Qing China’s interaction with Southeast Asia, Inner Asia, and Europe. The story of late imperial China is told in the larger context of world history, from the expulsion of the Mongols to the heyday of the East India Company.   This course is a broad survey of China’s last two imperial dynasties – the Ming and the Qing (1400  to 1800), a most important period as it helps shaped not just modern China.  We study Ming-Qing  politics, assess its socio-economic and cultural developments; we also explore the factors that led to the collapse of these two states.  What makes this module unique and attractive is that it highlights Ming-Qing China’s interaction with Southeast Asia, Inner Asia, and Europe. The story of late imperial China is told in the larger context of world history, from the expulsion of the Mongols to the heyday of the East India Company.   to acquire a broad knowledge and understanding of late imperial China from 1400 to 1800, its achievements and failuresto consider the importance of China’s global interactions through trade, diplomacy and religionto examine the impact of these interactions  Chinese polities, economy, culture and societies, and to a lesser extent on other parts of the worldto analyse these changes in seminars, to research and write essays on their interaction and evaluate their enduring impactto inform and make responsible global citizens who understands origins and complexities of today’s world  of major historical events, trends, processes and history-makers of Ming-Qing Chinaof major paradigms and methodologies relevant to the study of late imperial China  of globalisation from Chinese domestic, Asia-regional and global perspectivesof new perspectives and developments in the study of Ming-Qing China  ability to critically evaluate of China’s interaction on the dawn of great change that would shape the modern worldability to critically discuss China’s political, socio-economic and cultural change against a background of regional and global transformation  digest learning through a combination of lectures and readingsarticulate and discuss learning in an informed manner in classnavigate effectively the wide range of resources, especially online materials, available and be able to use them in seminars and essay research/writingplan, research and write effective essays and long essays  analytical skills as the module help students gain a better understanding of early modern Europe, its complicated relations with China and the worldpublic speaking skill as the module encourages student to engage with fellow students in seminars and discussionswriting, argument-making and sustaining skills as a result of essay research and writing through feedback  Analytical skills Late Imperial China equips students with 'mental furniture' for life and career in and beyond Britain as the world globalises and interacts more with China. Group/team working Innovation/creativity Oral communication The practical knowledge and discussion skills students gained in this module on the history of imperial China, its interaction with and impact on Europe, proved to be helpful in the search for jobs. Written communication Other China knowledge has helped many students who took this module to land jobs in government institutions, media outlets, museums, NGOs, multi-national companies, law firms and financial institutions that have businesses and offices in China.  A combination of lecture and seminars consisting of primary sources analysis, small, large group and open discussions.  0 Other 100% Critical Analysis: 40%Essay: 60% Written feedback and individual discussion (by appointment) for critical analysis - summativeWritten feedback and individual discussion (by appointment)  for essay - summative  Y  Zhang Yangwen, China on the Sea: how the Maritime World Shaped Modern China (Boston: Brill 2011)Ray Huang, 1587, a Year of No Significance: the Ming Dynasty in Decline (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1981)  Dorothy Ko, Teachers of the Inner Chambers: Women and Culture in Seventeenth-century China (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1994)Peter C. Perdue, China Marches West: the Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005)Philip Kuhn, Soulstealers: The Chinese Sorcery Scare of 1768 (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1990)Maxine Berg, Luxury and Pleasure in Eighteenth-Century Britain (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005)Kenneth Pomeranz, The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000)  Lectures 22 Seminars 11 0 167