JAPAN 360 and CHINESE 381 Righteous Violence: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 2:30-3:50 |
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The goal of this course will be to trace representations of righteous violence in China and Japan. The course will examine the interplay between these two traditions, which drew a great deal from one another, from their history in the premodern period into their twentieth-century incarnations. At the same time, the course will explore the psychological needs that these genres and their Western counterparts satisfy: the need to feel invulnerable at times of dramatic insecurity; the desire to see an ethically complex world as simple; and the yearning to believe that a transcendent knowledge exists that is ultimately accessible, if only to the most pure of heart. As such, the course will discuss the ethics of justice, vigilantism, and force. Finally, the course will address the persistence of a belief in a fundamental East/West divide, which allows Hollywood blockbusters to suggest that magical abilities and metaphysical insight remain hidden in the heart of Asia.
EXPECTATIONS and GRADING:
PREREQUISITES: Neither Japanese nor Chinese language ability is a prerequisite for this class; all readings are in English translation.
PARTICIPATION: All class members will be expected to complete all assigned readings before class meets. Beginning in the second week of class, a group of students will be responsible for each day’s assigned reading(s). See our presentation guidelines (PDF) and this example presentation (PDF) for more information. Late arrivals disrupt class; therefore you are expected to arrive on time. Please turn off all beepers and cell phones before class begins.
EXAMINATIONS: Two exams will be given, each made up of identification questions and short essay questions.
GRADING: Your final grades will consider your participation (30%), your mid-term exam (30%), and your final exam (40%). Though the quality of your work is central to your grade, evaluations of that quality will take into consideration individual skills. Effort will be rewarded.
STUDY GROUPS: We encourage students to meet outside of class to discuss the texts. Please note that this does not include dividing up the reading of a story; all students will be expected to have read all of the stories, in full.
CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM: The presentation of another's words and ideas as one's own is a serious offense; violations will be dealt with according to the University codes of conduct, which stipulate sanctions up to and including expulsion.
ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS: We will do everything we can to accommodate students with particular needs. To request such an accommodation, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, (206) 543-8924 (V/TTY). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating that you require such accommodation, we can discuss ways to meet those needs.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
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Louis Cha [Jin Yong]. The Book and the Sword, trans. Graham Earnshaw (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005) |
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Chûshingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers, trans. Donald Keene (New York: Columbia University Press, 1971) |
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The Tiger Killers: Part Two of The Marshes of Mount Liang, trans. Alex Dent-Young (Hong Kong: Chinese University Press, 1997) |
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Oda Makoto, The Breaking Jewel, trans. Donald Keene (New York: Columbia University Press, 2003) |
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The Tales of the Heike, trans. Burton Watson (New York: Columbia University Press, 2006) * You may also purchase the compete translation, The Tale of the Heike, trans. Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1988) |
A copy of each required text will be on reserve (2 hour loan, no overnight) in the East Asian Library in Gowen Hall. Students with Japanese and/or Chinese language ability are encouraged to use the original texts, which can also be found in the library.
Some texts (marked with an *) will be made available as an electronic reserves (in PDF format), which can be accessed through the University of Washington E-reserves. Downloading of the texts requires acceptance of applicable copyright laws.
Other texts (with hyperlinks) are available directly, usually through JSTOR (UW Restricted); note that there are special instructions for accessing these resources from off campus.
Reading Schedule (not all readings required; assignments subject to change.)
01/03 |
Introduction (outline) |
01/05 |
Pre-modern Classical Tales (outline [PDF])
Secondary readings:
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01/08 |
The Three Kingdoms (background [PDF]; image 1 [game], 2 [film], 3 [opera])
Optional material:
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01/10 |
The Three Kingdoms
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01/12 |
The Three Kingdoms
Secondary reading:
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01/15 |
NO CLASS: Martin Luther King Day |
01/17 |
The Tale(s) of the Heike
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01/19 |
The Tale(s) of the Heike
Secondary reading:
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01/22 |
The Water Margin (background [PDF])
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01/24 |
The Water Margin
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01/26 |
The Water Margin
Secondary reading:
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01/29 |
Chûshingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers
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01/31 |
Chûshingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers
Secondary readings:
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02/02 |
Chûshingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers
Secondary reading:
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02/05 |
MIDTERM EXAM |
| 02/07 | Early 20th-century Popular Fiction (background [PDF])
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02/09 |
Early 20th-century Fiction
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| 02/12 | The Great Boddhisattva Pass (background [PDF])
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| 02/14 | The Great Boddhisattva Pass
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| 02/16 | The Great Boddhisattva Pass
Secondary reading:
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| 02/19 | NO CLASS: Presidents Day |
02/21 |
Musashi
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02/23 |
Musashi
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02/26 |
The Book and the Sword (background [PDF])
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02/28 |
The Book and the Sword
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03/02 |
The Book and the Sword
Secondary reading:
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03/05 |
The Abe Family
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03/07 |
The Breaking Jewel
Secondary reading:
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03/09 |
Patriotism
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03/14 |
FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, 13 March 2007, 2:30-4:20 p.m., JHN 224 |
Required Materials:
In order to read PDF documents, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free and can be downloaded here.
Grading:
Participation, preparation, and presentations (30%):
All class members will be expected to complete assigned readings before class meets. Students are expected to prepare for and participate in each class. The presentation component of this grade is determined by the one group presentation made during the term.
Midterm Exam (30%; TBA, 2:30-4:20):
The midterm exam will be made up of identification questions (see this explanation [PDF] and this revised list [PDF] of potential ID questions) and short essay questions (see this explanation [PDF].) Grade distribution.
Final Exam (40%; Tuesday, 13 March 2006, 2:30-4:20):
The final exam will be made up of identification questions and short essay questions. See this list [PDF] of potential ID questions. For explanations of the two types of questions, please see the midterm links above.
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