C LIT 322 A (1882) (VLPA)
Studies in Asian and Western Literatures

C LIT 397 A (9211) (VLPA/I&S)
Special Topics in Cinema Studies

THE URBAN IMAGINATION
IN CHINESE LITERATURE AND FILM:
FROM SHANGHAI DECADENCE TO BEIJING PUNKS

How do urban literature and film inform our understanding of modern material conditions and ideolologies? How do narrative structures and cinematic images celebrate the metropolis and convey the anxieties associated with it? The course examines these questions through novels and films, mostly from the PRC, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Hours:  MWF 1:30-3:20 Classroom:  MGH 251 5 credits
 
Instructor:   Yomi Braester
office: C-504 Padelford
office hours: MW 3:30-4:30 and by appointment
e-mail: yomi@u.washington.edu
course website: http://faculty.washington.edu/yomi/urban.html

 

 

Assignments

Readings and film viewings:
 All readings must be completed on time. Students are not required to attend the Friday screenings, but all films must be viewed before class meets to discuss them.
Written assignments:
     (1) Reading responses: students are required to hand in a typed reading response, one page long, for each of the 18 readings or films, following a set of questions posted on the web (link will be added here). The responses should demonstrate familiarity with the text and point at passages of special interest to the student. Unlike the two papers, the responses are not meant to demonstrate originality of thought.
    (2) Mid-term paper: the paper will be written on a given set of questions (link will be added here). The paper should be 4-6 pages long and typed. To understand the expected quality, please consult my grading criteria.
    (3) Final paper and paper proposal: a one-page typed proposal should include (a) identifying the passage(s) to be discussed, (b) main argument, similar to the opening paragraph of the finished paper, and (c) paper outline, similar to the second paragraph of the finished paper. The purpose of this assignment is to ensure that students think of the thesis and structure of the paper well in advance. Since the final paper can be written on any subject related to the course, it is important to get my approval and feedback before handing in the final paper. The final paper should be 6-8 pages long and typed. Please consult my grading criteria.

Grading components
Reading / viewing responses 18 X 2 = 36
Mid-term paper 25
Final paper (for topic, see here) 39

Policies and Procedures

Late submissions must be pre-approved by the instructor or they will not be accepted.  Extensions for reading responses, make-up classes, and extra screenings will be available only in very special cases, where the students can demonstrate circumstances beyond their control.
      All assignments, except in-class commentary, must be typed. To ensure a standard length, please make sure to use Times New Roman font, size 12, double-spaced, with page margins not exceeding 1.25 inches on each side.
       The course adheres to UW’s rules on plagiarism.
       Students with disabilities are encouraged to inform me, and I’ll do my best to provide the relevant accommodations.
 
Readings
Books are available at the University Bookstore as well as on reserve in Odegaard.
Texts:

- Bai Xianyong , Wandering in the Garden, Waking from a Dream (selection; on electronic reserve
- Lao She, Richshaw (in bookstore)
- Mu Shiying, "Five in a Nightclub" (on electronic reserve)
 - Wei Hui, Shanghai Baby (in bookstore)
- Xi Xi, Marvels of a Floating City (on electronic reserve
- Zhang Ailing, "Sealed Off" (on electronic reserve)
- Zhu Tianwen, "Fin-de-siecle Splendor" (on electronic reserve)
Secondary material:

- Ackbar Abbas, "The New Hong Kong Cinema and the deja disparu" (on electronic reserve)
- Andrew F. Jones, Like a Knife (selection; on electronic reserve)
- Leo Ou-fan Lee, "The Urban Milieu of Shanghai Cinema" (on electronic reserve>
Films (on reserve at the Odegaard Media Center):
- Stanley Kwan, Rouge
 - Lou Ye, dir., Suzhou
- Shi Runjiu, dir., A Beautiful New World
- Ts'ai Ming-liang, Vive l'amour
- Wang Xiaoshuai, Frozen
 - Wong Kar-wai, Chunking Express
- Wu Yonggang, The Goddess
- Yu Kanping, dir., Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing?
- Zhang Yang, dir., Shower
 

CLASS SCHEDULE (subject to change)

week 1
Monday, 10/1 Introduction
  material presented in class today
   
Wednesday, 10/3 Discussion: Rickshaw
  Read for today: Rickshaw (chapters 1-4,6,14-24)
  Response 1 (Rickshaw) due
  material presented in class today
 
Friday, 10/5 Screening: Shower
 

week 2

 
Monday, 10/8 Discussion: Shower
  Finish reading for today: Rickshaw
  Response 2 (Shower) due
  material presented in class today
   
Wednesday, 10/10 IN-CLASS SCREENING: Goddess
  No reading for today
  Film intertitles
   
  (no screening this Friday)
   

week 3

 
Monday, 10/15 Discussion: Goddess
  Read for today: - "The Urban Milieu of Shanghai Cinema"
  Response 3 (Goddess) due
  material presented in class today
   
Wednesday, 10/17 Discussion: "Five in a Nightclub"
  Read for today: "Five in a Nightclub"
  Response 4 ("Five in a Nightclub") due
  material presented in class today
 
Friday, 10/19 SCREENING: Rouge
 

week 4

Monday, 10/22 Discussion: "Sealed Off"
Read for today: "Sealed Off"
Response 5 ("Sealed Off") due
  material presented in class today
   
Wednesday, 10/24 Discussion: Rouge
Response 6 (Rouge) due
  No reading for today
  material presented in class today
   
Friday, 10/26 SCREENING: Chungking Express
   

week 5

 
Monday, 10/29 Review; discussion: Marvels of a Floating City
  Read for today Marvels of a Floating City
  Response 7 (Marvels of a Floating City) due
  material presented in class today
   
Wednesday, 10/31 Discussion: Chungking Express
Read for today: "The New Hong Kong Cinema and the deja disparu"
  Response 8 (Chungking Express ) due
  material presented in class today
  MIDTERM QUESTIONS
 
Friday, 11/2 SCREENING: Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing?
   

week 6

 
Monday, 11/5 Feedback; discussion: Marvels of a Floating City, Chungking Express
No reading for today
  Response 9 (Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing?) due
  material presented in class today
 
Wednesday, 11/7 Discussion: Wandering in the Garden (selection)
Read for today: Wandering in the Garden (selection)
  Response 10 (Wandering in the Garden) due
  material presented in class today
 
Friday, 11/9 SCREENING: Vive l'amour
 

week 7

 
Monday, 11/12 NO CLASS - VETERANS' DAY
 
Wednesday, 11/14 Discussion: Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing?; Vive l'amour
  No reading for today
  Responses 11 (Vive l'amour) due
  Mid-term paper due
  material presented in class today
   
Friday, 11/16 SCREENING: A Beautiful New World
   

week 8

 
Monday, 11/19 Discussion: "Fin-de-siecle Splendor"
Read for today: "Fin-de-siecle Splendor"
  Response 12 ("Fin-de-siecle Splendor") due
  material presented in class today
 
Wednesday, 11/21 Writing workshop
  No reading for today
  material presented in class today
   
(no screening this week)
   

week 9

  
Monday, 11/26 Discussion: A Beautiful New World
  Start reading for today: Shanghai Baby
  (see also http://www.shanghaibaby.co.uk)
  Response 13 (A Beautiful New World) due
  material presented in class today
   
Wednesday, 11/28 Discussion: Shanghai Baby
Finish reading for today: Shanghai Baby
  Response 14-15 (Shanghai Baby) (double-weighted response) due
  material presented in class today
 
Friday, 11/30 SCREENING: Suzhou
   

week 10

 
Monday, 12/3 Discussion: Shanghai Baby; Beijing's younger generation
  Read for today: Like a Knife (selection)
  Response 16 (Like a Knife) due
  Final paper proposal due (for final paper question, see here)
  material presented in class today
   
Wednesday, 12/5 Discussion: Suzhou
  Response 17 (Suzhou) due
  material presented in class today
   
Friday, 12/7 SCREENING: Frozen
   

week 11

 
Monday, 12/10 No class - instructor on sick leave
 
Wednesday, 12/12 No class - instructor on sick leave
   
Monday, 12/17  FINAL PAPER (for topic, see here) and Response 18 (Frozen) DUE
WHERE AND WHEN TO TURN IN THE FINAL PAPER: Papers are due on 12/17 and will not be accepted afterwards unless approved in advance by the instructor. Please turn the paper in at the Comparative Literature Department office (Padelford B-536), no later than 4:30 pm.