HIS 354: Traditional China
Fall 2025, MW 3:30-4:45, DHC 210
Professor Jonathan Skaff
Personal website: http://webspace.ship.edu/jkskaf/
E-mail: jkskaf@ship.edu Telephone: 717-477-1255
Mowrey 246 Office Hours: MW 2:00-3:00, T 1:00-1:50, Th 1:15-3:15, and by appointment.
I. Course Description
This course provides a sophisticated introduction to Chinese history from prehistoric to early modern times (ca. 1600). It investigates the major events and trends that contributed to the development of traditional Chinese society, government, economy, and culture. Some of the topics that we will cover are the formation and development of Chinese culture, creation of the imperial state system, periodic rebellions and political divisions, gender roles, elite and peasant society, native religion and philosophy, and the impact of Inner Asian peoples and Buddhist religion. The only prerequisite is HIS 105 Historical Foundation of Global Cultures.
The class also will concentrate on developing writing, public speaking and critical thinking skills that are transferrable to professional careers. Each class will include discussion, so it is imperative that students do assigned reading when scheduled. All writing assignments are expected to be well argued and written. Writing mechanics, such as grammar and spelling, will be 20% of the grade on each paper.
II. Requirements
1. Write 3 papers (45%).
2. Midterm exam (20%)
3. Cumulative final exam (20%).
4. Lead a 15-minute discussion during one class session this semester (see Part IV below, 5%).
5. Complete assigned readings, attend class, and participate in class discussion (see Part III.1, 10%).
III. Policies
1. Attendance is mandatory. The class participation grade will be based on attendance and contributions to discussions. You will receive a grade for each class session. Grades will be awarded according to the following standards:
90-100: Student demonstrates mastery of readings by making thoughtful and insightful comments.
80-89: Student shows that he/she has completed reading assignments.
70-79: Student participates in discussion without giving evidence of having completed the reading.
65: Student attends class without speaking.
0: Student has an unexcused absence, sleeps in class, or uses unauthorized electronic device.
2. Absences will be excused if you can document a serious illness, family emergency, varsity athletic event, military duty or religious observance. Only students with documented excuses can make up in-class assignments and exams. A student with a medical condition that prevents attendance or a COVID-19 infection must submit a note from Etter Health Center or a doctor. For a family emergency, I require a phone call from a parent or guardian, or a death notice. Athletes should provide a memo from the head coach with the team schedule. If you have military duty, inform your dean’s office. They will send notification to all of your professors. The university’s policy on religious observances is the following: “At the beginning of each academic session (fall, spring, summer), the student will be required (in writing) to provide his/her faculty with the dates of scheduled religious observances.”
3. Academic integrity is expected of all students. All papers and exams must be written in your own words. To check for plagiarism or Artificial Intelligence, all papers must be submitted to the D2L Assignment Folder. Students who intentionally or irresponsibly violate class policies on academic integrity will receive a penalty of a grade of “F” for the course. Violations will be dealt with according to the procedures on the university Academic Integrity website: https://www.ship.edu/about/president/leadership/provost/academic-integrity-procedure/
4. “Smartphones make you dumb in class.” All electronic devices are banned in class, except for those used to take notes or view course readings. Educational research has shown that electronic communications, including text messaging, create distractions that interfere with learning. Violations of this policy will result in a participation grade of zero for that day’s class session.
5. I comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to keep your academic records confidential, and Title IX requirements to, “report incidents of sexual violence shared by students.” To read the full Title IX syllabus statement, click on this link: https://www.ship.edu/EIC/title_ix_statement/
6. I welcome students with disabilities in my classroom. Any student who may require an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) in Mowrey 252 to discuss the specific needs. For more information, see the website: www.ship.edu/oar
7. I assign letter grades used in the Shippensburg University grading system to the following numerical scores:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 70-76
D 60-69
F Below 60
FIRST Draft of Questions Due: 8:30 p.m. on the day before you lead the discussion OR at least 24 hours earlier if you are not available to send me revisions on the evening and morning before class.
Directions for developing questions: The class discussion should last 15 minutes and be primarily based upon the assigned supplementary reading. Only use the main textbook as a basis for comparison with the supplementary reading. Develop 3 or 4 main questions with additional follow-up questions to be used only as needed. Some main questions should be factual, asking classmates to summarize main themes and arguments of the reading. At least one question should be open-ended, asking classmates to share their interpretations and opinions of the reading.
FIRST Draft Deadline: Sun./Tues._______________________by 8:30 p.m.
Send me drafts of questions via email (jkskaf@ship.edu) in MS Word format. I will respond with suggested revisions using the MS Word “track changes” and “comment” features. Plan to revise your questions based on my feedback at least 3 or 4 times.
FINAL Draft Deadline at 3:00 p.m. on the day of the class discussion: Email the final draft to me and upload it to D2L>Discussion Leader Assignment Dropbox
Your grade will be based on the effectiveness of your written questions and oral delivery:
Some hints on developing good questions (adapted from former professor Vera Reber):
V. Readings
A. Main Textbook (Available at university bookstore and online sellers)
Hansen, Valerie. The Open Empire: A History of China to 1600. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2015.
B. Required Supplementary Readings for Class Discussions:
1. Books (Available at university library, bookstore, and online sellers)
Brook, Timothy. The Troubled Empire: China in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2010. Ship library eBook: PERMALINK
Hinsch, Bret. Women in Early Imperial China. 2nd ed. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011. Ship library eBook: PERMALINK
Rawson, Jessica. 2023. Life and Afterlife in Ancient China. Seattle: University of Washington Press. Ship library eBook: PERMALINK
Rothschild, N. Harry. Wu Zhao: China's Only Female Emperor. NY: Pearson Longman, 2008.
2. D2L Electronic Readings
“Confucius and the Birth of Chinese Philosophy,” in Mair, Victor H. et al, eds. Hawai'i Reader in Traditional Chinese Culture. Honolulu: University of Hawai`i Press, 2005, 45-50.
“Han Fei Zi and His Antecedents,” in Hawai'i Reader in Traditional Chinese Culture, 137-42.
Goodman, Howard L. "Lives and Times of the Political Public at the End of the Han." In The Human Tradition in Premodern China, edited by Kenneth James Hammond. Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, 2002, 27-55.
Heng, Derek. "The Tang Shipwreck and the Nature of China’s Maritime Trade during the Late Tang Period." In The Tang Shipwreck: Art and Exchange in the 9th Century, edited by Alan Chong and Stephen A. Murphy, 142–59. Singapore: National Heritage Board, 2017.
Lin Hu. “A Tale of Five Capitals: Contests for Legitimacy between the Liao and Its Rivals.” Journal of Asian History 44, no. 2 (2010): 99-127.
Pearce, Scott. "A King’s Two Bodies: The Northern Wei Emperor Wencheng and Representations of the Power of His Monarchy." Frontiers of History in China 7, no. 1 (2012): 90-105.
“The Tradition of the Daode jing” in Hawai'i Reader in Traditional Chinese Culture, 78-86.
Wong, Dorothy C. “The Origins of Buddhist Steles under the Northern Wei.” In Chinese Steles: Pre-Buddhist and Buddhist Use of a Symbolic Form. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2004, 43-60.
Xu Hong. "Chapter 15: The Erlitou Culture." In A Companion to Chinese Archaeology, edited by Anne P. Underhill, 398-424. Newark, U.K.: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. PERMALINK
Zhang Ling. “Changing with the Yellow River: An Environmental History of Hebei, 1048-1128.” Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 69, no. 1 (2009): 1-36.
VI. Schedule
1. Early “China” in Legend and Archaeology
M 8/25: Introductions
Chinese pinyin romanization; China’s Land, Peoples and Language
Reading: Rawson xix-xxxiv, “Introduction: The World of the Afterlife,” PERMALINK
W 8/27: Neolithic East Asia (ca. 8000-2000 B.C.E.)
Supplementary reading: Rawson 31-57, “Chap. 2: A Disrupted Banquet”
M 9/1: Labor Day: No Class
W 9/3: Origins of China: Ancient Legends and Modern Archaeology
Reading: Hansen 19-34
Supplementary reading on D2L: Xu Hong, “Chap. 15: Erlitou Culture” PERMALINK
2. Early “China” in History and Archaeology
M 9/8: Shang Dynasty at Anyang: History and Archaeology
Reading: Hansen 34-43
Supplementary reading: Rawson 59-90, “Chap. 3: The Warrior with the Bronze Hand”
W 9/10: Western Zhou Dynasty (1045-771 BCE)
Reading: Hansen 43-55
Discussion reading: Rawson 149-75, “Chap. 6: Innovations and Heirlooms”
M 9/15: Spring and Autumn Period (770-481 BCE): Political and Social Change
Reading: Hansen 57-68
Supplementary reading: Rawson 205-30, “Chap. 8: Circling South”
W 9/17: The Golden Age of Chinese Thought: Confucianism and Daoism
Reading: Hansen 68-87
Supplementary reading on D2L: “Confucius and the Birth of Chinese Philosophy” & “The Tradition of the Daode jing”
M 9/22: Warring States (481-221 BCE) and Legalism
Reading: Hansen 87-97
Supplementary reading: Rawson 269-99, “Chap. 10: A Kingdom by Design”
Supplementary reading on D2L: “Han Fei Zi and His Antecedents”
3. Early Imperial China
W 9/24: The Kingdom of Qin and the First Empire (221-207 BCE)
Reading: Hansen 97-105
Supplementary reading: Rawson 327-60, “Chap. 12: The Everlasting Army”
Paper 1 Assigned
M 9/29: Fall of the Qin and Founding of the Han Dynasty (206/202 BCE-220 CE)
Reading: Hansen 106-10
Supplementary reading: Hinsch 1-14, 35-60 (Intro, Chap. 2) PERMALINK
W 10/1: Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE-9 CE): Internal Consolidation and External Challenges
Reading: Hansen, 118-26
Supplementary reading: Hinsch 61-95 (Chap. 3)
M 10/6: Wang Mang’s Usurpation (9-23) and Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220)
Reading: Hansen 126-31
Supplementary reading: Hinsch 97-135 (Chaps. 5-6)
W 10/8: Han Ideology and Historical Writing
Reading: Hansen 110-18
Supplementary reading: Hinsch 137-76 (Chaps. 7-8, Conclusion)
Paper 1 Due
Paper 2 Assigned
M 10/13: Midterm Exam
4. Early Medieval China
W 10/15: Fall of the Han and Period of Disunity (220-589)
Reading: Hansen 133-37, 144-46
Supplementary reading on D2L: Goodman, “Lives and Times of the Political Public at the End of the Han”
M 10/20: Fall Break: No Class
W 10/22: Northern and Southern Dynasties (317-589) and the Impact of Inner Asia
Reading: Hansen 157-66
Supplementary reading on D2L: Pearce, “A King’s Two Bodies”
M 10/27: Buddhism in China
Reading: Hansen 141-3, 146-57, 167-71
Supplementary reading on D2L: Wong, “The Origins of Buddhist Steles under the Northern Wei” Chinese Steles, 43-60
Paper 2 Due
W 10/29: Sui Dynasty (589-618): Reconsolidation of the Imperial State System
Reading: Hansen 173-78
Supplementary reading: Rothschild ix-xiv, 1-48 (Intro., Chaps. 1-4)
M 11/3: Tang Dynasty (618-907)
Reading: Hansen 178-199
Supplementary reading: Rothschild 49-102 (Chaps. 5-7)
W 11/5: Tang Cosmopolitan Culture
Reading: Hansen 201-20
Supplementary reading: Rothschild 103-156 (Chaps. 8-10)
5. Late Medieval China
M 11/10: Late Tang Disunity and the Five Dynasties Period (907-960)
Reading: Hansen 221-34
Supplementary reading: Rothschild 157-214 (Chaps. 11-12, Conclusion)
Paper 3 Assigned
W 11/12: Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126)
Reading: Hansen 237-62
Supplementary reading on D2L: Zhang, “Changing with the Yellow River”
M 11/17: Northern Dynasties: Liao (Khitan, 916-1125) and Xi Xia (Tangut, 1038-1227)
Reading: Hansen 275-89
Supplementary reading on D2L: Lin Hu, “A Tale of Five Capitals”
W 11/19: Southern Song (1127-1279) and Jin (Jurchen, 1115-1234)
Reading: Hansen 262-73, 289-307
Supplementary reading: Brook 1-23 (Intro., Chap. 1) PERMALINK
6. Late Imperial China
M 11/24: Guest Lecture: Dr. Hsueh-man Shen, “Shipwrecks and Maritime Trade, 800-1600”
Supplementary Reading: Heng, "The Tang Shipwreck”
Brook, 213-37 (Chap. 9)
W 11/26: Thanksgiving Break: No Class
M 12/1: Mongol Rule of China: Yuan Dynasty (1260-1368)
Reading: Hansen 309-33
Supplementary reading: Brook 24-49 (Chap. 2)
Paper 3 Due
W 12/3: Founding of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Reading: Hansen 341-63
Supplementary reading: Brook 50-78 (Chap. 3)