Content and aims of the paper:

The paper explores issues in contemporary Chinese popular culture with a particular focus on the 1980s and 1990s. The course is organized thematically. Each week we will focus on one main topic and explore a variety of printed and electronic media. We will look at short stories, films, television programs, popular music, avant-garde art, and Internet blogs. While the object of our scrutiny is popular culture, we will also examine cultural products that in fact challenge the very separation between elite/highbrow and popular/lowbrow culture.

 

Co-ordinator: Dr Paola Voci

Office: 3.S.3 1 Arts Building

Phone: 479-5994

E-mail: paola.voci@stonebow.otago.ac.nz

 

 

Class WIKI PAGE: http://www.chinaonvideo.org/mwiki/

 

 

Entry requirement:  A pass in CHIN131, CHIN132 or equivalent background in the Chinese language.

 

Coursebook: Online Course Reader [In other words: unless otherwise specified, all reading material is available on BB]

 

Duration: Second Semester, 6 points Class hours: 3 hours per week

Timetable: Tue, Wed, Thu: 12:00-12:50

 

Terms/Requirements: Attendance at no less than 80% of all classes (lectures, and tutorials)

 

Assessment:

The paper is 100% internally assessed through a variety of both written and oral assignments. Participation is not only required, but in fact essential.

 

Summary of Assignments:

-         Weekly posting on our Class Blog部落格/网络日记(10%)

-         One contribution to our Class Critical Forum (20%)

-         One oral presentation (20% divided into 5% written draft and 15% oral presentation)

-         One research project to be submitted either as a website, a PP, or a document file (50% divided into 10% for outline and bibliography and 40% for the final project)

 

Posting on the Class Blogs部落格/网络日记 (10%):

Time: Questions are due every Monday at 5 p.m. 

Students will post weekly critical (NOT factual!) comments/questions based on the assigned texts. These posts will become the starting point for our class discussion. Late submissions will not be graded. While blogging in Chinese is always encouraged for all students, CHIN344 students need to post at least 4 weekly blog entries in Chinese.

 

Contribution to Class Critical Forum (20%)

Time: Every Thursday

The main tasks involved are:

- summary of the class blog entries

- summary of the assigned reading’s main contents

While one contribution is required for all students, CHIN344 students will also submit four one-page critical responses to selected articles. (see weekly schedule for specific details)

 

Oral Presentation (20%)

Time: Students will submit a first draft on week 5 and a final draft on week 10. On week 13, students will present their work.

 

During the course of this paper, students will work on one presentation based on creative scripts written by the students themselves or adaptations from Chinese sources. Both individual and small group presentations (four participants as a maximum) are accepted. Ideas include (but are not limited to):

-         performance: a short play or a monologue

-         news: reporting about an event  (interview style or anchor-person style)

-         debate: talk-show

 

Research project

Time: Outline and Bibliography are due during week 7, before mid-term break. Final Project is due by 12 October @ 2pm.

Starting from week 3, students will begin to work on an investigative and critical project on a self-chosen topic. The project must involve bibliographical research and critical evaluation of data.

 

PLEASE READ this very important note:

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is defined as copying or paraphrasing another person's work and presenting it as one's own - whether intentionally, or through failure to take proper care. Being party to someone else's plagiarism (by allowing them to copy your work or by otherwise helping them plagiarise work for an assessment) is also dishonest practice.

Plagiarism may result in an automatic ZERO grade in the class (not just the assignment). If you are still unsure about what plagiarism is, go to http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/plagiarism.html#dishonest or ask me.

 

Language Resources:

Chinese/English Dictionaries Online

 Comprehensive Site

Flash cards - freed download

Online Usage Dictionary

Window on Contemporary China:

东南西北Blog
ChinaInternetInfoCentre
Chinese Newspapers Online List 1
Finding News About China
China News Digest
South China Morning Post
Asiaweek
Chinese Newspapers Online List 2
Chinese BBC

 

Schedule and Readings

 

Summary

 

Week One Introduction

 

Week Eight MId-semester break

Week Two Nation, National(ism) (A)

 

Week Nine上网[CHIN344]

 

Week Three Nation, National(ism) (B) [CHIN344]

 

Week TEN Modernity现代性、现代作风、 近世思想

FInal DRAFT for GROUP PRESENTATION IS DUE

 

Week Four Post-Mao China

 

Week ELEVEN Chinese Revolutions

 

Week Five National Wounds: 文化大革命[CHIN344]

FIRST DRAFT for GROUP PRESENTATION IS DUE

 

Week twelve Environment

 

Week Six Economic Development

 

Week Thirteen GROup presentation

 

Week Seven民主主义、 人权、自由[CHIN344]

OUTLINE & Bibliography for Final Project are due

 

Week Fourteen China Beyond China

FINAL RESEARCH PROJECT IS DUE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week One (11-12-13 july)

Back to Summary

Welcome!  Introduction to the Paper: topics and requirements. Sign-up for the Contribution to the Class Forum.

During this first week, we will explore our main on-line language and news resources. There will be some basic training for those of you who don’t know how to write in Chinese or how to use dictionaries. We will also do warming-up exercises in Chinese.

 

Note: If you miss this introductory week, please make sure you familiarize yourself with the paper’s basic tools (i.e.: how to write in Chinese, how to browse in Chinese) and main resources (websites and other course material on BB).  Also, read carefully our schedule and all the information regarding assessment. While I will try to give reminders during our class meetings, it is your responsibility to know what is expected from you (and when): i.e., prepare the assigned reading (every week), post to the class blog (every week), sign-up for the contributions to the class forum, prepare oral presentations by the scheduled time, and submit main research drafts according to the deadlines.

 

Week Two: (18-19-20 july)

Back to Summary

Topic: Nation, National(ism) (A)

Critical Angle: 华人， 中国，龙的传人

SCREENING: 河殇: 第一集：寻梦 (TV series)

Reading:

  1. Waldron, Arthur. "Representing China: The Great Wall and Cultural Nationalism in the Twentieth Century." In Cultural Nationalism in East Asia: Representation and Identity, edited by Harumi Befu. Berkeley: Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, 1993, pp. 36-60.
  2. 河殇: 第一集：寻梦， pp. 7-9
  3. 龙的传人 (侯德健)、龍的傳人 (王力宏) 

Suggested Additional Reading:

  1. Bodman, Richard, “From History to Allegory to Art.” In Su XiaoKang and Wang Luxian, Deathsong of River, Introduced, translated and annotated by R. Bodman. Ithaca: Cornell East Asia Series, 1993, pp. 1-22
  2. Chen, Xiaomei, “Occidentalism as a Counter-Discourse: The He Shang Controversy”, Occidentalism: A Theory of Counter-Discourse in Post-Mao China, Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2002, pp. 23-42

 

Week Three (25-26-27 July): 

Back to Summary

Topic: Nation, National(ism) (B)

Critical Angle: Japan/China relations

a.     南京大屠杀 (Nanjing Massacre)

b.     中日韩合编课本全面还原历史 反击日右翼分子 (history textbook controversy)

c.      日本靖国神舍的内部照片:该让所有中国人都知道 (Yasukuni Shrine)

SCREENING: 鬼子来了Devils on the Doorstep, dir. Jiang Wen, 1999.

Reading:

  1. Woods Masalski,Kathleen. “Examining the Japanese History Textbook Controversies” November 2001.  http://www.indiana.edu/~japan/Digests/textbook.html [also available on BB]
  2. McNeill, David and Mark Selden. “Japan and China Battle over History” Japan Focus. April 21, 2005  http://japanfocus.org/article.asp?id=256  [also available on BB] [CHIN344]
  3. Beal, Tim, Yoshiko Nozaki, Jian Yang. “Ghosts of the past: the Japanese history textbook controversy” New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 3, 2 (December, 2001): 177-188.

 

Week Four (1-2-3 August)

Back to Summary

Topic: Post-Mao China

Critical Angle: New Era and Old Problems

SCREENING: 秋菊打官司The Story of Qiu Ju, dir. Zhang Yimou, 1993

Reading:

送礼 (A Bribe)  Handout

Performing in Chinese – A short play

 

Week Five (8-9-10 august)

Back to Summary

Topic: National Wounds: 文化大革命

Critical Angle:  Re-examining the Cultural Revolution

SCREENING: 蓝风筝 The Blue Kite, dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang田壮壮, 1993

reading:

1. Gao Yuan, Born Red, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1987, pp. 305-314 [CHIN344]

2. 蓝风筝剧本：一场戏

3. Yu Hua余华, To Live 活着 (excerpt)

 

Week Six (15-16-17 August)

Back to Summary

TOPIC: Economic Development ?

CRITICAL ANGLE: 看不见的城市：Farmers, Miners, Migrants, Beggars

Screening:盲井Blind Shaft, dir. Li Yang李杨, 2005

Reading:

  1. Dutton, Michael, “Analysis”, Streetlife China, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, pp. 81-92
  2.  “Search for 123 trapped miners suspended”
  3. “Repeated coal mine accidents thwart farmers' aspiration for riches”

 

Week Seven:  (22-23-24 August)

OUTLINE & Bibliography for Final Project is due

Back to Summary

Topic: 民主主义、 人权、自由
Critical Angle: 从六四到蒙牛酸酸乳超级女声

SCREENING: Tiananmen: Gate of Heavenly Peace

Reading:

  1. Nathan, Andrew J. “Chinese Democracy in 1989: Continuity and Change”
  2. Links for Tiananmen website: http://www.tsquare.tv/links/  
  3. Dutton, Michael, “Rights and Tradition” Streetlife China, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998, pp. 23-41 [CHIN344]
  4. “Supergirl and Democracy” EastSouthNorthWest

Suggested Additional Reading:

  1. “超女”是什么?
  2. http://www.hunantv.com/huodong/2006supergirls/default.htm
  3. Li Yuchun’s site: http://lyc.trmusic.com.cn/
  4. Li Yuchun’s “official blog”: http://lyc.trmusic.com.cn/

 

Week Eight (29-30-31 August): MId-semester break

Back to Summary

 

Week Nine: (5-6-7 September)

Back to Summary

Topic: 上网

Critical Angle: freedom and censorship

IN-CLASS EXERCISE: Google谷歌searches

Reading:

Lau, Michelle W. “Internet Development and Information Control in the People’s Republic of China” [CHIN344]

Shank, Megan. “One inch forward, one foot back: A look at the Internet from behind the Great Firewall”

French, Howard. “As Chinese Students Go Online, Little Sister Is Watching”

 

Week TEN (12-13-14 Sptember)

FInal DRAFT for GROUP PRESENTATION IS DUE

Back to Summary

Topic: Modernity现代性、现代作风、 近世思想

Critical Angle:

a.     新感觉派 (1920s-1930s)

b.     The City

c.      The Modernist Generations in Art (1920 - 1950)

Reading:

1.     Lee, Leo Ou-fan  "Shanghai Modern: Reflections on Urban Culture in China in the 1930s" 32 Magazine Issue 5/6 http://www.32bny.org/past/issue_fivesix/articles/lee.html [also available on BB]

2.     Hei Ying  黑婴. “Dang chuntian laidao de shihou” 当春天来到的时候 (When spring arrives).  Liangyou 良友 (The Young Companion) no. 87 (April 1934): 26-27.

3.     ___.  When Spring Arrives. Translated by May-lee Chai. Modern Chinese Literature no.9 (1995), pp. 31-38.

4.     Mu Shiying 穆时英.  “Yezonghui lide wuge ren夜总会里的五个人” (Five people in a nightclub).  In Kong, Fanjin 孔范今, ed.  Zhongguo xiandai wenxue buyi shuxi: xiaoshuo juan 中国当代文学补遗书系﹕小说卷 (Collections of the marginalized texts in modern Chinese literature: fiction).  Ji’nan: Mingtian chubanshe, 1990.vol. 2.， pp. 500-23. Handout

Suggested additional reading:

5.     Zhang, Yingjin. “The texture of the Metropolis: Modernist Inscriptions of Shanghai in the 1930s.”  Modern Chinese Literature.  no. 9 (1995): 11-30. 

6.     Schaefer, William. “Shanghai Savage” positions 11:1 Spring 2003, pp. 91-133

 

Week ELEVEN (19-20-21 september)

Back to Summary

Topic: Chinese Revolutions

Critical Angle: The many meanings of avant-garde

SCREENING: 像鸡毛一样飞Chicken Poets, dir. 孟京辉Meng Jinghui, 2002.

Reading/Viewing:

  1. Contemporary poetry http://www.thedrunkenboat.com/chinafeature.html 
  2. Chinese/English Poetry: http://www.poetrysky.com/
  3. Avant-garde/ Experimental Art: http://xubing.com/
  4. Chinese contemporary art in Beijing and London: http://www.chinesecontemporary.com/

 

Week twelve (26-27-28 september)

Back to Summary

Topic: Environment

CRITICAL ANGLE: 污染

SCreening: 大树县 （纪录片）

Reading:

  1. French, Howard, “Riots in a Village in China as Pollution Protest Heats Up”
  2. Three Gorges Damn三峡探 （戴晴 Dai Qing）http://www.threegorgesprobe.org/gb/index.cfm
  3. Liu, Jianguo and Jared Diamond, “China's environment in a globalizing world”

 

Week Thirteen (3-4-5 october)

Back to Summary

GROup presentationS

 

Week Fourteen (10-11-12 october)

Back to Summary

Topic: China Beyond China: the Chinese in New Zealand (a media overview)

Critical Angle: Multiple Identities

Reading:

  1. Voci, Paola. “From Middle Kingdom to Middle Earth and Back: Chinese Media/Mediated Identities in New Zealand” in Asia in New Zealand, Auckland University Press, Forthcoming 2007.