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Intellectual Change in Early China: Warring States and Han
  • Level Professional
  • Duration 23 hours
  • Course by The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Offered by

About

This sequence of four courses will propose a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of Chinese cultural history conceived of as a succession of modes of rationality (philosophical, bureaucratic, and economic). The focus will be on the moments of paradigm shift from one mode of rationality to another. For each of these moments, cultural facts and artifacts—thought, literature, ritual—will be examined in relationship to changing social, political, and economic systems. The first two courses will cover the periods of the Warring States (481-256 BCE) and the Period of Division (220-589 CE), with a brief excursion into the Han (206 BCE-220 CE). The Warring States laid the social and cultural foundations for the emergence of the imperial mode of rationality; the Period of Division saw the Buddhist “conquest” of China and the emergence of a rationality defined by the opposition of the Three Teachings to shamanism, that is, of a clear contrast between elite and popular culture. The third and fourth courses will focus on the emergence of modern China in the Song-Yuan (960-1368) and of today’s China 1850 to the present. We will see how the modern attack on religion, redefined as "superstition", led not only to religious reform movements but also to a society in which science and the nation became the primary value systems promoted by the state. The courses are listed below: A Critical Cultural History of China - Early China I: Intellectual Change in the Warring States and Han (481 BCE-220 CE) A Critical Cultural History of China - Early China II: Religious Transformation in the Period of Division (220-589 CE) A Critical Cultural History of China - Modern China I: Religion and Thought in the Song, Jin, and Yuan (960-1368) A Critical Cultural History of China - Modern China II: Structuring Values (1850-2015)

Modules

Getting started

    • 3 Readings
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3 Readings

  • Course Overview
  • Course Editorial Conventions
  • Suggested Textbooks

M00.1 Definitions

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M00.1 Definitions

1 Videos

  • M00.1 Definitions

M00.2 Paradigm Shift

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M00.2 Paradigm Shift

1 Videos

  • M00.2 Paradigm Shift

M00.3 A Four-Part Course

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M00.3 A Four-Part Course

1 Videos

  • M00.3 A Four-Part Course

M01.1 Background

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
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2 Assignment

  • M01.1.1 Background 1
  • M01.1.2 Background 2

2 Videos

  • M01.1.1 Background 1
  • M01.1.2 Background 2

1 Readings

  • Readings for M01.1.2

M01.2 The Attack on Shamanism

    • 4 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 4 Assignment
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4 Assignment

  • M01.2.1 Functions of the wu
  • M01.2.2 The Early Chinese Pantheon
  • M01.2.3 Arguments Against Shamans: The Role of Intellectuals
  • M01.2.4 The Parallel Attack on Diviners

4 Videos

  • M01.2.1 Functions of the wu
  • M01.2.2 The Early Chinese Pantheon
  • M01.2.3 Arguments Against Shamans: The Role of Intellectuals
  • M01.2.4 The Parallel Attack on Diviners

3 Readings

  • Readings for M01.2.2
  • Readings for M01.2.3
  • Readings for M01.2.4

M02.1 Confucian Self-Cultivation

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M02.1Confucian Self-Cultivation

1 Videos

  • M02.1Confucian Self-Cultivation

M02.2 Ethics and Cosmology

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M02.2 Ethics and Cosmology

1 Videos

  • M02.2 Ethics and Cosmology

M02.3 Daoist Self-Cultivation

    • 3 Videos
    • 3 Assignment
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3 Assignment

  • M02.3.1 The Dao
  • M02.3.2 The heart
  • M02.3.3 Qi, or vital energy, and the Real Person

3 Videos

  • M02.3.1 The Dao
  • M02.3.2 The heart
  • M02.3.3 Qi, or vital energy, and the Real Person

module info

    • 1 Readings
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1 Readings

  • Readings for Module 3

M03.1 Transcendence in Early China

    • 3 Videos
    • 3 Assignment
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3 Assignment

  • M03.1.1 The Zhou Sacrifice to Heaven
  • M03.1.2 The Dao
  • M03.1.3 Transcendence

3 Videos

  • M03.1.1 The Zhou Sacrifice to Heaven
  • M03.1.2 The Dao
  • M03.1.3 Transcendence

M03.2 The Center

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M03.2 The Center

1 Videos

  • M03.2 The Center

M03.3 Confucianism: Ritual and History

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M03.3 Confucianism: Ritual and History

1 Videos

  • M03.3 Confucianism: Ritual and History

M03.4 Early Chinese Dualities

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M03.4 Early Chinese Dualities

1 Videos

  • M03.4 Early Chinese Dualities

M04.1 Local and Dynastic Religion in the Han

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M04.1 Local and Dynastic Religion in the Han

1 Videos

  • M04.1 Local and Dynastic Religion in the Han

1 Readings

  • Readings for M04.1

M04.2 Literati, Orthodoxy, and the First Canon

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M04.2 Literati, Orthodoxy, and the First Canon

1 Videos

  • M04.2 Literati, Orthodoxy, and the First Canon

1 Readings

  • Readings for M04.2

M04.3 State Religion in the Han

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M04.3 State Religion in the Han

1 Videos

  • M04.3 State Religion in the Han

module info

    • 1 Readings
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1 Readings

  • Readings for Module 5

M05.1 Cosmology and Psychology in the New Medicine

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M05.1 Cosmology and Psychology in the New Medicine

1 Videos

  • M05.1 Cosmology and Psychology in the New Medicine

M05.2 The Return of the Repressed

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M05.2 The Return of the Repressed

1 Videos

  • M05.2 The Return of the Repressed

M05.3 Ancestors, Moralization, and the Spiritual Bureaucracy

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M05.3 Ancestors, Moralization, and the Spiritual Bureaucracy

1 Videos

  • M05.3 Ancestors, Moralization, and the Spiritual Bureaucracy

M05.4 A New Synthesis

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M05.4 A New Synthesis

1 Videos

  • M05.4 A New Synthesis

M05.5 The Answer: Exorcism

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • M05.5 The Answer: Exorcism

1 Videos

  • M05.5 The Answer: Exorcism

1 Readings

  • M05.5

Auto Summary

Embark on a comprehensive journey through Chinese cultural history with the four-course sequence "Intellectual Change in Early China: Warring States and Han," curated by Coursera. This engaging series delves into the evolution of Chinese rationality, examining the philosophical, bureaucratic, and economic shifts that have shaped China's intellectual landscape from ancient times to the modern era. The course sequence begins with an exploration of the Warring States (481-256 BCE) and the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), highlighting the foundational changes in social and cultural paradigms. The journey continues through the Period of Division (220-589 CE), marked by the Buddhist influence and the emergence of distinct elite and popular cultures. The third and fourth courses transition to modern China, spanning the Song-Yuan dynasties (960-1368) and the transformative years from 1850 to the present, showcasing the modern state's embrace of science and national values over traditional religious beliefs. Under the expert guidance of Coursera's seasoned instructors, learners will delve into thought, literature, and rituals, analyzing their connections to evolving social, political, and economic systems. This multidisciplinary approach ensures a deep and nuanced understanding of China's rich cultural history. With a total duration of 1380 minutes, this professional-level course offers a flexible learning experience through Coursera's Starter subscription option, making it ideal for those seeking to deepen their knowledge of Chinese cultural history and its intellectual transformations. Whether you're a scholar, a history enthusiast, or a professional in the arts and humanities, this course sequence promises to enrich your perspective on one of the world's oldest and most influential civilizations.

Prof. John Lagerwey
Instructor

Prof. John Lagerwey