Office Hours: Tu. 10-12, Fri. 10-12

Loree 140, DC, 932-9641, 932-3290

e-mail address: chyu@rci.rutgers.edu

Dicussion Questions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 New!!!

Description             This course provides a chronological and thematic introduction to Chinese religion from the beginnings until modern times. It examines distinctive concepts and institutions in the religious thought, practice, and organization of China. Emphasis will be placed on the diversity of religious expressions in China, with readings drawn from a wide-range of texts: sacred scriptures, philosophical texts, popular literature and modern historical and ethnographic studies. While most of the reading assignments come primarily from the required texts, some also are drawn from books placed on reserve at the Douglass Library.  Special attention will be given to those forms of religion common to both “elite” and “popular” culture: cosmology, family and communal rituals, afterlife, morality and mythology. The course also raises more general questions concerning gender, class, political patronage, and differing concepts of religion.

Required Texts (available at Douglass Co-Op Bookstore)

            Ching, Julia. Chinese Religions (Orbis Books, 1993)

            Lopez, Donald. Religions of China in Practice (Princeton University Press, 1996)

Sommer, Deborah. Chinese Religion: An Anthology (Oxford University Press,

1995)

Books on Reserve (partial list, more will be supplied later in the semester)

            Birrell, Anne. Chinese Mythology.

            Ebrey & Gregory. Religion and Society in T’ang and Sung China

Fingarette, Herbert. Confucius, the Secular as Sacred

            Jordan, David. Gods, Ghosts and Ancestors

            Kohn, Livia. The Taoist Experience

            Lau, D.C. The Analects

            Mair, Victor. Tao-te-ching

Mair, Victor. Wandering on the Way: Early Taoist Tales and

          Parables of Chuang Tzu

Wright, Arthur. Buddhism in Chinese History

Yang, C.K. Religion in Chinese Society

Yü, Chün-fang. Kuan-yin: The Chinese Transformation of Avalokiteśvara

1. This course requires timely completion of reading assignment and active participation of members of the class in presenting the main ideas of the reading and leading its discussion. Therefore, regular attendance of lectures and class presentation of assigned reading form one part of the final grade (20%). When it is your turn to make the presentation, a no show will result in losing part of the grade. If for legitimate reasons (documented medical or other emergencies) that you must be absent on the day you are to give the presentation, you should make arrangement with the professor so that you can be given another assignment to make it up.
2. There will be two in-class quizzes on 2/20 and 3/27. They constitute 20% of the final grade and will be consisted of important terms and concepts that we have discussed in class. Please note that no make-up will be allowed unless there is documented proof for medical or other emergencies, which make it impossible for you to take the quiz.

3.  A term paper about 10 pages on some aspect of Chinese religion which particularly interests you. This is due on 5/1. A title and bibliography are due before the spring break. The paper constitutes 20% of the final grade.

4. There will be a final examination. It is comprehensive, covering the material for the semester. Its format will be essay type questions. It constitutes 40% of the grade.

1/23                 Introduction: The Nature of Chinese Religion

                        Read: Ching, 1-12

                                  Lopez, 3-37

                                  Yang, Ch I

1/25, 30

2/1                   Shang and Chou Religion

                        Read: Ching, 15-50

                                   Lopez, #1

                                   Sommer, 3-12; 13-39

                                   Yang, Ch VI

2/6, 8,

2/13, 15            The Confucian Persuasion: The Sacred as Secular

                        Read: Ching, 51-84

                                  Sommer, 41-70

                                  Fingarette, Ch 1, 3, 5

                                  Yang, Ch X

                                  Selections from D.C. Lau, The Analects

                        First Quiz on 2/20

2/20, 22,

2/27, 3/1            Taoist Naturalism and Mysticism

                        Read: Ching, 85-101

                                  Sommer, 71-98

                                  Lopez, #2, #10,

                                  Kohn, 11-62

                                  Selections from Mair, Tao-te-ching and Wandering on the Way

3/6                   Han Religion

                        Read: Sommer, 101-106

                                  Lopez, #18

3/8, 13             Religious Taoism and the Cult of Immortality

                        Read: Ching, 102-118

                                   Sommer, 145-151

                                   Lopez, #2, #9, #11, #13, #27

3/15, 27            Buddhism: Major Sutras and Cultic Practices

                        Read: Ching, 121-136

                                  Sommer, 127-143

                                  Lopez,#14, #19, #21, #28, #29

                                  Wright, Buddhism in Chinese History

                        Second Quiz on 3/27

3/29, 4/3            Buddhism: Pure Land and Ch’an

                        Read: Ching, 137-152

                                  Sommer, 119-125, 155-168, 331-342

4/5                   Buddhism: The Cult of Kuan-yin

                        Read: Lopez, #5, #6

                                  Yü, Ch 4

4/10, 12            Neo-Confucianism in the Sung and Ming

                        Read: Ching, 153-169

                                  Sommer, 169-175, 183-198, 227-232

                                  Lopez, #7, #23

4/17                 Religion and the State

                        Read: Yang, Ch V, VIII, IX

4/19, 24, 26     Popular Religion in Late Imperial and Contemporary China

                        Read: Sommer, 233-278, 281-302, 317-329

                                  Lopez, #4, #34, #35; #16, #24

                                  Jordan, Gods, Ghosts and Ancestors

                                  Yang, Ch II, III, XII

5/1                   Maosim and Religion in Contemporary China

                        Read: Sommer, 303-316

                                  Yang, Ch XIV

                        Term Paper Due