DIVISION OF HUMANITIES

HUMA 041: GENERAL CHINESE HISTORY: PRE-MODERN

Instructor: HO Kai-lung
Office: 3341 (e-mail: hmklho)
Office Hours: Tue 14:00-14:50 / Thu. 16:30-17:30
Syllabus and Reading List
Description: This course will examine Chinese history from the beginnings of
Chinese civilization to 1840 A. D. There are no prerequisites.
Grades: There will be two examinations in this course. The mid-term examination
will count as 40% of the grade, and the final will count as 50%. Tutorial-class
participations and performance will count as 10%.
Examinations: Questions may include multiple choices, true and false,
identification, and short answer.
Language: No knowledge of Chinese is required for this course. Classes are
conducted in English. However, Chinese characters for names, titles, and terms may
be supplied for the benefit of students who know that language.
Readings:
1) John K. Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China: A New History, Second Enlarged
Edition (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press,
2006).
2) Lecture notes prepared by the instructor.

Tentative Schedule
Week

Introduction
1
Introduction; Origins of Chinese Civilization
Readings: Fairbank, 1-45; Lecture notes

Week

Rise and Decline of the Imperial Autocracy

2
Tutorial; the First Unification I
Readings: Fairbank, 46-71; Lecture notes

Week

3 The First Unification II (and day off)

Readings: Fairbank, 46-71; Lecture notes

Week

4 The First Unification II

Readings: Fairbank, 46-71; Lecture notes

Week

5 Great Disunion; Tutorials

Readings: Fairbank, 72-75; Lecture notes

Week

6
Reunification Tang Empire
Readings: Fairbank, 73-87; Lecture notes

Week

Week

8
China's Greatest Age: Northern and Southern Song I
Readings: Fairbank, 88-107; Lecture notes

Weeks

9
Tutorial; China's Greatest Age: Northern and Southern Song II
Readings: Fairbank, 88-107; Lecture notes

Week

10 the Paradox of Song China and Inner Asia

Readings: Fairbank, 108-127; Lecture notes

Week

11 Tutorial; Government in the Ming Dynasty

Readings: Fairbank, 128-142; Lecture notes

Week

12 Tutorial; The Qing Success Story

Readings: Fairbank, 143-161; Lecture notes

Week

Tutorial; Mid-term Exam

Later Imperial China, 1600-1840

13 The Paradox of Growth without Development; Tutorial
Readings: Fairbank, 163-186; Lecture notes

Final Exam to be scheduled within the Examination Period

Chinese Dynasties Periods

Xia
ca. 2200-ca. 1750 B. C.
Shang (Yin) ()
ca. 1750-ca. 1100 B. C.
Zhou Dynasty
ca. 1100-221 B. C.
Western Zhou (ca. 1100-771 B. C.)
Eastern Zhou (771-221 B. C.)
Spring and Autumn Period (722-468 B. C.)
Warring States Period (403-221 B. C.)
Qin Dynasty
221 B. C.-206 B. C.
Han Dynasty
206 B. C.-A. D. 220
Former/Western Han / (206 B. C.-A. D. 8)
Later/Eastern Han / (A. D. 25-220)
Xin Dynasty
A. D. 9-25
The Three Kingdoms Period
220-265
Wei (220-65)
Wu (220-80)
Shu (221-63)
Jin Dynasty
265-420
Western Jin (265-317)
Eastern Jin (317-420)
Southern Dynasties
420-589
(Liu) Song () (420-79)
Qi (479-502)
Liang (502-57)
Chen (57-89)
Northern Dynasties
3

368-581
Northern Wei (386-534)
Eastern Wei (534-50)
Western Wei (535-77)
Northern Qi (550-77)
Northern Zhou (557-81)
Sui Dynasty
589-618
Tang Dynasty
618-907
Five Dynasties Period
907-60
Later Liang (907-923)
Later Tang (923-936)
Later Jin (936-946)
Later Han (947-950)
Later Zhou (951-960)
Song Dynasty
960-1279
Northern Song (960-1127)
Southern Song (1127-1279)
Liao Dynasty
916-1125
Jin Dynasty
1115-1234
Yuan Dynasty
1260-1368
Ming Dynasty
1368-1644
Qing Dynasty
1644-1911