EAST 140
Traditional East Asian Civilization
An introductory survey of East Asia from the dawn of indigenous civilization to the 16th century. Focus on the growth of a Sinitic center and its interaction with the sedentary and nomadic peoples on its Inner Asian and Pacific rims. Emphasis on the diverse peoples and societies of the area and the historical processes that bound them together through a common tradition. 6 units. Also listed as History 160, Ethnic Studies 121.
EAST 150
Modern East Asian Civilization
An introductory survey of the modern history of East Asia, examining the efforts of traditional states, particularly China and Japan, to respond to Western intrusion into the region after 1600. Focus on social and cultural problems created by attempts to modernize yet defend tradition and on the differing results of Chinese and Japanese approaches. 6 units. Also listed as History 165.
EAST 175
Introduction to the Arts of China and Japan
An introductory survey of the traditional arts of China and Japan from prehistoric times until the beginning of the modern era. The course will examine representative examples of painting, sculpture, architecture, garden designs, and the decorative arts in the context of religious practices and historical developments. 6 units. Also listed as Art History 17.
EAST 220
Buddhism
A survey of Buddhist thought, focusing on both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions. Attention to the evolution of key religious and philosophical ideas and their impact on Buddhist practices and institutions from India to Eastern Asia. Readings include sections from the Tripitaka, or canonical works, as well as allied literary and philosophical works. 6 units. Also listed as Religious Studies 220.
EAST 255
Special Topics in Ceramics: Asian Craft and Design
A combination of research and studio practice. Through slide lectures, readings, and discussions, this course will survey the historical development of traditional through contemporary crafts and design in China, Korea, and Japan, and focus on the diverse craft customs of Japan in particular. Emphasis will be placed on independent research to develop ideas and critical thinking and on building a variety of ceramic skills to achieve a personal body of work. 6 units. Also listed as Studio Art 255. Prerequisite: ART 100 or ART 110; ARHI 175 recommended
EAST 260
East Asian Classics in Translation
This introductory course explores encounters with nature in East Asian texts through close reading of primary texts in English translation — Taoist philosophy, lyric poetry, personal memoirs, and fiction — from the traditional periods of China and Japan, ending with a contemporary Japanese novel from the mid-1990s. Particular attention is paid to literary form, voice, aesthetic concerns, and issues relating to humans’ relationship with nature. 6 units. Also listed as Environmental Studies 206, Chinese and Japanese 260. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing EAST 140 recommended
EAST 265
Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture
A survey introducing major characteristics of Japanese language with reference to the structure of Japanese society. Topics include honorifics, use of pronouns, loan words, age and gender differences in the language. The course will also familiarize students with various aspects of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. 6 units. Also listed as Linguistics 265, Chinese and Japanese 265.
EAST 310
Introduction to East Asian Linguistics
Survey of genetic, regional, and typological classification of East Asian languages; writing systems for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan languages; descriptive and comparative analyses of phonological, morphological, and syntactic structures of East Asian languages. More than one language may be investigated in detail. 6 units. Also listed as Linguistics 310, Chinese and Japanese 310.
EAST 335
Political Economy of East Asia
This course examines the policies and politics associated with the emergence and continued dynamism of the East Asian economies. The course will cover various debates over the roles of the state, culture, and market institutions in explaining the region’s rapid economic development and the viability of current development models in a global economy. 6 units.
Also listed as Government 335. Prerequisite: GOVT 140 or sophomore standing
EAST 350
Modern Chinese Literature and Cinema in Translation
A survey of 20th-century Chinese fiction and cinema. Iconoclastic works of modern Chinese vernacular fiction from 1919 through the post-Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) will be juxtaposed alongside films dealing with the same period, such as Yellow Earth (1984) and Farewell, My Concubine (1992) made by the so-called Fifth Generation of film directors (born after 1949, when the People’s Republic was founded). Class conducted in English. No knowledge of Chinese required. 6 units. Also listed as Chinese and Japanese 350. Prerequisite: EAST 150 recommended
EAST 363
China’s Renaissance
This course focuses on the transformation of China’s society and economy during the Song dynasty (960-1279). We will analyze phenomena such as the replacement of an aristocracy by civil servants judged on merit, the liberalization of commerce, the spread of printing, and the reorientation of the Chinese philosophical tradition. (G&C) 6 units. Also listed as History 363
EAST 364
Ethnography of East Asia
An examination of ethnographies on “traditional” as well as contemporary East Asia. Questions of social change and continuity, social organization (including kinship, religious and political structures), economic structures and change, gender, ethnicity and nationalism, and contemporary issues are explored. 6 units. Also listed as Anthropology 364. Prerequisite: ANTH 110 or consent of the instructor
EAST 365
Modern Japanese History, 1868-2000
A discussion course on modern Japanese history from the Meiji Restoration of 1868 to the present. This course focuses on Japanese efforts to build a new, westernized state and society compatible with Japan’s traditional “national polity” and to find a new role in modern East Asia and the world. 6 units. Also listed as History 365, Ethnic Studies 322. Prerequisite: HIST 165
EAST 366
Ethnography of Japan
Critical examination of social and cultural (re)presentations of Japan from the postwar to the postmodern. Exploration of diversities of lived reality and social change in contemporary Japan. Topics include: nationalism and historical consciousness, family and gender ideologies, invisible and visible others, sexuality, pop culture, and the Heisei recession. 6 units. Also listed as Anthropology 366. Prerequisite: ANTH 110 or sophomore standing
EAST 410
Chinese Government and Politics
This course explores the political development, political institutions, forms of political participation, and the policy-making process in the People’s Republic of China. Coverage includes the Chinese Revolution, Maoist China, and contemporary China, with an emphasis on economic reforms and political changes in recent decades. 6 units. Also listed as Government 445. Prerequisite: Junior standing and one of EAST 150, GOVT 245, or HIST 360; or consent of the instructor
EAST 420
Contemporary China
A discussion course on selected issues in the social and cultural history of modern China. Literature, films, documents, and historical studies are examined to explore the intimate side of personal, family, and social life and the nature and impact of social and cultural changes in 20th-century China. 6 units. Also listed as History 360. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
EAST 486
Commerce in Traditional China
China’s state-directed economic growth has begun to make a significant impact on the global market, but it is only the most recent development in a long history of transformation. This course examines policies and attitudes concerning Chinese commerce up to the 18th century. Attitudes toward economic activities and society in Europe and Japan are also treated to provide a broader context. 6 units. Also listed as History 486. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor
EAST 491
Borderlands in Modern East and Inner Asia: History, Culture, and Identity
Seminar on Euro-Asian borderlands, with a focus on East Asia during the Modern period. Adopting a transnational approach, the course examines the fluidity of the concept of the “frontier,” along with various understandings of what borderlands are, from the perspective of both indigenous peoples and those from afar. 6 units. Also listed as History 491. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor
EAST 510
Seminar on Zen Buddhism
Zen Buddhism is perhaps the most widely known form of Buddhism in the West and also the most widely misunderstood. This course provides a detailed look at the history and doctrines of Zen Buddhism in China and Japan. Combining the use of original source materials (in translation) with an emphasis on intellectual history, the course covers specific doctrines that have differentiated the major schools of Zen. 6 units. Also listed as Religious Studies 510. Prerequisite: RLST 220 or consent of instructor
EAST 520
Seminar in Chinese Literature
An introduction to some of China’s greatest literary texts of a single genre, period, author, or theme. Issues addressed include gender relations, responses to traditional roles, and the development of fiction in China. Knowledge of Chinese not required. Advanced students of Chinese language may take concurrently CHJA 190, for three units, and work with the instructor to read excerpts in the original Chinese. 6 units. Also listed as Chinese and Japanese 520
EAST 190, 390, 590, 690
Tutorial Studies in East Asian Studies
Individualized advanced study under regular staff direction on topics not covered in lower-level courses. Variable units.
Prerequisite: Counter registration required
EAST 199, 399, 599, 699
Independent Study in East Asian Studies
Individualized advanced research under staff guidance to prepare a substantial paper, usually for submission for honors. Variable units. Prerequisite: Counter registration required
Recent tutorial topics in East Asian studies
The Chinese Novel Dream of the Red Chamber
Topics in Chinese Linguistics
Elites in Modern Vietnamese History
Readings in Chinese Buddhism
Contemporary Fiction in Chinese
German Imperialism in Qingdao
Chinese Calligraphy
Women in Heian Court Culture
Japanese Linguistics
Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language
Topics in Tibetan Linguistics
Colloquial Amdo Tibetan