Teaching code

4S003698

Academic staff

Barbara Bisetto, Daniele Beltrame

Coordinatore

Barbara Bisetto

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

L-OR/21 - CHINESE AND SOUTH ASIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

Period

I semestre (Lingue e letterature straniere) dal Sep 28, 2020 al Jan 9, 2021.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students should possess a thorough knowledge of the most influential authors and of the main works, genres, and trends, as well as of the historical and cultural context of China’s literary history between the mid-Eighteenth Century and the contemporary era. At the end of the course the students will be able to describe autonomously and with enough critical competence the cultural and literary history of modern China.

Program

First examples of premodern fiction and poetry, the transition from classical to modern Chinese literature, the first blooming of a commercial literature, the first modern literary societies, literature and politics in Republican China, from a literary revolution to a revolutionary literature, modern-era theatre and poetry, the war of resistance against Japan and its reflections in literature, the founding of the People’s Republic of China and communist literature, “seventeen years” (1949-1966) literature, the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), post-Mao era literature, literary trends of the Eighties, the Nineties and the new commercial literature. Some major examples of modern and contemporary fiction and poetry will be examined. Textbooks and materials for the exam: - Denton, Kirk A. (ed.) (2016). "The Columbia Companion to Modern Chinese Literature". New York: Columbia University Press: ONLY essays number 1, 10, 11, 13, 24, 25, 31, 34, 37, 54. - Pesaro, Nicoletta; Pirazzoli, Melinda (2019). "La narrativa cinese del Novecento". Roma: Carocci. In detail: Chapter 1 ALL EXCEPT 1.5 Chapter 2 ALL Chapter 3 – ONLY 3.2, 3.4 e 3.6 Chapter 4 – ONLY 4.1 e 4.4 Chapter 5 – ALL EXCEPT 5.6 Chapter 6 ALL Chapter 7 ALL Chapter 8 – ALL EXCEPT 8.2 e 8.5 Chapter 9 – ALL EXCEPT 9.3 Chapter 10 – ALL EXCEPT 10.4 - Vogelsang, Kai (2014). “Cina. Una storia millenaria”. Torino: Einaudi: ONLY pp. 400-571. - The materials uploaded on the e-learning page of the course. Recommended materials fro further reference: 1) For the history of modern China: - Samarani, Guido (2008). "La Cina del Novecento: Dalla fine dell’impero ad oggi". Torino: Einaudi. [republished as: Samarani, Guida (2017). “La Cina contemporanea. Dalla fine dell’impero ad oggi. Nuova edizione aggiornata e ampliata”. Torino: Einaudi]. - Lavagnino, Alessandra; Mottura, Bettina (2016). "Cina e modernità. Cultura e istituzioni dalle Guerre dell’oppio ad oggi". Roma: Carocci. - Spence, Jonathan (2013). "The Search for Modern China". New York; London: W. W. Norton & Company. 2) For a description of modern and contemporary Chinese literature: - Idema, Wilt; Haft, Lloyd (2000). "Letteratura cinese". Venezia: Cafoscarina. pp. 275-348. - Wang, David Der-Wei (2010). “Chinese Literature from 1841 to 1937”. In: Chang Kang-I Sun; Owen, Stephen (eds.). “The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature, vol. II”. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 413-564. - Yeh, Michelle (2010). “Chinese Literature from 1937 to the present”. In: Chang Kang-I Sun; Owen, Stephen (eds.). “The Cambridge History of Chinese Literature, vol. II”. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 565-705. - Louie, Kam; McDougall, Bonnie S. (1997). "The Literature of China in the Twentieth Century". New York: Columbia University Press. 3) Anthologies of modern and contemporary Chinese literature in translation: - Sabattini, Mario; Santangelo, Paolo (1997). "Il pennello di lacca. La narrativa cinese dalla dinastia Ming ai giorni nostri". Roma; Bari: Laterza, pp. 177-357. - Lau, Joseph S. M.; Goldblatt, Howard (eds.) (2007). "The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Literature". New York: Columbia University Press. - Lau, Joseph S. M.; Hsia, C. T.; Lee, Leo Ou-Fan (eds.) (1981). "Modern Chinese Stories and Novellas 1919-1949". New York: Columbia University Press. - Pedone, Valentina; Zuccheri, Serena (2015). "Letteratura cinese contemporanea. Correnti, autori e testi dal 1949 ad oggi". Milano: Hoepli. - Chen Xiaomei (ed.) (2014). "The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Drama". New York: Columbia University Press.

Examination Methods

The exam will consist in an oral discussion that will test the knowledge of the module’s topics (texts, authors, and genres) and the literary and cultural context.