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2022/2023

Chinese Literature

Code: 105868 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2504012 Spanish and Chinese Studies: Language, Literature and Culture OB 3 2

Contact

Name:
Mireia Vargas Urpi
Email:
mireia.vargas@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Other comments on languages

Spanish, English and Chinese will also be used depending on the texts being studied.

Prerequisites

None.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The aim of the course is to provide students with a panoramic view of the great artistic and literary currents of Chinese literature from its origins to the contemporary era. Upon completion of the course, students will learn about the chronology of Chinese literature, the major works of classical Chinese literature, as well as the most important works of Chinese literature of the 20th and 21st centuries. In addition, they must be able to decipher the aesthetic and literary keys of these works, and must also be able to identify and place the texts of the Chinese tradition in the original context based on their reading. Students will also need to be able to analyze classical texts in translation, and modern and contemporary texts in translation or original (if they are simple). Students are also expected to be able to justify their analysises and to critically present works from the Chinese tradition, modern and contemporary times.

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Carry out critical reading and interpretation of texts using linguistic and literary concepts acquired.
  • Comment on literary texts in Spanish and in Chinese, situate them historically and relate them to the literary trends to which they belong.
  • Compare Spanish and Chinese from a literary and linguistic knowledge of both languages.
  • Demonstrate skills that facilitate teamworking.
  • Evaluate the influence of cultural references in Chinese studies in interlinguistic and intercultural communication.
  • Recognise the bases of the history of East Asia in general and China in particular, and interpret the historical and cultural relations and interactions between Europe and Asia.
  • Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Understand texts written in Mandarin Chinese at an intermediate level (B1, B2).
  • Use techniques for compilation, organisation and use of information and documentation with precision.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply strategies for acquiring cultural knowledge for interpreting.
  2. Apply strategies for acquiring cultural knowledge for translation.
  3. Apply the perspective of gender to the analysis of literary production in modern and contemporary East Asia.
  4. Demonstrate a knowledge of literary trends.
  5. Describe and analyse values, beliefs and ideologies of East Asia.
  6. Describe, analyse and evaluate the history, thought and literature of East Asia.
  7. Describe, analyse and valorise the history, thought and literature of East Asia.
  8. Develop critical thought and reasoning and know how to communicate them effectively in both your own and in a third language.
  9. Develop strategies for autonomous learning.
  10. Differentiate between literary genres and identify the specificities.
  11. Ensure quality standards for your own work.
  12. Evaluate the result obtained in the process of searching for documentation and information and to update knowledge of the history, literature, language, thought and art.
  13. Explain the explicit or implicit code of practice of one's own area of knowledge.
  14. Generate innovate and competitive perspectives in research and in professional activity.
  15. Have cultural knowledge to be able to interpret.
  16. Have cultural knowledge to be able to translate.
  17. Identify and describe the processes and events of pre-modern, modern and contemporary history.
  18. Identify the need to mobilise cultural knowledge to be able to translate.
  19. Identify, differentiate between and use different linguistic genres.
  20. Integrate cultural knowledge to resolve problems of interpreting.
  21. Integrate cultural knowledge to resolve problems of translation.
  22. Integrate literary knowledge to solve translation problems.
  23. Know and understand the foundations of comparative cultural studies.
  24. Know and understand the pre-modern, modern and contemporary history of East Asia.
  25. Know, understand, describe and analyse the values, beliefs and ideologies of East Asia.
  26. Make document searches in the languages of East Asian countries.
  27. Possess interpersonal skills.
  28. Recognise the connotations of specific cultural references in the area of East Asia studies, and evaluate their influence on interlinguistic and intercultural communication.
  29. Recognise the need to mobilise cultural knowledge to be able to interpret.
  30. Recognise the referential universe of written and spoken texts in the languages of East Asia.
  31. Resolve problems of intercultural communication.
  32. Use different tools for specific purposes in the field of history.
  33. Work in teams in a multilingual and multicultural context.
  34. Work in teams in an international multilingual and multicultural context.

Content

This compulsory third-year subject will introduce students to Chinese literature from the earliest times to the present day by studying its main characteristics, the most representative currents, the main authors and some of the most relevant literary texts (in translation, with the exception of some easier modern and contemporary texts of which the original in Chinese will also be provided).


The course is divided into two major blocks: one for classical Chinese literature and one focusing on modern and contemporary literature.

The part related to classical literature includes the following teaching units (TU) that can last one or more sessions:
• TU1.1: The concept of literature in classical China and literary genres.
• TU1.2: Pre-imperial literature (Shang and Zhou dynasties, classics, philosophical writings)
• TU1.3: Literature after the construction of the Chinese empire (Qin and Han dynasties)
• TU1.4: Poetry from the Han Dynasty to the Tang
• TU1.5: The poetry of the Tang and Song dynasties
• TU1.6: Theater in China (origins and theater of the imperial era)
• TU1.7: Introduction to Chinese narrative (origins, Dunhuang Buddhist literature, extraordinary stories, Ming and Qing narrative)

The part relating to modern and contemporary Chinese literature provides for the following TUs:
• TU2.1: Sunset of the Qing Dynasty and towards linguistic and literary modernity
• TU2.2: Four of May, renewal, realism and the figure of Lu Xun
• TU2.3: The literary movement of butterflies
• TU2.4: Modernism
• TU2.5: Interwar literature
• TU2.6: Maoism and revolutionary literature
• TU2.7: Eighties and nineties: post-Maoist literature and towards a market literature
• TU2.8: Literature of the 21st century
• TU2.9: Sinophone literature: Taiwan and Southeast Asia

Methodology

The course is divided into two large blocks of the same length. The first will be dedicated to classical literature and the second to modern and contemporary literature.
In each block, the presentations of the great literary movements, of the most representative authors will be combined with the reading and commentary of specific works (or fragments).
Students must actively participate in the classes.
Text files that will contain the basic readings, as well as the compulsory bibliography of the subject will be uploaded to Moodle.
Students are also expected to study in order to supplement the information given during the guided sessions.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Analysis of texts 22.5 0.9 1, 2, 3, 12, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 13, 26, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 29, 28, 31, 15, 16, 27, 34, 33, 32, 11
Lectures 26 1.04 3, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 10, 13, 17, 18, 30, 29, 28, 31
Type: Supervised      
Reading texts 30 1.2 1, 2, 12, 5, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 21, 30, 29, 28, 31, 32
Type: Autonomous      
Study (primary and secondary sources) 47.5 1.9 3, 12, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 10, 26, 17, 19, 22, 30, 28, 15, 16

Assessment

The continuous assessment includes 5 tests, 2 for the classical literature part (50% of the final grade) and 3 for the modern and contemporary literature part (50% of the final grade).
The part related to classical literature will be evaluated as follows:
• Test 1.1: Test on poetry books and anthological texts (20% of the final grade) This test will be based on the reading of the chosen poem book and the anthological texts contained in the COMPULSORY READING folder that you will find in moodle. In this test you will have to answer two questions related to the book of poems and two to some of the anthological readings. All are short answer questions.
• Test 1.2: Knowledge test (30% of the final grade of the subject). This test will be based on the knowledge of the evolution of classical Chinese literature from its birth to the Qing dynasty. It can include multiple choice questions, true/false questions, and questions that foresee VERY short answers.

The part related to modern and contemporary literature will be evaluated as follows:
• Test 2.1: Knowledge test (20% of the final grade). This test will be based on the knowledge of the evolution of modern and contemporary Chinese literature from early modernity to the present day. It can include multiple choice questions, true/false questions, and questions that foresee VERY short answers.
• Test 2.2: Test related to short readings (20% of the final grade). In moodle, you will find short readings by Chinese authors that you must read in order to answer the questions related to this test.
• Test 2.3: Reading essay (10% of the final grade): it will be about one of the compulsory novels to choose from. (Model reading essay will be provided in moodle). The file must include the complete bibliographic data and a synopsis of the chosen book. This essay can be written in Catalan, Spanish or other languages (English, French, Italian or Chinese), but correctness will be considered as part of the evaluation criteria.

Tests 1.1 and 1.2 will be carried out during class hours as soon as the part relating to classical literature is completed.
Tests 2.1 and 2.2 will take place during class hours on the last day of the subject.
The reading essay must be handed, approximately, in mid-May.
Attention: all tests are mandatory, except test 2.3. However, if the reading sheet is not delivered, the mark for this test will be 0.

 

Review

When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for reviewing assessment activities. Students must arrange reviews in agreement with the lecturer.

Missed/failed assessment activities

Students may retake assessment activities they have failed or compensate for any they have missed, provided that those they have actually performed account for a minimum of 66.6% (two thirds) of the subject's final mark and that they have a weighted average mark of at least 3.5. Under no circumstances may an assessment activity worth 100% of the final mark be retaken or compensated for. The lecturer will inform students of the procedure involved, in writing, when publishing final marks prior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer may set one assignment per failed or missed assessment activity or a single assignment to cover a number of such activities.

Classification as "not assessable"

In the event of the assessment activities a student has performed accounting for just 25% or less of the subject's final mark, their work will be classified as "not assessable" on their transcript.

Misconduct in assessment activities

Students who engage in misconduct (plagiarism, copying, personation, etc.) in an assessment activity will receive a mark of "0" for the activity in question. In the case of misconduct in more than one assessment activity, the students involved will be given a finalmark of "0" for the subject. Students may not retake assessment activities in which they are found to have engaged in misconduct. Plagiarism is considered to mean presenting all or part of an author's work, whether published in print or in digital format, as one's own, i.e. without citing it. Copying is considered to mean reproducing all or a substantial part of another student's work. In cases of copying in which it is impossible to determine which of two students has copied the work of the other, both will be penalised.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Reading essay 10% 9 0.36 1, 2, 3, 12, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 13, 26, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 29, 28, 31, 15, 16, 27, 34, 33, 32, 11
Test 1.1 (Classical Literature) 20% 2 0.08 1, 2, 3, 12, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 29, 28, 31, 15, 16, 32
Test 1.2 (Classical Literature) 30% 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 29, 28, 15, 16, 32
Test 2.2 (Modern and contemporary literature) 20% 2 0.08 3, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 17, 18, 19, 30, 29, 28, 15, 16, 32
Test 2.2. (Modern and contemporary literature) 20% 8 0.32 1, 2, 3, 23, 24, 25, 4, 5, 7, 6, 9, 8, 10, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 29, 28, 31, 15, 16, 32, 11

Bibliography

Classical Chinese literature

Compulsory reading (Attention: the teacher use Moodle to announce which parts need to be studied)

  • Documents shared via Moodle (it is compulsory having read them before classe)
  • Dañino, Guillermo. Esculpiendo dragones: antología de la literatura china (tomos 1 y 2). Lima: Fondo Editorial PUCP, 1996.
  • Denecke, Wiebke; Li, Wai-yee; Tian, Xiaofei. The Oxford Handbook of Classical Chinese Literature. Oxford: OUP, 2017.
  • Prado-Fonts, Carles i Martínez-Robles, David (eds.), Relinque Eleta, Alicia. Narrativas chinas: ficciones y otras formas de no-literatura: de la dinastía Tang al siglo XXI. Barcelona: UOC, 2008
  • Martínez-Robles, David; Prado-Fonts, Carles (coords.); Llamas González de Amezúa, Regina; Relinque Eleta, Alicia; Suárez Girard, Anne-Hélène. Literatura xinesa. Barcelona: UOC, 2004.

 

Additionally, one of the following poetry anthologies must be read:

 

  • Du Fu (2006). Bosque de pinceles. Selección, traducción y notas de Guillermo Dañino. Madrid: Hyperion.
  • Du Fu (2001). El vuelo oblicuo de las golondrinas. Edición de Clara Janés y Juan Ignacio Preciado Idoeta. Madrid: Ediciones del Oriente y del Mediterráneo.
  • Li Bai (2005). A punto de partir. Traducción del chino por Anne Hélène Suárez. Madrid: Editorial Pre-Textos.
  • Pérez Villalón, Fernando (2013). Escrito en el aire – tres poetas clásicos chinos. Traducción y selección de Fernando Pérez Villalón. Santiago de Chile: Ediciones Tácitas
  • Suárez Girard, Anne-Hélène (2000). 99 cuartetos de Wang Wei y su círculo. Edición y traducción del chino de Anne- Hélène Suárez. Valencia: Editorial Pre- Textos.
  • Suárez Girard, Anne-Hélène (2003). 111 cuartetos de Bai Juyi. Edición y traducción del chino de Anne Hélène Suárez. Valencia: Editorial Pre- Textos.
  • Wang Wei (1999). Poemas del río Wang. Traducción de Juan Ignacio Preciado Idoeta. Versos en castellano de Clara Janés. Guadarrama: Ediciones del Oriente y del Mediterráneo

 

Modern and contemporary Chinese literature 

Bibliografia obligatòria:

  • Documents shared via Moodle
  • Prado-Fonts, Carles i Martínez-Robles, David (eds.), Relinque Eleta, Alicia. Narrativas chinas: ficciones y otras formas de no-literatura: de la dinastía Tang al siglo XXI. Barcelona: UOC, 2008. (només des de p. 117 fins a p. 198)

 

Recommended:

Denton, Kirk A. The Columbia Companion to Modern Chinese Literature. New York, Columbia University Press, 2016.

Mcdougall, Bonnie S. The Literature of China in the Twentieth Century. New York: Columbia University Press, 1999

 

Compulsory reading:

  • Available in the Moodle.

 

One of the following literary works must be chosen for the reading essay. To know which novel to choose, you might consult: https://dtieao.uab.cat/txicc/lite/

  • Ba Jin, Nits fredes (trad. Eulàlia Jardí). Barcelona, 2013: Viena
  • Ba Jin, Familia (trad. Eulàlia Jardí). Barcelona, 2014: Libros del Asteroide
  • Chi Zijian, The Last Quarter of the Moon (trad. Bruce Humes). London, 2014: Vintage Books
  • Ge Fei, El invisible (trad. Miguel Ángel Petrecca). Buenos Aires, 2016: Adriana Hidalgo Editora
  • Gu Hua, Hibisco (trad. Ramón Alonso Pérez). Barcelona, 1989: Caralt
  • Jia Pingwa, Ciudad difunta (trad. Blas Piñero Martínez). Madrid, 2018: Kailás
  • Hao Jingfang, Vagabundos (trad. Agustín Alepuz). Barcelona, 2020: Nova
  • Lao She, El camello Xiangzi (trad. Blas Piñero Martínez). A Coruña, 2011: Ediciones del Viento
  • Li Ang, Matar al marit (trad. Mireia Vargas). Barcelona, 2021: Les Males Herbes
  • Liu Cixin. La esfera luminosa (trad. Javier Altayó). Barcelona, 2019: Nova
  • Ma Boyong, El zoo en el fin del mundo (trad. Anne-Hélène Suárez). Barcelona 2022: Destino
  • Mo Yan, El clan del sorgo rojo (trad. Blas Piñero). Madrid 2016: Kailás
  • Mo Yan, El suplicio del aroma de sándalo (trad. Blas Piñero). Madrid, 2014: Kailas
  • Pai HsienYung, Crystal Boys (trad. Howard Goldblatt). San Fracisco, CA, 1993: Gay Sunshine Press
  • Qian Zhongshu, La fortaleza asediada (trad. Taciana Fisac). Barcelona, 2009: Anagrama
  • Qiu Miaojin, Apuntes de un cocodrilo (trad. Belén Cuadra Mora). Madrid, 2020: Gallo Nero
  • Wang Xiaobo, La edad del oro (trad. Miguel Sala Montoro). Madrid, 2020: Galaxia Gutenberg
  • Wang Zhenhe, Rosa rosa amore mio (trad. Anna Di Toro). Roma, 2014: Editrice Orientalia
  • Wu Zhuoliu, Orphan of Asia (trad. Ioannis Mentzas). New York, 2006: Columbia University Press
  • Yan Ge, The Chilli Bean Paste Clan (trad. Nicky Harman). London, 2018: Balestier Press
  • Yan Lianke, El somni del poble Ding (trad. Carla Benet). Barcelona, 2021: Les Altres Herbes.
  • Yan Lianke, Los besos de Lenin (trad. Belén Cuadra Mora). Madrid, 2015: Automática
  • Yeng Pway Ngon, Costume (trad. Jeremy Tiang). Singapore, 2020: Balestier Press
  • Yeng Pway Ngon, Unrest (trad. Jeremy Tiang). Singapore, 2018: Balestier Press
  • Yu Hua, Crónica de un vendedor de sangre (trad. Anne-Hélène Suárez Girard). Barcelona, 2014:Seix Barral
  • Xiao Hong, Campo de vida y de muerte (trad. Teresa Tejeda Martín). Barcelona, 2017: EdicionesBellaterra.
  • Zhang Guixing, My South Seas Sleeping Beauty: A Tale of Memory and Longing (trad. Valerie
  • Jaffee). New York, 2007: Columbia University Press

 

Important: many of the books that have not been published in Spain are available in digital format or at the library. 

Software

Not foreseen.