Professors Kemper (Anthropology), Hirai (History), J. Strong (Religion) (on leave, winter semester), and Grafflin (History), Chair; Associate Professors S. Strong (Japanese), Yang (Chinese), and Maurer-Fazio (Economics) (on leave, 2001-2002); Assistant Professors Shankar (English), Wender (Japanese), Nguyen (Art), and Zou (Chinese); Ms. Miao (Chinese) (on leave, winter semester) and Ms. Ofuji (Japanese) (on leave, fall semester)

Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary program designed to acquaint students with the cultures, economies, histories, arts, languages, literatures, and religions of Asian societies. The program offers a major in East Asian studies and a secondary concentration in South Asian studies (see below). Students majoring in East Asian studies may also pursue a secondary concentration in Chinese or Japanese. Students interested in majoring exclusively in Chinese or Japanese should consult the descriptions of those majors in this catalog under the Department of German, Russian, and East Asian Languages and Literatures.

Major Requirements. The East Asian studies major has the following requirements:

1) At least two years (four courses) of Chinese or Japanese language. Two courses of this four-course requirement may be waived for students who prove proficiency in the language in tests approved by the program. Students who obtain such a waiver must fulfill their major requirement by taking two non-language courses to substitute for the waived language courses.

2) History 171 or 172.

3) Two courses from two of the following three groups:

a) Chinese 207 or Japanese 240;
b) Economics 229 or 231;
c) Religion 208 or 209.

4) Three more courses (or two courses and one unit) from the list of courses in East Asian studies. At most one of these courses may be a language course.

5) A senior thesis normally written under the direction of a faculty advisor in East Asian studies with one course of appropriate preparatory work to be determined in consultation with the advisor. Honors candidates must complete Asian Studies 457 and 458 and sustain an oral defense of their thesis.

6) Distribution requirements: In fulfilling their major requirements, students must make sure that they take at least one course dealing primarily with China and one dealing primarily with Japan. Students are urged to take at least one course dealing with pre-modern culture (China or Japan) and one course dealing with the modern period (China or Japan).

7) It is recommended that East Asian studies majors spend their junior year or at least one semester at a College-approved program in Taiwan, mainland China, or Japan. Majors interested in Japan are advised, though not required, to spend their junior year at the Associated Kyoto Program (AKP).

Students may petition the program to have courses taken during their study abroad program applied toward the fulfillment of major requirements 1–4. The program normally approves a maximum of two language courses and two non-language courses toward this end.

Pass/Fail Grading Option. Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major in East Asian studies.

Secondary Concentration in South Asian Studies. Students may complete a secondary concentration in South Asian studies by taking six courses from among the following:

Anthropology 240. Peoples and Societies of South Asia.
Anthropology 244/Religion 263. Buddhism and the Social Order.

Art/Asian Studies 245. Monuments of Southeast Asia.

Asian Studies 360. Independent Study.

English 260. Literature of South Asia.
English 395G. Postcolonial Literatures and Theory.

Religion 249. Religions of India: The Hindu Tradition.

In addition, the program recommends that secondary concentrators spend a semester abroad in the ISLE program in Sri Lanka, the SITA program in South India, or at some other College-approved study abroad program in South Asia. Students may petition the program to have courses taken in their study abroad program applied toward the fulfillment of secondary concentration requirements.

Pass/Fail Grading Option. Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the secondary concentration in South Asian studies.

The following courses may be taken to fulfill the East Asian studies major requirements:

Art/Asian Studies 243. Buddhist Visual Worlds.
Art/Asian Studies 246. Visual Narratives: Storytelling in East Asian Art.
Art/Asian Studies 247. The Art of Zen Buddhism.
Art/Asian Studies 380. Stupas: Forms and Meanings.
Art/Asian Studies s36. Buddhist Objects and Their Contexts.

Asian Studies/History 173. Korea and Its Culture.
Asian Studies/Japanese 210. Heterogeneous Japan.
Asian Studies 280. Ethnicity and Gender: United States, Japan, and Korea.

Chinese 101–102. Beginning Chinese I and II.
Chinese 201–202. Intermediate Chinese.
Chinese 207. Masterworks of Chinese Literature in Translation.
Chinese 209. Modern China through Film and Fiction.
Chinese 261. Self and Society in Chinese Culture: Classics and Folk Tales.
Chinese 301–302. Upper-Level Modern Chinese.
Chinese 401. Advanced Chinese.
Chinese 415. Readings in Classical Chinese.
Chinese s24. Chinese Language and Culture in Beijing, China.
Chinese s30. Chinese Calligraphy and Etymology.

Economics 229. Economics of Greater China.
Economics 231. Economic Development of Japan.
Economics s27. Sustaining the Masses.

English/Women and Gender Studies 121G. Asian American Women Writers.
English/Women and Gender Studies 395S. Asian American Women Writers, Filmmakers, and Critics.

History 171. China and Its Culture.
History 172. East Asian Civilizations: Japan.
History 274. China in Revolution.
History 275. Japan in the Age of Imperialism.
History 276. Japan since 1945 through Film and Literature.
History 278. Taiwan.
History 374. Understanding Chinese Thought.
History 390A. World War II in the Pacific.
History s25A. Japanese American Relocation Camps.
History s30. Food in Japanese History.

Japanese 101–102. Beginning Japanese I and II.
Japanese 201–202. Intermediate Japanese I and II.
Japanese 240. Japanese Literature: A Survey.
Japanese 250. Modern Japanese Womens Literature.
Japanese 301–302. Intermediate Japanese III and IV.
Japanese 401, 402. Advanced Japanese I and II.
Japanese s25. Haiku Poetry.
Japanese s32. Appreciation of Japanese People and Society through Films.

Religion 208. Religions of East Asia: China.
Religion 209. Religions of East Asia: Japan.
Religion 308. Buddhist Texts in Translation.
Religion 309. Buddhism in East Asia.

Courses
125. Japanese Literature and Society. This course examines major trends in Japanese literature and society from its beginnings to the present. Are there features of Japanese culture that continue unchanging through time? How have ideas of what is artistically valuable been linked with ideas of what is Japanese? How valid are the claims that Japanese culture is intimately involved with the appreciation of nature and the seasons? Students examine visual, literary, and historical texts, including classical narratives and painting scrolls of aristocratic culture, early modern plays and prints of samurai and geisha, and recent stories and films exploring questions of individual and national identity. All readings are in English. Open to first-year students. This course is the same as Japanese 125. M. Wender, S. Strong. New course beginning 2002-2003.

173. Korea and Its Culture. The course examines the distinctive evolution of Korean civilization within the East Asian cultural sphere, from its myths of origin through its struggles to survive amidst powerful neighbors, to the twentieth-century challenges of colonial domination and its poisonous legacies of civil war and division, and the puzzles of redefining a hierarchical Neo-Confucian state in the context of global capitalism. This course is the same as History 173. (East Asian) (premodern) M. Wender, D. Grafflin.

208. Religions of East Asia: China. A study of the various religious traditions of China in their independence and interaction. The focus of the course is on the history, doctrines, and practices of Taoism, Confucianism, and various schools of Mahayana Buddhism. Readings include basic texts and secondary sources. Open to first-year students. This course is the same as Religion 208. J. Strong. Cross-listed beginning 2002-2003.

209. Religions of East Asia: Japan. A study of the various religious traditions of Japan in their independence and interaction. The focus of the course is on the doctrines and practices of Shinto, folk religion, and various schools of Buddhism. These are considered in the context of Japanese history and culture and set against their Korean and Chinese backgrounds. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. This course is the same as Religion 209. J. Strong. Cross-listed beginning 2002-2003.

210. Heterogeneous Japan. Scholars of Japan have long portrayed Japan as culturally homogenous. In recent years, however, people in and outside the academy have begun to challenge this assumption. In this course, students examine autobiography, fiction, and films that foreground Japan's ethnic, regional, and socioeconomic diversity. Readings also may include historical and analytical essays and theoretical works on the relationship of modernity, national identity, and narrative. Conducted in English. This course is the same as Japanese 210. M. Wender.

243. Buddhist Visual Worlds. The course examines the history and basic teachings of Buddhism from the perspectives of visual culture. It provides an introduction to a broad spectrum of Buddhist art, beginning with the emergence of early Buddhist sculpture in India and ending with Buddhist centers in the United States. Topics covered include the iconography of principal members of the Buddhist pantheon, the effect of social and political conditions on patronage, and two important schools of Buddhism: Ch'an/Zen and Pure Land. This course is the same as Art 243. Open to first-year students. T. Nguyen.

245. Monuments of Southeast Asia. This course examines the arts of Southeast Asia by focusing on significant monuments of the countries in the region. It examines the architecture, sculpture, and relief carvings on the monuments and their relations to religious, cultural, political, and social contexts. Sites covered include Borobudur Angkor, Pagan, and the Hue Citadel. This course is the same as Art 245. Open to first-year students. T. Nguyen.

246. Visual Narratives: Storytelling in East Asian Art. This course examines the important artistic tradition of narrative paintings in China and Japan. Through study of visually narrative presentations of religious, historical, and popular stories, the course explores different contexts in which the works—tomb, wall, and scroll paintings—were produced. Emphasis is also given to the biographical and social contexts of the Japanese narrative scrolls. The course introduces various modes of visual analysis and art historical contexts. Topics include narrative theory, text-image relationships, elite patronage, and gender representation. Recommended background: History 171, 172, and Japanese 240. This course is the same as Art 246. Open to first-year students. T. Nguyen.

247. The Art of Zen Buddhism. The art of Zen (Ch'an) as the unique and unbounded expression of the liberated mind has attracted Westerners since the mid-twentieth century. But what is Zen, its art, and its culture? This course takes a broad view of Zen art, its historical development, and considers its use in several genres within monastic and lay settings. It also examines the underlying of Zen art. The course aims to help students understand the basic teachings and historical development of Zen with a strong emphasis on appreciation of Zen art expressed through architecture, gardens, sculpture, painting, poetry, and calligraphy. Recommended background: Art 243, Religion 208, 209, 250, or 309. This course is the same as Art 247. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. T. Nguyen.

249. Religions of India: The Hindu Tradition. An examination, through the use of primary and secondary texts, of the various traditions of Hinduism, with some consideration of their relation to Jainism and Indian Buddhism. Special attention is paid to the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad-Gita, as well as to the classical myths of Hinduism embodied in the Puranas. Open to first-year students. This course is the same as Religion 249. J. Strong. Cross-listed beginning 2002-2003.

250. The Buddhist Tradition. The course focuses on the Buddha's life and teachings; on early Buddhism in India and the rise of various Buddhist schools of thought; on the development of Mahayana philosophies; on rituals, meditation, and other forms of expression in India and Southeast Asia. Open to first-year students. This course is the same as Religion 250. J. Strong. Cross-listed beginning 2002-2003.

251. Religions of Tibet. Tibetan religions are a complex mixture of Indian, Chinese, and indigenous elements. This course focuses on the history, doctrines, practices, literatures, major personalities, and communities of the different religious traditions that are expressions of this mixture, including the rNying ma, bKa' brgyud, Sa skya and dGe lugs sects of Buddhism as well as the Bön and "folk" traditions. Not open to students who have received credit for Religion 307. This course is the same as Religion 251. J. Strong. Cross-listed beginning 2002-2003.

280. Ethnicity and Gender: United States, Japan, and Korea. Ethnic and gender identities are formed not only by family relations and local customs but by individuals' sense of their nation and its place in diplomatic, military, and economic relations. This course explores the United States and two of its most important economic and military allies, Japan and Korea. In connecting international relations with gender and ethnicity, students see how defining others' identities is essential in the process of self-definition. How does prostitution around military bases affect the U.S. view of Korean women? How do Japanese and Koreans evaluate African American culture and how does this influence their own identity? Why is violent Japanese popular culture popular in America? Texts include fiction, ethnography, history, and films. No knowledge of Korea or Japan is assumed. Open to first-year students. Not open to students who have received credit for Japanese 280. M. Wender.

308. Buddhist Texts in Translation. This seminar involves the close reading and discussion of a number of texts representing a variety of Buddhist traditions. Emphasis is placed on several different genres including canonical sutras, commentarial exegeses, philosophical treatises, and popular legends. Prerequisite(s): Religion 250 or Anthropology 244/Religion 263. Enrollment limited to 20. This course is the same as Religion 308. J. Strong. Cross-listed beginning 2002-2003.

309. Buddhism in East Asia. This seminar focuses on the teachings, traditions, and contemplative practices of a number of East Asian schools of Buddhism, including the T'ien-t'ai (Tendai), Huayen (Kegon), Ch'an (Zen), Chen-yen (Shingon), and Pure Land traditions. Special consideration is given to the question of the continuities and discontinuities in the ways these schools became established in China, Korea, and Japan. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Religion 208, 209, or 250. This course is the same as Religion 309. J. Strong. Cross-listed beginning 2002-2003.

360. Independent Study. Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair is required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Staff.

380. Stupas: Forms and Meanings. Stupas are the most pervasive and symbolic form of Buddhist architecture in South, Southeast, and East Asia. Buddhist stupas serve as the symbols of illumination, repositories for the relics of revered persons. They also serve as a universal symbol, embodiments of metaphysical principles and multivalent meanings. This seminar not only examines different architectural forms of stupas, but also studies religious concepts and symbolic meanings expressed in stupas in Buddhist Asia. Recommended background: one of the following: Anthropology 244, Art/Asian Studies 243, Religion 250, 251, 308 or 309. This course is the same as Art 380. Enrollment limited to 15. T. Nguyen. Prerequisites changed to Recommended background beginning Winter 02 semester.

457, 458. Senior Thesis. Students register for Asian Studies 457 in the fall semester and for Asian Studies 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Asian Studies 457 and 458. Prerequisite(s): one course of appropriate preparatory work to be determined in consultation with the advisor.