BA Art History and Chinese

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This course examines various facets of Chinese and East Asian visual cultures from early modern to contemporary periods, with consideration also given to diaspora communities. Chronologically and thematically organised, the course situates visual cultures of China and East Asia within the broader world by delineating: (1) the visual materialisation of cross-cultural communication between early modern China and Europe; (2) multiple sites of visual modernity shaped by the intercultural mediascape both within and without East Asia; and (3) the engagement of Chinese and Asian diaspora filmmakers with global new-wave cinema. The course ultimately aims to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the vibrant interactions between Chinese, East Asian, and other visual cultures in the world by exploring how China has been deeply embedded in East Asian contexts and the larger world beyond.

This course aims to: 

• familiarise students with visual, textual, and multimedia materials pertinent to Chinese andg East Asian visual cultures from the seventeenth century to today;
• cultivate students’ skills of close reading and audiovisual analysis; 
• develop students’ ability to analyse Chinese and East Asian visual materials through English translation in conjunction with the historical contexts in which they were produced; and
• develop students’ critical skills in reading, thinking, writing, and presenting. 

This course will employ mixed lecture-seminars, screenings, directed readings, and Blackboard.

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• become familiar with visual materials that embody cross-cultural exchanges between China, Easy Asia, and the world beyond;
• better understand the complex habitus many contemporary Chinese and East Asian filmmakers find themselves in and to appreciate how they socially manoeuvre within and against these confines; 
• demonstrate an ability to critically engage with the themes discussed in the module; and 
• be more aware of the interconnectedness of art and culture and the position(s) they hold in contemporary societies. 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• think critically and engage in well-informed discussions; 
• critically engage with a variety of secondary literature from across different disciplines; 
• construct coherent, persuasive, and well-supported arguments in writing; and 
• process and understand complicated concepts in the field of Chinese and East Asian contemporary cinema. 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• prepare audio-visual presentations; 
• manage time and work to deadlines; 
• apply critical reading skills; 
• assess the relevance and importance of the ideas of others;
• present information, ideas and arguments, orally and in writing, with due regard to the target audience; and 
• demonstrate skills of analysis 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

• prepare audio-visual presentations; 
• express themselves with confidence; 
• manage time and work to deadlines; 
• apply critical reading skills; 
• assess the relevance and importance of the ideas of others; 
• present information, ideas and arguments, orally and in writing, with due regard to the target audience; and 
• demonstrate skills of analysis

Resit Assessment:

Essay

All assigned books, book chapters, and journal articles will be available through Blackboard and the library portal. 

Sample Secondary Readings:

1. Kleutghen, Kristina. Imperial Illusions: Crossing Pictorial Boundaries in the Qing Palaces. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2015. 
2. Rea, Christopher. Chinese Film Classics, 1922-1949. New York: Columbia University Press, 2021. 
3. Sun, Hongmei. Transforming Monkey: Adaptation and Representation of a Chinese Epic. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2018. 
4. Waltner, Ann. Dream of the Red Chamber: Afterlives. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2022. 

Sample Films:

1. Hou Hsiao-hsien, dir. Flowers of Shanghai.
2. Wong Kar-wai, dir. In the Mood for Love.
3. Zhang Yimou, dir. Raise the Red Lantern.