CAH5711 · Chinese Written Characters, Literary Chinese, and East Asian History

1) This course will introduce the roles and functions of Chinese characters as the common writing medium in East Asian history (China, Korea, Viet Nam, and Japan), and the roles of literary Chinese (wenyanwen) as their common writing system before the modern time as well. 2) It will introduce the students the general knowledge on Chinese written characters as the most important starting point and basis as we think about East Asian traditions and cultural heritage. 3) It will also lecture on the shift to the modern writing vernaculars in the transition of modern East Asian context. 4) It will…