Spring 2009

ANS 372 • World of Confucians

Course Description

In this course we examine the philosophy and historical context of classical Confucianism. Focusing on the translated writings of Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi, as well as on recently discovered texts found in Warring States tombs, this course examines the systems of thought in early Confucian writings. In addition to discussing the history of ideas, we will also pay close attention to the cultural background of the period and to the social context in which these texts were written by considering such issues as literacy and the transmission of specialized knowledge in ancient China. The focus of the course will be on the classical period (sixth through third centuries B.C.E.), but we will also consider the legacy of Confucian thought and institutions in the early empire and beyond.

Grading Policy

Class participation: 20%; Reading journal: 15%; Short paper: 20%; Midterm exam: 20%; Final paper: 25%.

Texts

Analects; Mencius, Xunzi; Herbert Fingarette, Confucius: The Secular as Sacred; Robert Eno, The Confucian Creation of Heaven; Mark Edward Lewis, Writing and Authority in Early China.

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