Cosmopolitan Tang -- A new Harvard-X course just starting

[abcdefg 3,796]

If you enjoyed the big China-X course by the Harvard team of Prof. Peter Bol and Prof. William Kirby a couple years ago, here's another (smaller) one just starting. It's about the Tang. Lasts 15 weeks. 

 

Here is the official descriptive blurb:

 

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About this course

 

By the Tang period, China was divided into northern and southern dynasties with different rulers and political systems. The north was conquered by relatively unsophisticated barbarians, but in the south, the aristocratic families established a refined appreciation of writing and literature.

In this course, the third in a large collection covering all of Chinese history, you’ll learn about the Cosmopolitan Tang and the reemergence of great aristocratic clans. You’ll discover how these clans formed a kind of state aristocracy that dominated Tang government and society. 

This period — a product of the Medieval period, and of the development of Buddhism and Daoism — gave the world a model for modern statehood the great cosmopolitan empire that defined it is among the highest achievements in Medieval culture. Join us to discover those achievements through readings of classical Chinese poetry and a review of the ancient art of calligraphy.

 

 

 

Here's a link for more information or to sign up:

 

https://www.edx.org/course/china-part-3-cosmopolitan-tang-aristocratic-culture-2 

 

I plan to take it. 

 

[abcdefg 3,796]

Started tonight. 

 

One of the things that distinguishes these Harvard "China-X" courses from most of the other programs that I've studied on line is that they draw on a wide and rich variety of resources. It's not just one (or two) professors talking about this or that, but the two main professors bring in about 20 other distinguished authorities on particular aspects of the subject. 

 

They sometimes "interview" these authorities, most of whom are Harvard faculty, about their special domains. More often, these other experts give a couple of "guest lectures." When discussing Tang pottery, they bring in an expert from the art department and actually take a "field trip" to the Harvard Asian Art Museum. Similar approach with music and poetry. Inventive and innovative. Never boring. 

 

I got a taste of Tang during part of the long China overview course a couple years ago. Now look forward to learning more in this short, focused one. 

 

[amytheorangutan 122]

Thank you @abcdefg. I have just signed up for this and so far have watched 4 videos. Really interesting and easy to digest. Really cannot wait for the part on poetry and calligraphy. I'm currently reading the biography of Li Bai so really want to know more about Tang poets and poetry.

[roddy 4,643]

How are you both getting on with it? Anyone else signed up?

[realmayo 1,669]

Great to see this - @abcdefg I agree with what you say about the first course.

Does this one have anything from Stephen Owen in it? As far as I'm concerned he's basically god.

 

[Zeppa 89]

I have just signed up. Looks very interesting but have not started yet.

[Zeppa 89]

They very briefly show Stephen Owen in one ofthe introductory videos, not long enough to get an impression of his godlike qualities.

[abcdefg 3,796]

On 3/12/2019 at 3:58 PM, realmayo said:

Does this one have anything from Stephen Owen in it? As far as I'm concerned he's basically god.

 

I haven't yet reached the material which features him. 

[Bibu 88]

my reply to intro video  

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I saw the contradictions from the intro video of the course, one claims the course is a mirror for Chinese , the other said the course is ONLY for American to understand China.

That is fun !!!

 

[Publius 1,610]

I barreled through the first section (Section 12: The Unified Empire) one evening but then lost interest. It's -- how shall I put it -- too easy, too simplistic, not as engaging or interesting as is promised in the introductory video. It's just, to quote @abcdefg, "one (or two) professors talking about this or that." They probably did it differently in the first course. Things will probably improve in later sections. But I've lost interest.

[amytheorangutan 122]

I almost finish section 13 about Tang Poetry. If you are a beginner in Chinese poetry like me and interested in it, I think it’s a good primer. It discusses a couple of poems by Dufu and Wang Wei in details. The structure of Tang Poetry, the restriction of regulated verse etc. The part with Stephen Owen is mainly a discussion of a poem by Wang Wei with his students on how to read Chinese poem, how to understand and appreciate it, how do you know a good poem from a bad poem, can someone who doesn’t understand Chinese read and appreciate Chinese poetry etc.

 

This is my first time joining an online course like this and I really like it so far. Very informative and as I say a good primer but you definitely have to see much more than 2-3 poems being discussed in details by people who know what they are talking about before you have a reasonable understanding of Chinese poetry. I only have one part to finish I think on section 13 then the next section is on calligraphy. I’m not sure but I think I might do better in calligraphy than poetry. 

Edited March 14 by amytheorangutan