CHIN 272
The History and Mythology of Chinese Scripts
Last Offered Spring 2020
Division I
Cross-listed STS 272 / COMP 272
This course is not offered in the current catalog

Class Details

Written scripts using what are most often called “Chinese characters” have an attested history of over 3000 years and have been used all over the world to represent a range of different languages. In this course we will examine the history and development of Chinese characters from their earliest extant examples on sacrificial animal bones to their often amusingly misguided use for contemporary tattoos. We will look at historical evidence and mythology, carefully constructed grammatological studies and wild orientalist imaginings. Some topics will include: comparisons between the development of Chinese characters and other written scripts, the relationship between Chinese characters and the languages of China, the use of Chinese characters to write non-Chinese languages, Chinese characters in art and calligraphy, theories of connections between Chinese characters and Chinese philosophy and literature, issues of education and literacy, and the future of Chinese characters in the digital age.
The Class: Format: lecture; discussion
Limit: none
Expected: 15
Class#: 4004
Grading: yes pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: quizzes, short writing assignments, a midterm, and a final exam
Prerequisites: none
Enrollment Preferences: none
Distributions: Division I
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
STS 272 Division II CHIN 272 Division I COMP 272 Division I
Attributes: Linguistics

Class Grid

Updated 3:22 pm

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