HUM 232 - Empires (Medieval China: From the Tang to the Yuan Dynasty)

This course focuses on cosmopolitanism in the middle period of China, which saw the formation and fall of the Tang and Yuan empires. Empires are characterized by diverse subjects and territories. Between empires, transregional cultures continued to thrive on their ruins. This course examines four aspects of medieval cosmopolitanism-rulership, epistemology and emotions, food and medicine, and mobility. The first two modules discuss the coexistence of Chinese and non-Chinese traditions in high politics and ideology, while the latter explores the globalization of goods, knowledge, and beliefs during this period.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group I, Distribution Group II
Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing
Instructional Method: Lecture-conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Repeatable for Credit: annually
Notes: First-year students in their second semester may register with instructor approval.
Website: https://www.reed.edu/humanities/hum231-232/ 
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

• Understand how arguments can be made, visions presented, or feelings or ideas conveyed through language or other modes of expression (symbols, movement, images, sounds, etc.).
• Analyze and interpret texts, whether literary or philosophical, in English or a foreign language, or works of the visual or performing arts.
• Evaluate arguments made in or about texts (whether literary or philosophical, in English or a foreign language, or works of the visual or performing arts).
• Evaluate data and/or sources.
• Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
• Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.