Outline

Overview

This unit offers students the opportunity to explore China's major traditions of philosophy and practice through English translations of key texts as well as authoritative secondary studies. The main foci of the unit include the following major areas: diversity and polemics in early Chinese thought, developments in Daoism, Buddhist thought and influence, and Neo-Confucian (Daoxue) thought.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	ASNS2613
Academic unit
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	CHNS3641
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Sean Moores, sean.moores@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Sean Moores, sean.moores@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay proposal Essay proposal	15%	- Due date: 04 Oct 2020 at 23:59	750 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research essay Research essay	40%	- Due date: 22 Nov 2020 at 23:59	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Oral presentation Presentation	15%	Ongoing	Equivalent to 750 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Tutorial participation Active participation in class activities, discussions etc.	10%	Ongoing	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Test Open-book test. Via Zoom and Canvas. Essay questions.	20%	Week 12	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to the unit. The origins of Chinese thought. The Shang and Zhou periods. Confucius: Confucian humanism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Mozi: universal love and austere social action	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Mencius: faith in human nature	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Xunzi: the problem of human nature, and the need for social structures	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Laozi: the Dao and non-action	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Zhuangzi: at one with nature; spontaneity, freedom and happiness	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Legalism: Han Feizi and the demands of practical politics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Han-Dynasty thought: Dong Zhongshu and Wang Chong	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	The thought of the Wei-Jin period: Wang Bi, Ji Kang, Ruan Ji. Philosophy and the cry for freedom	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Buddhism: The introduction of an unknown logic	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Neo-Confucianism: Confucianism’s first attempted response to Buddhism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Qing-Dynasty thought: materialism and the search for historical authenticity	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Lecture 1

Shen, Vincent. Dao Companion to Classical Confucian Philosophy. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2014.

https://link-springer-com.ezproxy2.library.usyd.edu.au/book/10.1007%2F978-90-481-2936-2

Chap.3 (53-80)

Lecture 2 (Mozi)

Schwartz, Benjamin I. The world of Thought in Ancient China. Cambridge (Mass.): Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1985.

https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy2.library.usyd.edu.au/lib/usyd/detail.action?docID=3300729

Chap. 4 (135-172)

Lecture 3 (Mencius)

Dao Companion to Classical Confucian Philosophy

Chap. 7 (153-178)

Lecture 4 (Xunzi)

Dao Companion to Classical Confucian Philosophy

Chap. 8 (179-199)

Lecture 5 (Laozi)

The world of Thought in Ancient China

Chap. 6 (186-215)

Lecture 6 (Zhuangzi)

The world of Thought in Ancient China

Chap. 6 (215-237)

Lecture 7 (Legalism)

The world of Thought in Ancient China

Chap. 8 (321-349)

Lecture 8 (Han)

Li, Zehou. A History of Classical Chinese Thought. Andrew Lambert (tr., intr.). Milton: Routledge, 2019.

https://www-taylorfrancis-com.ezproxy2.library.usyd.edu.au/books/9780429277931

(152-182)

Lecture 9 (Wei-Jin)

Criddle, Reed Andrew. “Rectifying Lasciviousness through Mystical Learning: An Exposition and Translation of Ruan Ji’s Essay on Music.” Asian music 38.2 (2007): 44–70.

https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/2rsddf/projectmuse_s219214_S1553563007200446

Lecture 10 (Buddhism)

Poceski, Mario, "Buddhism in Chinese History", in Poceski, Mario (ed.), in The Wiley Blackwell Companion to East and Inner Asian Buddhism, 40–62. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au/doi/10.1002/9781118610398.ch2/pdf

Lecture 11 (Neo-Confucianism)

Rainey, Lee Dian. Confucius and Confucianism: the essentials. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au/book/10.1002/9781444323597?globalMessage=0

Chap. 11 (159-175)

Lecture 12 (Qing)

Xiao Jie-Fu, “The Enlightenment of Anti-Neo-Confucian Thought During the Ming-Qing Dynasties.” Journal of Chinese Philosophy 16.2 (1989): 209–235.

https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy2.library.usyd.edu.au/doi/full/10.1111/j.1540-6253.1989.tb00712.x

Additional Selected Bibliography

Chan, Wing-tsit. A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy (1963). Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969.

De Bary, William Theodore, Bloom, Irene [et al.]. Sources of Chinese Tradition. New York. Columbia University Press, 1999.

Fung Yu-lan (Feng Youlan). A short history of Chinese philosophy (1948). New York: Macmillan, 1959.

Graham, A. C. (transl.). Chuang-Tzu: The Seven Inner Chapters and Other Writings from the Book Chuang-Tzu. London: George Allen

& Unwin, 1981.

Hsiao Kung-chuan [Xiao Gongquan]. A History of Chinese Political Thought (translated by F.W. Mote). Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1979.

Ivanhoe Philip J., Van Norden Bryan W. [dir.]. Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy. Indianapolis: Hackett publishing Co., 2003.

Knoblock, John. Xunzi: A Translation and Study of the Complete Works (3 vol.) [1988]. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1994 (3rd ed.).

Lau, D. C. (transl.). The Analects. Harmondsworth; New York: Penguin Books, 1979.

Lau, D.C. (transl.). Mencius. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1970.

Mou, Bo. Routledge History of Chinese Philosophy. London: Routledge, 2008.

Munro, Donald J. The concept of man in Early China. Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan, 2001.

Nivison, David S. The Ways of Confucianism. Chicago: Open Court Press, 1996.

Roberts, Moss, (transl.). Laozi, Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001.

Wright, Arthur F. Buddhism in Chinese History. Stanford, London: Stanford-London University press, 1959.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. have a balanced and structured understanding of key developments in the history of Chinese philosophy.
LO2. identify, define and interpret a large number of theoretical positions which characterized the development of Chinese thought over the centuries.
LO3. approach key topics in an objective and coherent manner.
LO4. develop a capacity for critical thinking.
LO5. clearly express your ideas in correct English in both written and oral assessments.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered'.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

ASNS2613: Chinese Thought

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect