At the end of this course, a student should have a good basic knowledge of the major periods and trends in the development of Chinese literature of the imperial period from the Tang Dynasty to the mid-nineteenth century, focusing on certain genres such as poetry, fiction and drama, and on the analysis of some of the most significant works.

Chinese traditional concept of literature
Chinese language: wenyan and baihua
The poetry: the shi of Tang, Song and Yuan era, the ci of Song era and the qu Yuan era
Fiction: short stories in classical language, the chuanqi and bianwen
Huaben novella
Ming and Qing novels
The Traditional Chinese theatre until the Yuan era
Selected readings from various works

• Knowledge and understanding: knowledge and understanding of the historical and evolutionary path of Chinese literature of the imperial period and the most important authors and works, understanding common points and differences between Chinese and Western history of culture
• Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to conduct research and produce valid argument about learned topics 
• Making judgements: ability to deeply understand and evaluate the historical course of Chinese literature, ability to identify peculiarities of different genres and authors
• Communication skills: ability to communicate the content of the course using an appropriate language to the specific field of study
• Learning skills: acquisition of a valid critical method and bibliographical knowledge in order to independently explore the contents of the course.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lesson
translation activities
student's paper presentation during the course

Course books

- Idema W., Haft L. (2000), Letteratura cinese, Cafoscarina, Venezia (fino a p. 274)
- Bertuccioli G. (1968), La letteratura cinese, Sansoni, Firenze (oppure nuova edizione 2013 a cura di Federica Casalin, edizione L'Asino d'oro - da pag. 165 a pag. 305)
- Savarese N. (1997), Il racconto del teatro cinese, Roma, Carrocci Editori (fino a p. 90)
- Hanan Patrick, The Chinese vernacular story, Harvard University Press, 1981 (capitoli 4/ 5/ 7)
- Owen Stephen, "La poesia nella tradizione cinese", in L'eredita della Cina / a cura di Paul S. Ropp
- Ropp Paul S., "La particolare arte della narrativa cinese", in L'eredita della Cina / a cura di Paul S. Ropp
- Plaks A. (2002), "Il romanzo nella Cina premoderna", in Moretti F. (a cura di), Il Romanzo. Storia e geografia Vol. III, Einaudi, Torino, pp. 57-82.
- Zhao H. (2001), "Storiografia e fiction nella gerarchia culturale cinese", in Moretti F. (a cura di), Il Romanzo. La cultura del romanzo Vol. I, Einaudi, Torino, pp. 47-69.

Reading of:
- Cao Xueqin, Il sogno della camera rossa, Bur-Rizzoli, 2008 (o altra edizione).
- Chin P'ing Mei. Romanzo cinese del secolo XVI, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1970 (o altra edizione).
- Wu Cheng'en, Lo scimmiotto, Milano, Adelphi, 2002 (oppure Wu Cheng'en, Il viaggio in occidente, versione integrale di Serafino Balduzzi, Milano, Cerebro, 2011)
- Li Yü, Il tappeto da preghiera di carne, Milano, Tascabili Bompiani, 2000 (o altra edizione) and/ or others suggested at the beginning of the course

Suggested reading:
- Masi E., Cento capolavori della letteratura cinese, Macerata, Quodlibet, 2009 (pp. 138-366)

Assessment

oral exam

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

please send email to the professor

Assessment

oral exam and presentation of a short paper previously arranged with the teacher

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

The student can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative bibliography.