Teaches the foundation of Classical Chinese, the cosmopolitan language of premodern East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam), through readings of major works of philosophy, poetry, fiction, and historiography. Explores the oldest continuous literary tradition with works that have become touchstones of global political strategy and personal wisdom, such as the Confucian Analects, Daeodejing, or the Art of War, or the classical Chinese and Japanese poetry that drove American avant-garde movements like the Beats. Students acquire solid competency in Classical Chinese by reading classical masterpieces from East Asia in the original language and debating their legacy and relevance in today’s world and their own lives.
