70324 - Chinese Literature II (Second Language) L

Learning outcomes

The student has got a basic mastery of the Chinese literary civilization, he/she is able to recognize its characteristics and features inside some specific texts and is also able to develop other notions and abilities that can be used to read other works of the same literary tradition

Course contents

The course is focused on the Chinese 20th century literature and its recent developments; it will be divided in the two main periods of modern literature and contemporary literature, which respectively cover the years 1900-1949 and 1949-today. A particular emphasis will be placed on the role played by the literary writing in the historical and political context; nevertheless, a textual analysis approach, based on the “inner horizon” of the specific works, is going to be preferred to the pure theory and the traditional history of literature.

As for the texts’ availability, fortunately the Western reader has great access to translated masterpieces of the last century, so the students can draw on different English or Italian versions; furthermore, the teacher will provide some original works (short clips from novels or poems), which will be translated and analyzed in class.

The theoretical explanations are always integrated with some reading exercises, where students are required to comment both the form and the content of each work and to engage in an open discussion with the teacher and their classmates.

Therefore, attendance is highly recommended; the teacher will take account of the students’ participation to class activities during the final exam.

Readings/Bibliography

1. Samarani, Guido: La Cina del Novecento, Einaudi, Milano, 2008;

2. Huang Yunte (edited by): The Big Red Book of Modern Chinese Literature: Writings from the Mainland in the Long Twentieth Century, Norton & Company, 2016;

3. Materials provided by the teacher (chapters of novels or short poems from: Lu Xun; Ba Jin; Ding Ling; Lao She; Yang Mo; Ai Qing; Menglong e post-Menglong poetry; Mo Yan; Yu Hua; Yan Lianke).

4. A whole book (at the student's option, like for instance: Lu Xun, “Chiamata alle Armi”, o “Erbe Selvatiche”; Ba Jin, “Famiglia”; Ding Ling, “Il Diario della signorina Sofia”, o “I myself am a woman” (edited by T. Barlow); Lao She, “Teahouse”; “Nuovi Poeti Cinesi” (translated by C. Pozzana and A. Russo); Mo Yan, “Sorgo Rosso”; Yu Hua, “Cronache di un venditore di sangue”, o “La Cina in dieci parole”). Both English and Italian editions are accepted. 

Teaching methods

Close reading; linguistic analysis; text-context analysis; reception theory (a special emphasis is given to the reader and his/her role in bringing the text to life by reading it)

Each lesson is divided in two parts: besides the introduction to each literary work, the description of its historical context and the close reading under the teacher’s guide, an open discussion among the students will be held (both about the linguistic aspects and the content). The students are required to read by themselves the texts that will be discussed in class (the assignment shall consist of few pages per week: from 5 to 30 at most)

Assessment methods

active participation of each student to the class debates and to the reading exercises held during the lessons; final oral examination

Teaching tools

PowerPoint files and video, as well as the usual paper books (see: Bibliography) 

Office hours

See the website of Gaia Perini