The course guides students in reading, interpreting, and evaluating primary sources in traditional Chinese political thought from the classical, medieval, and late imperial periods. It devotes special attention to the distinctive character of central issues in Chinese political thought, such as debates over the role of formal standards versus that of character, of education versus legal coercion, and of central versus local administration. Texts and thinkers covered include the ‘Shào Announcement 召誥’, Guǎnzǐ 管子, Mòzǐ 墨子, Analects 論語, Mèngzǐ 孟子, Xúnzǐ 荀子, Dàodéjīng 道德經, Zhuāngzǐ 莊子, Hánfēizǐ 韓非子, Yán Tiě Lùn 鹽鐵論, Guō Xiàng 郭象, Bào Jìng Yán 鮑敬言, Oūyáng Xiū 歐陽修, Chéng Yí 程頤, Wáng Ānshí 王安石, Chéng Hào 程顥, Zhāng Zǎi 張載, Hú Hóng 胡宏, Chén Liàng 陳亮, Fāng Xiào Rú 方孝孺, Gù Yánwǔ 顧炎武, and Huáng Zōngxī 黄宗羲.
Scheduled: 2024-2025, 2026-2027