Featured Resources
- Ailing Zhang papers (USC Libraries) The Ailing Zhang papers consist of seven boxes of correspondence, manuscripts, newspaper clippings and journal articles, photographs, and essays, articles, and speeches (written by Zhang Ailing). The strength of the collection is found within the correspondence as this series chronicles Zhang Ailing's life and career in the United States, primarily her professional relationship with Dr. C.T. Hsia. Though a largely obscure figure in modern Chinese literature from the 1950s to the 1970s, Zhang's career was revived by Dr. Hsia who played a role in helping Zhang achieve wider recognition. The materials in the collection are written in Chinese (traditional characters) and English.
Sources of Chinese Tradition, 2nd Edition by
A collection of seminal primary readings on the social, intellectual, and religious traditions of China, Sources of Chinese Tradition, Volume 1 has been widely used and praised for almost forty years as an authoritative resource for scholars and students and as a thorough and engaging introduction for general readers. Here at last is a completely revised and expanded edition of this classic sourcebook, compiled by noted China scholars Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom. Updated to reflect recent scholarly developments, with extensive material on popular thought and religion, social roles, and women's education, this edition features new translations of more than half the works from the first edition, as well as many new selections. Arranged chronologically, this anthology is divided into four parts, beginning at the dawn of literate Chinese civilization with the Oracle-Bone inscriptions of the late Shang dynasty (1571-1045 B.C.E.) and continuing through the end of the Ming dynasty (C.E. 1644). Each chapter has an introduction that provides useful historical context and offers interpretive strategies for understanding the readings. The first part, The Chinese Tradition in Antiquity, considers the early development of Chinese civilization and includes selections from Confucius's Analects, the texts of Mencius and Laozi, as well as other key texts from the Confucian, Daoist, and Legalist schools. Part 2, The Making of a Classical Culture, focuses on Han China with readings from the Classic of Changes (I Jing), the Classic of Filiality, major Han syntheses, and the great historians of the Han dynasty. The development of Buddhism, from the earliest translations from Sanskrit to the central texts of the Chan school (which became Zen in Japan), is the subject of the third section of the book. Titled Later Daoism and Mahayana Buddhism in China, this part also covers the teachings of Wang Bi, Daoist religion, and texts of the major schools of Buddhist doctrine and practice. The final part, The Confucian Revival and Neo-Confucianism, details the revival of Confucian thought in the Tang, Song, and Ming periods, with historical documents that link philosophical thought to political, social, and educational developments in late imperial China. With annotations, a detailed chronology, glossary, and a new introduction by the editors, Sources of Chinese Tradition will continue to be a standard resource, guidebook, and introduction to Chinese civilization well into the twenty-first century.
Location: Mugar Stacks DS721 .D37 1999 (2 vols) - Vol. 2 also OnlinePublication Date: 1999
The Cambridge Companion to Modern Chinese Culture by
At the start of the twenty-first century, China is poised to become a major global power. Understanding its culture is more important than ever before for western audiences, but for many, China remains a mysterious and exotic country. This Companion explains key aspects of modern Chinese culture without assuming prior knowledge of China or the Chinese language. The volume acknowledges the interconnected nature of the different cultural forms, from 'high culture' such as literature, religion and philosophy to more popular issues such as sport, cinema, performance and the internet. Each chapter is written by a world expert in the field. Invaluable for students of Chinese studies, this book includes a glossary of key terms, a chronology and a guide to further reading. For the interested reader or traveler, it reveals a dynamic, diverse and fascinating culture, many aspects of which are now elucidated in English for the first time.
Location: Mugar Stacks DS775.2 .C452424 2008 and OnlinePublication Date: 2008
Chinese History
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The Cambridge History of Ancient China: from the origins of civilization to 221 B.C. by
A survey of the cultural history of pre-Imperial China. Historians and archaeologists cover the Shang, Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn, Warring States, Neolithic background, language, intellectual history, relations with central Asia, and the debts of the Qin and Han empires to these periods. There are chapters on institutional history, based on both traditional and palaeographic literature, and on material culture.
Location: Mugar Reference X DS741.5 .C35 1999Publication Date: 1998
The Wobbling Pivot, China since 1800: an Interpretive History by
This comprehensive but concise narrative of China since the eighteenth century builds its story around the delicate relationship between central government and local communities. Rejects the traditional view of China as a wholly harmonious society based on principles of stability - the Unwobbling Pivot of Ezra Pound's translation of the Chinese classic Zhongyong Provides an original interpretation, arguing that developments can be explained through an understanding of China's surprising swings between centralization and decentralization, between local initiative and central authoritarianism Serves as an introduction to the subject, while readers with a background in Chinese history will find the book offers a personal perspective and addresses long-standing interpretive issues Supported by a variety of timelines, maps, illustrations, and extensive notes for further reading Places China's history within the context of global change
Location: Mugar Stacks DS755 .C76 2010Publication Date: 2010
Contemporary China: a History since 1978 by
Using new research and considering a multidisciplinary set of factors, Contemporary China offers a comprehensive exploration of the making of contemporary China. Provides a unique perspective on China, incorporating newly published materials from within and outside China, in English and Chinese. Discusses both the societal and economic aspects of China's development, and how these factors have affected Chinese elite politics Includes coverage of recent political scandals such as the dismissal of Bo Xilai and the intrigue surrounding the 18th National Congress elections in late 2012 Discusses the reasons for--and ramifications of--the gap that exists between western perceptions of China and China itself
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2013-04-22
The Great Wall: a Cultural History by
Carlos Rojas presents a sweeping survey of the historical and political significance of one of the world's most recognizable monuments. Although the splendor of the Great Wall has become virtually synonymous with its vast size, the structure's conceptual coherence is actually grounded on the tenuous and ephemeral stories we tell about it. These stories give life to the Wall and help secure its hold on our collective imagination, while at the same time permitting it to constantly reinvent itself in accordance with the needs of each new era. Through an examination of allusions to the Wall in an eclectic array of texts--ranging from official dynastic histories, elite poetry, and popular folktales, to contemporary tourist testimonials, children's songs, and avant-garde performance art--this study maps out a provocative new framework for understanding the structure's function and significance. This volume approaches the Wall through the stories we tell and contends that it is precisely in this cultural history that we may find the Wall's true meaning, together with the secret of its greatness.
Location: Mugar Stacks DS793.G67 R65 2010 and OnlinePublication Date: 2010
China and the West To 1600: empire, philosophy, and the paradox of culture by
A comparative history of Chinese and Western Civilization from the dawn of agriculture to the dawn of modernity in Europe, China and the West to 1600 explores the factors that led to the divergent evolution of two major cultures of the ancient world, and considers how the subsequent developments saw one culture cling to tradition even as the other failed to do so, inadvertently setting the stage for the birth of the Modern Era. An accessible and inventive comparative history, suitable for all students at the college level as well as general readers Compares the history of Chinese civilization with Western civilization from the rise of agriculture to the dawn of the modern period Explores the ways in which Western failures in the Middle Ages after the Roman Empire's collapse, and China's successes in the same period, laid the groundwork for each culture's divergent path in the modern period Makes meaningful connections between cultures and over time, through the use of themes such as agriculture, philosophy, religion, and warfare and invasion Bridges the gap between antiquity and modernity, looking at many factors of the global Middle Ages that influenced the development of the modern world Features a timeline, �maps, endnotes, and complete index
Location: OnlinePublication Date: 2015
Digital Collections
- Digital Resources and Projects on East Asia An open-access repository that houses a wide range of online tools, archives, exhibitions, and more in a searchable and filterable platform. The aim of this table is to provide researchers and educators with a convenient way to locate and explore digital materials based on a variety of thematic content.
- Ailing Zhang papers (USC Libraries) The Ailing Zhang papers consist of seven boxes of correspondence, manuscripts, newspaper clippings and journal articles, photographs, and essays, articles, and speeches (written by Zhang Ailing). The strength of the collection is found within the correspondence as this series chronicles Zhang Ailing's life and career in the United States, primarily her professional relationship with Dr. C.T. Hsia. Though a largely obscure figure in modern Chinese literature from the 1950s to the 1970s, Zhang's career was revived by Dr. Hsia who played a role in helping Zhang achieve wider recognition. The materials in the collection are written in Chinese (traditional characters) and English.
- Waseda University Library Japanese and Chinese Classics The purpose of this database is to provide the widest possible public access to the Waseda University Library’s collection of Japanese and Chinese classics, in the form of bibliographical information, related scholarly materials, as well as full-text images.
- Ming Qing Women's Writings The Ming Qing Women's Writings digital archive and database project is dedicated to the digitization of collections of writings by women in late imperial China (1368-1911). The website was launched in 2005. The on-going project employs new digital technology to preserve and make accessible on the internet this valuable cultural legacy for future generations of scholars, researchers, and other interested publics, thus building intellectual and technological infrastructure and creating possibilities to generate new methodologies in the fields of digital humanities and China studies. The website consists of a virtual library augmented by the online scholarly apparatus designed and implemented by the McGill Library Digital Initiatives team. In addition, it features a link for each writer to the China Biographical Database hosted at Harvard University.
- First Historical Archives (第一历史档案馆), Beijing Website contains catalog descriptions for the major categories of its holdings of Ming and Qing records, as well as information on publications and scholarship, and links to other major archives.
- Second Historical Archives (第二历史档案馆), Nanjing Republican holdings, including the Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Wang Jingwei governments.
- Yale Silk Road Project "The Yale Silk Road Database presents over 11,000 images of major sites in the Silk Road region taken during faculty site seminars led by Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan (Professor, History of Art) under the auspices of the Council on East Asian Studies at Yale University in the summers of 2006-2010. The collection serves as a multi-disciplinary resource with relevance to students and faculty working in the fields of art and archaeology, religious studies, history, East Asian languages and literatures, Central Asian and Islamic studies."
Websites
- MCLC Resource Center | Modern Chinese Literature and Culture The MCLC Resource Center is the online face of the print journal Modern Chinese Literature and Culture. It publishes online articles (see “Web Publications”) and book reviews (see “Book Reviews”) and sponsors the MCLC LIST (see “MCLC List”). It also houses bibliographies of mostly English-language materials on modern and contemporary Chinese literature, film/media, visual arts, music, education, and culture. An image archive (see “Bibliographies”) is comprised mostly of images originally published with essays in issues of the print journal.
- Modern Chinese Literature Research Portal 中國現代文學研究網 Developed collectively by Department of Chinese Language and Literature and the University Library System of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, this portal provides a comprehensive index and online access to modern Chinese literature resources scattered in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and in other overseas universities and sinology research centers.
- National Library of China The National Library of China (NLC) serves as the repository of the nation's publications, a national bibliographic center, a national center for preservation and conservation of ancient books, as well as the national museum of ancient books.
- National Central Library (NCL) - Taiwan The National Central Library (NCL) is the sole national library of Taiwan. Its mission is to acquire, catalog, and preserve national publications for government, research and general public use. The library also supports Sinological research through the affiliated Center for Chinese Studies (CCS).
- The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Founded in 1941, the Association for Asian Studies (AAS)—the largest society of its kind, with more than 7,000 members worldwide—is a scholarly, non-political, non-profit professional association open to all persons interested in Asia.
- Words without Borders Founded in 2003, Words Without Borders promotes cultural understanding through the translation, publication, and promotion of the finest contemporary international literature.
- Chinese PEN "The Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) is a non-political, non-profit organization of writers that fights for the protection of freedom of expression and publication, and works toward ensuring the free flow of information, a prerequisite for a truly open society." - from Chinese PEN website
- The PRC History Group The PRC History Group is a network of scholars with interests in the history of the People’s Republic of China. We define history broadly, to encompass a wide variety of disciplinary approaches, and we understand the history of the PRC to include decades prior to the official change of state power in 1949.
