China's Imperial Past: History and Culture

This module provides an introduction to Chinese history and culture from the earliest known periods up until the eighteenth century, focusing on Chinese political, social, and cultural history. In this course, we will also regularly examine interactions between the Chinese and their neighbors, particularly the steppe nomads from the north and westerners from Inner Asia and Europe. The course is open to all students without a prerequisite and assumes no prior knowledge of the material. During this course, we will always ask what evidence supports different historical interpretations, and students will be encouraged to provide their own readings of primary sources in translation.