History of China 3600-7-SI1-HCH2
- https://classroom.google.com/u/2/c/MjE3MTY3ODc1NDZa (term 2025L)
The goal of the course is to present the students with the most important developments and processes in the history of China until the contemporary times, from the first human settlements on the territory of modern China in the prehistoric times, through the forming of more developed communities in the predynastic era, to the formation of the earliest state-like entities. This part of the course will also include a discussion on the forming of a distinct civilization on the territory of China during the bronze age. During the lectures the students will learn about the successive Chinese dynasties and historical periods, and the formation of the political, administrative, social and economic institutions. A discussion on the development of Chinese political and social thought in the successive historical eras will also be presented. Also, the topic of historical contacts between the Chinese civilization and other cultures during the various historical stages will be explored, including the question of rule over China, or parts of it, by cultures from outside the traditional cultural China. The lectures will include discussion of the following dynasties and periods: Zhou dynasty, the Warring States period, the unification under the Qin dynasty, Han dynasty, three kingdoms period, Jin dynasty, northern and southern dynasties, unification under the Sui dynasty and the rule of the Tang dynasty, the five dynasties and ten kingdoms period, the Song dynasty rule, the creation of non-Chinese states of Liao, Jin, Western Xia on parts of the modern Chinese territory, the Mongol conquest and the Yuan rule, with a special emphasis on the Yuan institutions, culture and place in the Chinese history, the Ming rule, the Manchu conquest and the Qing rule, with a special emphasis on the characteristics of the Qing rule, Qing territorial conquests and their influence on the modern Chinese borders. The formation of modern Chinese ethnic and national identity under the Qing will also be discussed in the later part of the course. The course will conclude with lectures on the history of China in the Republican era (1912-1949) and during the People’s Republic of China, until present time.
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Term 2024L:
History of China, Spring Semester: From the Yuan Dynasty to the Present Subsequent sessions will cover the Ming and Qing dynasties, focusing on their administrative innovations, artistic achievements, territorial expansion, and the development of national and ethnic consciousness. Students will examine the fall of the monarchy, the establishment of the Republic of China (1912–1949), and the transformative events of the 20th century, including the founding and evolution of the People's Republic of China up to the present day. The course will also analyze China's interactions with other cultures and states, exploring how these exchanges influenced the nation's identity and institutional development. Additionally, it will address the significant social, economic, and political transformations that occurred from the late 19th century onwards, laying the foundation for China's contemporary sociopolitical and geopolitical framework. |
Term 2025L:
The second semester of the "History of China" course covers China from the Tang Dynasty to the late 20th century. The course aims to provide a deeper understanding of the key political, social, economic, and cultural processes that shaped medieval, premodern, and modern China. The course explores the evolution of the Chinese state, its institutions, and elites, as well as the transformation of China's social structure and relations with its international environment. Students will become familiar with phenomena such as the empire's multiethnicity, the functioning of the bureaucratic system, the development of a market economy, internal and external conflicts, and the emergence of modern concepts of nation, state, and identity. The first half of the semester examines the Tang Dynasty—a period considered one of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan in Chinese history. It examines administrative mechanisms, the civil service examination system, the role of the aristocracy and the army, and the intensive contacts with Central Asia, the Islamic world, and Tibet. The course examines both the empire's peak and the processes leading to its destabilization, including the An Lushan Rebellion. Next, the period of political fragmentation following the fall of the Tang and the reunification of China by the Song dynasty is discussed. Emphasis is placed on the Song dynasty's role in the development of the monetary economy, urbanization, print culture, and the emergence of a new model of bureaucracy, as well as the importance of Neo-Confucianism as the dominant ideology of the era. The next block of classes is devoted to the coexistence of China proper with powerful non-Chinese states in the north and west. The histories of the Liao, Western Xia, and Jin dynasties are analyzed, along with their relations with the Song dynasty. Various models of governance in multi-ethnic states, distinct legal and military traditions, and their impact on Chinese history are discussed. The course continues with the Mongol conquests and the rule of the Yuan dynasty, seen as the integration of Chinese lands into the context of the great steppe empire. Particular emphasis is placed on analyzing Yuan institutions – the system of four social groups, the Mongols' role in administration, their policies towards religion, and cultural exchange within the Pax Mongolica. Next, the revival of Chinese rule in the Ming dynasty, its administrative system, financial and military policies, and changing external relations, including Zheng He's expeditions, are discussed. The lecture covers both the period of stability and the growing financial, social, and climatic problems that led to the dynasty's decline. A significant portion of the semester is devoted to the history of the Qing dynasty. It examines its military achievements, the establishment of a system of government over a multi-ethnic empire, and the development of administrative structures encompassing Manchuria, Mongolia, Tibet, and Xinjiang. Intellectual trends of the era, the development of philological scholarship, and the specific nature of the relationship between the ruling dynasty and the Chinese elite are also discussed. A detailed analysis of the crisis of the Qing state in the 19th century is provided: the Opium Wars, internal uprisings (Taiping, Nian, Muslim uprisings), modernization reforms, and the influence of colonial powers on the structure of the state. The final section of the course examines the birth and development of the modern state: the reforms of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the fall of the monarchy, the founding of the Republic of China, and its complex history—from the era of the so-called Warlords, through the consolidation of power by the Kuomintang, to the rivalry with the Chinese Communist Party. It also explores the processes of modernization, the New Culture Movement, the Sino-Japanese War, and the civil war that led to the creation of two Chinese states: the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan. The course culminates in a discussion of the history of the People's Republic of China—from Mao Zedong's political campaigns, through the disastrous consequences of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, to Deng Xiaoping's reforms and the economic and social transformation of the late 20th century. The course aims to demonstrate the long continuities and profound breakthroughs in Chinese history, developing students' skills in critically analyzing historical processes and their consequences for the contemporary Chinese state. |
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Type of course
General: obligatory courses | Term 2024L: general courses obligatory courses | Term 2025L: obligatory courses |
Mode
Learning outcomes
Knowledge:
- has basic knowledge in the range of theory of humanities (literary studies or linguistics or history) necessary to understand chosen cultural aspects K_W04, H1A_W03, H1A_W07
- has detailed and organized knowledge of history of China and Taiwan K_W06, H1A_W04
- has detailed and organized knowledge of socio-cultural issues in China and Taiwan within the scope of natural environment and ethnic, demographic and political situation K_W09, H1A_W04
- has organized knowledge of natural, geopolitical and economic environment and their importance for the historical and contemporary situation of China and Taiwan K_W11, H1A_W04
- knows and understands basic analysis and interpretation methods of various products of culture characteristic of chosen theories and schools of research within the scope of cultural and literary studies, linguistics, philosophy and religion studies and history K_W18, H1A_W07
Skills:
-can indicate sources of cultural differences between the countries of the Orient or Africa K_U02, H1A_U05
- can use the knowledge of history of China and Taiwan to analyze and interpret events taking place in the modern world K_U04, H1A_U02, H1A_U05
- can appropriately place China and Taiwan in the context of circumstances pertinent to natural, geopolitical and economic environment K_U05, H1A_U05
- can use the knowledge of socio-cultural issues of China and Taiwan in typical professional situations K_U09, H1A_U04
- has a skill in presenting detailed aspects within the scope of cultural issues of China and Taiwan in Polish and in standard modern Chinese taking into consideration the intellectual tradition of China K_U21, H1A_U09
Social competences:
-understands the need to learn all one’s life K_K01, H1A_K01
- can set appropriate goals and ways to achieve them in the context of academic, professional and social activity K_K04, H1A_K03 - has awareness of the cultural distinctness and its religious, philosophical, traditional and historical roots and its significance for understanding modern world K_K05, H1A_K04, H1A_K05
- sees the need of dialogue between cultures K_K06, H1A_K04, H1A_K05
- is aware of significance the culture of China has for the culture of the world K_K07, H1A_K05
- acts in aid of sharing and promoting cultural and linguistic heritage of China K_K08, H1A_K05, H1A_K06
Assessment criteria
Grade based on a written test exam, based on the knowledge gained during the lectures and from the assigned literature. Test exam in the winter semester comprises of a 30 single-choice test (ABCD), a minimum passing score of 16 points. Points won translate into marks according to the following scheme:
16-18 pts. - satisfactory (3)
19-21 pts. - satisfactory+ (3+) 22-24 pts. - good (4)
25-27 pts. - good+ (4+) 28-30 pts. - very good (5)
The final test exam in the summer session comprises 70 single choice tests (ABCD) - the score is summed with points gained during the winter session exam producing a total possible score of 100 points. A minimum passing score is 61 points. Points won translate into marks according to the following scheme:
0-60 pts. - unsatisfactory (2) 61-68 pts. - satisfactory (3) 69-76 pts. - satisfactory+ (3+) 77-84 pts. - good (4)
85-92 pts. - good+ (4+) 92-100 pts. very good (5)
Bibliography
1. Selected chapters from The Cambridge History of China, vols. I, III, VI-X.
2. Blunden C., Elvin M. Chiny, przekład z ang. Mieczysław Jerzy Künstler, Warszawa : Świat Książki, 1997.
3. Fairbank J.K. Historia Chin, nowe spojrzenie, przekład z ang. T. Lechowska, Z. Słupski, Gdańsk 1996.
4. Gernet J. Chiny starożytne, tłum. M. J. Kunstler, 1966.
5. Granet M, Cywilizacja chińska, przekład Mieczysław Jerzy Künstler, Wyd. 2, Warszawa 1995.
6. Pawłowski J. Państwo we wczesnej filozofii konfucjańskiej, Warszawa 2010.
7. Pimpaneau J. Chiny. Kultura i tradycje, Warszawa 2001.
8. Rodziński W., Historia Chin wyd. II, Wrocław 1992.
9. Sidichmienow W., Ostatni cesarze Chin, tłum. J. Abkowicz i R. Sławiński, Katowice 1990.
10. Słupski Z. Wczesne piśmiennictwo chińskie, Warszawa, 2001.
11. Słupski Z. Wczesne piśmiennictwo chińskie, wybór tekstów, Warszawa, 2004.
12. Spence J., The Search for Modern China, Norton, 1991.
13. Sy-ma Ts ́ien. Syn Smoka. Fragmenty zapisków historyka. Przekład Mieczysław Jerzy Künstler, Warszawa, 2000 The extended bibliography will be provided during the lectures.
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Term 2024L:
1. Wybrane rozdziały The Cambridge History of China, tomy VI-X. |
Term 2025L:
1. Blunden, Caroline; Elvin, Mark. Chiny. Przeł. M.J. Künstler. Warszawa: Świat Książki, 1997. |
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: