| Unit name | 3000 Years of Chinese Religions |
|---|---|
| Unit code | THRS10036 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Greene |
| Open unit status | Open |
| Pre-requisites |
none |
| Co-requisites |
none |
| School/department | Department of Religion and Theology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit surveys the religious traditions of China from sacrifice and ancestor worship as revealed in the oracle bones of ancient China, to Falungong and other developments in contemporary Chinese religion.
On successful completion of this unit students will have: (1) developed a basic understanding of key terms of art in Chinese religion—frequently employed and frequently misunderstood—such as “Daoism,” “Zen,” “fengshui,” and “qigong”; (2) acquired sufficient knowledge to be able to pursue further study of Chinese religion; (3) acquired basic skills in reading and assessing primary sources (in translation) and in analyzing these sources in both written and oral form; (4) demonstrated the ability to identify and evaluate pertinent evidence/data in order to illustrate/demonstrate a cogent argument.
1 lecture + 1 seminar per week
One summative coursework essay of 1500 words and one unseen examination of two hours (50%).
• J.A. Adler, Chinese Religions (Routledge, 2002); • D Lopez, Religions of China in Practice (Princeton UP, 1996); • Mu-chou Poo, In Search of Personal Welfare: A View of Ancient Chinese Religion (SUNY, 1998).
