HIS 2237 - Religion and Society in China

Credits: 4
This course will introduce some of the basic concepts and changing practices of religion at important moments in Chinese imperial history prior to the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1911. After a brief introduction to the diversity of religions of China (from Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism and popular religions to the introduction of Islam and Christianity), the course will focus on the impact of religions on the daily lives of ordinary people. Readings will include primary sources-religious tracts, biographies of religious figures, and works of fiction in which religion plays a central role. Lectures will provide a critical framework through which students will interpret these materials and learn about the liveliness of the practices of Chinese religions.
McDaniel Plan: International Nonwestern, Social, Cultural, and Historical Understanding