Literary Chinese is a written language that matured long before the Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.), when China first became an empire. It continued to be used by China's governing and elite cultures for nearly three millennia. A good command of Literary Chinese is therefore indispensable for the study of pre-modern Chinese literature, thought, history, politics and society.
The idioms, allusions, syntax, and style of Literary Chinese continue to pervade the modern language. Its enduring influence results from the fact that the great legacies of Chinese culture, right down to the present day, have been largely preserved in this medium. Without a grounding in Literary Chinese, it is therefore impossible to gain a full understanding of newspaper articles, literary works, and scholarly prose written in contemporary Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the People's Republic of China. Literary Chinese has also shaped the linguistic and cultural traditions of Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
The course Literary Chinese 1 focuses on the analysis and translation of a selection of texts for beginners from the pre-Qin (before 221 BC) and the Han dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD). Students get to know the main structural and grammatical elements of the language. Review sessions serve to deepen understanding of grammatical forms, function words, and sentence patterns. Techniques of translation as well as cultural background essential to the understanding of the texts will also be studied.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. To acquire an introductory command of Literary Chinese, and to develop an understanding of aspects of its syntax.2. To acquire skills of literary translation from Classical Chinese into English.
3. To become familiar with a range of issues, both theoretical and methodological, pertaining to studies of traditional China.
4. To develop skills in the use of a range of basic Chinese and English language Sinological bibliographical and other reference tools.
5. To apply these various skills and methodologies in the preparation of translations.
Indicative Assessment
Preparation of written translations for each class. Two of these translations (with annotations) shall be handed to the convenor before class on dates to be announced 20%Test 1: vocabulary, questions about grammar, and a brief translation 20%
Test 2: translation of an unseen text (vocabulary partly supplied) and questions about grammar 20%
Final exam: translation of an unseen text (little vocabulary supplied), questions about grammar 40%
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
3 hours per week, 36 contact hoursRequisite and Incompatibility
Specialisations
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $3054 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $4368 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2289 | 15 Feb 2016 | 26 Feb 2016 | 31 Mar 2016 | 27 May 2016 | In Person | N/A |
