Join the Club: Thinking through China/Chineseness in Film and Literature
A Book/Movie Club on Zoom for Students on Campus
Thursdays this summer, starting on June 4, 2:30–3:30 pm EDT
Hosted by Lu Kou, Assistant Professor of Chinese, Bard College
Introduction
The pandemic and concomitant biotechnological competitions have strained the already fragile US- China relation. The rising hostility between the two nations has promoted many to claim that a new Cold War is dawning upon us. A binary mode of thinking is prevalent in both countries, which is often couched in sentences such as A can never be B; A will never understand B; A and B are enemies. The US and China thus represent the opposite ends of a political, cultural, and ideological spectrum: socialism/capitalism, authoritarian/democratic, collective/individualistic, east/west, and so on. This Cold War pattern of thinking is unproductive and dangerous as it reinforces stereotyping and prevents an empathetic understanding of those who are different from us. How can we understand China and its cultural complexity beyond the image of unchanging, inscrutable “East”?
How do Chinese people come to terms with their nation and national past? How does the broader sinophone world consider China as a political and cultural entity? And finally, what is, then, China? With these questions in mind, we will use the summer to close read and discuss some of the most celebrated fictions and films from both China and larger sinophone community in which authors and directors poignantly negotiate with the increasingly globalized world and their cultural heritage. Starting from specific texts, we will also venture to answer some of the larger questions. For example, why is science fiction popular in China? What’s going on between China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong? Who is Confucius, and why is he significant? How did China become modern? The literary and cinematic texts hardly give any definitive conclusions, but invite us readers to participate in the discussion and offer our interpretations.
This is a casual gathering. You are welcome to attend all the meetings; you are also welcome to join the sessions that interest you the most. All materials will be provided (on Google Classroom) with English translation as well as the original Chinese. Depending on the participants, the discussion can be conducted in Chinese or English.
How do Chinese people come to terms with their nation and national past? How does the broader sinophone world consider China as a political and cultural entity? And finally, what is, then, China? With these questions in mind, we will use the summer to close read and discuss some of the most celebrated fictions and films from both China and larger sinophone community in which authors and directors poignantly negotiate with the increasingly globalized world and their cultural heritage. Starting from specific texts, we will also venture to answer some of the larger questions. For example, why is science fiction popular in China? What’s going on between China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong? Who is Confucius, and why is he significant? How did China become modern? The literary and cinematic texts hardly give any definitive conclusions, but invite us readers to participate in the discussion and offer our interpretations.
This is a casual gathering. You are welcome to attend all the meetings; you are also welcome to join the sessions that interest you the most. All materials will be provided (on Google Classroom) with English translation as well as the original Chinese. Depending on the participants, the discussion can be conducted in Chinese or English.
Site:
Code:
n2wepmy
What do you need to do:
1. Enjoy the stories or films (finish reading/watching the materials before the meeting)
2. I will post all the materials on Google Classroom with some questions. If you like, you
can keep a reading journal by posting your thoughts and comments there.
3. Join the meeting and share your ideas!
Lu Kou’s Zoom Link:
If you have any questions, please send email to: [email protected]
Schedule
(may be subject to changes depending on the availability of the materials)
Unit 1 China in Two Films
- Week 1 (June 4): Queerness, Theater, and Modern Chinese history
Chen Kaige 陈凯歌 dir. Farewell, My Concubine 霸王別姬
- Week 2 (June 11): Road to Capitalism
Feng Xiaogang 冯小刚 dir. The Big Shot’s Funeral 大腕
Unit 2: The Contemporary
- Week 3 (June 18): Science Fiction
Liu Cixin 刘慈欣, Village Schoolteacher 乡村教师
Hao Jingfang 郝景芳, Folding Beijing 北京折叠
- Week 4 (June 25): Nobel Prize Complex
Mo Yan 莫言, White Dog and the Swing 白狗秋千架
Mo Yan 莫言, Iron Child 铁孩
- Week 5 (July 2): Avant-garde
Can Xue 残雪, Hut on a Mountain 山上的小屋
Can Xue 残雪, Soap Bubbles in the Dirty Water 污水中的肥皂泡
Unit 3: The Modern
- Week 6 (July 9): Youth and (The Cultural) Revolution
Jiang Wen 姜文 dir. In the Heat of the Sun 阳光灿烂的日子
- Week 7 (July 16): Love and Urban Romance
Eileen Chang 张爱玲, Love in a Fallen City 倾城之恋
- Week 8 (July 23): Modernity
Lu Xun 鲁迅, Mending Heaven 补天
Lu Xun 鲁迅, Medicine 药
Unit 4: The Sinophone
- Week 9 (July 30): Taiwan
Zhang Da-chun 张大春, General’s Monument 将军碑
- Week 10 (August 7): Hong Kong
Xi Xi 西西, The Floating City 浮城异志
- Week 11 (August 14): Southeast Asia
Ng Kim Chew 黄锦树, Fish Bone 鱼骸
Unit 5: Confucius
- Week 12 (August 21)
Confucius 孔子, The Analects 论语
For more information, call 845-758-6822, or e-mail [email protected].