Explore

Religious Transformation in Early China: the Period of Division

Approx. 22 hours to complete

Save Course

Go to Course

Course Summary

Explore the religious and philosophical traditions of early China during the period of division. Learn about the transformation of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, and their impact on Chinese culture and society.

Key Learning Points

Discover the key religious and philosophical traditions of early China
Examine the transformation of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism
Explore the impact of religion on Chinese culture and society

Learning Outcomes

Understand the religious and philosophical traditions of early China
Examine the transformation of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism
Analyze the impact of religion on Chinese culture and society

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

No prior knowledge of Chinese philosophy or religion required
Basic understanding of history recommended

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

Similar Courses

Chinese History and Culture
Introduction to Confucianism
Buddhism and Modern Psychology

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Li Zehou
Tu Weiming

Related Books

Description

This sequence of four courses will propose a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of Chinese cultural history conceived of as a succession of modes of rationality (philosophical, bureaucratic, and economic). The focus will be on the moments of paradigm shift from one mode of rationality to another. For each of these moments, cultural facts and artifacts—thought, literature, ritual—will be examined in relationship to changing social, political, and economic systems.

The first two courses will cover the periods of the Warring States (481-256 BCE) and the Period of Division (220-589 CE), with a brief excursion into the Han (206 BCE-220 CE). The Warring States laid the social and cultural foundations for the emergence of the imperial mode of rationality; the Period of Division saw the Buddhist “conquest” of China and the emergence of a rationality defined by the opposition of the Three Teachings to shamanism, that is, of a clear contrast between elite and popular culture. The third and fourth courses will focus on the emergence of modern China in the Song-Yuan (960-1368) and of today’s China 1850 to the present. We will see how the modern attack on religion, redefined as "superstition", led not only to religious reform movements but also to a society in which science and the nation became the primary value systems promoted by the state. The courses are listed below: A Critical Cultural History of China - Early China I: Intellectual Change in the Warring States and Han (481 BCE-220 CE) A Critical Cultural History of China - Early China II: Religious Transformation in the Period of Division (220-589 CE) A Critical Cultural History of China - Modern China I: Religion and Thought in the Song, Jin, and Yuan (960-1368) (To be launched in late 2018) A Critical Cultural History of China - Modern China II: Structuring Values (1850-2015) (To be launched in late 2018)

Outline

MODULE 06 Religious Transformation in the Period of Division (220-589 AD)
M06.1 Basic facts
M06.2 Buddhism, Daoism and the state
M06.3 Liang Wudi
M06.4 Conquest or sinification?
M06.5 Liminality
Course Overview
Course Editorial Conventions
Suggested Textbooks
M06.1 Basic facts
M06.2 Buddhism, Daoism and the state
M06.3 Liang Wudi
M06.4 Conquest or sinification?
M06.5 Liminality

MODULE 07 Religious Communities
M07.1.1 Who are the transcendents
M07.1.2 Stories of transcendents
M07.1.3 Elite or popular?
M07.1.4 The world of the dead before Buddhism
M07.2.1 Basic facts
M07.2.2 Lu Xiujing
M07.2.3 Initiation
M07.3 The Buddhist community
M07.1.1 Who are the transcendents
M07.1.2 Stories of transcendents
M07.1.3 Elite or popular?
M07.1.4 The world of the dead before Buddhism
M07.2.1 Basic facts
M07.2.2 Lu Xiujing
M07.2.3 Initiation
M07.3 The Buddhist community

MODULE 08 Rituals
M08.1 Buddhism as a public religion
M08.2 The rule of law
M08.3 Orality and dualism
M08.4 In sum
M08.5 The Daoist petition
M08.6 Daoism in North China
M08.7 Lingbao Daoism
M08.8 The Lingbao fast and Lu Xiujing
M08.1 Buddhism as a public religion
M08.2 The rule of law
M08.3 Orality and dualism
M08.4 In sum
M08.5 The Daoist petition
M08.6 Daoism in North China
M08.7 Lingbao Daoism
M08.8 The Lingbao fast and Lu Xiujing

MODULE 09 Scriptures
M09.1 Translated and indigenous Buddhist scriptures
M09.2 Buddhist orality and logic
M09.3 Daoist writs
M09.4 The visual and the spatial
M09.5 Lord Lao
M09.6 The Celestial Worthy
Bonus Readings
Bonus Readings
M09.1 Translated and indigenous Buddhist scriptures
M09.2 Buddhist orality and logic
M09.3 Daoist writs
M09.4 The visual and the spatial
M09.5 Lord Lao
M09.6 The Celestial Worthy

MODULE 10 Literature
M10.1 New Buddhist literary genres
M10.2 Buddhist influence on Chinese poetry
M10.3 The Lotus and Vimalakirti sutras
M10.4 Daoist poetry
M10.1 New Buddhist literary genres
M10.2 Buddhist influence on Chinese poetry
M10.3 The Lotus and Vimalakirti sutras
M10.4 Daoist poetry

MODULE 11 Sacred Geography
M11.1 Mountains as sacred sites
M11.2 Mountains and revelation
M11.3 Imperial and Daoist convergence
M11.4 The “Scripture of the Man-Bird Mountain”
M11.5 The Daoist subject
M11.6 Buddhist sacred geography
Bonus Reading
M11.1 Mountains as sacred sites
M11.2 Mountains and revelation
M11.3 Imperial and Daoist convergence
M11.4 The “Scripture of the Man-Bird Mountain”
M11.5 The Daoist subject
M11.6 Buddhist sacred geography

MODULE 12 Popular Religion
M12.1 Return and repression of the shamans
M12.2 Buddhist and Daoist responses to shamanism
M12.1 Return and repression of the shamans
M12.2 Buddhist and Daoist responses to shamanism

Summary of User Reviews

Read reviews for the course Religious Transformation in Early China: The Period of Division on Coursera. Discover what users think about the course, its content, its instructors, and the learning experience.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Many users thought that the course content was well-structured and informative.

Pros from User Reviews

The course material provides a comprehensive overview of the religious transformation in early China.
The lectures are engaging and provide an in-depth understanding of the subject matter.
The instructors are knowledgeable and responsive to student questions.
The quizzes and assignments are challenging and help to reinforce the concepts learned in the course.
The course is accessible and easy to navigate on the Coursera platform.

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course material to be too dense and difficult to follow.
A few users noted technical difficulties with the Coursera platform during the course.
A handful of users would have liked more opportunities for student interaction and discussion.
Some users felt that the course could have benefited from more visuals and multimedia elements.
A few users found the assessments to be too focused on memorization rather than critical thinking.