Universität Wien

150225 SE SE LK A palace for the afterlife. Funerary art and architecture in ancient China (2010S)

10.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 15 - Ostasienwissenschaften
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung

Please note: the seminar will begin on 09.03.2010

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 25 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

  • Dienstag 02.03. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 09.03. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 16.03. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 23.03. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 13.04. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 20.04. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 27.04. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 04.05. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 11.05. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 18.05. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 01.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 08.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 15.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 22.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18
  • Dienstag 29.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Seminarraum Sinologie 2 UniCampus Hof 2 2F-O1-18

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

Among the greatest archaeological discoveries made in China in the last 50 years is the famous terracotta army from the mausoleum of Qin Shihuangdi (r. 221-210 BCE), near Xi'an. Thousand of lifesize statues of soldiers were buried, aligned orderly as in battle arrangement, in order to protect the first emperor of China who was resting under the main tumulus of the mausoleum. The tomb of the emperor, according to the record of the historian Sima Qian (c. 145-86 BCE), was extraordinarily magnificent, equipped with miniature models of palaces, fine vessels and precious objects of all sorts. Moreover, a whole landscape, with rivers in streams of quicksilver and everburning candles representing the constellations of the heaven, was reproduced in it. The core of the Qin emperor mausoleum possibly remains still untouched, but other sensational excavations in China have revealed richly furnished and decorated tombs, conceived to provide as much comfort as possible to their occupants in their afterlife. These "homes of the departed" reveal much about attitudes towards death and beliefs in the afterlife in ancient China.
In the course of the seminar we will analyze archaeological material from most of the significant excavated tombs and see how the structure of the tombs as well as the kind of burial objects vary in the course of time according to social and historical changes, burial practices and beliefs. The chronological range of our inquiry will cover the period between the Qin and the Song dynasties (3rd c. BCE-12th c. CE).

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

Attendance, participation and oral presentation: 50%; written paper: 50%
Students are expected to attend the seminar regularly, to participate in class discussion, to read the basic literature and the readings on specific topics suggested in class. More than 3 unjustified absences will be evaluated as negative; attendance to the introductory lectures is highly recommended. The oral presentation and the written paper are compulsory for final marks.

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

The seminar aims to give students a grounding in the study of the ancient Chinese culture through the analysis of artifacts and structures from archaeologically excavated tombs.

Prüfungsstoff

Two hours classes every week.
The seminar is divided in three phases:
In the first phase introductory lectures will provide students with a general background on Chinese funerary art: evolution of tomb structures, type and significance of burial objects, beliefs and ritual customs around the afterlife, etc. Some of the most important issues will be deepened and further expanded by a number of readings that will be commented and discussed in classes (second phase). In the final phase of the course students will give oral presentations with the possibility of choosing among a list of suggested topics. Each presentation should last ca. 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes class discussion. Students will then develop the content of the presentation into a written essay of ca. 10 pages of length, which will be evaluated for final grading.
The list of topics and the relevant literature will be given during the seminar according to the selected interests or specific requirements.
A general knowledge on the history of China from Qin to Song period is highly recommended.

Literatur

Guo Qinghua 2004. 'Tomb Architecture of Dynastic China: Old and New Questions', Architectural History, Vol. 47: 1-24.
Shatzman Steinhardt, N. (ed.) 2002. Chinese Architecture. New Haven/ Beijing: Yale University Press/ New World Press.
Turner, J. (ed.) 1996. The dictionary of art. vol. 6, "China" in particular: I.5. "Religion and Philosophy"; I.6. "Iconography and subject-matter"; II.6. "Architecture � Funerary structures". New York, NY: Grove.
Wang Boyang 1998. Imperial mausoleums and tombs. Wien: Springer.
Wu Hung 1998. 'Realities of life after death: constructing a posthumous world in funerary art', in S. E. Lee (ed.), China � 5000 years: innovation and transformation in the arts, 103-13. New York: Guggenheim Museum.
Yang Xiaoneng 2004. New perspectives on China's past: Chinese archaeology in the twentieth century. New Haven [Conn.], Kansas City [Mo.]: Yale University Press with The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

(Further reading on specific topics will be given in class. A complete list of reading is available on the e-learning platform "Fronter").

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

LK 420

Letzte Änderung: Di 14.01.2025 00:16