This course will focus on the rise, constitution, and fall of the great empires in China since 221 B.C. The main areas of analysis will cover the dominant “isms” (ideologies), political-economic-social forces, and cultural traditions behind the rise of an empire. It further examines the military culture and manpower behind the rise and fall of a great empire as well as the makers of powerful empires and their impact on the course of Chinese history. The major topics to be covered this year include: The First Emperor and the Founding of the First Empire; Pax Sinica: The Empire over the Four Seas; The New China: The Formation of a New Empire; The Rise of a New Maritime Empire: The Empire from East Sea to West Sea; The World Empire: What, How, and Where; The End of the Empire in China: The Beginning of the CHINESE Empire; Empires in Comparative Perspectives. In essence, it covers the history and civilization of China from 221 B.C. to about 1840 A.D. in SEVEN (7) historical topics:

1. The Ch’in-Han (Qin-Han) Empire, 221 B.C.-220 A.D.
2. The Six Dynasties: The Divided Empire, 220 -589.
3. Sui and T’ang (Tang): The New Empire, 589-907-960.
4. The Sung (Song) Dynasty, 960-1126-1279: The New World.
5. Yuan: The Mongol Empire, 1279-1368.
6. The Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644: The Age of Modernity? .
7. The Ch’ing (Qing) Dynasty, 1644-1912: The Manchu-Chinese Empire

Course Requirements:

TWO midterm and ONE final exam. One optional paper.