Address: 205 Royal Parade, Parkville, N.2
Head of Department: Professor H. F. SIMON, B.A. (Lend.), M.A.
The department of Oriental Studies was established in 1961, thanks to a generous grant of the Myer Foundation, In 1964 the department offers courses in Chinese I, II and III, leading to a major or sub-major of the ordinary degree, and in parts I, II and III of the honours school of Chinese. Chinese IV ( hens.) will be available in 1965 and Chinese honours parts III and IV in 1964 and 1965. It is hoped to offer courses in Japanese no later than 1965.
COURSES IN CHINESE
The Chinese are proud of a civilization which is second to none. One of the most remarkable features of this civilization is that it has been carried in the one language by the one people over a period of some 4,000 years. We have a wealth of literature
145
FACULTY OF ARTS HANDBOOK
in many fields which covers the last two and a half millennia of this period as well as inscriptions on bronzes and oracle bones which go back much further. A knowledge of written Chinese will put within one's reach what is probably the largest corpus of literature known to us in any one language.
But it is necessary to distinguish three main forms of written Chinese: classical, mediaeval and modern. Classical Chinese has a structure and vocabulary broadly based on the written language of the 5th Century B.C. Mediaeval and modem Chinese, on the other hand, are based on the spoken language current at the time at which the texts were written. There are, therefore, fundamental and strongly marked differences of structure, style and vocabulary between the three forms.
Modern Chinese may be dated from the beginning of this century, whilst mediaeval Chinese may be said to have its early beginnings in the 6th century A.D.
and to have produced its first major creative works, the plays of the Yuan period, in the 13th century. The terms "modern" and "mediaeval" are, therefore, used in a rather special sense dictated by the nature and structure of the written material.
Classical Chinese continued to be written throughout these periods and is still being written today.
As a spoken language, Standard Chinese—or as it is often called, Mandarin, or Киoуii or Putunghua
—
is now spoken and understood throughout China and in most of the overseas Chinese communities in the various countries of South-East Asia. It is, therefore, a satisfactory medium of communication with the majority of the 650,000,000 of Australia's Chinese neighbours—rather more than one-fifth of the world's total population. Standard Chinese is based on the Peking dialect and the pronunciation taught will be that of Peking.The rapid emergence in the latter half of this century of China as a great world power has added considerable urgency to Western studies of Chinese and of Chinese civilization. From their early beginnings as a peripheral and esoteric pastime, these studies have now developed into an increasingly normal and central pursuit at most of the major universities in the West. Australia s geographical position makes such a development particularly desirable and important.
As a result of this development, some opportunities now exist for careers in the academic world as well as in government and business for graduates in this field. A knowledge of Chinese either of major or sub-major standard coupled with suitable qualifications in such fields as History, Political Science or Economics is particularly useful in this respect.
ORDINARY DEGREE
( Details for the honours degree are set out at the end of this section. ) Group 1(a)
31. CHINESE PART
I
A course of 6 hours per week consisting of 4 lectures and 2 tutorials.
No previous knowledge of Chinese is necessary for this course and its main emphasis will be linguistic. Students will receive a thorough grounding in Standard Chinese in its spoken and written form. There will also be some introductory lectures on Chinese poetry. Candidates who intend to proceed to Chinese II must also take East Asian Studies I (cf. p. 150) since a pass in this subject is a pre-requisite for Chinese II.
Holders of the G.C.E. in Chinese and graduates of Chinese middle schools or similar or higher institutions, where the language of instruction is Chinese, are exempted from Chinese I. Such candidates will take East Asian Studies I and Chinese II and III as a major for the ordinary degree. They may take Chinese II as an additional subject in group 1(a) of the ordinary degree.
Similar exemption may also be given at the discretion of the head of the department to other candidates who have recognized professional qualifications in Chinese.
SYLLABUS
Phonetics and syntax of the Peking dialect. . .
Translation from and into Standard Chinese.
Dictation, calligraphy and conversation.
Introduction to Chinese poetry.
146
CØESE Books
( a) Prescribed texts:
Chao, Y. R. Mandarin
Primer.
Vol. 1. (HarvardU.P. )
Simon,W.—National Language Reader. ( Lund
Humphries. ) Simon, W.—StructureDrill in Chinese. ( Lund
Humphries.)Кotewáll, Robert and Smith, Norman, L. (trans.
)—The Penguin Book of Chinese Verse. (Penguin,.
1962. )(b) Prescribed dictionary:
Simon W.—Beginners'
Chinese Dictionary.
( Lund Humphries.)The department will issue a supplementary reading list as well as additional teaching material in the form of mimeographed sheets.
EXAMINATION
One 3-hour paper of translation from Chinese ( unseen ). One 3-hour paper of translation into Chinese ( unseen) together with questions on Chinese grammar and Chinese poetry. An oral examination.
32. CHINESE PART II
A. course of 6 hours per week consisting of 4 lectures and 2 tutorials.
Before being allowed to proceed to Chinese II, students must have obtained
a
pass in Chinese I andin
East Asian Studies I. In exceptional circumstances, pеrmis sion may be granted by the head of the department to proceed to Chinese II and East_ Asian Studies I simultaneously. Candidates who are exempt from Chinese I must satisfy the head of the department that they have a satisfactory command of Standard Chinese.The
emphasis of courses in Chinese II will be divided between language and the study of modern Chinese literature. Classical Chinese will also be Introduced at this stage. The mediaeval novel will be studied both in the original and in translation.SYLLABUS
Prescribed texts from Modem Chinese Literature.
The Chinese novel.
Translation from and into Modem Chinese.
Conversation and oral practice.
Classical Chinese.
BOOKS
(a) Prescribed texts:
Liu, C.
Y.—Fifty Chinese Stories. ( Lund
Humphries, 1960.) Ba Jin-Jia. (Chap. 15.).Luu shiunn—Cuhshiang.
Iwu Shyh—Shin
1Sychaur Yunndonq.
Mau Tzerdong—Tzay
Yanan Wenyih Tzuohtarnhuey-shangde Jeanghuah.
Jou Tzuohren—to be announced.
Buck, Pearl—Al
Men are Brothers. ( Grove
Press Inc., N.Y.)Wang, Chichen (trans.
)-Dream of the Red Chamber.
(Twayne Publications, N.Y.)(b) Prescribed Dictionaries:
Mathews, R.
H.—Chinese-English Dictionary.
(Any ed. )Tzongher Inghwa Hwáing Dab Tsyrdean.
(Any ed.)(Prescribed and other Chinese texts, together with a supplementary reading list may be obtained from the department.)
EXAMINATION
One 3-hour paper on translation from and into Chinese (unseen). One 3-hour paper on prescribed texts together with questions on the Chinese novel. An oral examination.
34. CHINESE PART III
A course of 6 hours per week consisting of lectures and tutorials.
The division of emphasis between language and literature will be the same
as
in Chinese II. A mediaeval text will be introduced at this stage. Drama and poetry will be studied both in the original and in translation.147
FACULTY OF AAТS HANDBOOK SYLLABUS
Prescribed texts from Modem and Mediaeval Chinese literature.
Chinese drama and poetry.
Translation from and into Chinese.
Classical Chinese.
Advanced oral work.
BОoks
(a) Prescribed texts:
Liu, C.
Y.—Fift
y Chinese Stories. (Lund Humphries, 1960.) Other prescribe
d texts may be obtained from the department.(b) Prescribed Dictionaries:
Tsyr Нае. (Jonghwa Book Company.)
Tzongher Inghwa Hwaing Dais Tsyrdean. (Any ed.) Mathews, R.
H.—Chinese-English
Dictionary. (Anyed.)
EXAMINATIONOne 3-hour paper on prescribed texts. One 3-hour paper on unseen translation from Modern and Classical Chinese. One 3-hour paper on translation into Chinese together with questions on Chinese literature. An oral examination.
Lectures, Tutorials and Examinations. Attendance at all lectures and tutorials is compulsory and class work and essays will be taken into consideration in the grading of examination results.
HONOURS DEGREE Q. SCHOOL OF CHINESE
1. A candidate in the school of Chinese will take Chinese parts I, II, III and IV together with East Asian Studies I and three additional subjects to be approved by the head of the department. One of these additional subjects should be English I or the first part of a sub-major in a subject to be approved by the head of the department. Candidates will be encouraged to proceed to a major in an approved subject.
2. In their First Year, candidates will, therefore, take Chinese part I, East.
Asian Studies I and either English I or the first part of a sub-major or major in an approved subject.
Admission to the higher years of the course is conditional upon a satisfactory performance in the First Year, and students must be approved by the faculty of Arts as candidates for the degree with honours before entering the Second Year of the honours school. The professor of Oriental Studies will normally recommend such approval for candidates who have gained at least second class honours in Chinese part L Other candidates who wish to continue in the honours school must interview the professor of Oriental Studies, who will be guided in his recommendation by the merits of the case.
A student who has completed the First Year of the course for the ordinary
degree
and has passed in Chinese I and East Asian Studies I may, with the permission of faculty, enter the honours school. Such a student must make special application to the faculty through the sub-dean. If permission is granted, the faculty will prescribe what further work must be completed before the student is allowed to proceed to the final examination.3. In the Second Year, candidates will take Chinese part II together with an additional subject or the second part of the approved sub-major or major.
4. In the Third Year, candidates will take Chinese part III together with an additional subject or the third part of the approved major.
5. In the Fourth Year, candidates will take Chinese part IV.
Some variations in this course may be available in 1965.
31. CHINESE PART I (Ions) A course of 7 hours per week of 4 lectures and 3 tutorials.
SYLLABUS
As for the ordinary degree, together with a course on linguistic theory and Chinese grammar.
148
Books
As for the ordinary degree, together with the following recommended textbooks:
Forrest, R. A. D.—The Chinese Language.
or Каr1gren,
B.—The
Chinese Language. ( Ronald Press, 1949.)Hockett, C. F.—A Course in Modern Linguistics. ( Macmillan, 1958.) Jones,
D.—The
Phoneme. (Helfer, 1950.)32. CHINESE PART II (Ions)
A course of 9 hours per week of lectures and tutorials.sYLLABUs
As for the ordinary degree, together with a course of 3 hours per week of lec- tures and tutorials on prescribed texts in mediaeval Chinese and on Chinese biblio- graPhY
Books
As for the ordinary degree together with the following prescribed texts:
Shoeihuujuann. (120 chapter ed. )
Irwin, R.
G. Evolution
of the Chinese Novel. ( Harvard, 1953.Hightower, J.
R.—Topics
in Chinese Literature. (Harvard, 1953.)Teng, S. Y., and Biggerstaff, K.—An Annotated Bibliography of Selected Chinese Reference Works. ( Harvard, 1950.)
Prescribed and other Chinese texts as well as a supplementary reading list may be obtained from the department.
EXAMINATION
As for the ordinary degree together with one paper on the prescribed texts.
34. CHINESE PART III (Ions)
A course of 9 hours per week of lectures and tutorials.SYLLABUS
As for the ordinary degree, together with a course of 3 hours per week of lec- tures and tutorials on prescribed texts in mediaeval and classical Chinese and on classical literature.
BOOKS
As for the ordinary degree together with the following prescribed texts:
;Shoeihuujuann (120 chapter ed.) Tsaur Sheuechyn—Horngloumenq.
Maa Jyhyeuan—Hanngong
Chiou.
Chinese texts as well as a supplementary reading list may be obtained from the department.
EXAMINATION
Chinese Honours Part I: Three papers as prescribed for the ordinary degree together with a fourth paper on prescribed texts in medieval Chinese and an oral examination.
35. CHINESE PART IV
(Available in 1985). A course of 8 hours per week of lectures and tutorials.SYLLABUS
Advanced language study of modern and classical Chinese. Advanced study of modern and mediaeval Chinese literature.
CENTRE 0F EAST ASIAN STUDIES
Course Committee: Professor Н. F. SIMON (Oriental Studies)Dr. J. S. GREGORY (History) Mr. A. lUCK (Political Science) Mr. D. LANCASHIRE (Oriental Studies)
149
FACULTY OF ARTS HANDBOOK
The Centre of East Asian Studies is an interdepartmental organization which offers interdisciplinary courses on East Asia. The centre is administered by the professor of Oriental Studies and courses are devised by an interdepartmental course committee. At present the centre offers a one-year course entitled East Asian Studies I. This is open to students of all faculties and ranks for credit in group II of the faculty of Arts.
East Asian Studies I is a course of two lectures and one seminar per week.
Lectures are given by members of the departments of History, Political Science and Oriental Studies and by scholars and experts from other universities in Australia and elsewhere. Lectures are integrated according to academic disciplines and the main emphasis of the course is on the history of China and Japan and on political institutions and problems in both countries. The course also contains a shorter series of lectures on selected topics in the fields of philosophy, linguistics or literature.
The course also contains a short series of lectures on Confucianism and Neo- Confucianism. Students will be asked to contribute papers on selected topics for discussion in the weekly seminar. These papers will be mimeographed and distributed beforehand. Two such papers will be discussed each week and each student will, therefore be asked to submit two or three such papers during the course of the year.
The quality of the papers will be taken into account in grading students at the end of the course.
Group 2(f)
36. EAST ASIAN STUDIES I SYLLАВUS
A survey of the history of China and Japan and of political institutions and problems in the two countries, together with lectures on selected topics in linguistics and literature.
Students are required to submit discussion papers.
BOOКS
Prescribed textbooks:
Reischauer, E. O., and Fairbank, J. K.—East Asia: The Great Tradition. (Allen and Unwin, 1962.)
De Bary, W. T. (ed. ?-Sources of Chinese Tradition. (Columbia U. P.) Borton, Hugh—Japan s Modern Centuij. ( Ronald Press, N.Y., 1955.) Кahin, G.—Major Governments in Asia. (Cornell U.P., 1958.) kuo, P. C.—China: New Age and New Outlook. (Penguin, 1960.) The centre will supply a supplementary reading list.
EXAMINATION. One 3-hour paper.