Animated Storytelling: Chinese Culture in Motion

9 units · Undergraduate

Intermittent: 9 units This course offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the interrelationships among Chinese literary and cultural traditions and the arts of animation, performance, and digital visualization. It combines traditional humanities research in literature, history, philosophy, and religion with contemporary digital humanities and visual storytelling techniques. Through close reading and critical examination, students explore selected Chinese literary, philosophical, and cultural traditions; their social, historical, and cultural contexts; and their modern adaptations. Through practical studio work, students investigate traditional and contemporary creative techniques in relation to broader global traditions and the affordances of contemporary media arts. Students are encouraged to develop their own culturally informed stories, interpretations, and creative projects using mediums such as creative writing, animation, shadow play, digital storytelling, music visualization, and immersive media. Topics offered under this title include "Chinese Mythology and Animation Creation," "Chinese Ghost Stories and Shadow Play," and "Ancient Chinese Philosophy and Music Visualization." Students are welcome to check with the instructors for the specific course focus and detailed syllabus for the current offering.