Introduction to Japanese Civilization and Culture

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course provides an overview of the historical development of Japanese civilization and culture from the prehistoric era up through the 19th Century. Students will acquire a basic knowledge of Japanese geography, historical periods, changing class structure and political organization. The main emphasis, however, is on the development of the fine arts, such as painting, architecture, gardens, and sculpture. The course also introduces students to the important and continuous influence of Chinese art, literature, Buddhism and Confucianism. Through readings of selected literary works (prose fiction, poetry, essays on aesthetics), students will learn how shared aesthetic values changed over time in relation to their social and political context.