Origins of Chinese Civilization and Arts

3 units

This course traces Chinese civilization from its formative period, extending from the Neolithic period (10,000 BP to circa 3000 BCE), through the Bronze Age (from circa 3000 BCE to the Shang and Zhou dynasties) to the early dynastic period (Qin and Han dynasties). We cover a wide variety of contributions and achievemennts from early Chinese civilization, such as bronze vessels and metallurgy, porcelain, jade, writing systems, martial arts, and cuisine, as we become familiar with the history and material culture of the critical formative period of Chinese civilization.