Spring

The Foshuo guanwuliangshoufojing shuji 佛說觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 (known for short as the Guanjingmiaozongchao or Miaozongchao) was written by the great Tiantai thinker Siming Zhili 四明智禮 (960-1028) in 1021. For the previous 20 years, Zhili had been the main spokesman and theoretician of the Shanjia (“Home Mountain”) faction in the heated doctrinal debates with the Shanwai (“Off Mountain”) faction of the Tiantai school, and this work brought those controversies to a new fever pitch, making the most radical of the Shanjia doctrinal claims aggressively and provocatively clear.  Among these positions, the Shanjia ideas of “the ultimate dung beetle” 究竟蛣蜣and “all that exists is mind alone, but also matter alone” 唯心唯色 aroused perhaps the fiercest opposition, but the contentions concerning the nature and relations of the Three Bodies of the Buddha (trikaya) with respect to Amitabha Buddha in this subcommentary to a Pure Land sutra were also highly inflammatory, and a Shanwai attack soon followed. Zhili’s disciple Jingjue Renyue淨覺仁岳 (992-1064), his ablest and most ferocious attack dog during much of the previous 20 years of debate, quickly wrote a closely argued defense.   But soon thereafter, Renyue suddenly reversed his position, turning against many of the key Shanjia positions that he himself had so powerfully defended in years past, writing increasingly virulent polemics against his former teacher, thereby initiating the final phase of the Shanjia-Shanwai debate—now between Zhili and his former heir apparent. This class will be a close reading of the key texts in this debate: the Miaozongchao itself and Renyue’s defense and subsequent attack of that text. All readings will be in classical Chinese, reading proficiency in which is a prerequisite for this course. Some familiarity with Buddhist Chinese and theory is also highly recommended. Discussion will be in English. Prerequisites: Strong reading proficiency in Classical Chinese required. Previous knowledge of Buddhism and some experience with Buddhist Chinese is recommended.

Equivalent course(s): DVPR 40450, HREL 40450

In KORE 21300, students will learn basic principles, methods, and techniques in translation and apply appropriate strategies and methods to the practice and description of translation. Students will watch pre- recorded lecture videos, complete their weekly translation assignments (Korean to English and English to Korean), and participate in group or individual sessions to discuss their translation works. Students will also choose a literary work or a text of their own choice for their final translation project. The materials covered in this class include medical guidelines, campaign flyers, newspaper articles, reports, brochures, resume, business/academic emails, and editorials.

KORE 20403 is the third course in the third-year Korean sequence. This course aims to develop professional proficiency in Korean at a low advanced level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing by employing a variety of materials such as scholarly essays, newspapers, short stories, and video and audio resources. Students will develop competence through project-based instruction that explores a range of topics, including the structure of the Korean language, Korean society, culture, and history. The instructor will primarily use Korean during class, and students are expected to use the target language as well. This course meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays for eighty minutes.

KORE 20300 is the third course in the second-year Korean sequence, designed for learners who have completed the First-Year Korean sequence or have prior knowledge of Korean language and culture. This course aims to continue building students’ language skills with an emphasis on enhancing speaking abilities, writing skills, and the use of more complex constructions. Classroom activities and assignments will be designed to facilitate the learning process. The medium of instruction will be Korean, and students are expected to use the target language as much as possible throughout the course. Active participation is key to success in this course. Approximately 50 Chinese characters will be introduced to achieve basic literacy. This course meets Monday through Friday for fifty minutes.

KORE 10300 is the third course in the first-year Korean sequence, designed to continue building a solid foundation in modern Korean language and culture. This course focuses on reinforcing well-rounded proficiency, encompassing interpersonal communication, interpretive skills in listening and reading comprehension, and presentational abilities in formal speech and writing. Through integrated listening, reading, speaking, and writing tasks, students will enhance their ability to navigate real-life scenarios using acquired vocabulary, grammar, and cultural knowledge. The course also offers an exploration of Korean culture, delving into diverse mediums such as media, written texts, and cultural activities. This course meets Monday through Friday for fifty minutes.

This course focuses on learning spoken Japanese through full-length Japanese animated films. To ensure balance in learning, writing and reading materials are also provided. Students at this level are able to handle successfully a variety of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations. The class meets for five fifty-minute sessions each week.

This course is intended to improve Japanese reading, speaking, writing, and listening ability to the advanced low level as measured by the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Proficiency Guidelines. Weekly assignments require students to tackle modern Japanese texts of varying length and difficulty. Organized around a range of thought-provoking themes, reading assignments include academic theses, literary texts, and popular journalism. After each reading, students are encouraged to discuss the topic in class and are required to write their own thoughts on each reading along with a summary.

The third year marks the end of the basic modern language study. The purpose of the course is to help students learn to understand authentic written and spoken materials with reasonable ease. The texts are all authentic materials with some study aids. All work in Japanese. The class meets for three eighty-minute periods a week.

The emphasis on spoken language in the first half of the course gradually shifts toward reading and writing in the latter half. The course is conducted mostly in Japanese and meets for five fifty-minute periods a week.

This is the first year of a three-year program designed to provide students with a thorough grounding in Modern Japanese. Grammar, idiomatic expressions, and vocabulary are learned through oral work, reading, and writing in and out of class. Daily practice in speaking, listening, reading and writing is crucial. Students should plan to continue their language study through at least the second-year level to make their skills practical. The class meets for five fifty-minute periods a week.