- Advanced knowledge of Chinese Literature (both Traditional and Contemporary) - Good fluency in reading Chinese Literature in the original language - Basic knowledge of Chinese Philosophy - Interest in Ecologism and Environmentalism applied to the Humanities

Equip the student with a solid knowledge of the ecocritic literature debate. The study of this specific topic will enable the student to understand complex phenomena of Chinese culture (philosophy, lifestyle, perception of the individual, conception of nature, etc.) that have an active effect on contemporary Chinese life (applying knowledge and understanding). Literature in China has always played a princely role in defining the legitimacy and authority of power or its questioning, which is why investigating it is fundamental to a thorough understanding of Chinese culture. This understanding is an inalienable prerequisite in confronting today's Chinese in any context, public or private, corporate or academic, making the student capable of avoiding behaviors, attitudes, and prejudices due to a lack of knowledge of the relevant civilization (making judgments)). Advanced knowledge of literature and culture is essential for establishing effective interpersonal and relational skills with the Chinese (communication skills).

Literature, Nature, and Environment in last century China:

- Philosophical Framework about the View of Nature in Chinese Thought (ex. Daoism and Confucianism)

- Theoretical Framework on Literature and Ecocriticism/Ecology (students' reports based on Hubert Zapf, "Literature as Cultural Ecology.")

- Shen Congwen, "Border Town"

- Hao Ran, "The Golden Road" (selections to be translated)

- Acheng, "The King of Trees"

- Yan Lianke, "City of Explosion" and "Me and Garden no. 711: The ultimate last memo of Beijing" (selections to be translated)

- Wu Mingyi, "The Man with the Compound Eyes"

- Aspects of Western ecocritic thought (Donna Haraway)

- The "anthropocosmicism" in Tu Weiming

- One lesson will be devoted to developing an "editorial translation test" for the oral exam.

A newly graduated master's student will support the lecturer in teaching a couple of classes.

Compulsory reading list:

• Hubert Zapf. 2016. Literature as Cultural Ecology. Bloomsbury (3-35, 77-121, 241-268).
• Shen Congwen. 2009. Border Town. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. (pp. 190)
• Zhong Acheng. 1990. Three Kings: Three Stories From Today's China. Translated by Bonnie McDougall. London: Collins Harvill.
• Hao Ran. 1972. Jinguang Dadao [The Golden Road]. Beijing: Renmin wenxue chubanshe (selection provided)
• Yan Lianke. 2016. Zhalie zhi [The explosion chronicles]. Zhengzhou: Zhongguo banben tushuguan, 2016 (selection provided)
• Yan Lianke. 2012. Wo he 711 haoyuan: Beijing, zuihou de jinian [Me and Garden no. 711: The ultimate last memo of Beijing]. Nanjing: Jiangsu renmin chubanshe (selection provided)
• Wu Mingyi. 2014. The man with the compound eyes. London: Random UK (pp. 304)
• Tu Weiming. 2018. "Spiritual Humanism: Self, Community, Earth, and Heaven", Wang Yangming Lecture at the 24th World Congress of Philosophy (https://fh.pku.edu.cn/docs/2021-05/20210513105139108119.pdf) 
• Selusi Ambrogio. 2022. "Yan Lianke and Italo Calvino on the Absurdity of Urban Life," in R. Moratto, H. Y. F. Choy, The Routledge Guide to Yan Linke, London: Routledge(pp. 104-121) 
• Lui Jianmei. 2016. "Yan Lianke's Vacillation: To Be or Not to Be Zhuangzi", in Liu Jianmei, Zhuangzi and Modern Chinese Literature, New York: Oxford University Press (pp. 186-210). 

Suggested reading list:

• Yan Lianke. 2017. The Explosion Chronicles. Trans. Carlos Rojas. London: Chatto & Windus. 
• Hao Ran. 1981. The Golden Road. Translated by Carma Hinton and Chris Gilmartin. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press.

The instructor will make course materials available during the teaching semester. Students' reports will be planned during the first lesson.

Classes will be taught in English. Only translation works may also be in Italian. 

• - Thoughtful lectures on both literature and philosophy

  - Collective reading of translated sources

  - Collective translation of a selection of excerpts into Chinese

  - Scheduled interventions by students under the supervision of the lecturer on a section of the program (peer teaching)

  - Debate with students

  - Participation of a former student (semi-peer teaching)

• The oral test consists of the following steps: a. theoretical question on an author or cross-cutting topic covered in the course; b. reading and translation of a text translated in class; c. analysis of the paper "editorial translation test."

  The grade will be determined based on the following criteria: knowledge of Chinese literature and philosophy covered in the course and the translated texts (60 percent); argumentative and analytical skills demonstrated during the presentation (20 percent); ability to develop a credible translation proposal (20 percent). For non-attenders the evaluation will be as follows: knowledge of Chinese literature covered in the course and the translated texts (70 percent); ability to develop a credible translation proposal (30 percent).

The course will be taught in English, which will be the main language of the class. Italian might be used for translation works, both in class and for the editorial excercise.

Chinese, as a reading and translation skill, is inescapable and constantly used. 

English