CHINESE LITERARY TEXTS AND GENRES

The course aims at offering students a critical knowledge of literary genres and encouraging a comparative, intercultural approach.

Achieve the ability to understand interlinguistic and intercultural dynamics underlying the relations between China and Europe/Italy through a comparative study and analysis of literary genres
1. Knowledge and understanding
• Understand the definion and notion of genre
• Know the main literary genres and subgenres of modern China and the socio-cultural context in which they develop, being able to distinguish differences among them
• Know the linguistic and textual characteristics of Chinese literary texts (novels, short stories, essays and reviews)
• Know and recognising the main literary theories
• Know deeper cultural and social dynamics which lead to the shaping, developement and diffusion of literary genres in specific historical periods and social contexts
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
• Use the achieved knowledge in order to critically assess the literary trends and phenomena in modern and contemporary China
• Understand and describe from a comparative perspective both the similarities and differences between the Chinese literary system and the European and Italian context
• Analyse literary texts
• Adopt an appropriate methodology to categorise adequately literary genres and subgenres according to their specific features
3. Judgement capacity
• assess the level of one’s knowledge, skills and abilities of textual and literary analysis
4. Communication skills
• Communicate the results of literary analysis using an apprpriate terminology in the final exam or paper;
• Communicate critically and sinthetically the main features of literay genres and their role at a socio-cultural level in the final exam or paper.
5. Learning skills
• Be able to link different literary contexts and to use one's knowledge and acquired abilities in order to face professional challenges effectively with a solid cultural and linguistic foundation and a mediaiton approach.

Good knowledge of Chinese language.
Basic knowledge of the history of Chinese literature.

MODULE'S TITLE: Travel writing: genres and translation

Travel writing is a time-honoured genre in China, including a range of different forms since the imperial era. Translation and travelling share a sense of constant mobility as well as the need and mindset of navigating diverse langua-cultures.
This course will focus on a variety of different writing genres (such as diaries, reportage, fiction and poetry) as a tool for analysing Chinese modern literature and, at the same time, enforcing the practice of translation. We will read, analyse and translate texts taken from different textual typologies and genres, related to people’s mobility, migration, exile, tourism etc.
Reading the texts (both primary and secondary sources) together with the analysis of genre-connected phenomena will help reflect on the relationships between literary genres and their context – both in terms of traditional legacy and transcultural influences – as well as on the role played by translation in fostering, developing and spreading genres.

Cronin, Michael 2000. Across the Lines: Travel, Language and Translation, Cork: Cork University Press.
Thompson, Carl 2019. The Routledge Companion to Travel Writing, London and New York: Routledge.
Tian, Xiaofei 2019. “Chinese Travel Writing”, in N. Das, T. Youngs, ed. The Cambridge History of Travel Writing, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 175-90.
Pettinger, Alasdair and Tim, Youngs 2020. The Routledge Research Companion to Travel Writing, London and New York: Routledge.

- Further references will be provided during the course.

For the final exam students will be requested to write a paper (max 5000 words) on the topics covered. The topic of the paper has to be agreed upon in advance with the teacher.
The paper can include the translation of a text and its commentary or a short research essay on a poet, text or literary school connected with the program.
Please check among the materials uploaded in the moodle platform for the writing guidelines.

Evaluation criteria:
1) Relevance of the paper to the course program;
2) Formal correctness and adherence to editorial standards prescribed for an academic text (cf. editorial guidelines provided on the Moodle platform);
3) Originality and depth of the topic; methodology;
4) Language proficiency and synthesis skills during the discussion.

written

Regarding the grading scale, scores will be assigned according to the following schema:
A. Scores in the 18-22 range will be awarded in the presence of: Sufficient knowledge and applied comprehension of the genres studied and the translation practice;
B. Scores in the 23-26 range will be awarded in the presence of: Fair knowledge and applied comprehension of the genres studied and the translation practice;
C. Scores in the 27-30 range will be awarded in the presence of: Good or excellent knowledge and applied comprehension of the genres studied and the translation practice;
D. Honors will be awarded in the presence of excellent knowledge and applied comprehension of the genres studied and the translation practice.

Class teaching; class reading and textual analysis (practical); seminars with scholars, writers, translators and publishers.
If necessary, classes and seminars may be held online via zoom.

The course will be also based on the translation of texts to be done both in class and at home. Students will be asked to send the translated texts to the teacher on a regular basis through the Moodle platform.