History 435: History of Modern China
Prof. Dodgen
Spring 2011
This course examines the history of China from around 1500 to the present. In that time period, China has gone from great empire to feeble semi-colony and back to major world power. This cycle of decline and resurgence has taken a terrible toll on the world’s most populous nation. Today, China stands ready to move into a dominant role in world affairs but its recent economic success also places it on the brink of environmental disaster. There can be little question that the experiences of the last four centuries will serve to shape China’s contemporary policy. We will explore China’s recent history and try to understand the legacy of the past and the fears and hopes that underlay China’s long and difficult struggle to become “modern.”
Readings: There are four required books for the course:
Patricia Ebrey, The Cambridge Illustrated History of China.
Shen Fu, Six Records of a Floating Life
Ning Lao Taitai, A Daughter of Han
Anchi Min, Red Azalea
In addition, many sources can be found at web sites linked to the Internet East Asian History Sourcebook at
Grading: Grades will be based upon two short- and long-answer essay exams and a research paper of 10-12 pages on some aspect of Chinese history since 1600. The research paper must be typed, double-spaced and follow the Chicago Manual of Style for footnotes. All topics must be submitted to me no later than the week after spring break for approval. Students are responsible for all material presented in class, including any additional assignments made in class and for any announced changes to this syllabus.
Office hours:
My office is Stevenson 2066, phone 664-2462. Office hours are Monday, 12:00-1:00, Tuesday, 1:00-2:00 and Thursday 12:00-1:00 by appointment. I can be reached by e-mail at
Weekly Topics and Reading Assignments:
2/1-3Shadows on the Moon: The decline of the Ming (1368-1644) dynasty.
Readings: Cambridge Illustrated History (CIH), chapter 8; Six Records of a Floating Life, Introduction and part I.
2/8-10.From Horseback to Dragon Throne: The Manchu Conquest of China
Readings: CIH, chapter 9, 220-234; Six Records, part II.
Kangxi: Son of Heaven
2/15-17. The “High Qing”
Readings: Six Records, part III.
"Objects strange and ingenious": Managing Barbarian Commerce
Readings: CIH, chapter 9, 234-240; Six Records, part IV, discussion.
2/22-24.Smoke and Silver: Opium and the Collapse of the Canton System
Readings: Daughter of Han,“Prologue,” “The City,” and chapters I-IV.
3/1-3.Millenarian Nightmare: The Great War against the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace
Readings: Daughter of Han, chapters V-X.
3/8-10. Self-Strengthening and Self-Delusion
Readings: CIH, chapter 9, 240-246; Daughter of Han, chapters XI-XV.
The Foreign Presence
3/15-17. Daughter of Han, chapters XVI—XXI, discussion.
Thursday, review for Mid-term exam.
3/22-24.Tuesday: Mid-term Exam
Thursday, Film: “China in Revolution”
3/29-31. Prelude to Collapse: The 100 Days and the Boxers
Readings: CIH, chapter 9, 246-258.
No class Thursday, Cesar Chavez Day
4/5-7.Revolution Takes Root
Readings: CIH chapter 10, 262-267.
Tyrants and Warlords
Readings: CIH, chapter 10, 267-272.
4/12-14. May 4th, 1919
Readings: CIH, chapter 10, 272-283: begin Red Azalea.
The Soviet Experiment and its Shortcomings
Readings: CIH, chapter 10, 284-291.
4/18-22. SPRING BREAK
4/26-28.Communists and Nationalists at War
Readings, continue Red Azalea.
The People Stand Up: Early Successes of the Communist State
Readings: CIH, chapter 11, 294-308.
5/3-5.Red, Redder, Reddest: The Fracturing of Communist Party Consensus
Readings: CIH chapter 11, 308-321: continue Red Azalea.
Film: "The Mao Years," pt. 1.
5/10-12. Catching Mice: The Temptation and the Trap
Readings: CIH, chapter 11, 321-336: continue Red Azalea.
5/17-19. Readings:completeRed Azalea., discussion.
Thursday: Review for Final Exam.
Study terms for History of Modern China, Exam I:
1. Nurgaci 12. Banner system
2. Lin Zexu13. Tributary state
3. Treaty of Nerchinsk14. Three feudatories
4. Koxinga15. Qianlong
5. Kangxi16. Hong Taiji
6. “Squeeze”17. Sub-bureaucracy
7. jinshi 18. White Lotus
8. Cohong19. Secret memorials
9. Eunuchs20. Grand Canal
10. British East India Co.21. Adam Schall von Bell
11. “Rites” Controversy22. Foot binding
Study terms for History of Modern China, Exam II
1. Gang of Four14. New Life Movement
2. Tiananmen15. May 4th Movement
3. Zunyi16. Revolutionary Brigades
4. Sun Yatsen 17. Blue Shirts
5. Wei Jingsheng18. Revolutionary Rebels
6. Peng Dehuai19. “Old Feudal”
7. “Hai Rui Dismissed from Office”20. Rectification Campaign
8. Four Modernizations21. Zhou Enlai
9. guanxi22. dazibao
10. Jiang Qing23. Liu Shaoqi
11. Chen Duxiu24. Hu Shi
12. Lu Xun25. New Youth
13. Zhou Enlai26. Deng Xiaoping