ENG 298 - China’s Greatest Novel: Dream of the Red Chamber

When a televised dramatization of Cao Xuequin’s Honglou meng, (Dream of the Red Chamber), was broadcast in China in the 1980s, the entire country would shut down as everyone went home to watch this beautiful tale of the rise and fall of the Jia family of Nanking. Universally recognized as China’s greatest novel, Dream of the Red Chamber, which we will read in English translation, is a romantic tragedy filled with unforgettable characters and set among the most beautiful and sophisticated achievements of traditional Chinese culture. In this course we will study the novel itself; the art, architecture, fashion, religion, and history depicted in its pages; and also the lasting effects of this masterpiece on more than two centuries of Chinese culture. Offered infrequently.

Credits 4

Notes
Fulfills pre-1800 requirement. From time to time, departments design a new course to be offered either on a one-time basis or an experimental basis before deciding whether to make it a regular part of the curriculum. Last offered Fall 2022.

Area
Humanities

Division
Arts and Humanities

Compass Attributes
Writing, Humanities