Readings in Chinese Literature: Outlaws of the March

This course focuses on the first vernacular novel, Outlaws of the Marsh, some of its central themes, and its long history of remediation. We read a good part of the novel, investigate the histories and operas that preceded it, and look at the films, manga, and video games that based on it. We compare editions, illustrations, and commentaries, and trace multi-media adaptations across national boundaries. In addition, we investigate concepts crucial to Ming dynasty literature: the space of the jianghu, the history of collecting, the politics of (wild) history, the role of ritual, and the explosion of print culture.