This course introduces the distinctive yet intimately related pre-modern visual art traditions of China, Japan, and Korea through a handful of important works of art and cultural sites. It aims at giving students the basic skills of looking, thinking, and writing about East Asian art from the perspectives of an archaeologist, a craftsman, a connoisseur, and an art historian. Organized chronologically, the course is divided into ten segments, each focusing on a major type of material, format, genre, or theme of the visual arts in East Asia. No prior knowledge of East Asian art, culture, and languages is required, although such knowledge would be useful.

Each week, students will attend a two-hour background lecture given by the instructor or occasional guest speakers, and a one-hour discussion section on critical issues pertaining to the works of art introduced in the lecture led by a TA.

IMPORTANT: There will be two mandatory museum trips to the National Palace Museum (NPM) and the National Museum of History (NMH). As highlights of the class, these trips give students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in class to the examination of actual works and displays of art. In addition to the two museum trips above, students need to make 1-2 additional trips on their own to the NPM or NMH to complete an object analysis paper. Students are responsible for their own transportation and admission fees for all trips to the museums.