Based on the latest advances in genetic research and archaeological discoveries, this course explores the deep origins of the Chinese people - from the earliest migrations of Homo sapiens into East Asia to the dynamic formation of Chinese cultural identity over millennia. We will investigate how geographical conditions, successive waves of migration, and cross-cultural exchanges have shaped the populations, languages, and traditions that contributed to what is now considered “Chinese.” Emphasis will be placed on the pluralistic and evolving nature of Chinese identity with attention to its ethnic diversity, linguistic development, and interactions with neighbouring and distant cultures.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

SUGGESTED READING

• David Reich, 2018, ANCIENT DNA AND THE NEW SCIENCE OF THE HUMAN PAST: Who We Are and How We Got Here, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978–0–19–882125–0
• Liu, Li, Xingcan Chen, 2012, The Archaeology of China: From the Late Paleolithic to the Early Bronze Age, Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9781139015301
• Graham Thurgood, Randy J. LaPolla, 2020, The Sino-Tibetan Languages, Routledge. ISBN 9780367570453
• Jin, Li, and Bing Su. Natives or immigrants: modern human origin in East Asia. Nature Reviews Genetics, vol. 1, no. 2, 2000, pp. 126–133.

COURSE OUTLINE

• Language, Culture, and Nationality: Core Concepts
• Genetic Evidence: Homo sapiens in East Asia
• Archaeological Discoveries: Tracing Human Presence
• The Sino-Tibetan Language Family and Chinese Identity
• Cultural Exchanges Across Eurasia
• Chinese as a Multicultural, Multi-Ethnic Identity

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Have a grounded understanding of Chinese genetic and anthropological diversity.
2. Gain a historical perspective on how identity and nationhood were constructed and redefined over time.
3. Appreciate the global connections embedded in China’s ancient past through migration, trade, and cultural exchange.
4. Gain a nuanced understanding of the complex and evolving nature of Chinese identity as a dynamic, multifaceted process.