Literary Chinese is a written language that matured long before the Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.), when China first became an empire. It continued to be used by China's governing and elite cultures for nearly three millennia. A command of Literary Chinese is therefore indispensable for the study of any aspect of Chinese literature, thought, history, politics, or society before the twentieth century.
The idioms, syntax, style, and allusions of Literary Chinese continue to pervade the modern language. Its enduring influence results from the fact that the great legacies of Chinese culture, right down to the present day, have been largely preserved in this medium. Contemporary Chinese political and social discourse, and education, places increasing emphasis on knowledge of pre-modern Chinese culture and on familiarity with texts written in Literary Chinese. So without a grounding in Literary Chinese, it is impossible to gain a full understanding of the language or content of newspaper articles, literary works, and scholarly prose written in contemporary Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the People's Republic of China. It has also shaped the linguistic and cultural traditions of Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
This course focuses on the analysis and translation of a selection of texts for beginners from the pre-Qin (before 221 BC) and Han (206 BC to 220 AD) periods. Students develop an understanding of the main grammatical forms, function words, and sentence patterns of this formative period of Literary Chinese. Students will also study techniques of translation, as well as the cultural backgrounds essential to understanding the texts at hand.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Recognise and translate in a way appropriate to context a vocabulary of about 600 items.
2. Identify and explain the basic grammar and sentence structures used in a range of short anecdotal and philosophical texts from pre-Qin (before 221 BCE) and Han (206 BCE to 220 CE) times.
3. Differentiate linguistic registers used in basic texts of Classical and Literary Chinese, and reflect these accurately in English.
4. Identify basic textual references through use of standard dictionaries and Sinological reference tools.
5. Appraise the meanings and implications of texts under study, with particular reference to the immediate background of intellectual and cultural developments in pre-Qin and Han China.

Required Resources

Fuller, Michael, An Introduction to Literary Chinese, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Asia Center, 1999, rpt. 2004.

Recommended Resources

Other course materials will appear on Wattle and, where necessary, will also be distributed in hard copy in class. Lists of relevant contextual readings will also be posted on Wattle.

Students should ensure that they have access to a good Literary Chinese dictionary. The instructors will be happy to offer recommendations.

Course updates and announcements will appear on Wattle. It is important that students regularly consult the course site and check their University email accounts for notifications.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction; reading skills
2	Structures of Literary Chinese
3	Lun yu 1 (Fuller, Lesson 1)	Analytical exercises
4	Lun yu 2 (Fuller, Lesson 2)	Analytical exercises
5	Han Fei zi 1 (Fuller, Lesson 2)	Analytical exercises
6	Han Fei zi 2 (Fuller, Lesson 3)	Mid-semester test
7	Lü shi chun qiu (Fuller, Lesson 4)	Analytical exercises
8	Han Fei zi 3 (Fuller, Lesson 5)	Analytical exercises
9	Lie zi (Fuller, Lesson 6)	Analytical exercises
10	Zhan guo ce (Fuller, Lesson 7)	Analytical exercises
11	Meng zi (Fuller, Lesson 8)	Analytical exercises
12	Revision

Tutorial Registration

Students should register for tutorials through MyTimetable.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Active participation	10 %	*	*	1, 2, 3, 4
Analytical exercises	30 %	16/05/2025	26/06/2025	1, 2, 3, 4
Mid-semester test	20 %	28/03/2025	18/04/2025	1, 2, 3
Final examination	40 %	29/05/2025	26/06/2025	1, 2, 3, 4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Active participation

Course participants will be expected to prepare the texts studied in each session throughout the semester. They will submit written translations of each text before class. The aim here is to encourage participants to make reasoned, rather than purely reactive, decisions in interpreting and translating texts.

Participants will also be expected to contribute in an active and constructive manner to the analysis of the language and content of materials under study, as well as to general discussion with both the lecturer and their classmates. Consistent participation is essential to achieving the learning outcomes and successfully completing assessments.

Assessment Task 2

Analytical exercises

Participants will be assessed on two regular exercises in the analysis of Literary Chinese:

- grammatical analyses, undertaken before beginning a new text in class;

- review exercises, completed after each text has been studied in class.

Participants will undertake both sets of exercises as on-line quizzes, through the course Wattle site.

Assessment Task 3

Mid-semester test

Participants will sit a test in before the mid-semester break. The test will contain questions about the vocabulary, grammar, and non-linguistic contexts of the texts under study. It will also demand a brief translation, with some relevant vocabulary supplied. The mid-semester test will be worth 20% of the total grade.

Assessment Task 4

Final examination

Participants will answer questions on points of grammar and vocabulary, and on such information as the author, date, context, and type of texts under study. They will

also translate a selection of seen and unseen texts from Literary Chinese into English. Some relevant vocabulary will be supplied.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students