HI 364: Modern Chinese History

Spring 2025 – Rui Hua

A hodgepodge of lands and seas between the Pamir and the Pacific, China is ten thousand worlds folded into one. We will trace the people who animated those worlds: Manchus, Maoists, and the many. Featuring fun stories and deep thinking. Effective Fall 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Historical Consciousness, Critical Thinking.

Expanded Course Description: China is a mystery. An erstwhile kingdom of Confucian preachers and Buddhist travelers, China nevertheless stands in the 21st century as the world’s only communist superpower. China is also a hodgepodge. A mosaic of lands and deserts and seas from the Pamir to the Pacific, China is ten thousand worlds folded into one. How did a sprawling ancient empire turn into the modern nation-state that dominates continental East Asia? How did nearly 20% of the world’s population come to identify, in one way or another, as “Chinese?” How did that China, the envy of Marco Polo and a wartime ally of America, evolve into the paradox it is today? We will decipher China through the eyes of those who lived through its history. We will explore the feats of Manchu emperors and the fates of Maoist revolutionaries. We will hear the stories of small characters who survived and thrived through the wars and revolutions of the 20th century. And we will enjoy history through games, anecdotes, and humorous play.

Although this is a 300-level course, it does not require prior knowledge of East Asian history. All are welcome, including first-year students and sophomores. I will evaluate you based on your own progress in the course, not through comparison with your peers. Assignments feature creative/flexible activities that offer space for the exploration of your own passions.

Instructor:

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  Rui Hua

  Assistant Professor of History