Assignments

Before class: submit three questions for class discussion to me before 9 AM the day of class (by e-mail).

Write your own responses to these questions and any other responses to the readings in your journal (1-2 pages). Bring your journal with you the evening of class for class discussion. Submit (in hardcopy) your weekly journal to me at the end of class. This version of your journal does not need to be polished, but should be thoughtful. If you choose not to type your journal, please write neatly. These weekly submissions will be worth 20% of your grade. If I do not receive your journal by the end of class, I will deduct points from this portion of your grade. More points will be deducted for each day that the journal is late.

After class, revise and expand your journal entry based on any new thoughts you have after class discussion.

Week 7 and Week 13: Submit (in hardcopy) your revised cumulative journal to me for grading. I will expect the cumulative journal to be polished, thoughtful and type written, and to go beyond the first draft. I will expect a minimum of two pages of writing per week. In other words, by the end of term you should have written approximately 20 pages total. You will be graded based on content, grammar, style, and creativity. Each cumulative journal submission will be worth 25% of your grade, for a total of 50%.

Late journal submissions will be penalized.

No extensions, except in cases of illness or family emergency.

Beyond the Screen Exhibit

Pick 1 object from each of the following categories. Describe the object (date, place, materials, how it was made, size). Then write a brief description of the object.

One paragraph each

1. Find an object that reflects the gentry taste.
2. Find an object that reflects the male identity.
3. Find an object used by a woman. How does it reflect feminine taste?
4. Find an object that tells you a lot about the scholar's "way of life." Pretend you are a detective or archeologist, tell us what you can reconstruct about the culture from the object.

Things to think about when you view furniture

• Are these items necessities or luxuries?
• To what extent are they decorative? To what extent functional?
• How are function and form balanced?
• Who used these pieces (men, women, children, adults, commoners, gentry, the imperial household?)
• How were they used?
• How was the furniture arranged within each "room"?
• How were the pieces made?
• How did Ming construction techniques affect the form?
• How is "craft" important? Did the craftsman leave a mark?
• What are the materials?
• How are materials important?
• How were the pieces acquired?
• Think about cost?
• How was furniture moved from place to place?
• What can you tell about the lifestyle of the literati from tile furniture? (activities, frequency of moves, etc.)