Week 1 (Jan. 8): Orientation
Week 2 (Jan. 15): Guides, Handbooks, and Overviews
What are some of the more useful guides, handbooks, and/or overviews that would help you learn about what has been done in your area of research?
- Wilkinson (2025/2022), chap. 45 (starting with 45.2);
- For specific period(s), check out one or more of the chapters from 55 to 67.
In addition, depending on your area of research, you may want to consult one or more of the other chapters in Wilkinson, such as:
- Classical studies: 28
- Religion: 29
- Literature: 30
- Vernacular Literature & Folklore (including Drama): 31
- Painting: 32
Week 3 (Jan. 22): Catalogs, Bibliographies, and Anthologies
What are some of the more useful catalogs, bibliographies, and/or anthologies of primary sources available for your area of research?
- Wilkinson, chaps. 46 (to the end of 46.5 [46.6 for 2022]), 69, 73;
- Identify items of interest from the relevant chapters/sections from last week.
Week 4 (Jan. 29): Uses of AI
What are some of the challenges and opportunities associated with the use of generative AI in Chinese studies?
Week 5 (Feb. 5): Locating Physical Texts
What are some of the more useful tools that would help you locate a physical text?
- Wilkinson, chaps. 72, 74–75.
- Locate and examine an item of interest from the UBC Asian Library. This should be either an authoritative modern-day edition of a pre-20th-century work, a title from one of the Siku series, or a manuscript or printed text from the special Puban or Pang Jingtang collection.
Week 6 (Feb. 12): Evaluating Digitized Texts
What are some of the more reliable/authoritative platforms for scanned and digitized texts?
- Wilkinson, 45.5.3 (45.5.2 for 2022);
- Chinese Studies Resources (UBC Asian Library);
- Check out also the resources (some are open-access) available through Harvard and Princeton.
Midterm break: Feb. 16–20
Week 7 (Feb. 26): Comparative Exercise
For this week, please identify a text and compare as many significant versions/editions (both physical and digital) as you are able to examine. In case there are discrepancies, how do you decide which one to use?
- Wilkinson, chap. 70.
Week 8 (Mar. 5): Language
What are some of the more authoritative general-purpose as well as specialized dictionaries you will consult for your research?
- Wilkinson, chaps. 1–5 (read what interests you) and chap. 6;
- Elman, “Sinological Toolkit: Dictionaries“;
- Notes on Romanization (Library of Congress) and Wilkinson (2025 only), “Style Guide.”
Week 9 (Mar. 12): No Class (AAS)
Optional individual meetings with the instructor
Week 10 (Mar. 19): People
What are some of the more authoritative tools you will consult to gather/verify the biographical information of your subjects?
- Wilkinson, chaps. 7–10 (read what interests you);
- Elman, “Sinological Toolkit: Biographical Searches“;
- Chinese Biographical Database Project (Harvard).
Week 11 (Mar. 26): Time, Places, and Institutions
What are some of the more authoritative tools you will consult to gather/verify information regarding time, places, and institutions?
- Wilkinson, chaps. Introduction, 16, 19;
- Elman, “Chronologies and Dating,” “Geographical Aides ,” and “Official and Institutional Titles“;
- China Historical GIS (Harvard).