Note: Be sure to follow directions closely and refrain from using AI at any point
Part I. Close Reading of a Tang-Dynasty Tale (50 points)
Write a close-reading essay of at least five paragraphs on one of the short stories from the book Tales from Tang Dynasty China. You should select one of the seven tales listed below, and apply the methods of analysis that we have studied in the last month:
- Cao Weisi (pp. 86–89)
- Scholar Wang (pp. 92–96)
- Shentu Cheng (pp. 97–101)
- Scholar Hu (pp. 102–104)
- Yang Jingzhen (pp. 118–124)
- The Record of Master Shenxiu’s Predictions (pp. 43–48)
- Di Weiqian (pp. 56–61)
In your introduction, you should include a sentence or two about the Expansive Records of the Taiping Reign (Taiping guangji), the name of the collection that contains these stories. In the same paragraph, you should transition to your specific story, and present the central question that will drive your essay. You should conclude this first paragraph with a thesis statement, which will be the main argument of your close reading. Use this example template: The story ______ from the Tales of the Tang dynasty suggests that _____. You have the freedom to develop your central question and main argument any way you choose, but you should focus on what the story tells us about the religious beliefs of Tang-Dynasty China.
* Throughout your essay, always cite quotations and paraphrased information with the page numbers from the book. You do not need to include the author’s last name or the title of the book.
Part II. Thematic Essay on The Record of the Listener (50 points)
For the second essay question, write a thematic essay based on the stories contained in the book The Record of the Listener. In selecting a theme, you may wish to consult the “Thematic Guide,” located on pages 115–16, at the very back of the book. You may choose one of the themes presented there, or develop your own theme, but in either case, your theme should connect to the class content. As presented in the “Thematic Guide,” some options include Buddhist temples, cremation, dreams, ghosts, karma, strange beings, and so on.
In your introduction, you should present a question that will drive your essay. Your response to this question will shape your thesis statement, the main argument of your essay. Then select at least three stories that will provide “evidence” in support of your argument. As with the first essay, this second essay should include at least five paragraphs in total. For your selections, you may choose stories that we have covered in class, but you must include at least two stories that we have not yet discussed together. You may develop your central question and main argument any way you choose, but you should be sure to focus on what these stories tell us about the religious beliefs of Song-Dynasty China.
* Throughout your essay, always cite quotations and paraphrased information with the page numbers from the book. You do not need to include the author’s last name or the title of the book.
Obligatory (but unfortunately necessary) Statement on Academic Honesty
While I expect (and encourage) students to study together in preparation for the exam, students are not allowed to co-author any material (text, outlines, or components). To do so is a violation of the university policy on academic honesty (“unauthorized collaboration” and, when written on the exam, “plagiarism”), and such instances will be penalized as noted in the syllabus, namely failure of the class. The same unfortunate consequence will befall any student who consults the work of students who have taken this class in the past. In short, make sure that your outlines and essays reflect your own words, ideas, and arguments.