Imperial China China’s is the world’s oldest continuous civilization, and we will survey the history of the Chinese empire from its cultural beginnings until the conflicts with the West in the 1840s and the internal unrest of the 1850s and 1860s. Our study of China’s political progression through successive dynasties will reveal archetypal patterns of historical disruption amidst continuity. We will also examine those perennial social, institutional, and intellectual forces — such as the stratification of the classes, the absolutist tendencies of monarchy, and the civilly-focused yet competitive atmosphere fostered by a state-sponsored examination culture — that proved determinative in shaping China’s traditional development. Pre-1800

Chinese Philosophy A survey of the dominant philosophies of China, beginning with the establishment of the earliest intellectual orientations, moving to the emergence of the competing schools of the fifth century B.C., and concluding with the modern adoption and adaptation of Marxist thought. Early native alternatives to Confucian philosophy (such as Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism) and later foreign ones (such as Buddhism and Marxism) will be stressed. We will scrutinize individual thinkers with reference to their philosophical contributions and assess the implications of their ideas with reference to their historical contexts and comparative significance. Pre-1800.

Confucius and Confucianism Perhaps no individual has left his mark more completely and enduringly upon an entire civilization than Confucius (551-479 B.C.) has upon that of China. Moreover, the influence of Confucius has spread well beyond China to become entrenched in the cultural traditions of neighboring Japan and Korea and elsewhere. This course examines who Confucius was, what he originally intended, and how the more important of his disciples have continued to reinterpret his original vision and direct it toward different ends. Pre-1800.

Readings in Chinese History: China's Historical Minorities China is often reflexively visualized as an ethnically homogeneous nation-state. However, this conception fails to account for the minority populations that have for centuries resided in China and contributed greatly to its socio-cultural identity. Throughout the imperial age, the four groups called Manchu, Mongol, Hui, and Tibetan surpassed all other non-Chinese ethnicities in influencing the direction of Chinese history and shaping the contours of China's developmental experience. In this reading seminar we will examine the imprint of the collective legacy of these particular minorities as well as those of certain related groups, such as the ancestors of the Uyghurs of modern Xinjiang. Pre-1800

Inventions of China China’s history of invention is arguably the longest, most continuous, and most consequential of those of the great world civilizations. Examining this history compels us to account for commodities and technologies, such as paper-making and printing, without which our experience of the contemporary world would be drastically altered and dramatically impoverished. Without this inventiveness, our knowledge of many processes in chemical reaction today regarded as normative, such as gunpowder fission, and of the numerous indispensable staples they produce, such as porcelain, would either be far less developed than for as long as it has been or would vanish altogether. This course surveys the specific advances of Chinese science, medicine, and technology and frames their lasting contributions in global world perspective.We will throughout consider these advances in China in comparison or in contrast to those similarly made in the West.

Writing History In this course students discuss historical methods and writing strategies to create convincing historical narratives. With the approval and guidance of the professor, students complete a 20-25-page research paper based on primary and secondary sources. Students take this course in the fall of their junior year or with permission in the spring.  If students are away for the entire junior year, they can take the course in the fall of their senior year. 3 hr. sem. Restricted to HIST, ESHI, HSMT majors and HIST minors.

Readings in the Philosophy of History Even before the appearance of Georg W. F. Hegel's classic study The Philosophy of History, a heated debate was being waged concerning the nature and substance of history. Is history, like science, expressible in predictable patterns or subject to irrevocable laws? What factors distinguish true history from the mere random succession of events? What should we assume to be the fundamental nature of historical truth, and are we to determine it objectively or subjectively? Is it possible to be human and yet be somehow "outside of" history? These are among the questions we will examine as we read and deliberate on a variety of philosophies of history, while concentrating on the most influential versions developed by Hegel and Karl Marx.

The True Believer When he published The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, social thinker Eric Hoffer sought to explain exactly what inspires people to commit themselves passionately to causes defined by their unyielding belief. Like Hoffer, we will examine not only what has motivated individuals over time to join extremist social, political, and religious movements, but also the  psychologies of those who have led them throughout history. We will try to determine precisely who the true believer is, and whether true belief is generally of greater benefit or harm to the believer and to broader society.

Don Wyatt

Reviews and ratings for Don Wyatt at Middlebury College.Don Wyatt teaches Imperial China, Chinese Philosophy, Confucius and Confucianism and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Don Wyatt good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Prof. Wyatt gave a lot of reading in this 400-level reading seminar. The final exam and paper consisted a large portion of the grade and required a decent amount of recall to earlier sections of the course. Essays were pretty fairly graded.

The course is good if you are genuinely interested in the formulation of the Chinese civilisation, which should be in itself interesting. However, you are exposed to secondary sources mostly. The only major primary source you will encounter is the Analects, perhaps parts of Mencius. It is thus more history than philosophy. Exams are weird but always doable if you actually study and understand what you are learning. Confucius should not be hard to understand, only hard to practice. Personally, my most pleasant experience in the class was with the final paper, since I got to pick my own research topic. Overall, even though it is a 300-level class, and is reputed to be difficult, it still touches very little at the depth and intrigue of the Chinese culture. Consider it a survey course, rather than a mind-reforming one.

This course was intellectually rewarding but quite challenging. The instructor set high expectations, grading was rigorous, and earning top marks required consistent effort and strong analytical writing. While demanding, the feedback was thoughtful, and students who stayed engaged gained a deep understanding of the material.