ARTH 362 Art in Early China

Chinese art and archaeology from the neolithic period through the Tang Dynasty. Readings in historical literary and religio-philosophical texts will contextualize the study of the formative period of Chinese art history. We will trace the emergence florescence and decline of ritual art in ancient China; the birth and ascent to dominance of the Confucian scholar-elite as consumers (and ultimately producers) of art; and the impact of the introduction of Buddhism on the history of Chinese art. Archaeological discoveries continue to deepen our understanding of ancient China and we will examine the most important excavations of the past 30 years.