Aims

An introduction to Chinese, Korean, and Japanese thought. Without a study of their more important doctrines, it is impossible to understand these societies even nowadays.

Main themes

1. CHINA. China has been shaped by three traditions : Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Each one has left its mark on Chinese culture and civilization.
2. JAPAN. The Japanese identity owes a lot to the interaction of two traditions : Shintô and Buddhism. Japanese Buddhism comes under a variety of forms, some of which, particularly Zen, find new disciples in the West.

Content and teaching methods

The lectures, together with the reading of and commentary on selected texts, shall offer an introduction to the various currents of thought, the religious traditions, and their interactions within the Chinese, Korean, and Japanese civilizations.
1. CHINA. Confucius, Lao tse (Laozi) and the schools of ancient China ; Chinese Buddhism ; Neo-Confucianism.
2. KOREA and JAPAN. Buddhism and its branches; Shintô; shamanism and folk religion; the ideologies of the Tokugawa period; the Meiji period and the "New Religions".

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisities : none. It is possible i) to select either China (30h) or Korea/Japan (30h) ; ii) to take both courses (60h) over a period of two years.
Evaluation : oral exam.
Teaching materials : a selection of translated texts; a bibliography.

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