Spring, 2008
ELC 102
Language, Art and Culture: Chinese Calligraphy
Instructor: Pan, Yue
Office: THH 356H
Phone: 213-740-3715
E-mail:
Class Meetings: M6-8 p.m. @ THH118
Office Hours:TWTh 2-3 & by appointment
Program director: Dr. Audrey Li
Office: THH 356M
Phone: 213-740-3717
E-mail:
Office Hours: by appointment
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Goals:
EALC 102 focuses on the history, development, aesthetics, and appreciation of Chinese calligraphy, and teaches students how to produce Chinese calligraphy during hands-on practice sessions in class. It is hoped that members of the class will produce a sufficient number of high-quality works toward the end of the semester for a campus-wide class exhibition.
To the Western eye, the Chinese writing system is highly novel: instead of simple alphabetic letters there are thousands of unique characters, many of which seem incredibly intricate. Indeed, one of the most fascinating aspects of the Chinese language is its highly developed, special writing system.
This course does not only teach the simple skill of writing with a brush, but also attempts to introduce students to Chinese poetic artistry and to the interrelation of poetry, calligraphy, and painting in the Chinese tradition, with each element complementing the other two. Moreover, as writing is an expression and outpouring of ideas and emotions of the individual, it is expected that many aspects of China’s culturally-fascinating heritage will be introduced through the practice of calligraphy.
Students in this class are also expected to explore the considerable amount of material relating to Chinese calligraphy available on the World Wide Web and study various articles and example styles online.
Texts:
1.Chiang, Yee 1973. Chinese Calligraphy: An Introduction to Its Aesthetic and Technique. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 3rd edition, revised and enlarged.
2.EALC 102 Course Reader
Tools:
1.Calligraphy brush of medium/large size (required).
2.Practice papers (mao2bian1zhi3): yellowish papers with 12 or 15 squares of red grids (required).
3.Formal calligraphy papers (xuan1zhi3): plain coarse white papers in a scroll (required).
4.Black ink for calligraphy (required).
5.Ink stick and ink stone (recommended).
Class meetings:
- Participation is an essential course requirement. Students who do not actively participate, who arrive late, or who leave early will receive lower grades in attendance/participation.
- In each class, two or three students are required to make a 30-minute presentation based on the chapter previewed.
- All announcements and handouts will be posted at The instructor will not be responsible for students who are not informed of homework or do not receive handouts due to absences. Students are not to use a prior absence as an excuse for missing subsequent work.
- Please turn off your cellular phones during class.
Homework and assignments:
1.Weekly homework: before the midterm, students are assigned 4 characters to practice at home each week. Each student should turn in his/her practice sheets of at least 36 squares (9 times 4 characters). It is important that students practice calligraphy several times a week; ideally, everyday.
2.Weekly in-class work: each week, students are asked to practice 4 assigned characters in each class. By the end of the class, each student should turn in at least 36squares of practice sheets (9 times 4 characters).
3.Four exhibition-quality productions: one is an imitation piece of the finest work you find in “Midterm Selection” in the course reader; the second is a reproduction of one of the worksin “Final Selection” in the course reader.
4.Weekly homework sheets and in-class practice sheets are written on practice papers (mao2bian1zhi3: yellowish papers with red squares). The imitation work and the poem are written on white papers (xuan1zhi3: white coarse papers).
5.All weekly homework sheets must be submitted at the beginning of a class meeting. The in-class practice sheets should be submitted at the end of each class. The exhibition works are due during the specified weeks.
6.Late work is only acceptable if it is submitted within 3 days, and 10% of the initial marks will be taken off.
Mid-term and final examinations:
- There is one mid-term and one final exam. Each includes two sections: the first is comprised of 40 multiple-choice questions based on the lectures and the readings (40 minutes to complete); in the second section, each student must write a calligraphy piece (60 minutes to complete).
- For the multiple-choice questions, each student must bring one green 882-E Scantron for the mid-term and one for the final.
- Documented emergencies qualify for make-ups for mid-term and final exams with 10% off the initial marks awarded.
More fun projects:
1.Brush painting: A student can create a Chinese brush painting (on a white calligraphy paper) for an extra credit of 0.5%-2%. This should include both the painting section and a calligraphic inscription (see chapter 9). It is due by the last class session.
2.Field trip: A field trip may be organized (details to be discussed later in class).
Addendum
*Academic Integrity and Plagiarism: University policies concerning academic dishonesty will be strictly enforced, and students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with these policies. Plagiarism and/or cheating on exams is subject to the sanctions set forth in the Student Conduct Code and may include expulsion or suspension from the university. For a detailed description of plagiarism and other types of academic dishonesty and the sanctions pertaining thereto, the student is referred to the 2006 Scampus. The student publication, "Guide to Avoiding Plagiarism" ( may also prove helpful.
*Accommodation for students with disabilities: Students who need to request accommodations based on a disability are required to register each semester with the Disability Services and Programs (DSP) office (Student Union, Room 301.) In addition, a letter of verification to the course instructor, from the Disability Services and Programs office is needed for the semester in which you are enrolled for this course. If you have questions concerning this procedure, please contact both the instructor of the course, and the Disability Services and Programs office at (213) 740-0776.
*The final exam date CANNOT be changed without first obtaining approval from the Provost's office, even if the entire class agrees to a new time or date. The students are not allowed to take final exams prior to or after the exam date, except in the case of an emergency. A student's desire to return home a few days early does not constitute an emergency.
Grading System
1. Weekly calligraphic practices35% (15%: in-class; 20%: homework)
2. Class attendance and participation10%
3. Four calligraphic pieces of exhibition quality12%
4. Presentation 8%
5. Mid-term15%
6. Final 20%
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Total 100%
A 94-100A- 90-93
B+ 87-89 B 84-86 B- 80-83
C+ 77-79 C 74-76 C- 70-73
D+ 60-69Pass: C- or aboveF below 60
Tentative schedule:
Homework due / Class activity / Homework assigned01/14 / Introduction; sign up for presentation
01/21 / Martin Luther King’s Day
01/28 / Chapter.1, Class Work 1, / HW1, Chinese name (if you have one)
02/4 / HW1, Chinese name / Ch.2, CW2; / HW2,
02/11 / HW2, / Ch.3,CW3,Chinese name practice / HW3,
02/18 / President’s Day
02/25 / HW3, / Ch.4, CW4, date, / HW4,
03/03 / HW4, / Ch.5, CW5,Midterm format / exhibition quality imitation
03/10 / Midterm: ch.1-5/on-site imitation
03/17 / Spring Break
03/24 / Imitation / Ch.6, CW6 / HW5,
03/31 / HW5 / Ch.7, CW7, yong3 / HW7,
04/07 / HW7, / Ch.8, CW8, / HW8,
04/14 / HW8, / Ch.9, CW9,
(Bamboo/panda: optional) / HW9,
04/21 / HW9, / Ch.10, CW10 / exhibition quality imitation
04/28 / Imitation
Bamboo/panda / in-class exhibition
final format
Final exam (Ch. 6-11 & on-site writing) will be held in THH118 on Mon, May. 12,7-9 pm.
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