Degree Programs

During the Tang era (618–907), the Khitan were known primarily as nomadic herders, horse breeders, and soldiers in what is now Inner Mongolia in China. Their status changed dramatically in the early 10th century, when China fractured into small states and the Khitan founded their own imperial dynasty, the Liao. The Khitan elite became one of the most powerful political forces in East Asia, at a time when political and cultural boundaries were in great flux. Recent finds in particular show that the Khitan built a sophisticated and unique court culture, which not only adapted Chinese models but itself became a model for other non-Chinese elites, most notably the Tangut Xi-Xia, farther west. This model also influenced the Chinese court of the Song dynasty through an unprecedented system of diplomatic ties. This seminar examines the traditional arts as well as recent archaeological finds, mainly of northern China, taking as a framework the transculturalism of the 10th century and its impact on the formation of national cultures in the 11th century. Themes to be explored include the forced migration of artisans, the spread of printing, commercial aspects of ceramic and painting production, nostalgia for the fallen Tang, the rise of antiquarian collecting, and the impact of Buddhist and Daoist ideologies on tomb furnishings. 3 credits.