I didn't know ....

[clay dube]

Having plowed through hundreds of pages and participated in 60+ hours of discussion, I hope that all of us might be able to offer at least a few substantial endings to the "I didn't know..." opening.

Was there anything that you "knew" that you discovered to be incorrect or incomplete? I've been studying Asia and especially China for a long time and still frequently find that the "conventional wisdom" or at least what I've assumed to be the case is either wrong, misleading, or at least flawed.

Please take a moment to reflect on the range of topics and materials we've worked on and share your own endings to "I didn't know...." or "I thought ...., but now I ...." While your ideas about Asia almost certainly have been enhanced, revolutionized, or challenged, it may be that studying other peoples and other times have helped clarify your ideas about yourself, our society, and our time.

smiling,
clay

[Anonymous]

"..helped clarify ideas about yourself, our society, and our time"...sounds like some good reasons to study Asian literature and, in general, other cultures. Sort of like why folktales oten use animal characters, because the distance lets you learn about people and yourself
in a non-personal way. Anyway, what better understanding did I get from the sessions?--where do I start? There was just so much, it was truly a treasure trove of ideas and information. One idea I plan to use is the notion that all poetry probably started as songs that were sung not written, e.g., Yang Ye's description of Chinese poems, and similarly, the Indian epics. This is a great way to get students to look at literature in a different light. Many teachers use current song lyrics to teach the elements of poetry, but to see classic poems themselves as songs is wonderful new perspective to use for students. A short list of other revelations for me would include: the role of remonstrances in Chinese courts (sort of an ancient "speaking truth to power",) the key influence of India in Southeast Asia, the high level of poetry in the Age of Division, the varying borders of the Chinese empire, the Tang Empire as a melting pot of ethnicities (goes along with my belief that new infusions of ideas from other cultures is a key factor in the progress of civilizations,) and of course great background information on Asian classics, writers, and thinkers, that make them not only able to be understood but also, able to be appreciated and enjoyed. One of the themes I emphasize in my class is that history provides the context that gives meaning to the customs, heroes (social, and cultural,) and material elements of our lives. Without that context, these thingsare taken for granted, or even dismissed as unimportant. So, this course has given much new meaning to my life, and for that I am extremelly grateful 😀

[Anonymous]

I had no idea there was such a strong relationship between Thoreau and Emerson and the Baghiva Gita. That's a tangible and natural way to incorporate Eastern thought into my American Lit class (of all places!). I had no idea there was such a strong (cause and effect) relationship between Hinduism and Buddhism. I'm very interested in the art of South East Asia, and will be using this connection seen in 10th - 13th century sculpture to trace the origins of Buddhism across Asia. My students can work on interpretive essays as well as compare/contrast essays, while I explore something I really enjoy.[Edit by="jfirestein on Aug 14, 9:06:02 AM"][/Edit]

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