【月涵學堂】2020 Summer Courses: Selected Sinophone Cinema
華語電影選讀 Selected Sinophone Cinema
Instructor: 吳貞慧 Chen-Huei Wu, 劉宜君 I-Chun Liu
1. Course Overview
Cinema are a form of art to reflect humans’ thoughts, spirits and values by means of the voice, words, visual images. This course will lead students to observe Chinese history, culture, and societies through selected Sinophone films, which might be different from their own. Through the discussion of selected films, students will develop critical thinking, writing and analytical skills while expressing their points of views.
2. Teaching and Learning Methodology
※ This course will be conducted in Chinese.※ Class activities include lecture, discussion, in-class exercises, and take-home assignments.
※ Students are required to watch the films assigned before the lectures in order to participate in the discussion with the class.
※ Students are required to note down key points and write short reviews each time after watching the films.
※ Students will discuss key points in partnerships, using their guided notes as a way to explain the content to each other.
※ Students will identify certain key concepts and explore related sources and materials that will result in an academic report under the guidance of the instructor.
3. Expected Learning Outcome
Students will be able to:
※ analyze and explain the ways in which societies and cultures other than their own address human needs and concern
※ apply an understanding of a non-western culture as an integrated whole that explains the functions and interactions of language, the arts, traditions, beliefs, and values
※ express knowledge and appreciation of a non-western culture and demonstrate an understanding of struggles and conflicts within such societies and how these conflicts continue to influence daily life
※ interpret patterns of behavior reflecting values and attitudes that contribute or pose obstacles to cross-cultural responses to persistent human issues
※ develop and nurture critical reading, writing, speaking, and collaborative learning skills
※ comprehend the close relationship between Chinese films and contemporary culture and society
4. Weekly Syllabus
| Week 1 Film：赤壁(上) Red Cliff Identify the main roles in the battle of Red Cliff. Analyze and discuss the political relations, the role of leading lady, and how people interacted in such an era. Discuss the strategies each country used toward one another, as well as how they worked Analyze how Zhou Yu demoralize Cao Cao. Reading：短歌行 Interpret Cao Cao’s famous writing, and identify some key phrases and discuss what they mean today |
| Week 2 Film：臥虎藏龍 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Discuss personalities of the main roles and how they interacted with others Interpret the importance of family to individuals Define the meaning of Dao and freedom to Chinese, and compare how they are realized in today’s Chinese community Discuss aesthetic forms in the movie and how they imply |
| Week 3 Film：宋家王朝 The Soong Sisters Describe how the world looked like when the story took place Discuss the crucial four families and how they influenced the development of China Identify the very different Soong sisters and their roles in China’s history Identify what the Soong sisters shared one thing in common and analyze how it impacted Chinese history Discuss how Charlie educate the Soong sisters and why he did was different from the traditional Chinese families |
| Week 4 Film：暗戀桃花源 Secret Love for the Peach Blossom Spring Reading：桃花源記 The Peach Blossom Spring Identify the historical background of the story Discuss how the story was realized and intertwined with the play Discuss how Tao Yuanming’s utopia looked like Identify two distinct stories in the film Discuss the jokes of location and the spirits of the play |
| Week 5 Film：飲食男女 Eat Drink Man Woman Explore the details shown the traditional Chinese values Discuss how these values contradicts with today’s society Film：父後七日 7 Days in Heaven Discuss the leading role’s experience of the death and funeral of her father. Explore ceremonies of Chinese funeral and discuss how each detail represents |
| Week 6 Film：父後七日 7 Days in Heaven Reading：父後七日 Discuss the roles of death and birth in Chinese culture Identify the uniqueness of the language used in the film Compare the differences between the film and the book Presentation (self-selected movie) |
5. Grading
Participation and Discussion 30%
Assignment 40%
Final Presentation 30%
6. Required Readings:
1) 王度廬。2001。臥虎藏龍（上、中、下）。遠景：新北市。
2) 西格雷夫，史特林。2002。新宋家王朝。風雲時代：臺北市。
3) 自編講義
Movies
4) 赤壁（上）。2008。吳宇森導演。中國電影集團公司：中國。
5) 赤壁2：決戰天下。2009。吳宇森導演。中國電影集團公司：中國。
6) 臥虎藏龍。2000。李安導演。新力影業：美國。
7) 宋家王朝。1997。張婉婷導演。嘉禾電影有限公司：香港。
8) 暗戀桃花源。1992。賴聲川導演。龍祥有限公司：臺灣。
9) 飲食男女。1994。李安導演。中央電影公司：臺灣。