Introduction:

Following the prosperous Silk Road of the Northwest and the thriving spice trade of the South China Sea regions, Imperial Chinese courts remained engaged in international exchanges of goods and ideas since ancient times. This course will examine the intersection of trade and tribute in patterns of foreign relations China conducted with its neighbors through the arrival of European powers in the 16th century. Material trade, and the socio-cultural exchanges accompanying it, will serve as the central theme in this course. While remaining “China-focused,” we will also explore the ways in which the various peoples have existed in the region for over two thousand years, fighting during much of this time for both political autonomy and cultural self-identity. Some of the secondary topics we will explore include the fluid, border-less nature of the frontier between South China and northern Southeast Asia, a study of Late Imperial China’s “Southern Silk Road,” China's tribute relations with various southern maritime kingdoms, and a broad study of pre-modern Chinese frontier management throughout the empire. Through a critical reading of recent scholarship on related topics, we will determine for ourselves the impact that global trade patterns had on the historical development of this very important region of the world.

Students taking this course should reach the following goals by the end of the semester:

· Construct persuasive written arguments concerned with an historical topic.

· Utilize the latest methods of Web-based technology to communicate with fellow students.

· Learn of the fundamental historical developments in China from earliest times to ca. 1800.

• Understand better the effect the ancient past has had on the modern world.
• Exhibit self-motivation and self-expression by exploring and asking questions regarding historical topics beyond personal life experiences.