The University of British Columbia

Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts

Chinese Language Program

CHIN 486 (951) Staging Drama in Modern China

Syllabus

L AND A CKNOWLEDGMENT
UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the
xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. The land it is situated on has always been a place of
learning for the Musqueam people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and
traditions from one generation to the next on this site.

C OURSE I NFORMATION
Course Title Course Code, Section Credit Value
Staging Drama in Modern China CHIN 486 (951) 3
Class Time (Vancouver Time) Class Location Session Term
Mon and Wed 12:30 -3:30 pm Zoom (No recordings) 2024 summer term 2

Course Instructor(s) Contact Details Office Hours

Yuning Liu Yuning.liu@ubc.ca Office hours on ZOOM:

劉育寧
Like many, I receive a high volume of Wednesday 3:30-4:30 p.m.
e-mail s every day but will do my best (Please book in advance).
Ph.D. Candidate to respond to urgent student e-mails
Dept. of Theatre and within a day. That said, class time and
Film, UBC office hours are the more appropriate
times to address questions, especially
if they are complex or detailed.

C HINESE L ANGUAGE P ROGRAM S OCIAL M EDIA C HANNELS

CLP Website: https://chinese.arts.ubc.ca/

CLP YouTube Channel

CLP Instagram

CLP Facebook
A CADEMIC F REEDOM AND S AFETY
The University of British Columbia is committed to advancing academic freedom
(http://academic.ubc.ca/support-resources/freedom-expression). While the University endeavors
to provide a safe teaching/learning environment for all its instructors and students, under current
circumstances where most learning activities will have to be conducted online, members of the
UBC community should exercise extra caution as no technological remedies can guarantee
complete safety. In particular, please be aware that some of the contents/activities of this
course might be deemed sensitive or illegal by certain non-Canadian governments. If you
are physically located outside Canada, your access to the course material might be limited
or result in punitive action by foreign authorities. Note also that lectures and class discussions
may be recorded (even if doing so is explicitly forbidden by the instructor) and that email
messages are usually retrievable. Students interested in this course but concerned about some of
the risks mentioned are strongly encouraged to contact the instructor to work out possible
accommodations.

I N -T ERM C ONCESSIONS
Please consult the following page for information about academic concessions if necessary.
https://www.arts.ubc.ca/degree-planning/academic-performance/academic-concession/

Arts Students must contact Arts Advising as soon as you are aware you may need an in-
term concession. Please review their website for concession criteria as well as the process to
follow. Students in other Faculties should contact their Faculty advising office for direction.

P LACEMENT R EMINDERS :
1. Students MUST complete their online placement questionnaire and acquire the placement
certificate appropriate for the course they register for.
2. Once students are registered and take CHIN450+ courses, they CANNOT take any CLP
course below CHIN450.
3. Students should be aware that if they have taken the following courses from such other
colleges and universities, they CANNOT take the CHIN 481 at UBC:

Langara College CHIN 3381

Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU): CHIN 4481.

P REREQUISITES
One of CHIN437, CHIN443, CHIN444, CHIN447, CHIN448. Or placement approval.

C OURSE O VERVIEW
This is an overview of the development, performance, intercultural interactions, and multi-media
adaptations of modern Chinese drama from the 20th century onward. This course begins by
situating the origin of modern Chinese drama in a dynamic matrix that is simultaneously
informed by both classical dramatic conventions and international theatrical interactions. It then
proceeds to survey the key dramatic works of major playwrights in the twentieth and twenty-first
centuries, examining not only the play scripts on the page but also their performances onstage
and afterlives in multi-media. This course concludes by embedding modern Chinese theatrical
culture in a global context that bears witness to increasingly varied forms of cross-cultural
communication and cross-media adaptation. Through the prism of modern Chinese drama and
performance culture, the course demonstrates the intimate interconnections of theatre with
literature, history, politics, gender ideologies, and intercultural translation. It introduces students
to theoretical and analytical approaches to dramatic works and theatrical performances. It also
broadens students’ horizons beyond page and stage to the larger cultural contexts in which
modern Chinese theatrical culture is embedded locally, nationally, and globally. Lastly, the
course draws students’ attention to how different media interact with the highly hybrid dramatic
art and exert impacts on the embodying process that transforms words into performances and
beyond. The course is delivered in Chinese, and native or near-native fluency in Chinese is
required.

C OURSE S TRUCTURE
This course is delivered online. Every week, students synchronize online classes for 3 hours on
Monday and 3 hours on Wednesday over Zoom. Based on students ' readings and the instructor's
lectures, in-class participation, group activities, and online discussions are held during and after
each session. There are online self-study materials for students to complete outside class each
week except for the first and last week. All coursework and class activities are to be completed in
Chinese.

L EARNING O UTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

 Identify major playwrights, plays, and themes in modern Chinese drama and recognize
the global context for the development of modern Chinese theatrical culture (LO1)
 Evaluate and analyze modern Chinese performance works with interdisciplinary and
cross-media lenses (LO2)
 Discuss modern Chinese drama and its multi-media staging from an academic
perspective in Chinese (LO3)
 Apply theoretical approaches to develop research topics on modern Chinese drama in a
standard academic written form. (LO4)

Learning activities:
 Students’ online participation in class meeting sessions is mandatory. Their regular
participation in online forum discussions is encouraged and expected.
 Students should read the assigned readings BEFORE they come to the classroom in each
meeting session.
 Students should complete the self-study questions, online quizzes, mid-term projects, and
final projects promptly and thoughtfully.
 Under no circumstances should students commit plagiarism.
G RADING B REAKDOWN
(Subject to change with class consultation)
# Component Weight
1 Participation & discussion posts 15%
2 Online Quizzes (weekly) 10%
3 Performance Playbill Design (Group) 15%
4 Midterm assignment: Character’s autobiography or diary 20%
5 Final assignment: Write A Play
- Play 20%
- Memo 10%
- Peer review article 10%
Total 100%

A SSIGNMENTS AND A SSESSMENT

Below is an overview of each term assignment. Detailed instructions, rubrics, and submission
guidelines can be found in the Assignments section on Canvas. Note that some assignments have
multiple submissions, and check the submission schedule for each component of those
assignments. You may opt for either simplified Chinese (简体) or traditional Chinese (繁體), but
please ensure consistency throughout a single assignment.
Note: Plagiarism is a serious issue at UBC. Please pay extra attention to giving proper
citation and documentation whenever you invoke a source either from the course readings
or from outside the course.

1. Participation & discussion posts

Participation in class sessions is mandatory. Before coming to class, students will need to
finish the assigned readings. From week two (July 8th) onward, participation activities
will be in each class session. Students should also participate actively in class activities.
If students cannot attend the class for some understandable reason, they must take the
initiative and communicate with the instructor as early as possible. It is the student’s
responsibility to provide the instructor with appropriate documentation or other evidence
to be excused from the class, and it is up to the instructor to decide if the absence will be
excused or not. (Addressing LO1 and LO2)

2. Online Quizzes
There will be an online self-study quiz from week two onward. Online quizzes are
designed to help students review the course contents. They are formative and open books,
providing practices for the corresponding module test. Each self-study quiz contains 10-
20 multiple-choice questions based on the required reading/viewing materials. However,
there is a time limitation, so the review before the studies is highly recommended.
 Correct answers will be released immediately after the due time. (Addressing LO1 and
LO2)

3. Performance Playbill Design (Group)

The assignment is creating a program booklet/playbill for the play assigned to your
group. The booklet should include (but is not limited to) background information on the
play and director’s notes and should be complemented by appropriate basic graphic
design. You must choose ONE theatrical aspect to emphasize in your practical
performance production, such as music, lighting, stage, costume design, etc. Highlight
your design concept by making certain adaptations; clear explanations are necessary. In
the last class, you must present, emphasize your design focus, and explain the chosen
design concept to your classmates. (15 Minute Maximum).

4. Midterm assignment: Character’s autobiography or diary

o Choose one main character from the script.
o Write a character autobiography or diary in Mandarin, limited to 1000 words.
o Include at least two details about the character that are not mentioned in the script
but are reasonable and consistent with the original storyline.
o The chosen character cannot be from the same play as the group playbill project.

5. Final assignment: Write A Play

o The play must be 4-6 pages long (double-spaced; 12-point font), and it must
include the following:
 It should be a one-act play (no change of location)
 It should have continuous timing (no stage directions indicating a change
in time, such as “three years later.”
 At least three characters are speaking.
 At least 4 stage directions.
 A sound or lighting effect that influences the stage action.
 The setting should be contemporary
 OPTIONAL: an interactive moment with the audience member.
o Please provide a 500-word memo account of the play’s overall dramatic form.
Does it follow any of the formal features of the play’s read over the term? For
example, does it share any elements with melodrama, expressionism, naturalism,
realism, theatre of the absurd, or post-colonial drama?

C OURSE S CHEDULE

(All readings, video, and supplementary materials will be available online in the Modules of
Canvas)

Wee Date Topics/Readings To-do

k
 1 July Introduction to the course. Group-up
3rd Intro to the dramatic form and the history of huaju (spoken
drama) in China
2 July Module I: The birth and the foundation of Chinese spoken
8th drama.
Dramatic form: Realism and Naturalism
[Read] Henrik Ibsen, A Doll’s House (full play in Mandarin，
玩偶之家, translated by Pan Jiaxun)
2 July Dramatic form: Expressionism Weekly quiz
10th [Read] Breaking out of Ghost Pagoda 《》 #1
3 July Module II: The classic
15th Dramatic form: Expressive Realism
[Read] Sunrise 《日出》
3 July [Read] Teashouse 《》 Weekly quiz
17th #2
July 19th,
Midterm
assignment
due
4 July Module III: Meta theatricality
22th Dramatic form: Play-within-a-play
[Read] Guan Hanqing 《》
4 July Dramatic form: Farce/tragedy, Meta theatricality II Weekly quiz
24th [Read] Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land 《》 #3
5 July Module IV Let’s talk about history on Stage
29th [Read] A Hundred Years on Stage 《》
5 July [Read] The Face of Chiang Kai-shek 《》 Weekly quiz
31st #4
6 Aug No Class: BC day long weekend
5th
6 Aug Group presentation and sharing Aug 12th,
7th Final
assignment
due

Group peer
review

O THER R ECOMMENDED R EADINGS IN E NGLISH

Chen, Xiaomei. Acting the Right Part: Political Theater and Popular Drama in Contemporary
China. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2002. (Ebook available at the UBC
Library)
Chen, Xiaomei, ed. Reading the Right Text: An Anthology of Contemporary Chinese Drama.
Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2003.
Ferrari, Ressella. Pop Goes the Avant-Garde: Experimental Theatre in Contemporary China.
London: Seagull Books, 2012.
Mackerras, Colin. The Chinese Theatre in Modern Times: From 1840 to the Present Day.
London: Thames and Hudson, 1975.

C OMMUNITY E NGAGEMENT O PPORTUNITY & B ONUS M ARK P OLICY

To encourage collaborative learning as well as language and cultural learning, all students
who are taking CHIN courses can be considered to earn bonus mark(s) by volunteering for the
Chinese Language Program (CLP). Please see below for the opportunities and respective bonus
mark policies.

1. Volunteer Tasks:
In addition to participating in co-/extra-curricular events in the CLP program, students can earn
bonus marks by volunteering for various learning and/or cultural events.

Volunteer Opportunities:
 Oral Practice (OP) - To participate in the weekly oral practice activity as a language
partner in Oral Practice (OP).
 Other Events (Other Events) - Having opportunities to participate in Other Officially
Confirmed Events (Other Events) with the program, such as assisting in the planning,
organization, and execution of activities hosted or organized by the Chinese Language
Program.

* Interested in BECOMING A VOLUNTEER? Apply at

https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1LlbQ2A9komi3RQ.

**Any further questions or concerns regarding volunteer affairs can be directed to our Volunteer
Management Team at Chinese.Volunteering@ubc.ca.

2. Volunteer Bonus Marks Policy (abbreviated version):

1) Eligible for obtaining bonus mark(s) by participating in two OP shifts per week, up to 1.5
bonus marks.
2) Volunteering Bonus Marks will be added to the FINAL grade in only ONE CHIN course of
your choice in the current term, despite the number of CHIN-titled courses you are taking
this term.
3) To receive Volunteering Bonus Marks, you will need to fill out a bonus mark information
registration form at the end of the term. The bonus mark(s) you will receive will be mainly
based on your volunteer hours in the current term, as well as your overall performance,
attendance, and other applicable terms.

Volunteers are admitted on a selective basis, and volunteer positions are limited due to the large
number of applicants. The Volunteer Management Team will select volunteers based on merit.
For more detailed information related to the Bonus Mark Policy, please consult the complete
version of the 2024S2 UBC CLP Student Volunteer CHIN-titled Course Bonus Mark Policy
HERE.

U NIVERSITY P OLICIES
UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but
recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including
those for survivors of sexual violence. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all
members of the academic community. Harassment and discrimination are not tolerated nor is
suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate accommodation for students with
disabilities and for religious observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are
expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic
standards in all of their actions.
Details of the policies and how to access support are available on the UBC Senate website.

A CADEMIC I NTEGRITY
The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this
enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct
regarding academic integrity. At the most basic level, this means submitting only original work
done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or ideas and attributing them to
others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy, or mislead others about what is
your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the breakdown of the
academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are imposed.
For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the
assignment or exam and more serious consequences may apply when the matter is referred to the
Office of the Dean. Careful records are kept in order to monitor and prevent recurrences. A more
detailed description of academic integrity, including the University’s policies and procedures,
may be found in the UBC Calendar: Student Conduct and Discipline.

A CADEMIC A CCOMMODATION FOR S TUDENTS WITH D ISABILITIES

Academic accommodations help students with a disability or ongoing medical condition
overcome challenges that may affect their academic success. Students requiring academic
accommodations must register with the Centre for Accessibility. They will determine the
student's eligibility for accommodations in accordance with Policy 73: Academic
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities. Academic accommodations are not determined
by your instructors, and instructors should not ask you about the nature of your disability or
ongoing medical condition, or request copies of your disability documentation. However, your
instructor may consult with the Centre for Accessibility should the accommodations affect the
essential learning outcomes of a course.
C ONFLICTING R ESPONSIBILITIES
UBC recognizes that students may occasionally have conflicting responsibilities that affect their
ability to attend class or examinations. These may include: representing the University, the
province or the country in a competition or performance; serving in the Canadian military; or
observing a religious rite. They may also include a change in a student’s situation that
unexpectedly requires that student to work or take responsibility for the care of a family member,
if these were not pre-existing situations at the start of term.
Students with conflicting responsibilities have a duty to arrange their course schedules so as to
avoid, as much as possible, any conflicts with course requirements. As soon as conflicting
responsibilities arise, students must notify either their instructor(s) or their Faculty Advising
Office (e.g. Arts Academic Advising), and can request academic concession. Instructors may not
be able to comply with all such requests if the academic standards and integrity of the course or
program would be compromised.
Varsity student-athletes should discuss any anticipated and unavoidable regular-season absences
with the instructor at the start of term, and provide notice of playoff or championship absences in
writing as soon as dates are confirmed.
Religious observance may preclude attending classes or examinations at certain times. In
accordance with the UBC Policy on Religious Holidays, students who wish to be accommodated
for religious reasons must notify their instructors in writing at least two weeks in advance.
Instructors provide opportunity for such students to make up work or examinations missed
without penalty.

C OURSE P OLICIES

L EARNING A NALYTICS
Learning analytics includes the collection and analysis of data about learners to improve teaching
and learning. This course will be using the following learning technologies: [Canvas, iClicker,
iPeer, etc.]. Many of these tools capture data about your activity and provide information that can
be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning. In this course, I plan to use analytics
data to: (Example data uses:)
● View overall class progress
● Track your progress in order to provide you with personalized feedback
● Review statistics on course content being accessed to support improvements in the course
● Track participation in discussion forums
● Assess your participation in the course]

L EARNING R ESOURCES
A Canvas Module entitled “Additional Resources” contains many useful “how to” documents to
help you. Please consult it as needed. It is the last section of the Module page.
L ECTURE AND I NTELLECTUAL P ROPERTY
The lectures I give in this course, and the slides I use in support of the lectures, are my
intellectual property, and as such are protected by law. That protection applies to the slides
themselves, and your transcription (e.g. copying word-for-word) of the slides (whether or not
you've added annotations).
Permission to make recordings falls within my discretion as the instructor as informed by
instructional purposes, classroom order, property interests and other reasonable considerations
arising in the academic context. If I do authorize you to record a lecture, the recording may only
be used for the purpose of individual or group study, or for other non-commercial purposes that
reasonably arise from your membership in this class.
Lecture slides and recordings of this class may not be exchanged for any commercial purpose,
for compensation, or for any purpose other than your personal study. Unless authorized by me in
advance and explicitly, any other commercial or any non-personal use of slides or recordings
constitutes a misuse of my intellectual property and is a breach of the UBC Student Code of
Conduct. I reserve the right to report students who misuse my intellectual property, and such
students may be subject to disciplinary measures: see the UBC Student Code Conduct.