Page 109 - SYU Prospectus

History

HIST 241 From Colony to SAR: Reunification, Challenges and Opportunities in
Contemporary Hong Kong
1 Term; 3 Credits
This course is open to students in all majors. It studies selected major problems which
had surfaced in Hong Kong since the 1997 handover, their importance, origins and develop-
ment, and examine whether the “One Country, Two Systems” environment could provide a
better opportunity to solve them and/or impose further challenges. It is a subject to help
students build a concise yet comprehensive understanding of their home city and major forces
at work which help shape contemporary Hong Kong. Students will compile updated infor-
mation on target questions, read to trace their historical roots, analyse sources/opinions and
make observations in group and/or independent research/assignments. The subject provides a
forum for students to report their findings, discuss crucial current events, and to give, receive
and respond to comments from peers.

HIST 250 Cultural Contacts between Chinese and Non-Chinese Civilizations
1 Term; 3 Credits
Since the beginning of last century, research on the Silk Road during the period from
Han to Tang dynasty has been an important issue among domestic and international scholars.
With new archaeological discoveries unearthed during the past decades, it has received more
attention to become an international academic subject.
The course topics include the following: 1) Introduction, 2) Silk Road: a route of ex-
change between Eastern and Western Civilizations, 3) Zhang Qian ( 張騫 ): access to the
Western Regions, 4) The introduction of Buddhism to China, 5) The Spread of Buddhism
during the Southern and Northern dynasties, 6) Chang-an and Western Civilization in the
Tang dynasty, 7) Sogdian ( 粟特人 ) and Zhaowu Jiuxing ( 昭武九姓 ), 8) Zoroastrianism
( 瑣羅亞斯德教 ), Manichaeism ( 摩尼教 ) and Nestorianism ( 景教 ) in the Tang dynasty, 9)

Spread of China’s Four Inventions to the West, 10) Zheng He’s ( 鄭和 ) Maritime Expeditions,
11) The arrival of Western civilization in China during late Ming dynasty, and 12) Confucianism
in Europe.

HIST 252 Globalization and China
1 Term; 3 Credits
The second-year elective course surveys the development of globalization and con-
temporary China, both being “core area” issues/modules in Liberal Studies in Hong Kong. The
subject introduces globalization, its worldwide transforming power, basic assumptions,
theories and main manifestation as well as China’s response and adaptation to it, amidst its
spectacular rise; with discussion on their combined impact on the making of the contemporary
world. In addition to reviewing concisely key historical stages/events in the unfolding of
globalization and development in China, the subject discusses the interplay of the two in
politics, economy, world resources and environment, society and culture. The subject is
capped with an open forum on selected issues on impacts and challenges that globalization

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