Spring 2023

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

School of Digital Humanities and Computational Social Sciences
HSS275—Arts of Asia

Instructor: Taylor Pak, Ph.D.

Email: taylorpak@kaist.ac.kr
Office hours: Zoom meeting (by appointment)
Classroom: Real-time online class via Zoom
Class hours: M/W 13:00-14:15
TA: Chihyuk Ahn (chihyukk@kaist.ac.kr)

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course explores the art and visual culture of Asia from Neolithic times to the tenth
century CE. A wide range of objects from diverse media, including sculpture, painting,
pottery, crafts, and architecture from India, China, Korea, and Japan, are examined within
their historical, cultural, social, and religious contexts. The course is designed to impart to
students familiarity with historically significant works of art and different approaches to
understanding Asian visual culture.

❖ The course will take the form of real-time Zoom class meetings. The link to each meeting
will be provided under the course’s weekly schedule on KLMS. However, all sessions for
group presentations will be held in person in Room 205, Creative Learning Building (E11)
(see the Course Schedule below for specified dates).

TEXTBOOK & COURSE MATERIALS

Lee, Sherman E. A History of Far Eastern Art. 5th Edition. New York: Prentice-Hall and
Harry N. Abrams, 1994. (See Handbook containing all assigned readings on KLMS)

❖ Other course materials will also be provided in PDF files, such as lecture slides, a study
guide, and supplementary reading (if any) for each scheduled lecture topic. You are strongly
encouraged to use the “lecture slides” for taking notes during class.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance and Participation 25%
Presentation 25%
Midterm Exam 25%
Final Exam 25%

ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION
The course participates in the Education 4.0 Q. Regular attendance and active participation
are vital to the success of the course and your grade. You may engage in class discussions

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vocally or by typing messages in the chat box. Students with more than four unexcused
absences will receive an F. Two tardy marks shall be counted equal to one absence.

PRESENTATION
The presentation will be a group assignment. Each group will comprise four to five members.
Students are allowed to choose the group and the date individually. A summary of the group
presentation and each participant’s contribution is required for submission at the end of the
semester. A detailed guideline will be provided after the midterm.

EXAMS
The midterm and final exams are open-book. They mainly comprise slide identification and
slide comparison of known or unknown works. The exam format is available a week before
the exam date. Further instructions and sample questions will be provided during the exam
review sessions.

COURSE SCHEDULE
The schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the class.

Week 1 2/27 Course Introduction

3/1 Independence Movement Day (no class)

Week 2 3/6 Indus Valley Civilization

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 18-23.

3/8 Neolithic China

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 23-26.

Week 3 3/13 The Shang Dynasty China

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 29-41.

3/15 The Zhou Dynasty China

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 41-56.

Week 4 3/20 The Qin Dynasty China

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 57-60.

Documentary: "National Geographic China's Ghost Army

Terracotta Warriors"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-1IcaeuGnw

3/22 The Han Dynasty China

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 60-67.

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Week 5 3/27 Early Korea

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 26-27, 72-74.

3/29 Early Korea

Week 6 4/3 Early Japan

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 27-28, 74-78.

4/5 Early Japan

Week 7 4/10 Midterm Review Day

4/12 Midterm Exam

Week 8 Midterm Exam Week (no class)

Week 9 4/24 Introduction to Buddhism

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 80-99.

Documentary: “The Buddha”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc7_VyVXDLs

4/26 Early Buddhist Art in India

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 80-99.

Week 10 5/1 Kushan Dynasty

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 99-109.

Gupta Dynasty
Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 110-128.

5/3 Buddhist Art in China

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 156-163, 171-185.

Week 11 5/8 Buddhist Art in China

5/10 Buddhist Art in Korea

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 163-164, 186-188.

Week 12 5/15 Buddhist Art in Korea

5/17 Buddhist Art in Japan

Lee, A History of Far Eastern Art, 164-171, 171-186.

Week 13 5/22 Presentation I

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5/24 Presentation II

Week 14 5/29 Presentation III

5/31 Presentation IV

Week 15 6/5 Final Exam Review

6/7 Final Exam

Week 16 Final Exam Week (no class)