This class will focus on humanistic approaches in Chinese Studies. The course will discuss how knowledge is produced in the field and how different disciplines shape the field in different ways. It will examine the present state of research in selected areas of scholarly inquiry -- primarily language, literature, history, music, and art history -- as we interrogate such seemingly commonsense notions as civilization, culture, tradition, modernity, and, above all, "Chineseness." We will investigate new ways of asking questions about text and context, narrative, gender, subjectivity, identity, and paradigms of knowledge. Our goals are to develop good reading skills, stimulate critical thinking, and inspire imaginative approaches to humanistic problems.