Postgraduate Course: Sound and Sensibility in Chinese Culture (ASST11130)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course offers an ear-opening journey into the multifaceted sonic culture of China. It examines a rich spectrum of audible and inaudible sounds spanning from the premodern era to the twentieth century. Topics include music, noise, speech, laughter, whispers, rumours, dialects, singing, gendered voices, and silence. It introduces key theories and methodologies from the burgeoning field of sound studies and explores how Chinese sonic culture can provide new perspectives and insights into the study of sound. |
| Course description |
Few things in our world are as elusive as sound, yet few elements are as ubiquitous and emotionally resonant. In this course, we will explore a diverse array of audible and inaudible sounds from premodern to early twentieth-century China. These include music, noise, speech, laughter, whispers, rumours, dialects, singing, recordings, gendered voices, and silence. Drawing on scholarly investigations of sound from a wide range of disciplines and perspectives, we will engage with key questions: How did the aural interact with the visual, tactile, and other senses in Chinese cultures and societies? What shaped the ways people heard and listened? How did sound contribute to the construction, deconstruction, or transformation of identities and spaces?
In short, this course is an ear-opening journey into the multifaceted sonic culture of China and beyond. The course readings are orchestrated in a thematic and chronological order, guiding students through the various ways sound is created, imagined, manipulated, mediated, visualised, embodied, and theorised. We will examine how sound conveys philosophical, aesthetic, and societal meanings across various Chinese communities. Additionally, the course introduces major theories and methodologies from the burgeoning field of sound studies, exploring how Chinese sonic culture can offer fresh perspectives and insights into the study of sound.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% course work
- Participation (20%): presentation and seminar participation
- A 4000-word Essay (80%) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive written feedback on the final essay.
Students will receive general feedback to presentation and weekly activities in seminars. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Identify major formal and rhetorical features of sound in premodern China from diverse perspectives.
- Use theoretical sonic concepts to analyzes primary texts; and conversely, use primary texts to enrich, expand, or critically interrogate dominant theories of sound.
- Critically analyze acoustic, literary, and cultural materials through writing and speaking.
- Synthesize analyses of sound into a formal academic paper.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Engaging with this course will foster the development of the following personal and professional skills, aligning with the University`s Graduate Attributes Framework:
Research and Enquiry: Students will enhance their ability to identify and creatively tackle problems by exploring diverse sonic phenomena and their cultural contexts. This involves developing skills in critical analysis, synthesis of information, and innovative thinking.
Personal and Intellectual Autonomy: The course encourages students to critically evaluate ideas, evidence, and experiences from an open-minded and reasoned perspective. This fosters independent thinking and the capacity to engage with complex concepts related to sound and culture.
Communication: Through discussions, presentations, and written assignments, students will refine their ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively. This includes developing skills in both verbal and written communication, as well as the ability to engage with diverse audiences.
Critical Thinking and Analysis: Students will learn to evaluate complex ideas, texts, and theoretical frameworks, fostering the ability to synthesize interdisciplinary perspectives.
Cultural Awareness: The course cultivates sensitivity to cultural diversity and historical contexts, enabling students to appreciate and analyse how sound shapes identities, societies, and spaces across time and cultures. |
| Keywords | Sound,China,music,noise,speech,silence,soundscape |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Yuqing Liu
Tel:
Email: yuqing.liu@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Hope Hamilton
Tel: (0131 6)50 4167
Email: hope.hamilton@ed.ac.uk |
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