This course is a survey of Chinese legal history that focuses on late imperial law and society in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The course will deal with the development of the Chinese legal tradition in the context of Confucian, Legalist and Taoist philosophy. Emphasis will be on the 'Confucianization' of law. The Confucian legal tradition is at the core of the legal cultures not only of China, but also of Japan, Korea, and much of Southeast Asia. In this course we will examine the ways in which a legal system creates and reflects a society’s structures and values in a mutually interactive process. Readings are drawn from Chinese codes, cases, and 'detective novels.'

CILO-1: Discuss the development of the Chinese legal tradition in the context of Confucian, Legalist and Taoist philosophy with emphasis on the 'Confucianization' of law. CILO-2: Explain why the Confucian legal tradition is at the core of the legal cultures not only of China, but also of Japan, Korea, and much of Southeast Asia. CILO-3: Describe the ways in which a legal system creates and reflects a society’s structures and values in a mutually interactive process.