In this seminar, we will read selected short stories to introduce five modern Chinese women writers: Xiao Hong, Ding Ling, Eileen Chang, Fan Yusu, and Yu Xiuhua. Class meetings will include a lecture component that situates the text in modern Chinese cultural history as well as a discussion component in which participants will be invited to share their insights and interpretations of the story. The seminar aims to familiarize participants with twentieth-century Chinese history—with a focus on understanding evolving perspectives on gender, power, and womanhood—through literature. Besides equipping educators with the context necessary to introduce Chinese women writers in their classrooms, the class also offers an opportunity for individuals to expand their cultural horizons and diversify their libraries by reading in translation.
Class will meet once per week for two hours. Participants will be required to write two one-page response papers (double-spaced, 12 pt font) during the five weeks. Participants will also complete a final project that includes a developing a lesson plan around a modern Chinese woman writer.
Course Materials
Joseph S.M. Lau and Howard Goldblatt, The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Literature.
Ding Ling, I Myself am a Woman: Selected Writings of Ding Ling. Ed. Tani Barlow.
Eileen Chang, Love in a Fallen City. Trans. Karen S. Kingsbury.
Program Leader
Elise Huerta is a cultural studies scholar and educator who specializes in modern and contemporary China. Her research explores the cultural politics of touch in modern Chinese literature, film, and visual culture. She holds a PhD in East Asian Languages & Cultures from Stanford University and a BA in Asian Languages & Cultures from the University of Michigan.
Program Schedule (all times Pacific Time)
- Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 4:00–6:00 PM (Pacific Time)
- Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 4:00–6:00 PM (Pacific Time)
- Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 4:00–6:00 PM (Pacific Time)
- Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 4:00–6:00 PM (Pacific Time)
This program will take place on Zoom.
Program benefits
- Free books and teaching resources.
- Free WA OSPI clock hours.
Registration
This program is free and open to current, in-service K-12 educators of all grades and subjects. Please follow this link to register. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out at earc@uw.edu.
This program is sponsored by the East Asia Resource Center at the University of Washington, and funded by a Freeman Foundation grant in support of the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA).