EAST ASIAN RELIGIONS (EASIA 223)

Choosing one of the topics below, write an analytical essay, 5 double-spaced pages long,

using standard 12-point fonts and 1-inch margins. You must number the pages and staple the

pages; I will subtract 2 points from the mark for any student who doesnt. Bibliographic

entries, and separate title pages if you use one, do not count as part of the assigned 5 pages (that

said, do make sure to give the paper a proper title and provide full references for all sources you

use). Also, dont add extra blank lines between the paragraphs; you need the room.

The paper should be viewed as a formal opportunity to synthesize and critically apply

the course material for Unit 2. You must use and cite both the assigned readings and the lecture

material (in-class lectures, handouts, and/or Powerpoints), and I strongly recommend using both

the textbooks and any relevant Canvas readings. Sources not specifically assigned or recom-

mended should be used minimally if at all. If you choose to use sources not specifically assigned

or recommended, they should be supplements to, not substitutes for, the assigned materials.

Always cite your sources fully and clearly, with specific page numbers for printed

material, whether you summarize or directly quote them. For the printed sources (readings), any

standard bibliographic style is OK, but dont use long footnotes or endnotes. In-class lectures can

be identified by their dates (e.g., Lecture 1/16), posted handouts by their titles and page numbers

(e.g., Quinter, Daoism, 2), posted Powerpoints by their titles and slide number (e.g., Quinter,

Lectures 1 and 2 (China), slide 3), and videos by their titles.

When you cite a source, make sure that you reflect the authors views accurately. I urge

caution on consulting internet sources (apart from electronic versions of high-quality academic

journals and scholarly books). But if you do, you must cite them by website or webpage title and

URL. Please try to use shortened URLs that do not include long search strings, etc. Consult the

Chicago Manual of Style, 18th ed. (available online to UofA students), if you are unclear on this.

I will be looking for clear writing, logical organization, freedom from spelling and

grammatical errors, specific knowledge of the assigned readings and lectures, and effective

synthesis of the course material. Your papers should have a clearly articulated thesis, reflect the

course material accurately, and demonstrate your own insight into the issues addressed. More

than just showing how your argument will proceed (I will do X, then Y, then Z), a good thesis

statement tells the reader what you will argue (I will argue that/This paper will show that).

In a short paper like this, the thesis statement should generally appear in the first or

second paragraph. I will also be looking for a clear, well-considered introduction and central

argument or question, a logical flow to the supporting paragraphs with effective transitions

between them, and a satisfying conclusion. Do not use long quotes in your papers or just string

together direct quotes to make your arguments. Use your own wording as much as possible; your

own analysis of the material is the most important part.

In keeping with the emphasis on your own analyses and critical thinking, use of advanced

AI tools such as ChatGPT and similar programs is prohibited for the paper, no matter which

topic you choose (see the Required Notes section in the syllabus for fuller details). I also want

to spare you from the false paths such AI tools can lead you downlike their tendency to

hallucinate sources that dont exist outside their own artificial minds.

2

But for a good resource for help with paper writing, see the link in Canvas to the

Universitys Writing Services. You may also find helpful the link I posted under Readings

and Handouts to Mark Unnos guide Four Keys to Writing in the Humanities.

Topics

Note: For the topics below, you do not have to address every sub-question in the Some issues

you may want to consider parts. But these are included to help guide your thinking on the

papers and to give you a sense of the kinds of issues that can make for a good one.

1) Investigate the assimilation and spread of Buddhism in China. Be as specific as you can in

terms of concepts, figures (people and deities), and movements or schools, and make sure to

draw on both Indian and Chinese traditions.

Some issues you may want to consider: What were the barriers and critiques that Chinese

Buddhists had to overcome during their assimilation of the Indian tradition? How did they strive

to overcome those critiques? Illustrate ways in which Buddhism was integrated with traditional

Chinese culture (especially Confucianism and Daoism) and how Chinese Buddhism incorporated

or transformed Indian Buddhist traditions.

2) Compare and contrast approaches to change and mortality in Buddhism and Daoism. You

should take into account both teachings and practices in your analysis, and be as specific as you

can in terms of concepts, people, and movements within those traditions. For Buddhism, you

may consider both Indian and Chinese traditions.

Some issues you may want to consider: What are some fundamental teachings on change

and mortality in each tradition? How do those teachings relate to notions of the body and the

cosmos? Identify specific practices within each tradition and examine how they relate to those

teachings. How do those teachings and practices vary among different movements or schools

within the traditions? What similarities and differences do you see between the two traditions on

these issues?

WRITE MY PAPER