Course Introduction

“Twelve Kingdoms” (Танг.12 Инв.№132, №133) is a Tangut language composition, which was discovered by Pyotr Kozlov (1863-1935) in the abandoned Tangut city of Khara-Khoto (Heishuicheng) in present-day Inner Mongolia (PRC). The remaining text contains several chapters with anecdotes about various kingdoms in China during Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu, 722-481 BCE) and Warring States (Zhanguo, 481-221 BCE) periods. Presumably, this text is a translation from a Chinese original that did not survive.

The course “Ancient Chinese Anecdotes through the Lenses of Tangut Texts” has two main goals. First, it aims to introduce the basics of the Tangut language, which belongs to the Gyalrongic branch of the Sino-Tibetan Language family. One of the peculiar features of the Tangut language is its distinctive script that was created at the beginning of the 11th century and was widely used in Tangut Western Xia (1035-1227) and beyond for the next three hundred years. The Tanguts were eager to accept and translate the texts imported from Northern Song China, including Buddhist and secular literature. Most likely “Twelve Kingdoms” was a popular historical composition in China in the eleventh century that made its way to the Tangut kingdom. Another goal of the course is to introduce the students to the political and intellectual life of East Asia in the eleventh and twelfth centuries when the political, cultural, and civilizational dominance of the Chinese empire was challenged by so-called “conquest dynasties” - Khitan Liao, Tangut Western Xia, and Jurchen Jin.

The course will be interesting for students majoring in medieval history as well as linguistics. The class is designed in a form of a reading-based seminar with two topic-based lectures and discussions. For each reading session, we are going to translate and discuss a short story in the Tangut language from “Twelve Kingdoms”. Knowledge of Classical Chinese and/or Classical Tibetan will be helpful but is not required. All the materials will be distributed by the instructor. The course will be held on zoom once a week. Language of instruction: English.

Course Plan

Session 1

Who were the Tanguts?

Introduction to the history of Tanguts and the Tangut Kingdom. Overview of the remaining Tangut textual sources.

Session 2

How to read the Tangut language?

Introduction to the Tangut writing system and the methods of using Tangut dictionaries. Introduction to the basics of Tangut grammar.

Session 3

First steps in reading the Tangut text

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 4

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 5

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 6

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 7

Special Lecture №1

“How did the Tanguts fit into the civilizational and cultural discourse of East Asia in the eleventh and twelfth centuries?” Discussion on the lecture content and the studied readings.

Session 8

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 9

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 10

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 11

Special Lecture №2

“Western Xia: between China and Tibet. Chinese and Tibetan elements in the Tangut Kingdom.”

Discussion on the lecture content and the studied readings.

Session 12

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”

Session 13

Guided reading of a selected passage from the Tangut “Twelve Kingdoms”.

Wrapping-up. Final discussion and remarks.