These trips help students link present-day China with its past and to better understand today's China, particularly the Chinese political system, through the investigation of its feudal and imperial roots. By observing traditional Chinese architecture, arts, and village life, students will gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of Chinese culture and national character, and see how these characteristics have influenced the economic development in China today. The class will also visit a former state farm where Dr. Tsui (a native of China) once worked. This visit is for the students to see rural poverty and the development gap between urban and rural areas, which are common, serious problems facing China and many developing countries today. Finally, we explore the issues related to economic reform in China: its positive and negative impact on people, natural environment, and traditional culture. The site visits include the economic development zone in Wuhan, the Three-Gorges- Dam construction site, the cities and archaeological sites on the Yangtze River that will be inundated after the completion of the dam in 2009. The purpose of these visits is for students to see and think about and question the complex relationships between population growth, economic development, and environmental preservation.

This class will be offered in the summer of 2007. For more information, contact Ming Tsui.