Shakyamuni Buddha Rubin Museum of Art

Vajradhara Rubin Museum of Art

Overview

     This Web Site is designed to help the teacher of Asian Literature incorporate a wide range of literary choices into a course which in a high school setting is necessarily limited due to the breadth and depth of the subject matter.

     Furthermore, the material which follows is predicated upon the principle that it is difficult to approach contemporary Asian Literature without having at least a minimal understanding of the religious and philosophical premises from which it grew. The methodology to gain this knowledge will be based upon eight classical Asian texts.

     The examinations and reports the students will be asked to undertake will help them gain an understanding of and an appreciation for some of the most influential books ever written. These masterpieces, having laid the foundations in the societies from which they emanated, are critical to grasping much of the essence of Modern Asian Literature. As the old master stated, "It's hard to understand the present without a firm grasp of the past." Stated another way, history serves as a prologue to present understanding.

     The several different types of writing responses suggested are intended to firm the students' acquisition of this material and to aid the instructor with the primary responsibility of improving student writing.

     The classroom procedure is as follows:

The class will be divided into small groups, perhaps three or four students per group. Before discussion of each text by the teacher, each group will be responsible to research the work and bring its findings to class and to explain to the class the major tenets of the masterpiece. The internet, encyclopedias, and journals from the library should be consulted. The group is expected to divide responsibilities evenly and to implement such visual aids as power point, posters, or handouts as needed.

The group will receive a grade which reflects the quality of the research, the equal and active participation of its members, and the excitement generated within the class with the information it presents. Obviously the group will need to delegate and coordinate the resonsibilities involved.

Texts To Be Examined