Field Study in Chinese History: Along the Silk Road

Background:

This course takes students to key Silk Road cities such as Turfan and Dunhuang. While engaging with primary and secondary sources and completing regular coursework, students will focus on hands-on field study. We will examine the enduring legacies of the Qin, Han, and Tang Dynasties, with particular attention to traces of cross-cultural exchange along the Silk Road. Students will critically analyze assigned readings, formulate research questions, and explore these inquiries through direct engagement with historical sites. Ultimately, the course aims to deepen students’ understanding of China’s historical interactions with the outside world through experiential learning.

Program locations: Turfan and nearby areas, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; Dunhuang, Gansu Province; Yinchuan and nearby areas, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Duration: 28 December, 2025 – 8 January, 2026

Study Language: English

Accreditation: 2 credits

Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)

Eligibility: Students should have completed at least one course in Chinese language or culture, or submit a personal statement in the application and receive approval from the instructor. Students must have a good command of English.

Slot: 10

Testimonials:

I really admire Prof. Xu’s statement on Chinese cultural boundaries: “We often have heavy stereotypes about Chinese culture, especially from the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, when discussing the broader context of Chinese culture, we need to be particularly cautious.” Through engaging with relics spanning thousands of years, the weight of history and the complexity of culture become clear. Simplistic notions like “the Silk Road is just silk and just a road” are corrected, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the richness of Chinese civilization.

— Zixuan Yang, Freshman at JI

We explore ancient sites with youthful enthusiasm. Whether riding bikes on Xi’an’s ancient walls, waving from the colorful cliffs of Danxia, or feeling the thrill of fast downhill slopes, these experiences are memorable. On the last day of 2023, we stopped at Xiaofangpan City. The sunset at Yumen Pass was late, but no one felt cold. As the last rays of sunlight in 2023 faded, Prof. Xu asked us, “How do you feel? Quite sentimental, right?” All I could think was, “Time flies, mountains and rivers are vast.”

— Hongfei Zhu, Freshman at JI