Page 49 - HKSYU Prospectus 2023-24

General Education

culture; and 3) how authentic historical materials, such as architecture, museum exhibition
information, films, photos etc., have crafted and continue to craft the colonial collective memory
and cultural legacy, and their influence on the modern society.

GEA 203 The Wisdom of Ancient Chinese Architecture
1 Term; 3 Credits
An ancient Chinese building tells us various stories, including its culture, history,
philosophy, feng-shui, art, architecture structure and style. There are a variety of ancient
Chinese buildings which can be classified into five major categories: gorgeous imperial palace,
intimate traditional Chinese residence, natural landscape Chinese garden, religious altar and
temple, and ethnical style of regional dwelling. By introducing different types of buildings,
students will be able to understand the geographical features and historical evolution of
Chinese architecture, as well as the similarities and differences between social life and ethnic
customs in different regions.
Students will experience the Chinese architectural culture through films, videos, and field
trips. Upon completion, students will be able to apply the knowledge and concepts of Chinese
architecture. They will also be able to appreciate historical architecture for the preservation of
Chinese heritage. Through field trips to Ping Shan heritage trail, Chi Lin Nunnery and Hong
Kong Palace Museum in Hong Kong, students will be able to appreciate local cultural heritage
and the vernacular architecture.

GEA 204 Hong Kong Kung-fu Novels, Films and Chinese Culture
1 Term; 3 Credits
This course examines key Kung-fu films and novels by situating them within the broader
social and cultural history of the martial arts and wuxia. The course takes a cross-cultural and
interdisciplinary approach to Kung-fu—considering, for example, the influence of Daoist
philosophy on the development of martial arts, the impact of Hong Kong action films globally,
and the development of the genres vis-à-vis socio-cultural shifts locally. We will also investigate
the construction of Kung-fu star culture, by studying celebrities such as Bruce Lee, Jackie
Chan, and Donnie Yen. Students will learn to think critically about representations of race,
ethnicity, nationhood, and gender and sexuality, and to ask how Kung-fu films, novels, comics,
and video games articulate and shape cultural identities. The selection will include films by Tsui
Hark, Zhang Yimou, King Hu, and Ang Lee. Readings will draw from film, literary, and cultural
studies.

GEA 205 I Ching and Life Management
1 Term; 3 Credits
The I Ching ( 易經 ) reflects the philosophical thinking and wisdom of the ancient China.
This course is based on the philosophy of the I Ching and is supplemented by the interpretation
of the evolution and mutual relationship of the hexagrams. Through the analysis of the
principles of the unity and contradiction of yin and yan, static and movement, change and

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