Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations

The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations has a long history. Formally established in 2005 when the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies divided along geographic lines, the Department dates back to the 19th century when Penn was one of the first universities to offer courses in the languages and civilizations of what was then referred to as “the Orient.” That is why the Department was called Oriental Studies until it became Asian and Middle Eastern Studies in 1992.

EALC is a department of interdisciplinary scholars who focus on the humanistic tradition of East Asia, covering both the classical and modern civilizations of China, Japan and Korea. We teach and research the disciplines of history, literary history, linguistics, art history, performance and gender studies, philosophy, religion and ethics. The Department offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in both Chinese and Japanese Studies and is building a parallel program for Korean Studies.

Language is an important part of our program. In addition to Chinese, Japanese and Korean, offered from introductory through advanced levels, we also offer Cantonese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Thai on a regular basis.

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  • Publication
    (Book review). Jennifer Robertson’s Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan
    (1999-06-01) Kano, Ayako
    Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan. By Jennifer Robertson. University of California Press, Berkeley, 1998. xvi, 278 pages. $40.00, cloth; $15.95, paper.
  • Publication
    Some Observations on the Weddings of Tokugawa Shogun’s Daughters – Part 2
    (2012-10-01) Seigle, Cecilia S
    This section discusses the complex psychological and philosophical reason for Shogun Yoshimune’s contrasting handlings of his two adopted daughters’ and his favorite son’s weddings. In my thinking, Yoshimune lived up to his philosophical principles by the illogical, puzzling treatment of the three weddings. We can witness the manifestation of his modest and frugal personality inherited from his ancestor Ieyasu, cohabiting with his strong but unconventional sense of obligation and respect for his benefactor Tsunayoshi.
  • Publication
    30年前のブログ
    (2014-07-01) Seigle, Cecilia S
    I was in Japan for one year (1985-1986) on the research grant of the Japan Foundation while writing my book Yoshiwara and subsequent book Ooku. Recently I found a collection of my brief observations and comments on various aspects of Japanese life. I had come to the United States as a college freshman in 1953, and although I had gone back to Japan for brief visits and research since then, I had not lived there over a couple of months. My comments in 1985-86 are interesting because of the passage of time since then. It is also light-hearted and humorous although points I attempted to make are serious. Since I never published these essays, I would like to publish them with added observations and comments from 2014. Although blogs as such did not exist in 1985-86, I would like to call the essays "Blogs of 30 years ago."
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  • Publication
    Paul Pelliot and Mongolian Studies
    (2013-01-01) Atwood, Christopher P.
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  • Publication
    Huns and Xiōngnú: New Thoughts on an Old Problem
    (2012-01-01) Atwood, Christopher P.
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    徳川将軍と贈物
    (2016-01-01) Seigle, Cecilia S
  • Publication
    Takeshi Kaikō – 開高健（1930−1989)
    (2016-01-01) Seigle, Cecilia S
    It has been 27 years (as of 2015) since the death of Takeshi Kaikō, Japanese writer, novelist, essayist, journalist, and a recipient of many literary prizes. This essay comprises of correspondence between Kaikō and myself, which lasted for 14 years since I first wrote to him in 1972 from necessity to ask some questions on his novel “Darkness in Summer” (夏の闇), which I was translating. We became good friends. Many years later, his long-time editor and publisher commented that Kaikō evidently told me things that he never told his long-time editors. I told him that was because I was not a woman to Kaikō, just a friend. Kaikō is still an object of research and study among scholars and interested readers. I believe these letters will disclose a side of Takeshi Kaikō that cannot be learned from reading his published work.
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