With the end of the Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao in 1976, China's social and cultural scene began to loosen, and by the mid-1980s exploded with new venues, methods, and material. Writers, artists, and filmmakers, often influenced by the West, flexed the bounds of state control by experimenting with new forms and treating new or previously taboo themes. In this course we will trace developments in Chinese culture from 1978 to the present, treating fiction (including works by Wang Meng and Mo Yan), poetry (e.g., Bei Dao), reportage, essays, film (e.g., Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige), and popular culture from a variety of literary and cultural studies perspectives. Format: discussion with some informal lecture. Evaluation will be based upon several short writing assignments, one longer one, and a final exam. No prerequisites. All readings, screenings, and discussions will be in English.