CEUS-U 520 & HIST-T 500

Empires at Odds: Russia and China from 1648 to 1911

Edward J. Lazzerini

MW 2:30-3:45 pm

One may argue that Europe and the Orient met territorially only along the frontier between the Russian and Manchu Empires. Whereas other European states met China in their trading vessels, factories, and colonies, Russia and China shared an extensive common frontier, where they fought and traded much like any other nations in geographical proximity. Russia, however, represented the Christian West, with its special view of the international order. Sovereigns were moral and legal equals, and commerce was by the middle of the seventeenth century a legitimate and even praiseworthy activity, which enriched the state and reflected an individual’s moral character. China, on the other hand, represented the Confucian East, with its hierarchical view of the international order and its rejection of commerce as a socially esteemed activity. The Russian and Manchu empires had to develop institutions that would permit them to coexist despite the inadequacy of their shared assumptions.

This course seeks to explore the evolving relationship between Russia and China from the mid-17^th century to 1911 and the collapse of the Chinese monarchy. Conflict, diplomacy, and commerce will be important concerns, but so will competing interests over local peoples—non-Russians and non-Han—inhabiting the frontier zone separating the two competitors and the role of the Russian Orthodox Church as an outpost in the heart of Beijing.

Reading of primary sources, including the records of treaties negotiated by the two parties, reports from military, scientific, and religious agents in the field, and travelers’ accounts; and secondary sources that analyze various aspects of Sino-Russian relations. No examinations; two writing assignments, the first (two pages) drawn from a primary source, and the second (15 pages) on a topic chosen by each student and acceptable by the instructor.