Chinese Language
- CHN190: Noodle Narratives of the Silk Road
- Course Description: The noodle has a rich tradition and it has traveled longer and further than Marco Polo himself. However, contrary to popular myth, Marco Polo was not the person who first brought the noodle from China to Italy. There is an array of conflicting theories regarding the invention of the noodle, crediting the Chinese, the Italians, and the Arabs. So how does China and Italy’s connection to the noodle extend beyond a profound love for the noodle and a rich history of culinary dishes? In reality, the noodle has affected China and Italy in different yet intersecting ways, and is closely linked to the two cultures and traditions. By focusing on the microcosms of each culture through the microscope of the noodle, we will investigate how the noodle may have changed the course of the history and culture of both countries in profound and important ways. This course will go deep into the noodle’s cultural significance to see how it has integrated itself into the myth, symbolism, storytelling, cycle of life, social context, class structure, history, art, historical changes, and cultural DNA of China and Italy.
- Frequently Taught By: Hong LI, Christine M Ristaino