This course is devoted to the reading of the original Chinese text of the sixteenth-century erotic novel Jin Ping Mei 金瓶梅 (known in English as The Golden Lotus or The Plum in the Golden Vase). It focuses on close reading and literary interpretations. The class, conducted in Chinese, is designed for students with native fluency in Chinese. Written assignment includes pop quizzes, mid and final exams (all in Chinese). Copies of the novel (in fanti 繁體format) can be purchased from the school’s bookstore.