Division of Chinese Studies

Division of Chinese Studies offers 6 courses based on National Chinese Curriculum Standards (NCCS).

Core Value and Beliefs

Chinese studies provide learners with a comprehensive and profound perspective into Chinese culture, language and literature. By guiding students through various ancient and contemporary texts, we aim to develop learners' Chinese literacy skills and cultural awareness. By affirming their civic identity, we hope to provide a solid ground for their future venture into the world as global citizens.

Objectives

We are committed to cultivating students' competency in the following three dimensions: "empathy with the surroundings, ability of in-deepth analysis, and literature carrying Tao".

Empathy with the surroundings: "taking things as I do", the ability of getting connection and being empathy with the world;
Ability of in-deepth analysis: in-depth analysis and exploration based on real objective evidence;
Literature carries Tao: feel the beauty of literature and quickly obtain information through reading; Express thoughts effectively through writing.

Liberal Arts in Chinese History and Literature

This is a fundamental course to guide learners through Chinese historical and literary texts to enhance their understandings of Chinese culture while improving their literacy skills at the same time. From the works of pre-Qin philosophers to contemporary literature, learners will be encouraged to integrate various sources of information with a critical perspective to develop deeper insights into culture, history and society.

Introduction to the History of Chinese Culture

During the one-year course, learners will be exposed to Chinese history that focuses on culture and thought, and read important historical documents and classics, especially 《The Book of Poetry》,《The Analects of Confucius》,《The Book of Rites》, 《The HistoricalRecords》,《Laozi》,《Zhuangzi》,《Mozi》,《Mencius》, 《Xunzi》, 《Guanzi》,《Shangjun book》,《Han Feizi》 and other works. They will practice applying first-hand information while avoiding the misleading of second-hand information and the interference of modern western values by learning from the ancient books.

Chinese Calligraphy

Chinese calligraphy is one of the most fascinating traditional art forms in China. It carries the most subtle emotions with the changing rhythm of Chinese characters, and nurtures tranquility in writers. This art form represents the unique aesthetic trait of Chinese people.

Modern calligrapher Yinmo Shen said: "Chinese calligraphy is appreciated globally because it creates amazing miracles by showing glamorous visual beauty without any color, and harmonious musical enjoyment without any sound. " Let's embark on this journey of appreciating and working on Chinese calligraphy to explore Chinese culture and emerge ourselves in the joy and beauty of art.

Chinese Drama/Film

This course includes introduction to drama, Chinese and foreign drama appreciation, and creative drama activities. Learners will learn about the history and theoretical knowledge of Chinese and foreign drama, master basic stage language and audition language knowledge through works appreciation; participate in creative drama activities, conduct mask, improvised drama, construct drama from stories and other panels to liberate their nature and open up their artistic cognition; master certain methods and techniques of tableau direction and the ability to create improvised drama. Students will choose or create their own plays and practice them on the stage.