Chinese

Professors: Weng, Yang

The Chinese program provides students with exposure to the language, literature, and culture of China. The multiple levels of Chinese language courses offer a balanced emphasis on listening, reading, writing, and speaking, establishing a good foundation for ongoing language study. Students may study abroad in Greater China (Mainland China and Taiwan) or take part in other forms of advanced study to continue developing their language skills. Chinese Studies courses (taught in English) acquaint students with Chinese cultural productions, including literature, film, art, and more, and situate them within the social, political, and cultural contexts that give them meaning. 

Due to the overlap in requirements, it is not possible for students to major in East Asian Studies and minor in Chinese or Japanese unless they are pursuing coursework in both languages.

Requirements for the Minor in Chinese

Number of Units

6 total units are required; not including CHIN 101-102

Required Courses: (4 units)

Language courses (at least 3 units)

CHIN 201, 202, 203 (or approved equivalent courses for a total of three units)

All students wishing to count equivalent language courses taken off campus must demonstrate the appropriate aptitude with a placement exam. Please note that placement exams are only offered at the beginnings of each quarter.

One Chinese Studies course taken on campus (1 unit)

From among CHIN 222, CHIN 224, CHIN 245, CHIN 260 and any other 200-level course above CHIN 203

Elective Course: (2 Unit)

Minors must complete two additional elective courses. These two courses can be Chinese Studies courses taken on campus, or Chinese language courses above CHIN 203 taken on campus. With approval, students may count as elective one non-language course from a long-term (six-unit) study abroad program or two non-language courses from an extended term (nine-unit) program. With approval, additional special topic one-time course offerings with Chinese Studies content may count as electives.

Related Majors

The Chinese Program is an essential part of the East Asian Studies Department, and it contributes to the International and Area Studies Program as well. See catalogue listings of East Asian Studies or International and Area Studies for requirements for these majors.

Study Abroad Opportunities

The College has established several programs in the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan. Please consult with the Center for International Programs on the different options available. To maximize the benefits of studying abroad, students are strongly encouraged to complete CHIN 203 before leaving for China. For more details about language preparation for study abroad, consult early with professors and the Center for International Programs.

Chinese Courses

CHIN 101 Beginning Chinese I This course is an introduction to the Chinese language. Pronunciation system, basic vocabulary, written script, fundamental grammatical structures, as well as some cultural background of the language will be studied. The goal of this course is to set a good foundation for making Chinese a functional language for the students. CHIN-101L must be taken concurrently.
CHIN 102 Beginning Chinese II This course follows Beginning Chinese I. All four skills -- listening, speaking, reading, and writing -- are equally emphasized. By the end of this course, students are expected to understand simple questions and answers, to be able to ask and respond to simple questions, to understand simple statements, and to be able to participate in simple conversations on a few familiar topics. Students will also be expected to read and write simple notes in meaningful sentences constructed with basic grammatical patterns. CHIN-101. CHIN-102L must be taken concurrently.
CHIN 201 Intermediate Chinese I This course follows CHIN 102 and starts the Intermediate Chinese language sequence. It will create an authentic language environment for the students and help make learning Chinese an interesting experience. The students will develop their fundamental language skills with a balanced emphasis on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. A communicative approach will be adopted, and accuracy will be emphasized at the same time. Culture will be brought into the classroom through songs, poems, and so on. Short cultural talks related to course material will be given.
CHIN 202 Intermediate Chinese II This course follows CHIN 201, Intermediate Chinese I, and emphasizes interactive skills. More authentic materials will be used, and more topics and situations concerning contemporary Chinese society will be introduced. Class activities include visiting local Chinese communities and interviewing native speakers of Chinese language.
CHIN 203 Intermediate Chinese III The course concludes the Intermediate Chinese sequence. Students should be prepared for exposure to various spoken and written styles of Chinese and for a steady expansion of their vocabulary. After completing three quarters of Intermediate Chinese, students will have gained a solid foundation in Chinese grammar and vocabulary and have developed good strategies for effective reading and listening comprehension. In addition, students will have acquired further confidence in their ability to speak Chinese.
CHIN 222 20th-Century Urban China This course interrogates literary and cinematic representations of Chinese cities in the twentieth century. By examining urban narrative in Chinese fiction, drama, poetry and film from the Republican and People's Republic periods, this class offers a new understanding of Chinese modernity as marked by its unique urban sensibilities as well as its historical and cultural onfigurations.
CHIN 224 Chinese Sci-Fi This course uses Chinese Sci-fi fictions and films to explore how an understanding of the tumultuous past and a perception of the rapidly shifting present in the Chinese cultural context are rendered in an imagination of alternative contemporary realities and of the future of China and of this interconnected planet. All the course materials are in English translation.
CHIN 235 Modern Chinese Literature in Translation This course examines the literary world of modern China by closely analyzing representative stories and novels written during the 20th century. As quickly becomes clear in the course, literature in modern China has had and continues to have a close relationship with politics as well as with a wide variety of discussions on cultural identity in post-traditional China. Among the main goals of the course are to explore how literature comes to grips with a thoroughgoing crisis of an established culture that results in a series of consequences unprecedented in Chinese history. Above all, the course seeks to understand how and why literature has played the role that it has, and what implications for the meaning of literature can be determined from examining the relationship between writing and society in modern China.
CHIN 245 Chinese Film This course examines the cinematic traditions of China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong in light of the following topics: the foundational legends of Chinese cinema, the relationship between film and politics, representations of historical crisis (e.g., the February 28 Incident (1947), the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-76), and the British handover of Hong Kong (1997)), revolutionary aesthetics, and "spectacular" violence.
CHIN 250 China From the Borders This course helps students approach China, one of the world's most vibrant multiethnic societies, and encourages students to investigate questions of race and ethnicity in the context of intercultural exchange in China and Asia. Despite China's historical legacy as the "Middle Kingdom" that imagined itself as the center of world civilizations, Chinese culture is far from a homogenous and self-contained entity. Chinese culture has always been in active conversation with other cultures. In this course, students will probe the historically evolving relationships between the so-called Chinese political and culture "center" and its non-Han peripheries. Students will investigate the multilingual, multiethnic traditions of Chinese literature and delve into many previously marginalized literary voices and creative expressions generated by China's diverse non-Han groups. The course will expand students' understanding of the ethnic diversity of China in the global context by introducing them to a variety of Chinese national narratives and minority-produced literary, cinematic, and artistic creations. We will particularly probe how minority intellectuals endeavor to salvage fast-disappearing minority linguistic and cultural traditions against state-led modernization in China, as well as how ethnic minority poets make transnational tribal connections with Native American communities. We will further place Chinese ethnic cultures in a global context by analyzing transnationally produced cinematic sensations to form sophisticated understandings of how Chinese minority cultural symbols enter into global cultural and capital circulations. Students have an opportunity to conduct research with Chinese-language and minority-language literary, cinematic, and artistic materials (mostly produced by the formerly overlooked minority intellectuals of China) to develop their skills to engage with multicultural sources in globalizing China. (All course materials are accompanied by English translations.)
CHIN 260 Women in China As in many countries subject to imperialism, women's movements in China were an important part of China's modernization project. How, then, have Chinese feminist theories and women's movements been different from those in the West? What is it like to live as a woman in a rapidly changing China through the 20th and 21st centuries? This course takes three approaches to explore these questions. To examine the characteristics and changes of gender roles we look at the representations of women in literature and film. To understand women's experiences we read women writers' essays, memoirs and fictions. To think about how women work as historical agents who make historical changes, we look at women activists, feminist thinkers and women's movements.
CHIN 270 In Search of the Supernatural: Myths And Spritis in Chinese Tradition This course explores the supernatural in Chinese mythology, folklore, and literature, examining myths of gods, spirits, and strange beings that blur the line between human and supernatural realms. Students will study cosmogonic myths, supernatural creatures, and ghost stories to understand how these narratives reflect cultural, social, and ethical themes in Chinese history. The course also addresses issues like transformation, justice, and gender dynamics. Modern media adaptations of these myths will be analyzed to explore their continued impact on contemporary identity and morality. Students will engage through readings, discussions, creative projects, and analytical writing to develop skills of literary analysis, critical thinking, and intercultural proficiency.
CHIN 295 Power, Propaganda, & Poetry in Chin Emp This course explores the dynamic role that poetry has played in negotiating systems of power in imperial China, both as a form of political propaganda and a popular mode of subversion. We will reflect on the enormous impact that Chinese poetry has had on key social issues relating to sexuality and gender, race and ethnic identity, political geography, colonialism, the environment, global epidemics, revolution, and more. *All reading in English; no knowledge of Chinese required*
CHIN 300 Advanced Chinese This course is a continuation of the Intermediate Chinese language sequence. The objective is to make a transition from textbook Chinese to real-life communication situations. The course uses a range of cultural materials and texts to facilitate a language exposure to a wide variety of written and spoken styles of Chinese. Some of the materials selected are original publications drawn from books, magazines and newspapers. This course focuses on content and style with extensive discussion and frequent written assignments in Chinese. It aims to consolidate what the students have learned in the past and help them develop better reading and writing skills. In addition, the improvement of speaking and listening abilities stays in focus throughout this course. This course may be tailored to the needs of the participants and may be taken for credit up to three times. CHIN-203 or equivalent is required
CHIN 301 Advanced Chinese: Short Fiction This course is an advanced-level language course in standard Mandarin Chinese, focused on readings and discussions of original works of modern Chinese-language short fiction. Students in this course will learn to read, discuss, and engage these works in the target language, as we explore themes of social inequality, love, violence, and untranslatability across various media, including films and cartoons, chosen to reflect an immense linguistic and cultural diversity. Completion of Intermediate Chinese III or demonstration of the equivalent language ability is required. CHIN-203 or CHIN-300 or instructor permission required.
CHIN 593 Senior Integrated Project Each program or department sets its own requirements for Senior Integrated Projects done in that department, including the range of acceptable projects, the required background of students doing projects, the format of the SIP, and the expected scope and depth of projects. See the Kalamazoo Curriculum -> Senior Integrated Project section of the Academic Catalog for more details. Permission of department and SIP supervisor required.
CHIN 600 Teaching Assistantship