Why study Chinese language and culture at Eckerd?
- The Chinese language has the most speakers in the world.
- Chinese is among the official languages used at the United Nations.
- According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, students who can write Chinese characters score higher in mathematics.
- The Chinese civilization is one of the oldest and richest in the world.
- China has many places of historic interest and scenic beauty such as The Great Wall.
- China is rapidly evolving into a significant economic and political power.
- Courses in Chinese can fulfill the Eckerd language requirement.
- Courses in Chinese can fulfill the Phi Beta Kappa language requirement.
- Courses in Chinese language and culture are a great way to fulfill major requirements in International Business, International Relations, International Studies, and East Asian Studies (as well as minor requirements in East Asian Studies and Chinese).
- Designated Chinese culture courses can satisfy the global perspective requirement.
- Courses in Chinese open up great opportunities to study abroad.
The College’s world language requirement consists of two semesters (or the equivalent) of beginning language study. Students may be exempt from the language requirement if they place into the 201-level course or higher.
Minor
The minor in Chinese requires a total of five courses which must include the two-year language sequence (CN 101/102, CN 201/202) or their equivalents. The fifth course should be chosen from among the following:
- AH 203A Arts of the Silk Road
- CN 266G East Meets West: Chinese Cinema
- CN 301H Heroes and Anti-Heroes in Chinese Literature
- CN 268A Love and Justice in Chinese Theater
- CN 208G Gender and Sexuality in Asian Literature
- CN 288G Chinese Pop Culture
- CN 228G Chinese Martial Arts in Literature and Film
- PO 335S Government and Politics of China
Minors who transfer credit (from the U.S. or abroad) are required to take at least one advanced course in Chinese at Eckerd.
Courses
CN 101: Elementary Chinese I
This course seeks to lay a groundwork for the study of modern Chinese. It provides instruction in integrated language skills and combines sentence patterns with everyday life topics.
CN 102: Elementary Chinese II
Continuation of CN 101. This course covers more sentence patterns and everyday life topics. Prerequisites: CN 101 or permission of instructor.
CN 201: Intermediate Chinese I
This course is designed to help students achieve greater proficiency in the oral and written use of modern Chinese on the basis of the First-Year Chinese curriculum. More everyday life topics are covered. Prerequisites: CN 102.
CN 202: Intermediate Chinese II
This course is a continuation of CN 201 and completes the introduction of modern Chinese basic grammar patterns and everyday life topics. Prerequisites: CN 201 or permission of instructor.
CN 208G: Gender and Sexuality in Asian Literature
Modern fiction and films primarily by women in China, Japan, and Korea. Works in English translation that address issues of gender, sexuality, and female subjectivity.
CN 228G: Chinese Martial Arts in Literature and Film
Study Chinese martial arts literature and cinema from pre-modern and modern periods. Examine the evolution of Chinese knight-errantry. Consider masculinities vs. femininities, representation of action, nationalism and internationalism, and relationship between tradition and modernity. Taught in English translation.
CN 266G: East Meets West:Chinese Cinema
How have Chinese artists integrated cinema, originally a western visual form, in their cultural context? This course investigates the issue through an examination of representative works in Chinese cinema produced from the 1930's to the present.
CN 268A: Love and Justice in Chinese Theater
Survey of Chinese theater, with a focus on zaju, chuanqi, model theater, and modern spoken drama. Classes will combine lecture on background information and analysis of visual and audio examples with discussion of plays in translation.
CN 288G: Chinese Pop Culture
Experience contemporary Chinese pop culture through fiction, popular/rock music, TV drama, and films in a global context. The literary, musical and visual works will demonstrate the artistic trends and the consumers' taste in the commercialized society.
CN 301H: Heroes and Anti-Heroes in Chinese Literature
This course is a guided reading of the masterpieces of classical Chinese novels in translation. We will examine various types of heroes and anti-heroes, as portrayed in those works. Episodes of TV adaptation will be shown.
CN 307H: Advanced Chinese I
This course seeks to help students develop integrated skills of modern Chinese by handling more abstract topics. Formal written language is also introduced. Prerequisites: CN 202.
CN 308H: Advanced Chinese II
This course seeks to help students develop integrated skills of modern Chinese by handling more abstract topics. Formal written language is also introduced. Prerequisites: CN 307H.
Faculty
Jing Shen
Professor of Chinese Language and Literature
shenj@eckerd.edu
Sheen Annex 107
727.864.7975
Ph.D., Washington University, St. Louis
Professor Shen teaches Chinese language and a variety of topics in Chinese literature, theater, film and gender studies. Professor Shen is the coordinator and contact person for the Chinese program.
Wei Wang
Instructor of Chinese
wangw@eckerd.edu
Sheen Annex 109
727.864.8521
- M.Ed. Cleveland State University
- M.A. Shaanxi Normal University
