91565

CHI 101 Beginning Chinese I

Li-Hua Ying

M T W Th .

1:30 pm -2:30 pm

OLINLC 120

FLLC

Cross-listed: Asian Studies For students with little or no previous knowledge of Chinese. An introduction to modern (Mandarin) Chinese through an intensive drill of its oral and written forms. Emphasis on speaking and basic grammar as well as the formation of the characters. Audio and video materials will be incorporated into the curriculum to expose the class to Chinese daily life and culture. Daily active participation, frequent use of the language lab and one hour per week tutorial with the Chinese tutor are expected. The course is followed by an intensive course (eight hours per week) in the spring semester and a summer intensive program (eight weeks) in Qingdao, China. Divisible. Class size: 18

91567

CHI 211 ECHOES OF THE PAST: Chinese Cinema and Traditional chinese Literature

Harrison Huang

. T . Th .

3:10 pm -4:30 pm

OLINLC 118

FLLC

Cross-listed: Literature The past is seen through today’s concerns and perspective. In view of this dialogue between pre-modern and modern culture, this course eschews a chronological coverage of Chinese literature and culture that proceeds from one dynasty or time period to the next. Instead, it will focus on touchstone texts from pre-modern literary Chinese traditions, and then attend to how this cultural legacy is drawn upon, appropriated, and re-invented in contemporary cinema. Canonical texts include poetry, historical writings, and fictional narratives. We will focus on films made by some of the most influential directors including Wong Kar-wai, Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou, Jia Zhangke, and Lu Chuan. In every unit, we examine contemporary films alongside classical texts, guided by critical inquiries that look at how reading practices structure interpretation, how myths are framed, and how personal and cultural memory works. For example, we begin with Sima Qian’s (2nd c. BCE) seminal historical narratives and biographies on the founding of the first Chinese empires, and then turn to two contemporary films—Zhang Yimou’s Hero (2002) and Lu Chuan’s King’s Feast (2012)—to consider how they transform the earlier materials, retell the imperial past, and work as commentaries on the present-day Chinese state. Conducted in English. Class size: 20

91568

CHI 301 Advanced Chinese

Harrison Huang

. T . Th .

1:30 pm -2:50 pm

OLINLC 118

FLLC

This course is for students who have taken at least two years of basic Chinese at Bard or elsewhere, and who want to expand their reading and speaking capacity and to enrich their cultural experiences. Texts will be selected from newspapers, journals, and fictional works. Class size: 15

91569

CHI 305 ContempORARY Chinese PopULAR Culture

Li-Hua Ying

M . W . .

3:10 pm -4:30 pm

OLINLC 120

FLLC

This course is for students who have studied Chinese for at least three years. It examines various aspects of contemporary popular culture in China. Genres include print culture, cinema, television, pop music, visual arts, fashion, advertising, and cyberculture. Frequent quizzes, oral presentations, essays, and projects. Conducted in Chinese. Class size: 12