Chinese and Japanese

Member of the Division of Humanities

Scott Cook, Chair, Jinhua Chang, Jin Feng, Carolyn FitzGerald, Mariko Shigeta Schimmel, Ya-Li Tong, Newell Ann Van Auken

Chinese

At Grinnell, Chinese is an interdisciplinary major that explores the complex interaction between literary, philosophical, aesthetic, religious, political, and other important spheres of human life in China. Emphasis is placed not only on the diversity and uniqueness of Chinese civilization, but also on its contributions to humanity and its heuristic values to the understanding of Western cultural traditions.

A knowledge of Chinese is valuable for students contemplating graduate study or careers in government service or in businesses engaged in international trade. The Chinese department currently offers beginning through advanced levels of Modern Chinese, as well as courses in Classical Chinese, philosophy, and literature in translation. Independent study is encouraged for those who wish to pursue intensive study of individual authors or special topics. Qualified students may opt to do some reading in Chinese to supplement their designated Chinese courses in translation.

The Major

A minimum of 32 credits beyond the prerequisites of Chinese 101 - 102 Beginning Chinese I and II. At least 20 of the 32 credits must be Chinese courses in the department at Grinnell.

Part 1: The Core (20 credits)

A minimum of 12 of these credits must be taken at Grinnell College.

   • Chinese 221 - 222 Intermediate Chinese I and II (or equivalent)

   • Chinese 331 - 332 Advanced Chinese I and II (or equivalent)

   • Chinese 461 Classical Chinese

   • Chinese 498 Readings in Chinese Literature

Part 2: Individual Focus (12 credits)

Three courses from the list below, including at least one of the following to be taken in the Chinese department at Grinnell: Chinese 275, 277, or 498.

   • Chinese 275 Chinese Literary Tradition (in Translation)

   • Chinese 277 Modern China through Literature and Film (in Translation)

   • Chinese 498 Readings in Chinese Literature

   • History 275 - 276 Chinese History I and II

   • Humanities/Social Studies 131 China's Ancient World

   • Political Science 275 Politics of the People's Republic of China

   • Religious Studies 222 Religious Traditions of China

To be considered for honors in Chinese, graduating seniors, in addition to meeting the College's general requirements for honors, must demonstrate consistently superior performance in departmental classes and exemplify substantial commitment to departmental goals.

101 Beginning Chinese I (Fall) 5 credits

An introductory course to modern (Mandarin) Chinese that teaches the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Instructional emphasis is laid on both linguistic aspects (pronunciation, vocabulary, and structures) and on sociocultural strategies in communication. Students learn approximately 700 frequently used core graphs and their use in context. Prerequisite: none. COOK.

102 Beginning Chinese II (Spring) 5 credits

An introductory course to modern (Mandarin) Chinese that teaches the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Instructional emphasis is laid on both linguistic aspects (pronunciation, vocabulary, and structures) and on sociocultural strategies in communication. Students learn approximately 550 frequently used core graphs and their use in context. Prerequisite: Chinese 101 or permission of instructor. COOK.

211 Practicum in Chinese/Japanese Calligraphy 1 credit

Guided practice in the different styles of Chinese character writing. Recommended for students in Chinese and Japanese 102 and above. May be repeated for credit with the permission of instructor. (A maximum of eight practicum credits may count toward graduation.) Does not count toward Chinese major. Prerequisite: Chinese or Japanese 101 or permission of instructor. ASAOKA.

221 Intermediate Chinese I (Fall) 4 credits

Reinforcement and expansion of the grammatical basis and communicative competence gained in Chinese 101 and 102. Continued practice of oral and listening skills, but with increased emphasis on reading and writing skills. Stress is on the acquisition of core graphs (to approximately 1,500), vocabulary, and complex sentence patterns. Simplified characters are also introduced. Prerequisite: Chinese 102 or permission of instructor. FENG.

222 Intermediate Chinese II (Spring) 4 credits

Reinforcement and expansion of the grammatical basis and communicative competence gained in Chinese 101 and 102. Continued practice of oral and listening skills, but with increased emphasis on reading and writing skills. Stress is on the acquisition of core graphs (to approximately 1,500), vocabulary, and complex sentence patterns. Simplified characters are also introduced. Prerequisite: Chinese 221 or permission of instructor. FENG.

275 Chinese Literary Tradition (in Translation)* 4 credits+

Also listed as General Literary Studies 275. Close reading and interpretation of classic Chinese works of discursive prose, historical narrative, poetry, and vernacular fiction from the early Zhou dynasty through late imperial China (ca. 1000 BCE-1911 CE). Analysis of these texts in the context of their social, cultural, and historical backgrounds and appreciation of their artistry in terms of both traditional Chinese literary theories and modern-day reinterpretations. Readings and discussion in English. Prerequisite: None. COOK.

277 Modern China through Literature and Film (in Translation)* 4 credits

Also listed as General Literary Studies 277. This course examines literature and society in China starting from the turn of the 20th century through the critical study of selected samples of the literary and cinematic products of this tumultuous historical period. Attention is particularly focused on the political, cultural, and aesthetic messages that the literary and cinematic forms convey and disseminate. All readings and discussion are in English. Prerequisite: None. FENG.

331 Advanced Chinese I (Fall) 4 credits

Further reinforcement, expansion, and refinement of grammatical proficiency and communicative skills through intensive reading of authentic Chinese materials, such as short stories, newspapers, journals, and viewing of films and television broadcasts. Particular emphasis also given to increasing level of literary appreciation and critical awareness of the sociocultural contexts that shape readings. Prerequisite: Chinese 222 or permission of instructor. FENG, COOK.

332 Advanced Chinese II (Spring) 4 credits

Further reinforcement, expansion, and refinement of grammatical proficiency and communicative skills through intensive reading of authentic Chinese materials, such as short stories, newspapers, journals, and viewing of films and television broadcasts. Particular emphasis also given to increasing level of literary appreciation and critical awareness of the sociocultural contexts that shape readings. Prerequisite: Chinese 331 or permission of instructor. FENG, COOK.

387 Individual Reading (Fall or Spring) 2 or 4 credits

Designed to satisfy needs and interests of majors who have otherwise exhausted departmental language offerings. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor and department chair. STAFF.

461 Classical Chinese (Fall) 4 credits

Intensive treatment of the basic particles and grammatical structure of the literary Chinese language (wenyan). Development of skills in understanding and recognizing syntactic parallelism, contextual clues, and rhetorical structures through the reading of selected works of classical prose and poetry. Prerequisite: Chinese 332 or permission of instructor. COOK.

498 Readings in Chinese Literature (Spring) 4 credits

This course is designed to increase students' proficiency in reading, interpreting, and discussing Chinese literature in its original language, and thereby build upon the linguistic foundation acquired in both Classical Chinese (CHI 461) and the three-year language sequence. Literature for the course will consist of a thematically focused set of textual materials taken from both pre-modern and modern sources, including literary, philosophical, and religious texts. Conducted in Chinese. Prerequisites: Chinese 332 and 461, or permission of instructor. FENG.

Japanese

A knowledge of Japanese is valuable for students contemplating graduate study or careers in government service or in businesses engaged in international trade.

101 Beginning Japanese I (Fall) 5 credits

An introductory course that teaches the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Instructional emphasis is laid on both linguistic aspects (pronunciation, vocabulary, and structures) and on sociocultural strategies in communication. Students learn both Japanese syllabaries and are introduced to kanji. Prerequisite: none. M. SCHIMMEL.

102 Beginning Japanese II (Spring) 5 credits

A continuation of Beginning Japanese I, emphasizing the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Instructional emphasis is laid on both linguistic aspects (pronunciation, vocabulary, and structures) and on sociocultural strategies in communication. Students will have learned at least 100 kanji by the end of the course. Prerequisite: Japanese 101 or permission of instructor.

M. SCHIMMEL.

211 Practicum in Chinese/Japanese Calligraphy 1 credit

Guided practice in the different styles of Chinese character writing. Recommended for students in Chinese and Japanese 102 and above. May be repeated for credit with the permission of instructor. (A maximum of eight practicum credits may count toward graduation.) Does not count toward Chinese major. Prerequisite: Chinese or Japanese 101 or permission of instructor. ASAOKA.

221 Intermediate Japanese I (Fall) 4 credits+

Reinforcement and expansion of Japanese grammar and communicative competence for students who have previously studied Japanese. Students will gain advancement in the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Prerequisite: Japanese 102 or permission of instructor. ASAOKA.

222 Intermediate Japanese II (Spring) 4 credits+

Further reinforcement and expansion of Japanese grammar and communicative competence, and advancement in the four skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will have learned at least 300 Kanji by the end of the course. Prerequisite: Japanese 221 or permission of instructor. ASAOKA.

279 Modern Japanese Fiction and Film (Fall or Spring) 4 credits

Also listed as General Literary Studies 279. This course considers Japanese fiction and film that depict Japan from the mid-19th century through the present day. The work of some major authors and film directors will be introduced to examine Japanese culture and society as well as the characteristics that are unique to Japanese fiction and film. Readings and discussions in English. Prerequisite: none. STAFF.

331 Advanced Japanese I (Fall) 4 credits

This course is for those students who have finished Intermediate Japanese II or an equivalent course. An integrated approach will be taken by the instructor so that the students will be able to develop both their speaking and writing skills in Japanese. Prerequisite: Japanese 222 or permission of instructor. STAFF.

332 Advanced Japanese II (Spring) 4 credits

This course is for those students who have finished Intermediate Japanese II or an equivalent course. An integrated approach will be taken by the instructor so that the students will be able to develop both their speaking and writing skills in Japanese. Prerequisite: Japanese 331 or permission of instructor. STAFF.

387 Individual Reading (Fall or Spring) 2 or 4 credits

Designed to satisfy needs and interests of majors who have otherwise exhausted departmental language offerings. Prerequisite: permission of instructor and department chair. STAFF.