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CHIN 3331: Introduction to Classical Chinese I

Chinese 3331 is part one of an introduction to classical Chinese. It is designed for students who are fluent in Mandarin Chinese or one of the Chinese dialects and who can read and write Chinese comfortably at an intermediate level, e.g., completion of elementary school or higher in China or Taiwan. After a brief introduction to the history timeline of China, students will start examining a selection of early works of literature and philosophy ranging from ca. 1000 BC to 100 BC. Basic grammar of ancient Chinese writing will be explained; a group of commonly used words will be compared with their counterparts in modern Chinese. At the end of this course, students will have gained a general idea of the early development of Chinese poetry and other literary forms, as well as a deeper understanding of Confucianism and Taoism. They will be expected to understand and use some of the ancient vocabulary, as well as to appreciate the beauty and the wisdom of a number of Classical Chinese works.

Prerequisite(s): Before registering in this course, a student should have completed a second-year college Chinese course or equivalent, e.g., completion of six years of elementary school or more in China or Taiwan, and know about 2000 Chinese characters.

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