Chinese Culture and Language

It is often said that we have just finished the American Century, and that the 21st will be the Chinese Century. With 1.3 billion people, the longest and arguably richest history of any country ever to exist, and the fastest growing economy in the world, China is poised to play a dominant role in shaping your future. This course will provide an overview of Chinese culture within the context of Chinese history and politics, including such topics as calligraphy, king fu, Beijing Opera, cuisine, literature, architecture, and contemporary film and music. Each class session will include lessons in speaking basic conversational Mandarin.