Faculty

• Professor Shu-Chu Wei-Peng, Foreign Languages and Literatures
• Wencui "Christine" Zhao

Courses

Courses in Chinese are designed to develop proficiency in speaking, writing, and reading the language and to acquaint the student with Chinese literature and culture. The courses in foreign literatures in translation (see the World Literature section of the Whitman Catalogue), by examining the interrelationships of various national literatures, are designed to give students a broad knowledge of the traditions of foreign literatures from ancient to modern times.

Placement in language courses: Students with previous foreign language experience should consult the statement on placement in language courses in the Foreign Languages and Literatures section of this Catalog.

The Foreign Languages and Literatures/Chinese minor: 205, 206 (or equivalent) plus a minimum of twelve credits in Chinese language and literature courses numbered above 200. Courses in Chinese literature offered under world literature may be used to satisfy the requirements for this minor.

Note: Courses taken P-D-F prior to the declaration of a language major or minor will satisfy course and credit requirements for the major or minor. Courses taken P-D-F may not be used to satisfy course and credit equirements for the major or minor after the major or minor has been declared.

• 105, 106 Elementary Chinese
  4, 4 Wei-Peng
  An introduction to the sounds and structures of modern Chinese and a foundation in conversation, grammar, reading, and elementary composition.
• 110 Conversational Chinese I
  4 (summer) Staff
  Course offered as part of the Whitman Summer Studies in China program. Taught in China over a period of four weeks by Whitman-selected instructors from China and supervised by the Whitman faculty member who is resident director. This course teaches conversational Chinese based on the vocabu- lary and sentence patterns the students have learned from Chinese 105 and 106, plus new phrases the students will need living and studying in China. Classes meet three hours per day, five days per week, for a total of 60 hours. Requirements: daily homework, weekly tests, and a final exam covering listening comprehension and spoken Chinese. Prerequisite: Chinese 106 or its equivalent and admission to the Whitman Summer Studies in China program.
• 205, 206 Intermediate Chinese
  4, 4 Wei-Peng
  Modern spoken and written Chinese. It provides the student with the opportunity to practice conversational skills and to read cultural and literary materials. Prerequisite: Chinese 106 or equivalent.
• 210 Conversational Chinese II
  4 (summer) Staff
  Course offered as part of the Whitman Summer Studies in China program. Taught in China over a period of four weeks by Whitman-selected instructors from China and supervised by the Whitman faculty member who is resident director. This course teaches conversational Chinese based on the vocabulary and sentence patterns the students have learned from Chinese 205 and 206, plus new phrases the students will need living and studying in China. Classes meet three hours per day, five days per week, for a total of 60 hours. Requirements: daily homework, weekly tests, and a final exam covering listening comprehension and spoken Chinese. Prerequisite: Chinese 206 or its equivalent and admission to the Whitman Summer Studies in China program.
• 250 Chinese Poetry
  x, 4 Wei-Peng
  Chinese poetry in its various forms and styles. Representative verse forms, classical as well as modern, will be included. Word-by-word studies of famous poems with which most educated Chinese people are familiar will be the central focus of this course. Both the Chinese text and the English translation will be used to discuss metrical schemes, rhyming patterns, structures, and meanings of Chinese verse. Prerequisites: Chinese 105, Japanese 106 (or equivalent).
• 391, 392 Independent Study
  1-4, 1-4 Wei-Peng
  For students who have completed two years or more of college level Chinese and who desire further studies in Chinese language, literature, or culture. With guidance from the instructor the student may choose readings which interest him or her, discuss them in conference with the instructor, using Chinese as the language of discussion, and/or submit written evidence of his or her work. Prerequisites: Chinese 206 and consent of the instructor.

Asian Studies House

Located a block off-campus to the south, the Asian Studies house provides housing for 6 to 9 students interested in promoting a better understanding of Asian Culture and issues on campus. The Chinese native speaker lives in the house.

Whitman in China Program

Whitman in China provides an opportunity for six Whitman College students or alumni to spend a year at Yunnan University in Kunming, or at Shantou University in Shantou, or at the Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xi'an, People's Republic of China, teaching English to university students. Those selected will be paid for their services and given free housing by the Chinese universities. Round-trip air travel from Seattle to Kunming, Xi'an, or Shantou will be paid by the Whitman in China Program. No Whitman College credit is granted for participation in this program. A minimum of one year of study in the Chinese language is strongly recommended.

Whitman Summer Studies in China Program

The Whitman Summer Studies in China program is a six-week academic program administered by Whitman College in cooperation with Yunnan University in Kunming specifically for Whitman students interested in Chinese Studies. The purpose of the program is to give students an opportunity to study conversational Chinese intensively in an environment where it can be put immediately into practice, as well as a chance to learn first-hand about Chinese culture and contemporary society by living and studying there.