Exploring the Chinese Program at Bates College

Bates College offers a comprehensive Chinese Program designed to provide students with a deep understanding of Chinese language and culture. Through rigorous coursework and immersive experiences, students can develop proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and gain valuable insights into Chinese society, literature, and history. This article delves into the details of the Chinese Program, covering its structure, curriculum, and opportunities for students.

An In-Depth Study of Language and Culture

The Chinese Program at Bates College provides students with the opportunity for focused and in-depth study of Chinese language and culture. The major places emphasis on the student’s acquisition of oral and written language proficiency as well as on the development of cultural awareness and competency. The program goes beyond basic language acquisition, encouraging students to explore the complexities of Chinese society, history, and cultural traditions.

Program Structure and Curriculum

The Chinese Program offers both a major and a minor, allowing students to tailor their studies to their specific interests and goals. The curriculum includes a variety of courses ranging from introductory language classes to advanced seminars on Chinese literature and culture.

Major Requirements

The Chinese major requires a minimum of 12 courses, designed to provide a well-rounded education in Chinese language and culture. These courses are divided into three main categories: Language, Literature, and Cultural Electives.

Language Courses

The language component of the major requires students to complete seven courses from a specified list. These courses focus on developing proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, covering all aspects of the language including speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The courses include:

CHI 101 Beginning Chinese I
CHI 102 Beginning Chinese II
CHI 201 Intermediate Chinese I
CHI 202 Intermediate Chinese II
CHI 301 Upper-Level Modern Chinese I
CHI 302 Upper-Level Modern Chinese II
CHI 401 Advanced Chinese
CHI 415 Readings in Classical Chinese
CHI 450 Special Topics in Advanced Chinese

Notably, CHI 450 is a topics course and may be repeated to reach the seven-course requirement.

These courses are designed to build upon each other, gradually increasing students' fluency and comprehension of the Chinese language. By the conclusion of these courses, students know more than one quarter of the characters expected of an educated Chinese person.

Literature Courses

In addition to language courses, Chinese majors are required to complete at least one course in Chinese literature. These courses explore the rich and diverse literary traditions of China, from classical poetry to contemporary fiction. The courses include:

CHI 207 The Self and the World in Premodern Chinese Literature / ASIA 207 The Self and the World in Premodern Chinese Literature
CHI 223 Communism, Capitalism, and Cannibalism: New and Emerging Voices in Chinese Literature / ASIA 223 Communism, Capitalism, and Cannibalism: New and Emerging Voices in Chinese Literature

Students who take both courses may apply the second course towards the Cultural Electives requirement.

Cultural Electives

To further broaden their understanding of Chinese culture, students are required to complete at least two cultural elective courses. These courses cover a wide range of topics related to Chinese society, history, and culture. Any other two courses with CHI/CI prefixes (except for CHI 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401), any AS courses with a primary focus on China, and any China-focused FYS. Students may apply CHI 415 Readings in Classical Chinese and CHI 450 Special Topics in Advanced Chinese to the Cultural Electives only when taken after the Language requirement is complete.

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Minor Requirements

For students who wish to study Chinese but do not want to commit to a full major, the Chinese minor offers a more focused course of study. The Chinese minor requires seven courses, six of which must be Chinese language courses. The seventh course must involve the study of Chinese literature or culture. A student may petition to have up to three comparable courses, completed at other institutions in the United States or abroad, apply toward the minor.

Course Descriptions: A Glimpse into the Curriculum

The Bates College Chinese Program offers a diverse range of courses designed to cater to students with varying levels of language proficiency and interests. Here's a closer look at some of the courses offered:

CHI 101 & 102: Beginning Chinese I & II: These introductory courses lay the foundation for students to learn spoken and written modern Chinese. Conversation and comprehension exercises in the classroom and laboratory provide practice in pronunciation and the use of basic patterns of speech. A continuation of CHI 101 with increasing emphasis on the recognition of Chinese characters.
CHI 201 & 202: Intermediate Chinese I & II: Designed to enable students to converse in everyday Chinese and to read simple texts in Chinese.
CHI 207 / ASIA 207: The Self and the World in Premodern Chinese Literature: This course explores premodern Chinese literature, examining themes of self, society, love, loss, beauty, time, truth, transcendence, and life’s manifold possibilities. As we learn to appreciate these works, we will also investigate questions such as: how to approach a literary text? What is the role of translation in shaping our understanding? In what ways are the works we read products of their own times and places, and how do they speak to universal themes of human experience?
CHI 223 / ASIA 223: Communism, Capitalism, and Cannibalism: New and Emerging Voices in Chinese Literature: A survey of Chinese literature since 1911, including a wide range of fiction, poetry, and drama from mainland China and texts from the Chinese diaspora as well. Students gain a greater understanding of China’s history and literary culture in three major periods: the May Fourth shift from traditional language and forms to vernacular literature; Socialist Realism and the Marxist theory of the first three decades of the People’s Republic; and China’s Reform Era, including expatriate authors like Ha Jin and China’s two controversial Nobel Prize winners, Gao Xingjian and Moyan.
CHI 249: Languages of East Asia: This course explores the fascinating world of East Asian languages, focusing on Chinese and Japanese. We consider such questions as: How Chinese are Chinese characters? What is the significance of using a character-based writing system compared to the alphabetic systems of many European languages? What roles have Chinese and Japanese languages played in shaping national identity, imperialism, and resistance to colonization? today-and why? Through hands-on activities such as calligraphy, analysis of primary source materials, reading-based discussions, and group projects, students will engage with and critically apply their understanding of the histories, identities, and political contexts of East Asian languages. Taught in English.
CHI 250: Chinese Drama and Storytelling: This course provides an introduction to the vibrant traditions of Chinese drama and storytelling. What can stories and plays tell us about the worlds from which they came? How do retellings and adaptations make new meaning? While learning to read the texts as literary works, we will also pay attention to their lives in performance.
CHI 301 & 302: Upper-Level Modern Chinese I & II: Designed for students who already have a strong background in spoken Chinese, the course gives an intensive review of the essentials of grammar and phonology, introduces a larger vocabulary and a variety of sentence patterns, improves conversational and auditory skills, and develops some proficiency in reading and writing. The course makes extensive use of short texts (both literary and nonfictional) and some films.
CHI 357: Independent Study: Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester.
CHI 401: Advanced Chinese: This course is designed to enhance students’ proficiency in Mandarin Chinese in all areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students develop confidence in their ability to narrate, describe, and articulate their opinions while engaging with a range of topics on Chinese culture and society.
CHI 415: Readings in Classical Chinese: A foundational course in classical Chinese through reading and translating a range of literary, historical and philosophical texts from early and medieval China. Readings may include excerpts from the Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Tang-Song prose, poetry, and short stories. Grammar and syntax of classical Chinese are covered.
CHI 450: Special Topics in Advanced Chinese: An advanced content-based language course that enhances proficiency in Mandarin through engagement with specialized topics. Each semester that the course is offered presents a different focus; past topics have included contemporary Chinese short-short stories and creative writing. Through furthering skills acquired in earlier stages of language learning, we seek to acquire the tools and habits necessary for future independent explorations of Chinese language and culture.
CHI 457 & 458: Senior Thesis: An extended research project on a topic in Chinese literature, culture, or language utilizing some source materials in Chinese. Qualified students may, with approval of the Committee on Asian Studies, choose to write the thesis in Chinese. Students register for 457 in the fall semester or for 458 in the winter semester unless the committee gives approval for a two-semester project.
ASIA 217: The Chinese Body: What is the relationship between mind, spirit, and body? What constitutes the boundaries between health and illness? Traditional Chinese philosophy and contemporary science and medicine have very different answers to these questions. In this course, students explore conceptions of the body in diverse contexts, with readings drawn from the fields of literature, philosophy, and the history of science.
ASIA 319: Public Health in China: Students undertake four weeks of intensive Chinese language study while they gain knowledge in traditional Chinese medicine, focusing on rural health and healing in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. Language courses focus on the rapid improvement of comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Lectures on traditional Chinese medicine address acupuncture, Moxibustion, and cupping. Students learn to make herbal tea and experience Chinese foot massage.
ASIA 357: Independent Study: Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term.

Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

Bates College offers several opportunities for students to enhance their learning experience outside of the classroom. These include study abroad programs and independent study options.

Study Abroad

Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad for a semester (or a full year) in China or Japan, as an integral part of the curriculum, for linguistic and cultural immersion, and for exploration on the ground. This provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Chinese language and culture, gaining invaluable real-world experience. Up to two non-Bates study abroad credits may be applied toward the concentration if they are determined to be equivalent to a Bates course in the list below, or if they are judged to be appropriate by the concentration coordinator and with prior approval.

Independent Study

Students can also pursue independent study projects, allowing them to delve deeper into specific areas of interest under the guidance of a faculty advisor.

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Asian Studies Program

Chinese at Bates College is an interdisciplinary program designed to encourage students to deepen their study of Asian cultures through courses and the senior thesis along with rigorous training and expertise in Chinese or Japanese language. The program features three majors: Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Studies. In addition to the majors, the Program in Asian Studies offers minors in Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Studies. Asian popular music, cinema, and literature and film-including manga, anime, Bollywood, and martial arts films-have become mainstays in the world’s media sphere, while innovative new media cultures invite the world to encounter the new Asia.

Tuition and Fees

Bates College's tuition fee is $70,146 per year.

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