Aims and Fit of Module

The Module aims to enable students and readers to further understand ancient Chinese language step by step by learning and reading classical Chinese, acquire intermediate knowledge and skills favourable for reading ancient Chinese and the system of Chinese characters, and explore the development of Chinese language, literature and philosophy in the past two thousand years from the historical perspective and their influence on contemporary society.

Learning outcomes

A. Develop proficiency in analyzing Chinese classical literature of Pre-qin Dynasty
B. Demonstrate mastery of intermediate grammar of classical Chinese
C. Demonstrate a general understanding of the Chinese characters system
D. Demonstrate a general understanding of the cultural background from the ancient Chinese literature

Method of teaching and learning

The method of teaching and learning of this module is to develop students’ classical Chinese skills on the basis of analysing historical pieces of literature, in order to encourage students to think independently. Students are taught methods of analysing Chinese characters, referring to archaic scripts and historical changes of the characters, in order to develop a deeper understanding of the logic system of Chinese characters. Furthermore, the students are encouraged to study and apply creatively and avoid learning by rote; they will be guided to grasp intermediate knowledge of ancient Chinese, in order to be able to understand and investigate the content and culture of the classics.