Confucius Institute Offers First Set of Courses
After officially opening in April, North Carolina State University's Confucius Institute is offering its first set of courses to enhance understanding of Chinese language and culture.
The non-credit courses include a beginning Chinese language course for adults and high school students; a Chinese language course for children; and a 10-week Chinese language and culture course that will introduce students to Chinese history, culture, social structure and customs, as well as brief looks at the economic and political system. Participants will learn basic Chinese expressions and idioms and the basics of Chinese cooking.
Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese health exercise, will be offered at NC State's Court of North Carolina on Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. Classes will move indoors in case of inclement weather.
"There is a growing interest in China in the United States," said Sarah Cao, deputy director of the institute. "The Confucius Institute courses will give the NC State and Triangle communities a chance to learn about China, learn to speak Chinese, and have fun in the process."
Xu Keqian, a visiting professor from Nanjing Normal University, will be the instructor for the adult language and culture courses.
NC State's Confucius Institute can also provide customized courses, including language and culture support for the community and training programs and orientation for businesses. For more information about the Confucius Institute, call (919) 513-2732 or send an e-mail to sarah_cao@ncsu.edu.
The complete schedule of non-credit courses is listed below. For registration information, call 919/515.2261 or visit http://continuingeducation.ncsu.edu/chineseLanguageClasses.html.
BEGINNING CHINESE (I)
Mondays and Wednesdays, Sept. 17 to Dec. 19, 2007; 7 to 8:30 p.m. (28 sessions)
Designed for adults without any Chinese language background, this non-credit seminar will introduce you to Pinyin, the basic Mandarin phonetic system. You will learn and practice frequently used Chinese expressions and every-day words, while emphasizing oral and listening skills. Basic Chinese grammar and character writing system will also be introduced.
Registration Fee: $160
BEGINNING CHINESE FOR CHILDREN
Saturdays, Sept. 29 to Dec. 15, 2007; 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. (10 sessions)
Designed for children without any Chinese language background, this seminar will use a variety of visual, musical, and interactive methods to teach children to speak the Chinese language and to recognize Chinese characters. The course will stimulate their interests in learning Chinese, will cultivate a primary sense of the language, and will lay a foundation for further learning. Pinyin, the Mandarin phonetic system and about 100 of the most frequently used Chinese characters, will be taught in this non-credit seminar.
Registration Fee: $130
CHINESE CULTURE
Tuesdays, Oct. 9 to Dec. 11, 2007; 7 to 9 p.m. (10 sessions)
Ideal for those who are interested in learning more about China or who need to know more because they are engaged in professional or academic projects with China, this seminar will introduce you to aspects of the Chinese culture, such as the social structure and common customs, basic knowledge of the economic and political system, and history (as it relates to culture, customs and holidays). Fun activities will be included in this course, such as learning about the basics of Chinese cooking, and having the opportunity to learn basic expressions and idioms.
Registration Fee: $130
TAI CHI
Thursdays, Sept. 6 to Dec. 6, 2007 (no classes on October 11 and November 22); noon to1 p.m. (12 sessions)
This course will introduce students the philosophy and practice of Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese health exercise. Tai Chi is a sequence of gestures and movements that are gentle and fluid yet have profound power. It is a form of energy cultivation and internal martial art. The course will focus on the techniques of relaxation, breathe control, balancing, internal strength, mental concentration and visual focus. Tai Chi practice has been known to have tremendous health benefits such as reducing tension, high blood pressure and arthritis. Through Tai Chi exercises students will experience improved overall health by stimulating and balancing chi flow (life energy) in the body.
Registration Fee: $130
Note: Seminars are subject to cancellation if there are fewer than 7 people registered. If a seminar is cancelled, tuition can be refunded or transferred to another course.