Chinese Language Studies
The Chinese Language Program currently offers five levels of instruction. The normal sequence for beginners wishing to learn Chinese is CHI 101/ 102, 105/ 107, which satisfies the university foreign language requirement.
The summer program, Princeton in Beijing, offers second-year to fifth-year Chinese language courses.
Students who wish to place out of the foreign language requirement need to take the Chinese Placement Test to prove that their Chinese proficiency is above the second-year level (CHI 107). Currently we do not accept SAT II or AP scores.
Students wishing to continue their Chinese language study who have studied elsewhere before coming to Princeton have to take the placement test to be placed in the appropriate level.
The online Chinese Placement Test will be opened in the summer. Please see the EAS homepage for further information.
The Chinese Language Tables for fall 2010 are currently held according to the following schedule:
Monday Rockefeller 6:00 (Contact lixu@princeton.edu)
Wednesday Wilson 6:00 (Contact lixu@princeton.edu )
Thursday Forbes 6:00 (Contact lixu@princeton.edu)
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The Chinese language program at Princeton is tailored to accommodate both beginning students and those who have familiarly with the language. The Princeton-in-Beijing program offers courses in the summer and a student can complete the equivalent of one year of instruction during this program.
Normally students electing a beginner's course in any language will receive credit only if two terms are completed.
Typically, a student with no experience would take the following courses:
Year 1: Fall Semester: CHI 101/Spring Semester CHI102
Year 2: Fall Semester: CHI 105/Spring Semester CHI 107
Year 3: Fall Semester: CHI 303/Spring Semester CHI 305
Year 4: Fall Semester: CHI 403/Spring Semester CHI 404
A student with some language experience takes the equivalent of two language years in the first academic year.
Year 1 and 2: Fall Semester: CHI 103/Spring Semester: CHI 108
Year 3: Fall Semester: CHI 305/Spring Semester: CHI 306
Year 4: Fall Semester: CHI 405/Spring Semester: CHI 406
Current semester's courses:
CHI 102Elementary Chinese IIContinuation of Chinese 101. To develop basic competence in understanding, speaking, reading and writing Mandarin Chinese.
CHI 107Intermediate Chinese IIContinuing the intensive study of modern spoken and written Chinese, this course shifts the emphasis to the reading of modern cultural and social issues.
CHI 108Intensive Intermediate ChineseAn intensive course covering 105 and 107 in one semester for students who have finished 103 which covers 101 and 102. The course will emphasize reading and writing skills and the analysis of grammar. After 108, students are ready for third year courses.
CHI 304Third-Year Modern Chinese IIA continuation of CHI 303, designed to improve the student's facility in written and oral expression through a close study of newspaper essays and commentaries.
CHI 306Intensive Third-Year Modern Chinese IIA continuation of 305, designed to further improve the student's facility in written and oral expression through a close study of essays published in contemporary Chinese newspapers and magazines.
CHI 404Fourth-Year Modern Chinese IIA continuation of 403. Reading and discussion of scholarly writings in the fields of Chinese literature and modern Chinese intellectual history. A weekly written assignment will be required.
CHI 406Intensive Fourth-Year Modern Chinese IIContinued reading and discussion of scholarly writings on modern Chinese literature. This course also exposes students to the social issues China has faced in recent years, while discussing various aspects of contemporary Chinese society.
EAS 302/CHI 302Introduction to Classical Chinese IIContinuation of CHI 301. Reading in Qin and Han philosophical and historical texts and essays written from Tang to Qing.
EAS 412/CHI 412Readings in Classic Chinese Short Stories(LA)Focuses on reading and discussing selections from Feng Menglong's Sanyan, the most popular and well-known collection of Classic Chinese short stories published in the late sixteenth century. One class, two hours of discussion, conducted in Chinese.