Course Introduction: Chinese
Foreign Language Courses | Foreign Language II: Chinese
Understand the Culture and Become an Economic Bridge
China, our giant neighbor, has achieved remarkable economic development since the 1980s under its so-called reform and opening-up policy. It is now an economic superpower with the world's second-largest GDP, more than double that of Japan. On the other hand, as reported in the media, it is also true that China faces many challenges, such as diplomatic and social issues, as well as slowing growth. However, with the renminbi being included in the IMF's SDR basket of currencies, its presence in the global economy is expected to continue to grow. For this reason, learning Chinese will likely lead to future career opportunities in areas such as business and research, and it will also be the first step toward deepening mutual understanding with our neighbor, China.
Now, regarding the Chinese language, while it may seem familiar to Japanese speakers because it uses the same kanji characters, it is also a language characterized by a basic S+V+O sentence structure and the absence of case declensions or conjugations. In the required "Chinese" course, we will build a solid foundation by focusing on pronunciation and grammar, while also paying attention to these differences from Japanese and English.
In the process of learning the language, I hope that students will develop an interest in and have questions about the underlying Chinese culture and ways of thinking. Questions from students are a great stimulus for us instructors and provide fuel for our research, as they allow us to reconsider the Chinese and Japanese languages and make new discoveries. Based on the spirit of "learning while teaching, teaching while learning," we aim for highly interactive and dynamic classes.
However, it may be difficult to master Chinese by studying only during the limited class hours. Therefore, the Faculty of Economics has independently created common supplementary materials for use as supplementary explanations during class and for students' self-study. Furthermore, for those who wish to delve deeper into Chinese history and culture, elective courses such as "Chinese Affairs" and "Independent Research Seminar" are available.
I hope that you will use this course as a starting point and continue to learn the Chinese language and culture even after the course ends or after you graduate from university.
(Professor Yoshie Mizobe)