Advanced Level

The Advanced Level is designed to be a two-year program. It includes two Chinese language courses and two social studies courses. The courses at this level are conducted almost entirely in Chinese, although a section of Chinese Civilization is offered in English.

Chinese Language Advanced Level

Students must pass an intermediate level proficiency test in order to enroll in Chinese Language III. This course series will continue to build the students’ speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also taking them to a higher level of sophistication in the language. This course is conducted almost entirely in Chinese. Upon completion of this level, students should have mastered a vocabulary of about 1,500 words and can be considered fluent in the language. Students at this level begin to develop their academic Chinese skills. They read authentic texts and examine the meaning and impact of their reading within the Chinese cultural tradition.

Chinese History II

This course series requires satisfactory completion of Chinese History I. It covers the formation of China’s intellectual, social, and political culture in antiquity and traces their development through various dynastic periods over the same general timeframe as Chinese History I. Chinese History II, however, studies the major figures and developments in Chinese history in greater depth. The course looks in particular at the resilience and weaknesses of China’s imperial system during its final centuries before examining the challenge that China’s traditions posed to those seeking institutional reform and modernization. Because this course seeks to use the study of China as a means for developing more general skills in the discipline of historical analysis and writing, students are required to complete research projects for this course. The course is taught primarily in Chinese and requires at least intermediate level Chinese proficiency.

Classical Chinese Language

This course series focuses on the ancient style of language used in traditional Chinese texts and poetry. Students are considered highly advanced at this stage. They study various examples of classic Chinese literature, such as Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as well as the works of traditional Chinese sages. Emphasis is placed on further refining writing skills so that students may express themselves with clarity and precision in the Chinese language.

Chinese Civilization

This course is a thematic survey of China, one of the richest and oldest continuous cultures in the world. The course examines the defining intellectual, religious, literary, political, and artistic developments that have shaped China over millennia. The topics in the course range as far back as the time of the Three Reigns & Five Virtuous Saint Emperors, about 7,000 to 12,000 years ago, and proceed through the dynasties over the last 5,000 years. The course emphasizes enduring values, sensibilities, and beliefs within the development of Chinese civilization as opposed to variation over time; the latter is examined in the Chinese History survey courses. Here the goal is to arrive at a basic cultural literacy that encompasses China’s festival calendar, dynastic cycle, key religious practices, literary and artistic achievements, architecture, family structure, means of governance, and early science and technology. The course includes readings and interpretation of primary source texts. This course is offered in Chinese and English.

Students must pass an Advanced Level Chinese Language proficiency exam in order to receive the Fei Tian Chinese Language Advanced Level Certificate.