Chinese (CHNS) Courses

CHNS 100 Easy Chinese for Everyone (1) 1-credit course designed for anyone who wants to learn some basic ("simple yet practical and interesting") Chinese with an easy approach. It introduces most useful expressions and some key patterns for common situational conversations related to daily life in Hawaiʻi or elsewhere in general. (Attributes: DH, GL)

CHNS 101 Elementary Chinese I (4) Development of listening, speaking, reading and writing Mandarin Chinese. Structural points introduced inductively. Laboratory drill. (Attributes: DH, GAHP, GL, HPP)

CHNS 102 Elementary Chinese II (4) Development of listening, speaking, reading and writing Mandarin Chinese. Structural points introduced inductively. Laboratory drill. Pre: CHNS 101 or equivalent. (Attributes: DH, GAHP, GL, HPP)

CHNS 107 Accelerated Elementary Chinese (8) Contents of CHNS 101-102 covered in one semester. Meets two hours daily, Monday through Friday. Language laboratory required. Development of four skills - speaking, listening, reading and writing - and an adequate knowledge at the beginning level of Chinese language. A variety of classroom activities: dialogues, role plays, individual and group presentations, grammar exercises, individualized laboratory work and A/V-aided activities, and reading and writing practice in the basic scripts ("pinyin" and "hanzi" characters). (Attributes: DH, GAHP, GL)

CHNS 200 Conversational CHNS Business (3) This course is intended for students who have gained some basic knowledge of Chinese language but would like to improve their fluency, especially for business situations. Over this course, students practice conversational skill through a variety of topics, such as greetings and self- introduction, formal meetings, business negotiations, trade or financial transactions, and in any other situations that may be appropriate for an international business situation. Pre: CHNS 102 or 107. (Attributes: DH, GL, HPP)

CHNS 201 Intermediate Chinese I (4) Second-level training in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Pre: CHNS 102 or equivalent. (Attributes: DH, GAHP, GL, HPP)

CHNS 202 Intermediate Chinese II (4) Second-level training in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Pre: CHNS 201 or equivalent. (Attributes: DH, GAHP, GL, HPP)

CHNS 240 CHN Culture in Sports Pastimes (1) This course introduces traditional Chinese culture embedded in the sports, recreation, and pastimes. Each week the class will look at 1-2 particular kinds of sports, exercises and recreational activities that Chinese people performed in pastimes, such as Taiji boxing, martial arts, wresting, polo, kickball, shuttlecock kicking, archery, diabolo, pitch pot, juggling, dragon boat races, kites, chesses, mahjong, etc. Students will learn the origins and socio-cultural factors of these activities, including how they shaped Chinese views of the universe, nature, life, and health as well as unique ways of rebalancing life in their pursuit of happiness. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 280 Introduction to CHNS Culture (3) A general introduction to traditional Chinese culture through various topics, including its early civilization, cosmology, philosophy, religions, language, literature, art, music, dramas, scientific and technological inventions, medicines, martial arts, fengshui, and folk customs. Prominent historical figures (e.g. philosophers, writers, artists, scientists) and their contributions to Chinese civilization are discussed. Through a broad survey of essential aspects of Chinese culture, this multidisciplinary course lays a foundation for Chinese studies. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 320 CHNS Festivals & Food Culture (3) This course discusses traditional Chinese festivals and food as important aspects of Chinese culture. It investigates the most important festivals and related customs, what food people cook and eat during the festivals, and why. It also explores popular styles of cooking in different areas and how they have shaped the diversity of Chinese people. Students will interact with local Chinese restaurants or families for the cultural tradition of Chinese cuisine. (Attributes: DH, GCC, HPP)

CHNS 330 CH Culture via Classical Music (3) This course introduces classical Chinese music as an essential part of Chinese cultural heritage. It reviews ten most famous pieces of classical Chinese music in the history and explores their significant social and cultural connotations. Students will learn how to appreciate classical Chinese music in connection with ancient Chinese aesthetics and perceptions of history, society, heroes, nobility, joy and bitterness, nature, and life. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 350 Chinese Folklore and Symbolism (3) This course explores ancient Chinese folktales and symbolism that are significantly connected with Chinese cultural tradition, social life and customs, as well as distinctive aesthetics. Interesting and important stories are selected from mythology, legends, and fables, covering various themes such as the creation of the universe, enlightenment of virtues and ethics, philosophy of life, tragedies and praises for loyal love, as well as women heroes. Moreover, auspicious symbols in Chinese life are discussed in their historical and cultural context and with regard to their impact on Chinese society, customs, and aesthetics. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 360 Chinese Culture through Film (3) This course introduces Chinese culture, history, society, people, customs, and major civilizations through a selection of 14 films. Students need to respond to some specific questions after watching each film and participate in the online forum on Laulima. Knowledge of Chinese language is not needed. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 364 Chns Lit in Eng-Modern (3) Survey of major Chinese writings from 1919 to the present. Knowledge of Chinese is not required. (Same as ENG 364)

CHNS 381 Chns Cult thru Arch & Garden (3) This course introduces Chinese architecture and gardens as an important part of traditional Chinese culture. It emphasizes distinctive cultural implications in the architecture and its decorative arts, especially symbolism of architectural design (such as layout, size, form, elements, color). It also explores the artistic theories and cultural factors in the craft of imperial and private gardens. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 385 Chinese Archaeology (3) This course adopts an archaeological approach to explore Chinese civilization in ancient times. Archaeological findings, including various cultural remains and unearthed cultural relics, are used as powerful physical evidence and study materials of the evolution of Chinese civilization from the Neolithic times to the late imperial periods. Students will learn how to employ and scrutinize archaeological data effectively in studying ancient Chinese society, culture, and people. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 387 CHNS Zen Temple Gardens in JPN (3) This course discusses cultural exchange between ancient China and Japan from a perspective of religious, artistic, and architectural traditions in Zen temples and gardens. It introduces how Chinese Zen temple tradition was transmitted into Japan around Kamakura period (12th-14th centuries) and influenced the creative design of Japanese Zen temples and gardens that represented Japanese cultural identity. It also explores the intriguing cultural interactions of Chinese-style Zen temples in the 17th- century Japan. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 410 History of Chinese Characters (3) This course introduces Chinese civilization and history through an investigation of the evolution of Chinese script and the socio-cultural factors related to it. Archaeological and historical materials are used in introducing its various forms in history: from tortoise shell script to seal and clerical scripts as well as regular script. Historical and cultural setting of creating and using the specific script are examined. The transformation of Chinese script into Japanese "kanji" and cultural exchange between Asian countries are also discussed. Pre: one of the following: CHNS 101, CHNS 107, JPNS 101, JPNS 101S, or JPNS 107. (Same as LANG/JPST 410) (Attributes: GAHP)

CHNS 430 Cultural Exchange on Silk Road (3) This course is focused on the cultural exchanges on the ancient Silk Road, which connected the East and the West from the second century BCE to the eighteenth century. It explores the essential role of the Silk Road, both the land route and the maritime route, in the economic, political, religious, and cultural interactions between China and Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia (Persia, the Arabian Peninsula), East Africa, and Southern Europe during the above historical times. Through a series of thematic topics, this course is aimed at an understanding of the diversity of Asian culture and its important contributions to the world civilization. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

CHNS 440 Asian Architecture and Culture (3) This course explores traditional Asian culture through its architectural heritage in various areas, especially in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Focused on the architectural traditions of China, Japan, Korea, India, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Thailand, it discusses the major artistic characteristics of their classical architecture in close connection with their social and cultural contexts. It also analyzes the distinctive cultural factors that contributed to the making of a diverse architectural tradition across Asia. (Attributes: DH, HPP)

---

CHNS x94 Special Topics in Subject Matter (Arr.) Special topics chosen by the instructor. Course content will vary. May be repeated for credit, provided that a different topic is studied. Additional requirements may apply depending on subject and topic.

CHNS x99 Directed Studies (Arr.) Statement of planned reading or research required. Pre: instructor’s consent.