Language and Culture: Making the Connection


Language and Culture: Making the Connection

2008 exploration seminar in Guilin, China

Program director: Liping Yu,

Date of instruction: Aug 25-Sept. 17


The objective of this 2008 UW exploration seminar in Guilin China is to give our students first hand experience of the ancient yet young China, since China has undergone a dramatic change in the past 30 years.

Language is culture and culture is language. This trip will certainly complement the language classes that are offered at UW. In this trip our students are not only going to observe China with their own eyes, but also to live like a Chinese by adapting themselves to a Chinese style of living. UW students will be paired up with Guangxi Normal University students in order to provide an opportunity for UW students to enhance their education through direct engagement and interaction with Chinese students, teachers, and ordinary Chinese people.

Our exploration seminar takes place in Guilin, which is an historical and cultural city as well as a tourist wonderland of world fame. It literally means "cassia tree forest", named for the local cassia trees, whose scent wafts through the city in fall. Located in the deep south of China, Guilin has less western influence. It is a city with a profound historical and cultural background. Guangxi Normal University, the best university in Guangxi, will be our hosting university. To immerse our students into Chinese culture in a structured way, our seminar consists of three major parts: cognitive instruction of Chinese culture, field trips related to the lectures, and language classes. There are 8 cultural lectures that will touch on a wide variety of topics of China. The topics will be Chinese education, Chinese music, traditional Chinese medicine, culinary art, traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, Chinese ethnic groups, and environmental protection in China. Then the related field trips will be visiting Chinese elementary and middle schools, visiting Chinese hospitals, making Chinese food, visiting art museums, gathering together with minority groups, etc. All these lectures are taught by professors from Guangxi Normal University and the field trips will be led by faculty from UW and Guangxi Normal University. The language classes will be taught by Liping Yu, the Chinese lecturer from UW and local teaching faculty. Students will be put into different language classes according to their language proficiency. Altogether there are 12 hours of language classes, and students will have the opportunity to do one-on-one individual session with their language teachers. They can practice speaking Chinese with a professional language instructor.

Be prepared for the adventure of your lifetime! In addition to the lectures and classes, students will have the opportunity to cruise down the Li River, which winds through some truly spectacular limestone formations, climb Mount Longsheng with its famous Longji rice terraces, visit Ling Canal, which was built by the first emperor in China from Qin Dynasty, visit Reed Flute Cave, which is a limestone cave with impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations, and sit in a classroom and student dorm from mountainous areas in Guangxi. We will also spend two days visiting Beijing, the capital of China. We will go to the very center of Beijing and tour TianAnMen Square, visit YongHeGong, one of the largest and most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world, visit Madam Sun Yat-sen's residence for a brief review of modern Chinese history through the life of an ordinary yet great woman in China, visit the Olympic park in Beijing, to have a better understanding of what Chinese people have done to prepare for the Olympic 2008. We will also have the opportunity to wander along the narrow alleys in the center of Beijing to glimpse ordinary Beijing life in the past and today.

Students will have some free time to explore the city of Guilin on their own. They can experience both rural and urban life in China, meet local people, and of course, sample the delicious, Guilin cuisine.

Class assignments will include keeping a diary of reactions to each site we visit, group discussions, and write a short paper describing one cultural aspect that interest you and a final exam for the Chinese language class.

Students will receive 5 credits for Chin 395 or CHID 474. Participants should check with their advisors to determine how these credits can count towards departmental requirements.

Students costs:

$2550 program fee

$200 IPE fee

Additional costs include: Round trip to Chengdu, visa, health insurance and personal spending money.

Send mail to: Course Email
Last modified: 7/01/2009 12:49 PM