About this Course

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This course of Chinese Culture and Contemporary China will explore the foundations of Chinese civilization and the dimensions of Chinese culture. It will pay particular attention to the relationship between Chinese culture and the present-day life of the Chinese people and to the different elements of the culture which are under the present social structures, belief systems, literature, arts, customs, etc. The course aims at providing students with a deeper knowledge of Chinese culture, thus enabling them to better understand China. 
The course will cover the following main areas of topics: (1) the foundations of Chinese civilization: its geography, language, and history; (2) the core concepts in Chinese philosophies and religions: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism; (3), literature and arts, including Chinese calligraphy, painting, Tang poetry, and classical fiction; (4) society and life, including education, the role of women, Chinese food, and traditional holidays; (5) travel and landscapes, including well-known Chinese cities, mountains, ethnic regions and customs; (6) Chinese media, culture and sports, including TV and movies, fashion, Chinese gongfu and taiji. 
In addition, students will be expected to participate in a buddy program beyond curriculum if they have a chance to come to Nanjing. Ideally they will be paired up: an international student with a Nanjing University student to allow students to learn firsthand about Chinese customs, culture, and language. Students will be required to complete various projects and homework assignments as well, which will encourage them to use Nanjing University and the city of Nanjing as a laboratory to apply what they learn during their stay at Nanjing University.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.57/5 (119 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating94%(1,773 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

2 hours to complete

Essentials of Chinese Confucian Thought

Confucian culture is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture. In this segment, we introduce the three basic concepts of Confucian culture: Li or ritual etiquette, Ren or benevolence, and Tao. In the Confucian view, the variety of practiced rituals maintains the balance of society. Benevolence is the core of the ritual because only with benevolence one can truly observe li. Tao is the natural laws or order of the universe. One has to research the objective universe genuinely, to find those natural laws, and then use what was found to structure the human world. All these elements make the benevolence great.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 18 min)

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Essentials of Chinese Painting

In this unit, we introduce the world of Chinese painting, which is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. We discuss three important features that make Chinese art of painting unique and different from the Western painting. We also analyze the possible philosophical reasons lying behind that difference. By the end of the unit, one will know things like why Chinese paintings are usually not framed and without many colors, or why Chinese people when drawing might prefer having more than one artistic perspective, as well as other aspects of Chinese art.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 25 min)

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Essentials of Chinese Music

This unit mainly focuses on three topics of Chinese music culture which are the origin and essence of the Chinese musical style, Confucian effect on the understanding of traditional Chinese music and Contemporary Chinese music development under the influence of western music. It is hoped that after completing this unit, students could feel and realize the uniqueness of Chinese traditional music, and have an overall understanding of the development of Chinese music culture.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 21 min)

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Essentials of Chinese Costume

With a large variety of clothes and accessories, from the dragon robe of emperor to the humble clothes of common people， Chinese traditional costumes show the beauty of the material world. It’s also related to the social classes, feudal ethics and traditional philosophies. This unit centers on three major questions, trying to show specific details of the splendid costumes as well as explaining the cultural implication, such as the ranks of imperial court, the customs of weddings and funerals, the gender issue in Tang dynasty, etc.

2 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 19 min)

Week5

Week 5

2 hours to complete

Chinese Cuisine

Chinese food is well-known throughout the world for its appearance, aroma and flavor. The uniqueness of Chinese food lies not only in its appearance and flavor, but also in its style of preparation, cooking and presentation. Chinese food culture was gradually formed in the development of Chinese society and civilization and was in turn helped shape the character and temperament of the Chinese people. As a panorama of Chinese culture, Chinese food is generally believed to be one of the best channels to know this country, its people and culture. There is a profound philosophy under Chinese food culture, and this lesson will help the learners understand why eating and drinking is of special importance to the Chinese, not only to their physical wellbeing but also to their mental health and harmony.

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 25 min)

Week6

Week 6

2 hours to complete

Chinese Traditional Festivals

Festivals are an important part of Chinese culture. A significant number of festivals in folklore are rich in various elements of Chinese traditional culture. Do you know what the most important Chinese holiday is? Do you know what Chinese people eat, what clothes they wear and what other interesting things they do during those holidays? More important do you know the reason why they are doing that? Watch the "Festival Culture" unit to find that out. The unit is rich in contents supplied with exciting media that brings you to the amazing world of Chinese festivals.

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 22 min)

Reviews

4.6

164 reviews

5 stars
73.30%
4 stars
18.22%
3 stars
6.35%
2 stars
1.05%
1 star
1.05%

TOP REVIEWS FROM CHINESE CULTURE AND CONTEMPORARY CHINA

by JIAug 16, 2020

An easy to understand and insightful look into Chinese culture. It goes beyond the basics of what you would learn from living in the country.

by EMJan 20, 2021

This was a wonderful course. The format was simple, the course load was light, and I learned a lot about China and Chinese culture. Thank you!

by YMJul 8, 2019

It was my first course on Coursera. Only 4 stars because it was very short and light. Thank you for creating the opportunity to learn. Yuliya.

by AHJun 30, 2019

Fun course for someone like myself- who is a total novice when it comes to Chinese Culture. It's made me want to keep learning.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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Chinese Culture and Contemporary China