Chinese Studies in China

Director

Qiguang Zhao, Burton and Lily Levin Professor of Chinese

Professor Zhao initiated the Chinese Language and Literature program at Carleton College, where he now teaches Chinese language, Chinese literature, and Comparative Literature. He has led off-campus programs to Nankai University six times. Professor Zhao grew up on the Nankai University campus and spent his early years in Tianjin. He brings knowledge of both Nankai University and American college life to the program. Professor Zhao received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He received an M.A. in English and American Literature from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing and a B.A. in English from Tianjin Normal University. Professor Zhao’s publications include: Many Roads, Heart’s Journey, Hearing the Rain in a Passing Boat, Strangers in Strange Lands, A Study of Dragons East and West, Selected Fiction of Joseph Conrad, and numerous articles and translations in Chinese and Western journals.

Location

The program is based in Nankai University, which is located in Tianjin, in the heart of Mandarin-speaking China. Other sites will also be included for our studies and activities. One of China’s most prestigious universities, Nankai has more than 20,000 students in 20 colleges. The University offers over 70 undergraduate majors, 200 master’s degrees, and 100 PhD programs. Set in a quiet and beautiful environment, the University is an ideal setting for study and scholarly research. Nankai University has a historical commitment to language study and the College of Chinese Language and Culture specializes in the training of students from many countries. Other institutions of higher education may be selected due to possible changing conditions at our base university.

Tianjin, located 80 miles southeast of Beijing, is the third largest city in China. Historically renowned for its foreign concessions and folk arts, Tianjin has now become one of China’s newest and most important commercial centers. Tianjin’s neighborhoods display houses in various Chinese and European styles. The city has numerous parks and a wide variety of cultural events. The Economic-Technological Development Area for foreign investment is 20 miles away from the city. Beijing is a little over an hour away by train. Students will have many opportunities to explore the Beijing/Tianjin area in addition to scheduled group tours.

The location, schedule, and traveling plans of the program may be altered in case of unforeseen international or domestic situations.