Chinese
The subjects below are taught in Chinese and include offerings in language, literature, and cultural studies.<
The indication of prerequisites for specific Chinese offerings does not apply to students who have already completed equivalent work. For further placement advice, consult one of the field advisors in Chinese.
Undergraduate Language Subjects
21G.101 Chinese I (Regular)

( , )
(Subject meets with 21G.151)
Prereq: None
Units: 4-0-8
Introduction to modern standard Chinese (Mandarin) with emphasis on developing conversational skills by using fundamental grammatical patterns and vocabulary in functional and culturally suitable contexts. Basic reading and writing are also taught. For graduate credit, see 21G.151. Placement interview with instructors required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese before or on Reg Day. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
Fall: K. Zhou IAP: Y. Yang Textbooks (IAP 2025)
21G.102 Chinese II (Regular)

( )
(Subject meets with 21G.152)
Prereq: 21G.101 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MTRF9 (14E-310) or MTRF10 (14E-310) or MTRF12 (1-242) or MTRF2 (16-645)
Continuation of 21G.101. For full description, see 21G.101. For graduate credit see 21G.152. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure of Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
H. Liao Textbooks (Spring 2025)
21G.103 Chinese III (Regular)

( )
Prereq: 21G.102 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
Continuing instruction in spoken and written Chinese, with particular emphasis on consolidating basic conversational skills and improving reading confidence and depth. Lab work required. Placement interview with instructors before or on Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
T. Chen
21G.104 Chinese IV (Regular)

( )
Prereq: 21G.103 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-8
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MTRF9 (16-668) or MTRF12 (56-154)
Continuation of 21G.103. For full description, see 21G.103. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
H. Liao Textbooks (Spring 2025)
21G.105 Chinese V (Regular): Discovering Chinese Cultures and Societies

( )
Prereq: 21G.104 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Students develop more sophisticated conversational and reading skills by combining traditional textbook material with their own explorations of Chinese speaking societies, using the human, literary, and electronic resources available at MIT and in the Boston area. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
T. Chen
21G.106 Chinese VI (Regular): Discovering Chinese Cultures and Societies

( )
Prereq: 21G.105 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MWF10 (16-668)
Continuation of 21G.105. For full description see 21G.105. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
T. Chen Textbooks (Spring 2025)
Undergraduate Language Subjects - Streamlined
21G.107 Chinese I (Streamlined)

( )
(Subject meets with 21G.157)
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
The first term streamlined sequence. Designed for students who have conversational skills (typically gained from growing up in a Chinese speaking environment) without a corresponding level of literacy. For graduate credit see 21G.157. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
M. Liang
21G.108 Chinese II (Streamlined)

( )
(Subject meets with 21G.158)
Prereq: 21G.107 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MWF10 (14N-325) or MWF12 (14N-325) or MWF2 (14N-225)
The second term streamlined sequence; continuation of 21G.107. The streamlined sequence is designed for students who have conversational skills (typically gained from growing up in a Chinese speaking environment) without a corresponding level of literacy. For graduate credit see 21G.158. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
M. Liang Textbooks (Spring 2025)
21G.109 Chinese III (Streamlined)

( )
Prereq: 21G.108 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Intermediate level subject in streamlined sequence. Designed for students who have conversational skills (typically gained from growing up in a Chinese speaking environment) without a corresponding level of literacy. Consolidates conversation skills, improves reading confidence and broadens composition style. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
K. Zhou
21G.110 Chinese IV (Streamlined)

( )
Prereq: 21G.109 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MWF10 (16-676) or MWF12 (14E-310)
Intermediate level subject in streamlined sequence; continuation of 21G.109. Designed for students who have conversational skills (typically gained from growing up in a Chinese speaking environment) without a corresponding level of literacy. Consolidates conversation skills, improves reading confidence and broadens composition style. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
P. Gao No required or recommended textbooks
21G.112 Intermediate Chinese in Shenzhen

( )  Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: 21G.103 or 21G.107
Units: 3-0-6
Taught on-site at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China. Consolidates foundations built in Regular Chinese I-III and Streamlined I; continues instruction of skills in aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Encourages development of a sensitivity to linguistically-appropriate behavior, introduces extensive vocabulary and usage as a basis for conversational development, and provides a step-by-step guide to the principles and practice of reading and writing Chinese short narratives. Addresses issues of how cultural differences inform and are informed by different linguistic contexts and practices. Taught in Chinese. Limited to 16.
Staff
21G.113 Chinese V (Streamlined)

( )
Prereq: 21G.110 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Advanced level subject in streamlined sequence. Designed for students who have conversational skills (typically gained from growing up in a Chinese speaking environment) without a corresponding level of literacy. Students conduct their own explorations of modern China using online and print materials, as well as interviews with Chinese in the Boston area. Placement interview on or before Reg. Day required of students who have had prior exposure to Chinese elsewhere. Limited to 16 per section. No listeners.
P. Gao
21G.118 Advanced Chinese in Shenzhen

( )  Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: 21G.105 or 21G.109
Units: 3-0-6
Taught on-site at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China. Builds students' vocabulary through authentic material reading, and improves oral communication skills through discussion of topics related to cultural, social and historical aspects of China, focusing on Shenzhen. Provides extensive listening, speaking, reading practice in discourse, including dialogues with native speakers, narrative and description, with emphasis on cultural, social, and historical issues of China. Taught in Chinese. Limited to 16.
H. Liao
21G.120 Business Chinese

( )
Prereq: 21G.106, 21G.113, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MWF2 (16-668) or MWF3 (16-654)
Aimed at advanced-level students to enhance language skills and cultural knowledge specific to conducting business in Chinese societies. Topics include the specialization of materials used in commercial, economic, and business contexts; Greater China's economic development, business culture, and etiquette; and case studies from successful international enterprises in China. Students develop project reports based on their own interests. Taught in Chinese. Limited to 16.
Gao, Panpan Textbooks (Spring 2025)
21G.121 Chinese for Professional Communications
(New)

( )
Prereq: 21G.120 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Students read and react to authentic materials centering on four areas — business, technology, medical, and students' own choices of academic interests. Students develop advanced-mid speaking skills in a formal context, understand main ideas of lengthy and argumentative texts, interpret related talks and speeches, and present their thoughts in structured essays. Taught entirely in Chinese. No listeners. Limited to 16 for pedagogical reasons.
H. Liao
Graduate Language Subjects
21G.151 Chinese I (Regular)

( , )
(Subject meets with 21G.101)
Prereq: None
Units: 4-0-5
Introduction to modern standard Chinese (Mandarin). For a full description, see 21G.101. For undergraduate credit see 21G.101. Limited to 16 per section.
Staff No textbook information available
21G.152 Chinese II (Regular)

( )
(Subject meets with 21G.102)
Prereq: 21G.151 or permission of instructor
Units: 4-0-5
URL: https://languages.mit.edu/language-placement-proficiency/
Lecture: MTRF9 (14E-310) or MTRF10 (14E-310) or MTRF12 (1-242) or MTRF2 (16-645)
Continuation of 21G.151. For a description, see 21G.102. For undergraduate credit see 21G.102.
Staff No textbook information available
21G.157 Chinese I (Streamlined)

( )
(Subject meets with 21G.107)
Prereq: Permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-6
Introduction to modern standard Chinese (Mandarin) for students with some speaking ability but little reading ability. For full description, see 21G.107. For undergraduate credit see 21G.107. Limited to 16 per section.
Staff
21G.158 Chinese II (Streamlined)

( )
(Subject meets with 21G.108)
Prereq: 21G.157 or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-6
Lecture: MWF10 (14N-325) or MWF12 (14N-325) or MWF2-3.30 (14N-225)
Continuation of 21G.157. For a description see 21G.157. For undergraduate credit see 21G.108.
Staff No textbook information available
Chinese Language Option Subjects
21G.133 Three Kingdoms: From History to Fiction, Comic, Film, and Game

( )
(Subject meets with 21G.042[J], 21H.352[J], 21L.492[J], CMS.359[J])
Prereq: 21G.104, 21G.110, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Lecture: TR1-2.30 (14E-310)
Analyzing core chapters of the great Chinese epic novel, Three Kingdoms, and its adaptations across diverse media, considers what underlies the appeal of this classic narrative over the centuries. Through focus on historical events in the period 206 BC to AD 280, examines the representation of power, diplomacy, war, and strategy, and explores the tension among competing models of political authority and legitimacy. Covers basic elements of classical Chinese political and philosophical thought, and literary and cultural history. Final group project involves digital humanities tools. Readings in translation. Films and video in Chinese with English subtitles. Taught in English with a project that requires research in Chinese. Preference to students in the Chinese minor
Staff No required or recommended textbooks
21G.190 Advertising and Media: Comparative Perspectives

( )  Not offered regularly; consult department
(Subject meets with 21G.036[J], CMS.356[J], CMS.888)
Prereq: 21G.105, 21G.110, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Compares modern and contemporary advertising culture in China, the US, and other emerging markets. First half focuses on branding in the old media environment; second half introduces the changing practice of advertising in the new media environment. Topics include branding and positioning, media planning, social media campaigns, cause marketing 2.0, social TV, and mobility marketing. Required lab work includes interactive sessions in branding a team product for the US (or a European country) and China markets. Taught in English with a project that requires research in Chinese. Preference to Chinese minors.
Staff
21G.192 Modern Chinese Fiction and Cinema

( )  Not offered regularly; consult department
(Subject meets with 21G.046)
Prereq: 21G.105, 21G.110, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Covers major works of Chinese fiction and film, from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Focusing on the modern period, examines how Chinese intellectuals, writers, and filmmakers have used artistic works to critically explore major issues in modern Chinese culture and society. Literature read in translation. Taught in English with a project that requires research in Chinese. Enrollment limited; preference to Chinese minors.
Staff
21G.193 Introduction to East Asian Cultures: From Zen to K-Pop

 ( )
(Subject meets with 21G.030[J], WGS.236[J])
Prereq: 21G.104, 21G.110, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Lecture: TR11-12.30 (14E-310)
Examines traditional forms of East Asian culture (including literature, art, performance, food, and religion) as well as contemporary forms of popular culture (film, pop music, karaoke, and manga). Covers China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with an emphasis on China. Considers women's culture, as well as the influence and presence of Asian cultural expressions in the US. Uses resources in the Boston area, including the MFA, the Children's Museum, and the Sackler collection at Harvard. Taught in English with a project that requires research in Chinese. Preference to Chinese minors.
E. Teng No textbook information available
21G.194 China in the News: The Untold Stories

( )  Not offered regularly; consult department
(Subject meets with 21G.038)
Prereq: 21G.105, 21G.110, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Examines issues and debates crucial to understanding contemporary Chinese society, culture, and politics. Discusses how cultural politics frames the way in which China is viewed by mass media around the world and by China scholars in the West. Topics include the Beijing Olympic Games; Mao in post-Mao China; the new patriotism; leisure and consumer culture; the rise of the internet and web culture in urban China; media censorship, remix, and creative online culture. Analyzes the central debate over progress and the role played by the state, the market, and citizen activists in engineering social change. Uses documentaries and feature films to illustrate the cultural, social and political changes that have taken place in China since the 1980s. Includes two short writing assignments and a final paper. Taught in English with a project that requires research in Chinese. Preference to Chinese minors.
Staff
21G.195 Classics of Chinese Literature in Translation

 ( )
(Subject meets with 21G.044[J], 21L.494[J], WGS.235[J])
Prereq: 21G.104, 21G.110, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Introduction to some of the major genres of traditional Chinese poetry, fiction, and drama. Intended to give students a basic understanding of the central features of traditional Chinese literary genres, as well as to introduce students to the classic works of the Chinese literary tradition. Works read include Journey to the West, Outlaws of the Margin, Dream of the Red Chamber, and the poetry of the major Tang dynasty poets. Literature read in translation. Taught in English with a project that requires research in Chinese. Preference to Chinese minors.
Staff
21G.196 Global Chinese Migration, 1567-Present

( )  Not offered regularly; consult department
(Subject meets with 21G.075[J], 21H.253[J])
Prereq: 21G.104, 21G.110, or permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-10
Examines Chinese migration in historical and comparative perspective, beginning in 1567 with the lifting of the imperial ban on private maritime trade. Covers migration to diverse venues across the globe, including tropical colonies, settler societies, Chinese frontiers, and postcolonial metropoles. Topics include the varied roles of Chinese migrants in these diverse venues, the coolie trade and anti-Chinese movements, overseas students, transnational networks, cultural adaptation, and the creolization of Chinese food in migrant communities. Critically examines the degree to which this transnational migration has produced a "Global Chinese" identity. Taught in English with a project that requires research in Chinese. Preference to students in the Chinese minor.
Staff
21G.199 Chinese Youths and Web Culture

( )  Not offered regularly; consult department
Prereq: 21G.113 and permission of instructor
Units: 3-0-9
Introduces the cultural trends and media habits of Chinese Generation X and the post-1990s generation, and its context of the rise of Web culture. Topics include the influence of the global Web culture on China; the cross-fertilization of youth volunteer culture and Web 2.0; popular sites where Chinese college students and other youths congregate, including BBS forums and social networking platforms; and the debates in online communities that made an impact on Chinese politics and society. Students examine literature on the evolution of Chinese Web culture and conduct exercises using Web 2.0 tools. Taught in Chinese.
J. Wang
For Chinese Literature and Culture subjects offered in English, see 21G.030, 21G.036, 21G.038, 21G.043, 21G.044, 21G.046, and 21G.075.
|