The Confucius Institute: cultural understanding
The sixth century Chinese philosopher Confucius once said, “I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.”
If international understanding is the breakfast of a student’s well balanced education, the Confucius Institute is serving up a double helping at Alfred University. The table is set, choose your courses.
In the spirit of its namesake, the Confucius Institute promotes Chinese language and culture through local Chinese teaching. With over 300 CI’s scattered throughout the world, all funded completely by the non-profit organization Hanban (the Office of Chinese Language Council International), students of various nationalities are being exposed to a culture that has up until recently been rather mysterious.
There are some who would argue that CI’s are propaganda tools for the Chinese government, calling them an attempt to brainwash youth in other countries. Of course it is natural to wonder what the motives for such overwhelming generosities are, but where is the line between pushing propaganda and an ambitious advertisement campaign? Is it a way to brainwash students? Or is it merely an attempt to soften the image of the Chinese government and strengthen the partnership between two world powers?
“The last ten years have seen quite a change, since China has adapted to capitalism,” said Carla Coch, assistant director of CIAU and honorary citizen of Jingdezhen China. “There are many misconceptions about China and CIAU is helping people to unlearn stereotypes.”
The mission of the Confucius Institute at Alfred University (CIAU) is to foster relations and commerce between Alfred and China by teaching Chinese language and cultural activities.
Taking on another language is an exciting challenge, but it is also intimidating for many students. China has one of the oldest and richest recorded histories. Mandarin, the official language of China, has 10,000 characters to its alphabet. A well-educated Mandarin speaker would have to know about 5,000 characters. This is no small feat for the average international enthusiast and is likely to discourage even the most optimistic of students from attempting Mandarin as a second language. CIAU helps to overcome that fear by providing the opportunity to learn about China in a fun atmosphere with talented instructors.
Due to economic constraints, many schools are being forced to make cutbacks to their curriculum and unfortunately the language department is suffering for it. In spite of this, through Hanban’s assistance, CIAU was able to create a resource center in Herrick Memorial Library where there is an extensive collection of books, audio and video materials about China.
“This is a huge investment by the government of China to enhance our knowledge and theirs,” said Coch. “We are competitors and collaborators.”
While it may seem that the Confucius Institute is the best kept secret at AU, there is a lot of work going into the program. Since the beginning of CIAU in 2008, the program has doubled in size. There are more instructors, students, and areas of study. AU offers two credited courses; Mandarin 101 and 200 (equivalent to Chinese 3) which are both taught in Perlman. The CIAU faculty also supports language classes for K-12 students, for which they often travel to public schools, teaching introductory and exploratory programs to the area’s youth.
In addition to language courses, CIAU plans to offer non-credit cultural classes. For example, Tai Chi master Hu Kai will return to Alfred to teach classes in Tai Chi and the Dragon Dance next semester. According to Jing (Shirley) Zhu, Chinese instructor and program manager of CIAU, there will soon be music lessons in traditional Chinese instruments like the antique zither available to students and community members. Zhu went on to say that a Chinese folk band is a possibility in the near future.
Mandarin is the fastest growing language in the world. From a business perspective, it seems necessary to embrace the changing political environment. By offering corporate training for those interested in working in China or with Chinese businesses, CIAU is helping to prepare them for a more dynamic cultural environment. Given that so many AU students are art majors, it might also interest them to know that China is the “mother country of ceramics” and that there is a possibility that CIAU will expand in that direction.
There is little room to argue against the fact that in today’s international economy, some knowledge of China would be beneficial. Whether it is acquired through a credited Mandarin course or gained while “playing” with the interactive media screen at the Confucius House on Park Street, CIAU promotes knowledge and knowledge is power.
