Chinese Language and Culture through Video Games

3 units

Games have become an integral part of contemporary life. With rapid technological advancements, video game narratives and aesthetics have grown increasingly diverse and sophisticated, leading to their recognition as the “ninth art.” Chinese Language and Culture through Video Games uses popular video games as cultural texts to explore Chinese civilization and to develop advanced-level Chinese language proficiency. This course bridges ancient Chinese traditions and modern society, integrates linguistic training with cultural analysis, and situates language learning within the broader context of the entertainment and creative industries. It is an advanced Chinese language course that consists of eighteen units; each unit centers on a topic representative Chinese video game that either draws upon traditional Chinese culture or reflects contemporary social issues in China. All readings will be provided in Chinese.