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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Chinese Culture and Contemporary China by Nanjing University

4.6
stars
503 ratings

About the Course

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....

Top reviews

L

Jun 9, 2020

This course can help those who are learning Chinese language. As if one wants to understands the native speakers he needs to know about their culture and history.

thank you for this amazing course.

VS

Jun 8, 2020

Lovely Course on Chinese Culture, Tradition, and Values. Well-presented and wonderfully put to appeal to the audience readers. Recommended to anyone who is interested in knowing Chinese culture.

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1 - 25 of 169 Reviews for Chinese Culture and Contemporary China

By Angela T

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Aug 4, 2017

A short but interesting course and a good introduction to Chinese Culture. The presentations were very good - lots of relevant visuals. I particularly enjoyed the section on music.

By Jason C

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Apr 28, 2017

Fascinating topic, especially Chinese painting. The videos were enjoyable and instructive and the quizzes were tricky but not overly difficult. Glad I took the course. I learned a lot.

By Larissa M d A

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Feb 6, 2018

I have learned more about the Chinese behavior and thinking, and how rich is the Chinese culture, now I appreciate it too much more than before. I am very thankful for all the teachers that opened the door to us to learn this specific culture and how to bring it to my professional and academic life.

Working for a Chinese company and studying international relations, this course was very special and important to build my knowledge about China and made me feel more interested to go deeper in all the lessons.

Congratualations for all the involved in the prepation of this course, it is perfect.

By Stanley D

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Jun 19, 2019

This course barely did more than scrape the surface of parts of the Chinese culture. It was very lacking in volume of information. The hosts and videos are good, but for some reason, they think that a video must not be longer than 5 minutes. I would not call this a COURSE, but an OVERVIEW. Videos should be 20 minutes minimum and about 3 of those per week with supplemental readings included. The discussions are pretty good, and it is a professionally made course. But just because it is an online course, does not mean it should include less than 10% of the university course.

By Jesper J

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Dec 20, 2019

The topic of Chinese culture is without any doubt very interesting. And while the material have piqued my curiosity even more, the course it self do lack depth and flow. It is useful as a quick introductions though.

By Laura H

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Jan 11, 2020

Course barely scratched the surface of the topic. Also, the script had many errors.

By Lidiia P

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Jun 10, 2020

This course can help those who are learning Chinese language. As if one wants to understands the native speakers he needs to know about their culture and history.

thank you for this amazing course.

By Vivek S

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Jun 9, 2020

Lovely Course on Chinese Culture, Tradition, and Values. Well-presented and wonderfully put to appeal to the audience readers. Recommended to anyone who is interested in knowing Chinese culture.

By Yuri d N

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May 22, 2021

One of the best courses I have ever attended. Teachers with good teaching skills, impeccable audiovisual material, good tests and approaches.

By Michael A N

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May 2, 2017

Course content was excellent, and very interesting. The presentation could be improved however; at times I found it hard to hear what was being said due to poor sound quality. Nevertheless the course has served as an excellent introduction to Chinese culture and would recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about it.

By Eliška K

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Jul 4, 2017

It was very interesting. English was not always great but I really enjoyed this course after all. I love learning new things about China that´s why I simply fell in love with everything I learned.

By Estela d A J

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Jul 15, 2020

The course was very interesting and informative about chinese customs and culture. However I think the quizzes are a little off, some questions are a bit too confusing.

By Andrea C

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Jun 12, 2018

Very useful as an introduction to chinese culture; some arguments could have been detailed more, but I have enjoyed the overall programme and the teachers.

By VALLI

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Jul 14, 2017

Excellent course to understand the basics concepts. I would recommend to add some extra documents or readings to go deeper. Bye Valli

By Kate W

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Jun 3, 2017

Good but very cursory overview. Spoken and written English in the course was at times broken and a bit confusing.

By John L

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Aug 4, 2017

A good sketch of cultural topics but could go into more depth.

By Chamini M

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Dec 23, 2022

Nanjing University is known for its strong programs in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, as well as in natural sciences and engineering. It has a diverse student body, with students coming from all over China and around the world. The university has a rich tradition of intellectual and cultural exchange, and it has established partnerships with universities and institutions in many countries around the globe.

As a research university, Nanjing University is committed to advancing knowledge and discovery through research and innovation. It has a strong tradition of academic excellence and is home to many distinguished scholars and researchers. The university also has a strong focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, and it supports the development of new ideas and technologies through its incubation centers and partnerships with industry.

characterized by a long history, a distinct language and writing system, and a unique set of customs and traditions that have been passed down through the generations.

Chinese culture has been influenced by many factors, including the country's geography, climate, and history. It has also been shaped by its interactions with other cultures, including those of its neighbors in East Asia as well as those of other regions around the world.

Contemporary China is a rapidly developing country with a population of over 1.4 billion people. It is home to a diverse range of cultures, languages, and ethnicities, and it is a major player on the global stage. Despite the many changes that have occurred in China in recent decades, traditional Chinese culture remains an important part of the country's identity and continues to influence many aspects of contemporary Chinese society.

Examples of traditional Chinese cultural practices that continue to be important in contemporary China include the celebration of traditional festivals such as the Chinese New Year, the importance of family and community, the significance of the Chinese language and writing system, and the practice of traditional Chinese medicine.

Overall, Chinese culture is an integral part of the country's identity and continues to play a significant role in contemporary China. It is a diverse and multifaceted cultural tradition that has shaped the development of the country over the centuries and continues to influence many aspects of Chinese society today.

So, I highly recommend this course to learn about China and its cultural value!

By Inna B

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Dec 20, 2020

It's the most interesting course I've taken at the coursera! The lectures are interesting and exciting, and tests are easy. I want to thank all professors for their work. They did a fascinating and interesting course, and it's a pity that this course is so short. And I want to thank Dr. Pan Wang for her such an interesting lecture about Chinese Costume, because it is such bright, fascinating and have so beautiful pictures! 谢谢

By Pamela L S P

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Aug 6, 2020

This course has helped me to better understand Chinese culture, its traditions, and customs. I have learned something about the Chinese philosophy that is present in their lives, from the food they eat to their clothing. I learned that in Chinese culture everything that is done has a meaning, which is about understanding the balance of nature that is also present in oneself.

By Renard C

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Apr 25, 2018

Thank you for this course and its content very rich in images, videos and anecdotes. The professors are never boring. The rhythm of speech is good, the choice of topics relevant.Although I had already studied many of these topics before, I still had a great pleasure to see them again, to enrich them and I am also very happy to have completed my knowledge.

By Nguyen T L

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Sep 19, 2021

It is a great course for anyone who is dying to learn about Chinese culture, since it covers almost all of the main features, such as paintings, cuisines, costumes. The lectures are easy to understand, instructors are enthusiastic and friendly. Spending about a month working on this course helps you to get a deeper insight into China and its culture.

By JOHN Q

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Nov 20, 2017

I enjoyed this course tremendously, and discovered that there was a vast amount of information that I needed to learn about this SuperPower. China is an amazing country with an enormous population and economy, a history of remarkable achievement, and yet still unknown in many ways. Thanks for putting this course together.

By Abeywardena, H

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Nov 28, 2020

This is a very informative course for those who are interested in Chinese culture and history. I learnt a lot of new things about China and its long history from this course. I would like to thank Nanjing university and the professors who conducted lessons in this course, it was a great learning experience. Thank you!

By Shahid H S

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Oct 7, 2020

For the students of China Studies, or if you have the plan to study in China, you must take this course. The instructors are great, their teaching methods, and way of explaining things with concrete examples are excellent. This introductory course is for all. I would recommend those who are interested to know China.

By Vitor P Z

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Aug 19, 2020

The course provides a very broad and comprehensive insight into the general culture of China for those who are unfamiliar with it. The language is accessible and the course doesn't require any previous knowledge. It doesn't dive too dip into Chinese thought and history, since it's not the goal of the course.