Literature and Cultural Sociology, an online credit course of the Chinese Department of the School of Culture, Universitas Brawijaya, which cooperated with the “New Sinology Program” of Center for Language Education and Cooperation of China, was successfully completed last month. With the support of the Sinology Research Office of the Language Center, the course was presided over by Yang Shaofang from the School of International Education, Tianjin Foreign Studies University, China, and was taught for one semester.
Literature and Cultural Sociology is a required course for undergraduates majoring in Chinese Department of our school of culture, and it is the core course in the syllabus of Chinese Department. This course puts forward higher requirements for students’ Chinese proficiency, knowledge of China literature and understanding of contemporary China social situation, and it is also a teaching difficulty for students of Chinese Department. Because the sociology of literature and culture requires students not only to have a basic understanding of the history of China literature, but also to master the rich China culture contained in literature, and more importantly, to find a connection point with culture and literature in the social development of contemporary China, and to interpret all aspects of the current situation of China’s social development through the core elements of China culture and literature.
Teacher Yang Shaofang has more than ten years’ experience in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, and is deeply involved in the field of international Chinese education. He is a doctor majoring in overseas Sinology at Beijing Foreign Studies University, and has rich experience in the overseas spread of China culture and the teaching of Chinese language and culture. In the teaching of Literature and Cultural Sociology in the Chinese Department of the Institute of Culture, Mr. Yang not only took into account the main points of the combination of China literature and contemporary China society, but also found the similarities and differences between them, and selected the representative cultural elements in contemporary China society, paying special attention to the general trend of contemporary development and mutual cultural learning between China and Indonesia. Because of the difficulty of this course, Mr. Yang explained succinctly and clearly in the course, and combined with various teaching materials to carry out rich and three-dimensional teaching such as words, images, audio and video, which made the course with theoretical color and many concept proper nouns vivid.
From the “Chinese Dream” of Yuan Longping, where food is the most important thing for the people, to poverty reduction and rural revitalization in China; From China’s economic development and scientific and technological innovation to education reform and cultural inheritance, in this semester’s course, Mr. Yang slowly developed a panoramic view of contemporary China society for Chinese students, which not only enabled students to have a perceptual and rational understanding of the inheritance of China literature and traditional culture in contemporary China society, but also improved their Chinese language skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing. Teacher Yang also specially introduced to Chinese majors that if China continues the intercommunication and exchange of the ancient Silk Road, it will provide experience for the contemporary Belt and Road construction, and stabilize the strategic partnership with Indonesia through continuous win-win cooperation. For example, The completion and opening to traffic of Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway, the participation of Indonesian business organizations in China International Import Expo(CIIE), China and Canton Fair, the cultural communication organizations represented by the Confucius Institute in Indonesia and the Hainan ASEAN International Education Project in China, and the support and opportunities brought by the project for Sino-Indonesian educational exchanges all provide useful reference for the future career choice of Chinese major undergraduates in Jaya University, Blavy and the choice of postgraduate study direction.
Through the study of Literature and Cultural Sociology in the “New Sinology Program” this semester, Chinese majors have a comprehensive understanding of China’s ancient literature, and under the guidance of local professional and senior college teachers in China, their Chinese level has been significantly improved. This course has been widely recognized by students, laying a good foundation for their future Chinese learning. Students also hope to have more in-depth literature and cultural courses in the future, and have a good interaction with local Chinese teachers in China.
(Author: Prof. Yang Shaofang, Nurila Shanti Octavia)