Summer registration underway for low-cost Chinese culture classes

KALAMAZOO--The Confucius Institute at Western Michigan University is accepting registrations for summer Chinese culture classes that begin the week of Monday, May 19, and run through Friday, June 27.

The low-cost classes are taught by instructors from Beijing Language and Culture University and are open to the public. They meet once a week, are taught in English, and are offered to adults age 18 or older for personal enrichment rather than academic credit.

All summer classes take place on WMU's main campus. A half-price tuition discount is offered to WMU students and senior citizens age 55 or older. Faculty and staff members at the University pay no tuition. Some classes charge all participants a fee for materials, and those with fewer than three participants may be canceled.

Summer 2014 class offerings

• Basic Traditional Chinese Realistic Painting—6 to 8 p.m. Mondays, May 19 to June 23, 4003 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60. Materials fee: $18.

• Basic Tai Chi—6 to 7 p.m. Mondays, May 19 to June  23, 4002 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60.

• Basic Chinese Language—6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, May 20 to June 24, 4010 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60.

• Basic Chinese Calligraphy—6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, May 21 to June 25, 4002 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60. Materials fee: $12.

• Intermediate Chinese Language—6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, May2 2 to June 26, 4010 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60.

• Chinese Language Tutoring—1 to 3 p.m. Fridays, May 23 to June 27, 2152 Dunbar Hall. Tuition: Free.

Class instructors

Xiaoying Li is a traditional painting instructor. She holds a bachelor degree of art education, has been working as an art instructor more than 20 years and wrote the books "Traditional Chinese Realistic Painting of Flowers and Birds" and "Chinese Painting Tutorial."

Shengang Wang, a Chinese language instructor, has taught Chinese language classes at Beijing Language and Culture University since 2002.

Ajun He teaches calligraphy and is a teacher at Beijing Language and Culture University. She received her master's degree from Minzu University of China.

Bin Miao teaches Tai Chi and is a Chinese culture class instructor for the Confucius Institute at WMU.

Registration

For more information or to register for Chinese culture classes, visit the Confucius Institute at wmuconfucius.org. Questions should be directed to Ruyuan Yang or  Bin Miao or by calling (269) 387-3784.