Summer registration underway for low-cost Chinese culture courses

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Confucius Institute at Western Michigan University is accepting registrations for spring Chinese culture courses that begin the week of May 18.

The six-week, low-cost courses are open to the public. All of them are taught in English, and are offered to adults age 18 or older for personal enrichment rather than academic credit.

A half-price tuition discount is offered to those age 55 and older, WMU part-time faculty and staff members, and WMU students. Full-time faculty and staff members at the University pay no tuition. Some courses charge all participants a fee for materials, and those with low enrollment may be canceled.

Summer 2015 course offerings

• Basic Chinese Gongbi Painting—6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays, May 18 to June 22, 4017 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60. Materials fee: $20.

• Basic Tai Chi—6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, May 19 to June 23, 4002 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60.

• Basic Chinese Language—6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, May 19 to June 23, 3048 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60.

• Intermediate Chinese Language—6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, May 19 to June 23, 3003 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60.

• Basic Chinese Calligraphy—6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, May 20 to June 24, 4003 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60. Materials fee: $20.

• Intermediate Chinese Gongbi Painting—6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, May 21 to June 25, 4010 Brown Hall. Tuition: $60. Materials fee: $20.

Course instructors

• Xu Zhou is the instructor for Basic Tai Chi. She received her master’s degree from Beijing Language and Culture University in 2013, where she majored in linguistics and applied linguistics.

• Baoqing Qian, instructor of Basic Chinese Language and Basic Chinese Calligraphy, was born and raised in Beijing. She is a graduate of Beijing Language and Culture University, where she majored in English language and literature.

• Mingchen Zhao teaches Intermediate Chinese Language. She graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University with a master’s degree in linguistics and applied linguistics, where she also gained extensive knowledge on teaching Chinese as a foreign language.

• Xiaoying Li, the instructor of Basic and Intermediate Chinese Gongbi Painting, has a bachelor’s degree in art education and has served as an art instructor for more than 20 years. Her work is published in two books: “Traditional Chinese Realistic Painting of Flowers and Birds,” and “Chinese Painting Tutorial.”

Registration

For more information or to register for Chinese culture classes, visit the Confucius Institute at wmuconfucius.org or contact the institute at @email or (269) 387-3784.

Direct questions to Baoqing Qian at baoqing.qian@wmich or (269) 387-3784.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.