Section Info: ASIAN-108-01

Course Title: Stories in Chinese Characters: Etymology and the Practice of Calligraphy

Start Date: 01/27/2026 End Date: 05/12/2026

Term: Spring Semester 2026

Description: This course introduces Chinese characters as both a tool for communication and a window into history. Students will explore the writing system from oracle bones to running and cursive scripts, while gaining practical skills in recognizing character structure, principles of formation, and strategies for learning. Hands-on practice in Chinese calligraphy complements this learning by deepen students' appreciation for characters not only as a visual art form but also as a medium of expression and everyday communication. By the end of the course, students will have strengthened their ability to engage with Chinese texts while gaining insight into the cultural values embedded in the written word.

Distribution(s): I - Humanities , MP - Multicultural Perspectives

Academic Level Of Course: Undergraduate

Credits:4.00

Faculty	Phone	Email address
Shin-Yi Kao	413-538-2648	akao@mtholyoke.edu

Meeting Dates	Method	Meeting days	Meeting times	Building name	Room	Frequency
01/27/2026 - 05/12/2026	Lecture	Monday and Wednesday	01:45PM - 03:00PM	TBA	TBA	Weekly

REGISTRATION DETAILS

Requisite Courses
None

Comments

Additional Comments

Course Tags

Cross-listed Sections

None

Course Availability
Section status: Waitlisted	Capacity: 15	Enrollment: 16	Available: 0	Waitlist: 12

Please note: The "Available" count will equal 0 in a Waitlisted course where spaces in the course have recently opened and students have not yet been moved into them from the waitlist.

BOOK INFORMATION

Book List	Required	Publisher Full Price
To be determined.

Additional Book Comments

This is NOT the complete book list for this class.