There are some characteristics in the teaching and research of China literature in American universities. First of all, the research and teaching of China literature is regarded as a part of regional studies. For example, the study of China literature in Columbia University is mainly conducted in the major of East Asian language and culture, and it has cooperative relations with some Asian research departments such as the major of East Asian regional studies and the Center for East Asian Studies.
The major of East Asian Language and Culture is mainly responsible for the teaching of languages, history, literature, thought and philosophy in East Asian countries. The major of East Asian regional studies focuses on social sciences such as politics, economy, society, humanities, international relations and law, and provides relevant information for East Asian studies. The East Asia Research Center is mainly engaged in research, communication and publishing activities. Although the major of East Asian Language, Culture and Chemistry is mainly engaged in comprehensive education of language, literature, history and thought, some students use social science methodology for research.
At Harvard University, the study of China literature is also an area of East Asian regional studies, which is mainly conducted in East Asian language and culture majors. The same is true of the Asian Studies major at Cornell University and the East Asian Studies major at new york University.
Secondly, the research and teaching of China literature is regarded as a part of regional studies, so the teaching of language, literature and culture is closely related to other disciplines, such as comparative literature, film, performing arts and social sciences, in addition to language and culture majors and East Asian majors. Most professors there have two jobs. Although the teaching of East Asian language and culture belongs to other disciplines, it is also open to students studying in Asia to learn the basic knowledge about East Asia. From this point of view, another feature of American universities' study of China literature is interdisciplinary, which has extensive connections with surrounding disciplines, and has broken through the primary stage of Sinology, which is purely about language and writing.
The third characteristic of China literature teaching in the United States is that it is deeply influenced by multiculturalism. Multicultural teaching can be regarded as the influence of the wave of recognizing the political, cultural and equal rights of ethnic minorities in American social culture in the 1980s on the curriculum and teaching content of university education. Moreover, the rate of Asians receiving higher education in the United States is quite high. Under the principle of equality of citizens, it is inevitable to explore and identify with the culture of Asian Americans. As a result, the teaching of China literature has become one of the contents of general literature teaching in American universities. At the same time, the courses of Asian American literature and overseas Chinese literature have also appeared.
Judging from the contents of China literature teaching and research in American universities, there are four directions.
1, Language Teaching In the language teaching in American universities, Chinese teaching is generally the responsibility of East Asian language and culture majors. Generally speaking, education in China lasts for three academic years, which is divided into elementary, intermediate and advanced levels. Generally speaking, students can master the ability of listening, speaking, reading and writing through three years of language learning. In addition to hanyu pinyin and common basic conversations, the teaching content also includes reading newspapers and magazines, modern novels, essays, papers and simple classical literary works. Students who study China literature should also study China's classical and modern literary works, such as Tang poetry and Song poetry, ancient prose and the works of Lu Xun, Mao Dun and Ba Jin. Besides learning Mandarin in China, some universities also offer courses in minority languages, such as Tibetan course in Columbia University, Cantonese course in new york University and Minnan course in Harvard University.
2. Literature education Literature education is divided into two parts: China classical literature and modern literature. Classical literature mainly refers to ancient prose, poetry, ci and novels in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Modern literature mainly refers to the literature in 1930s and contemporary literature. Novels by writers such as Lu Xun, Ba Jin and Mao Dun, as well as later revolutionary literature, scar literature and contemporary urban literature are the focus of teaching.
3. Understanding China literature from the perspective of Asia and the world At present, China literature education and research in American universities not only take into account the particularity of China literature, but also pay attention to the universality of China literature. Through literature, they not only explore the culture and characteristics of China, but also promote the teaching and research of China literature to Asia and the world in general. In university education, they are not satisfied with discovering the particularity of China, but also study the problem of China literature as the same problem in Asia and the world.
4. Multimedia Teaching Another feature of China literature teaching and research in American universities is to discuss China's modern literature, movies and culture together. This feature is very obvious in the curriculum arrangement or seminar of senior year or graduate school. The relationship between literature and film, film and history and culture is usually the focus of the seminar. Professor Wang Dewei, a representative figure in the field of China literature studies in the United States and director of East Asian language and culture major at Columbia University, also offered the course "Literature and Film in Modern China", which is a common method of literature education in China.