Lingua Franca

Chinese Language Courses and Events at SSU

Starting in Fall 2010, the Department of Foreign Languages is offering courses in Chinese language and culture that were approved last year by the College. Currently Chinese 101 is being offered in Fall 2010 and the continuation to this course, Chinese 102, will be offered in Spring 2011. Intermediate courses were also approved and we hope that this is just the beginning of a successful program about one of the major world languages.

Ms. Jie Li

Chinese courses are being taught by Professor Jie Li, a native of Jilin province in north-east China. Before coming to the U.S. in 1995, Ms. Li taught at Guang Zhou University, a school that trains secondary school teachers. In addition to teaching Chinese at Salem State, she currently also teaches Chinese at Quincy College and is a court interpreter for the state of Massachusetts. Ms. Li has been teaching Chinese and ESL for the last 20 years.

Why Study Chinese?

China has one of the oldest and richest cultures in the world. Mandarin Chinese is the language with the greatest number of native speakers in the world. In the People’s Republic of China alone Mandarin Chinese is the mother tongue of over 873 million people, and approximately another 400 million people speak Chinese outside of China. Chinese is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

China is the world’s most rapidly developing country and the second largest economy of the world, which means it will play a major role in world affairs in the future. It is also one of the largest trading partners of the United States. Proficiency in Chinese will be a great advantage in the job market and for career advancement due to the growing global importance of Chinese products and services. Many students and professionals around the world are studying Chinese, which also means learning about Chinese culture and world view.  Learning the language is an essential tool in preparing oneself for careers in Political Science, International Affairs, International Business, Economy, Business, International Law and others.

Calligraphy event at Salem State University

Mr. Jiang Tian Yuan

On Monday, November 15, 2010, from 11 am until 12:15 pm, expert calligraphist Jiang Tian Yuan performed a demonstration of the art of Chinese calligraphy. Mr. Jiang was accompanied and assisted by Professor Jie Li and her Chinese 101 class. The event took place in the Commons Dining Hall, lower level, North Campus.

Mr. Jiang Tian Yuan was born in 1938 in Canton, China. As a native of Taishan City, he loves the art of Chinese calligraphy and paintings. He was quite fortunate to receive the guidance of famous painting artist Professor Li Xiong Chai, and calligrapher Huang Zi Hao. Mr. Jiang has been in the field of painting and calligraphy for over 30 years.  He holds membership to the Canton Contemporary Painting and Calligraphy Society and the Canton Fragrant Snow Painting and Calligraphy Society. He is an Honorable Advisor to the Canton Yuet Hoi Poets Society. In 1992, he immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts. He is an advisor to the Boston Chinese Painting Academy and a member of the New England Arts Society and China Calligraphy Society.

During his workshop-presentation, Mr. Jiang Tian wrote numerous signs for the audience and members of the Department of Foreign Languages. Among them is the sign at the right, which hangs in the department’s chairperson’s office and which reads: “Good teachers educate students to become highly qualified professionals. Your achievements are great.”