About Us

The Chinese Studies Division, a constituent part of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-SZ), was previously recognized as the Chinese Unit and underwent a name change to the Chinese Studies Division in 2023. From the university’s inception in 2014, the Chinese Studies Division stood among the earliest teaching groups established, adhering to the guiding philosophy of “combining tradition with modernity and bringing together China and the West.”

Against the backdrop of English being the predominant language of instruction in this Sino-foreign cooperative university, Chinese language and literature courses, delivered in Mandarin, assume a pivotal role in enhancing students’ comprehension of the Chinese language and culture, cultivating a sense of patriotism and developing cultural confidence. In acknowledgment of this significance, the Chinese Studies Division has proactively developed a distinctive teaching system, comprising three components: U-core courses, Minor courses, and the MA courses. 

The undergraduate U-core course “Chinese,” inherited from its counterpart at CUHK, is designed to broaden students' perspectives on Chinese language, literature, and culture. It focuses on enhancing proficiency in using the Chinese language and analyzing works. Since its introduction in 2014, the course has gained significant popularity, evident from its consistently high scores and top ranking in the Course Teaching Evaluation (CTE).

The Minor courses in Chinese language and literature commenced in 2021, providing an opportunity for individuals aspiring to delve into foundational humanities subjects. Through comprehensive training, students acquire extensive knowledge in various aspects of Chinese studies, laying the groundwork for further studies in Chinese or related fields.

The Master of Arts in Chinese Language and Literature program is taught by teachers with rich teaching and research experience. The curriculum includes various research directions in this field, such as linguistics, classical Chinese texts, classical literature, modern literature, and literary studies. The aim of this program is to cultivate students into professionals with creativity and independent thinking skills.

Teachers in the Chinese Studies Division are characterized by specialization, diversity, and youthfulness. Initially comprised of two teachers, the division later expanded with the addition of nine more members, all holding doctoral degrees from prestigious universities both domestically and internationally. The faculty members possess expertise across various disciplines within the Chinese Studies domain, including Chinese classical literature, modern Chinese literature, linguistics, philology, and classical Chinese texts. The division has witnessed significant advancements in teaching and research capabilities in recent years. In terms of teaching, the Shenzhen Municipal Education Bureau honored it as the advanced unit in education in 2021. Faculty members have received accolades such as Outstanding Teacher in Shenzhen, President's Award for Teaching Excellence at CUHK-SZ, Excellence in Ethical and Moral Conduct Award at CUHK-SZ, and Outstanding Achievement Award in the Teaching Innovation Competition at CUHK-SZ. On the research front, faculty members have been involved in two major projects sponsored by the National Social Science Foundation of China, led two youth projects supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Youth Foundation of China, and participated in a collaborative project of Guangdong Province's social science planning program.

Mission and Vision

Influenced by Western culture, it is commonplace to observe students experiencing a deficiency in Chinese cultural knowledge and confidence. Furthermore, non-Chinese-major students strongly desire to delve into the intricacies of the Chinese language, culture, and traditions. This dual scenario prevails on campus, particularly at CUHK-SZ, a Sino-foreign cooperative university where instruction is primarily in English. This underscores the crucial and irreplaceable role played by Chinese language and literature courses conducted in Mandarin in nurturing and elevating students' humanistic qualities. In the future, the Chinese Studies Division plans to build upon the foundation of popular Chinese-related courses. These courses will serve as the cornerstone for igniting students' enthusiasm for Chinese and fostering the development of the Chinese major.

The Chinese Studies Division, driven by a mission to inherit exceptional traditional culture and foster talent, consistently enhances the construction of the Chinese disciplinary system through ongoing refinement and deepening innovation. In this way, it will elevate students' humanistic qualities, patriotism, and cultural confidence. The overarching goal of the discipline is to cultivate students with the capacity to navigate challenges in academic life at university and to prepare them for future career development and further studies through systematic training.