Xu Lin: Chinese Language Quickly Going Global is a Great Phenomenon -- A Special Interview with Chinese State Council Consultant and Director General of Hanban

 

Guangming Net: How about teaching results?

Xu Lin: Results vary in different countries. For example, there are 15 students per class in the US and UK, but sometimes only 5 remain. There are rules that if the number of students of a class drops below 5, it must be cancelled. What should they do? Come back? They choose to make every effort to enroll students. Although countries have varying assessment criteria, their criteria for assessing results are similar: can you keep your students; if the students can bear let you go; if the students are willing to continue their Chinese learning. Generally speaking, our teachers have achieved all the above. Many students hugged their legs and begged them to stay when it was time to leave. Some of the teachers will cry during the first 2 months due to an inability to adapt to a new environment, they also cry for another 2 months when they miss their students. These teachers are real “row Chinese texts” scholars and the Confucius Institute is a platform for them to show their abilities. I am quite confident that China will stand tall upon the world stage.

There is Not a Version of the Analects of Confucius Which is Practical for TCFL

Guangming Net: Since Confucius is the brand image of Confucius Institute; the Analects of Confucius should be a necessary course in various Confucius Institutes. But it's said that such a course is seldom offered?

Xu Lin: We have offered courses about the Analects of Confucius, but only a small part of it. When classes begin abroad Confucius is introduced in the first week or month. The Analects of Confucius will then be mentioned. It is difficult to teach all of the content.

Guangming Net: Is it too profound?

Xu Lin: Yes. For example, there are a number of explanations of “Learn and review from time to time (学而时习之)”. In some people’s opinion it means that you have to practice what you have learned. In other countries, it means that you should put what you have learned into use. Different people have different understandings due to different cultures and backgrounds. The central ideas of Confucianism are taught: “do not do to others what would anger you” and “instruction knows no class distinction”. Some more profound ideas are difficult for members of the general public to understand, and therefore, are not integrated into the course. Not every word from the Analects of Confucius is useful for all learners; people from other countries, however, still want us to teach them. Confucius Institutes in some well-known universities such as Waseda University, the University of Edinburgh, Stanford University, Columbia University and the University of Michigan have made suggestions to us about the course. They are research institutes with a focus upon ancient Chinese culture, so they wish for the Analects of Confucius to be taught in foreign languages. Two years ago, I once asked a person from China International Publishing Group why we lack a definitive edition of the Analects of Confucius translated by Chinese people. There are currently a number of editions of the books in different languages, none are accurate. I think it is not Hanban, but experts from universities and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences that should take charge of this undertaking. To tell the truth, there is lack of translations of Chinese literary classics and ancient books for our Confucius Institutes in general. We cannot teach cultural skills exclusively. What are Chinese values? What is the Chinese national character? What is at the core of Chinese culture? These profound concepts should be introduced through courses focusing on Chinese classics.

Guangming Net: This is also part of our teaching and textbook plan in the future.

Xu Lin: We will surely face such problems because there are different needs in learning. The books are necessary for the Confucius Institutes to cultivate linguistic talent and to provide convenience for young sinologists. These materials are scarce.

Courses about Health Preservation with Traditional Chinese Medicine Are Welcomed in Confucius Institutes.