This year, 19 students participated in the intensive Chicago in Beijing Summer Chinese Language Program held at the UChicago Center in Beijing. Youqin WANG, Director of the University of Chicago’s Chinese Language Program and Senior Lecturer in Chinese, and Fangpei CAI, Senior Lecturer in Chinese, returned to lead the Graham School organized program for its fifth year at the Center. The students spent eight weeks in Beijing attending language lectures and going on weekly excursions in and around Beijing.
This summer, the students enjoyed trips to the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and many other historical sites. Late in the summer, the students visited the Lama Temple where they had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Kaichao, a former Lama Temple monk and current research fellow with the Institute of religious studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The group also attended a number of events held outside the Center. In July, the Center held a Launchpad Event at a popular Beijing bookstore where students were able to connect with local UChicago alumni. Many students also chose to participate in the annual Beijing Area Chinese Language Speech Competition, held this year at Beijing Language and Culture University.
