Taming the Dragon, survey of Chinese Literature from ancient to modern, is the title of ELIT-465, a new course designed mainly for business students who plan on going on the China Study Tour.
The course is taught by English Associate Professor Autumn Schilleman and offers an additional option in the humanities for business students, when previously the only two options were business administration courses.
The purpose of the tour and class is to expose students to Chinese cultures, history, literature, economics, business and politics.
“Learning about a country through its greatest written works in combination with traveling is an amazing opportunity,” Schilleman said.
Students will get to read poetry, fiction and prose selections from the ancient past to the modern day in the Chinese literature course. The class is meant to provide a background for students to understand China better during the trip.
The 2019 China Study Tour will be the eighth biannual tour since 2005. International business majors, as well as other Southern students, are given the opportunity to attend.
Preference for attending the tour is given to International Business Students, but anyone can come as there are 15 to 30 slots.
The planned departure date is May 12 and the planned return date is May 31.
The tour will venture to places such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. There will also be meetings with Seventh-day Adventist institutions and businessmen.
Schilleman has participated in the study tour four times so far and previously taught a year in Taiwan before coming to Southern. She said those experiences have helped her develop a great interest and appreciation for Chinese literature and culture.
“We learn about others and their culture, but also so much about ourselves when we travel with an open mind and heart, just as we do when we read a great piece of literature,” Schilleman said. “There aren't any other courses on campus that combine these two opportunities, so this is a sort of first in a way.”