The Confucius Institute supports a number of opportunities to learn Chinese at the University of Washington or in the community.

Beginner Chinese for the Community (check back in 2020)

This weekly course is designed for adults beginners. It aims to develop participants’ basic Chinese language communication skills while gaining familiarity of Chinese culture. (please check back next year for more class offering).

Location: Seattle Central Library, Seattle Downtown

For more information: Here

Contact: Nonie Xue at nonie.xue@spl.org

Beginner Chinese for university faculty & staff

Each quarter, CIWA offers the beginner Chinese course for UW faculty and staff who are interested in learning basic Chinese language to engage in the communication with their students, scholars and colleagues from China, the course will also enhance the participants’ understanding of Chinese culture. The 2019 classes have been concluded.

Level 1 (12:00 – 12:55 PM)

In course Level One you will learn phonetics, Chinese characters, basic vocabulary and daily expressions. By the end of the course, you will be able to develop basic listening and speaking skills in order to understand common topics, and gain familiarity with Chinese culture.

Level 2 (1:05 – 2:00 PM)

The Level Two course is for those who have basic knowledge of Mandarin Chinese and continue to learn pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar; develop higher level of listening, speaking and reading skills; and deepen your understanding of Chinese culture.

Instructor Biography:

Instructor Ms. Jing Yu is a lecturer from Sichuan University, CIWA’s partner institution in China. Before joining UW as a guest instructor in fall 2018, Ms. Yu worked as a Chinese language instructor at the University of Puget Sound for three years. Prior to that, Ms. Yu taught Chinese language and culture courses for two years in an institution of higher education in South Korea.

Tai Chi Class

CIWA offers Tai Chi classes for UW faculty and staff on a quarterly basis. Tai Chi is “an ancient Chinese tradition that, today, is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing…. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion.” (Source: Mayo Clinic.) Benefits of Tai Chi include improved strength, better balance, reduced stiffness and pain, enhanced sleep, and increased immunity.

Classes will be taught by Master Instructor Yijiao Hong, a 12th generation disciple of Chen Style Taichi, studying under Chen family successor and world-renowned Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei since 1998. No previous Tai Chi experience is required.

2019 Fall Quarter Class Dates (this will be the LAST session of Tai Chi class CIWA will offer on UW campus—take your chance!):

All classes will be held in HUB 332.

11/1/2019 Fri 12:00 -1:00PM (Yang style) , 1:00-2:00 PM (Chen style)

11/7/2019 Thu 6:00 -7:00PM(Yang style), 7:00 PM-8:00 PM (Chen style)

11/15/2019 Fri 12:00 -1:00PM(Yang style), 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Chen style)

11/22/2019 Fri 12:00 -1:00PM(Yang style), 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Chen style)

12/6/2019 Fri 12:00 -1:00PM(Yang style) , 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Chen style)

12/13/2019 Fri 12:00 -1:00PM(Yang style), 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Chen style)

12/20/2019 Fri 12:00 -1:00PM(Yang style), 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Chen style)

Class registration is limited & now open on a first-come, first-served basis.

Note: Yang Style Tai Chi is an in-depth, step-by-step instruction on the 24 form movements and Qigong warm-ups

Chen Style Tai Chi is to learn Chen Style Tai Chi Silk Reeling and Qigong warm-ups

Instructor Biography:

Master Instructor Yijiao Hong is a 12th generation disciple of Chen Style Tai Chi. She has sponsored Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei’s Chen Style Tai Chi Seminars in Seattle annually since 1998. In 2000, Master Hong was certified by the International Wushu Federation in Beijing, China as a Wushu International Judge. In 2004, Master Hong earned the highest rank as a Wushu International A Grade Judge in Beijing. Between 1999 and 2003, she judged for selection of National Wushu Teams for both the U. S. A. and Canada.

Master Hong was born in Jin Hua China, and started practicing Wushu with the Jin Hua Wu Shu Team when she was 8 years old. She was the top Wushu athlete and Tai Chi champion in Zhe Jiang province, China. Master Hong has a B.A. degree in physical education in Wushu and Tai Chi from Zhe Jiang Normal University, China. She became an assistant professor and team coach of Zhe Jiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1992. She coached the college Wushu and Tai Chi Team and competed in China national tournaments until she immigrated to Seattle, U.S. in 1994.

Master Hong was named U.S. “Year of the Athlete“ by USAWKF in 1998, and competed on the U.S.A National Wushu Team in the 5th World Wushu championship in Hong Kong in 1999, where she ranked 7th among the top world professional Tai Chi athletes. In 1996 Master Hong established the Chinese Wushu and Tai Chi Academy in Seattle and fosters thousands of students.