Enhancing Cultural Awareness via Literature in Chinese Second Language Education

To understand and appreciate the culture of a target language is one of the most important aims of acquiring a second language. This article intends to join the existing scholarship which emphasizes the importance of introducing Chinese culture efficiently and effectively. It aims to showcase the feasibility and necessity of introducing Chinese literary works into the second language class, especially at advanced levels, in Australian tertiary education. After a detailed discussion of the role of literature in Chinese history and culture, the importance of using Chinese literature as a means of understanding its culture will be articulated. This is followed by examination of feedback from students who have been reading Chinese literary works as a part of their curriculum. It will be seen that students of Chinese as a second language benefit from encountering Chinese literary works which help them to structure their knowledge of Chinese language and culture. This study also illustrates that learning the target language literature helps students to rethink the literature and traditions of their own culture.