Learnt Chinese using textbook based on China's history

[Wippen (inactive)]

Recently there was something on another thread on Chairman Mao which prompted me to look up some old study material. I learnt Chinese at a private school during a summer course for two months once. The school had compiled their own study material. It was basically a textbook which explained the history of China. First a text on historical facts and then another text by a lecturer analysing the events, followed by the grammar points.

 

I remember the course being very hard because there was so much to remember in terms of history facts and dates and it was so much harder because it was all in Chinese at elementary level. Now looking at the material I wonder what they were thinking. The notes I made were mostly about the history and less about the language.

 

Have others had similar experiences with a school that created their own material that then ended up being about the history of China or similar?

 

I have attached some of the pages. Looking at it now it is amusing.

[NinKenDo]

Very interesting. TBF I would love something like this. Better than a bunch of dialogues about finding the nearest yinhang as far as I'm concerned. But seems pretty intense for beginner stuff. Still, I can power through anything if it's interesting.

[Wippen (inactive)]

@NinKenDo it was interesting. For example I got a chance to see how Chinese people learn about their history. I also learnt the numbers as I would be asked to recite the whole things. This was after around 150 hours of tuition. Perhaps more like upper elementary level.

[abcdefg]

May I ask where that was? Seems like a very good idea, but not one every private school would be able to tackle. I get so tired of text books aimed at 20 year old university students, talking about "what is your major" and "how is the dorm?" I left that world behind decades ago and don't really care about the vocabulary. 

[Wippen (inactive)]

@abcdefg  The school has since closed unfortunately. I get my teacher to tailor native material to my Needs and this works out well too. Aren't you at a level here you can do the same?

[abcdefg]

1 hour ago, Tøsen said:

I get my teacher to tailor native material to my Needs and this works out well too. Aren't you at a level here you can do the same?

 

Yes, that all I do anymore. Works out fine. No complaints at all. 

 

Every now and then I pick up one of my old textbooks and read a few chapters and work through the exercises before abandoning the project. Keep thinking that some day I'll do an orderly review of the whole business, but it never happens. My strong points keep getting stronger and my weak points keep getting weaker. 

[Bibu]

this is not a home brewed text book, it is a book written by qianmu.钱穆, check his wiki page: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh/錢穆.

 

I am a history fan, we can share views no chines history and world history as well.

 

To be honest, the book is too difficult for a non-Chinese, even for Chinese, without a good teacher, 50%-70% of content is hard to understand. You should know the background and culture behind to understand the stories...