- A picture of Chinese calligraphyAnicent Chinese Calligraphy image by Da Vynci from Fotolia.com
Chinese is one of the fastest growing academic fields of study in the United States, according to the New York Times. Colleges, high schools and even primary schools and kindergartens are adding Chinese language classes while courses in other languages and language study in general continue to decline. There are many reasons to study Chinese, from the personal to the practical. - With over 5,000 years of Chinese history, knowing the Chinese language opens the door to exploring one of the oldest cultures in the world first-hand. From reading an copy of Sun Tzu's "Art of War" in Chinese characters to listening to a live broadcast of the Peking Opera, knowing Chinese gives you a deeper understanding of the customs and traditions of China and better insight into the historical roots on which contemporary Chinese society is built. In addition, speaking Chinese allows you to more effectively explain your own history and culture to people in China.
- In addition to the being the language of 1.4 billion people in China, Chinese is also the primary language in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and of millions of Chinese around the world. Speaking Chinese gives you the ability to communicate with the world's Chinese-speaking population. While differences in dialect exist, the written language (in complex or simplified character form) is common to all Chinese speakers. Speaking Chinese, you can communicate with one of the world's largest language populations.
- As China becomes an increasingly important actor in the business, politics and technology, so will opportunities to work in China, for a Chinese venture, or in a China-related field. For some of these jobs, speaking Chinese will be a required skill while for others speaking Chinese will give you a competitive advantage in securing a position or promotion over others who do not have the ability.
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