Tea Ceremonies, Rabbits, and Table Tennis: Chinese Studies at HSE University in Perm

The ‘Foreign Languages ​​and Intercultural Communication in Business’ programme at HSE University in Perm places a special emphasis on learning a second foreign language, offering students a choice of German, French, or Chinese. The HSE News Service spoke to students who have been studying Chinese for a year about their experiences of passing an exam for an international certificate and gaining a better understanding of Chinese culture.

During the academic year, the students not only had a lot of practice writing and memorising characters, but also got acquainted with the traditions and culture of China. For example, they took part in a real tea ceremony, tried Chinese dumplings and other traditional dishes, learned to draw with ink and brushes, and played table tennis.

The students also actively prepared for the HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) Chinese language exam in Moscow. They managed to pass the test and received certificates that are recognised all over the world.

Arina Pivovarova, student of the ‘Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication in Business’ programme

The most difficult thing about the Chinese language was memorising characters, oddly enough, because over time there are so many of them that you start to get them mixed up.

There is more to the Chinese language than difficulties, however; it is also about something new and interesting. In addition to learning the language from books, we also focus on the traditions, cuisine, and culture of China. During this academic year, we visited a traditional Chinese restaurant with our Chinese language teacher Ksenia Kryukova. We attended a tea ceremony, found out which utensils are used for each type of tea, and sampled them. We even tried traditional Chinese ink-and-brush painting and drew cute rabbits in honour of the year 2023. In May of this year, we went to Moscow to take the official language proficiency exam (HSK1) and test our level of Chinese. Thanks to this trip, we were able to enjoy beautiful views of Huaming Park in Moscow and visit several places rich in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese culture. We are also going to visit China for language courses this summer and take HSK3 in December 2023.

Elina Khimochko, student of the ‘Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication in Business’ programme

It was no coincidence that Chinese was the second foreign language in my curriculum. First of all, I took into account the friendly relations between our country and China. In the future, I want to delve into the field of international relations. In addition, I wanted to get acquainted with both the culture of China and its language—with these characters that were previously incomprehensible to me.

The first Chinese language exam during the winter session was more than successful. I got 10 points. There is no special secret to success—it is only a matter of constant practice, doing homework, and actively participating in practical classes.

Polina Noskova, student of the ‘Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication in Business’ programme

I have been interested in China and its culture for a very long time, so the decision to study Chinese, and particularly at HSE University, was made quickly. From the very first lesson, I immediately knew that I was in the right place. In our classes, in addition to looking for answers to questions, while studying the rules and doing exercises, we also immersed ourselves in the mysterious and majestic culture of China.

Ksenia Kryukova

Chinese language teacher, HSE University in Perm

Chinese is one of the most difficult languages: the tones, characters, and multiple meanings of the same words make a lot of people think that it is impossible to learn Chinese. Students and teachers of HSE University in Perm have proved the contrary. In addition to textbooks and practical exercises, the students immersed themselves in Chinese culture and history with me.

The students had Chinese cuisine at the Pekin restaurant, where they tried traditional Chinese dumplings ‘饺子 jiǎozi’, juicy gong bao chicken, and other delights from various provinces. We celebrated Chinese New Year with a lesson in Chinese painting, during which we drew the symbol of the year—the rabbit. The students used wolf-hair brushes, rice paper, and ink to bring their rabbits to life and bring us some good luck.

The students have successfully passed the Chinese language exam in Moscow and received certificates that are valid all over the world. They celebrated the end of the academic year with a table tennis tournament, which is the most popular sport in China.

Application documents for undergraduate programmes at HSE University in Perm are accepted until August 13th. More information about the conditions of admission can be found in the International Admissions webpage.

If you have any questions about admission or studying on the ‘Foreign Languages ​​and Intercultural Communication in Business’ programme, you can contact Academic Supervisor Elizaveta Smirnova using this form. International students may be eligible to receive Russian government and HSE scholarships and tuition fee waivers.