This course aims to improve students’ reading and writing proficiency through rigorously reading and responding to literary works and essays related to the issues facing Chinese intellectuals. Students will have chance to develop their skills to accomplish abstract reasoning in addition to being able to narrate and describe. The selected essays will provide an intensive look at some of the most important social and cultural issues in modern and contemporary China. The course may have a dual-track approach, requiring the completion of both class-wide and individually designed projects.