China is the home of humanity’s oldest continuous civilization, one of the most rapidly developing economies in the modern world, and the ancestral home of many Canadians. Chinese Studies at UVic offers language instruction at all levels of Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin), the national language of China, Taiwan, and Singapore, and an introduction to the Classical literary language, along with courses in the vernacular literary tradition read both in the original and in translation. Language courses are divided in two streams, one for Native Speakers and one for students whose first language is English or some other non-Chinese language (see the note on selecting language courses). In addition to Major and Honours programs in Pacific Studies with a China concentration (Area Studies or Language and Literature), the Department offers a General/Minor program in Chinese Studies. The specific requirements for this program differ for Native Speaking and other students. Consult the University Calendar for details.