Writing in the “devil's” tongue: A history of English writing instruction in Chinese colleges, 1862–2004

Xiaoye You, Purdue University

Abstract

Combining traditional analytical narrative and postmodern presentation of polyphonic voices, my study engages in a historical examination of English writing instruction in Chinese colleges since 1862. The present study is primarily concerned about (1) how socio-cultural changes in Chinese society shaped pedagogical discourse; (2) what was the relationship between theory, research and practice; and (3) what was the relationship between Chinese and English writing instruction. Over one and a half century, college students in China invariably bore the burden of having to think and write in the “foreign devil's” mindset while breathing in the Chinese cultural milieu. After the Opium Wars, Chinese students began to be exposed to the Western rhetorical tradition, particularly scientific rhetoric as manifested in science and technology textbooks. Systematic English writing instruction in Chinese colleges surfaced at the turn of the 20th century. In foreign mission colleges, equal emphasis was placed on English literature and composition; while in some state universities, translation was also emphasized, revealing a nationalistic project, i.e., to expose more Chinese people to Western learning through translated works so as to build a strong nation. Starting from the 1910s, English writing instruction in both state and private schools was unified under current-traditional rhetoric, resulting from the conflation of Western and Chinese rhetorical traditions. In Maoist China (1949–1976), English writing instruction was reduced to a rudimentary level due to various international and domestic political movements. In the late 1970s, English was once again required in colleges as a vital means for introducing Western technology and investment in the country. In the late 1980s, English writing instruction in colleges witnessed some improvement. In the 1990s, English writing instruction, as considered by many people in China, adopted a modern version of the eight-legged essay type of pedagogy and encouraged college students to write English in hybridized styles. My dissertation concludes this historical narrative by calling attention to the uniqueness of the history of English writing instruction in China, and suggesting that similar historical inquires at other locales are needed for composition studies when it works to address writing issues of both national and international nature.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Silva, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Rhetoric|Composition|Language arts|Higher education

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