Learning During the Hiyoshi Years Determines the Future

April is the season of encounters. Whenever I step into a new class for the first time, a thought always crosses my mind: that by some twist of fate, we are about to study Chinese together. Some students remain in my classes from their first year through their fourth year, and when I see them looking even more dignified after finishing their job searches, I am filled with deep emotion as I recall their freshness as freshmen.

Across the Faculty of Law Chinese language program, we thoroughly instill "lifelong" pronunciation during the first year. To help students remember the tones and beautiful resonance of Chinese, my classes sometimes involve reciting classical Chinese poetry and nursery rhymes. In the second year, while maintaining a balance with conversation and reading comprehension in other classes, my class primarily focuses on studying grammar systematically.

Some students enjoy studying grammar while others struggle with it, but those who excel are the ones who understand grammar properly. I emphasize to my students that they should avoid bluffing and instead strive to speak correctly and confidently using proper grammar. By the third and fourth years, students who worked hard during their Hiyoshi years show remarkable growth. While reviewing what they have learned so far, they can enjoy learning by reading Chinese in various styles, memorizing four-character idioms and historical allusions, and beginning to feel the "breath" of the Chinese language.

Keio University Faculty of Law is also famous as a center for modern Chinese studies in Japan. The Chinese you learn at the university will surely enrich your life if you choose to be involved in Japan-China relations in the world of academia or business.