Chinese

Modern and Contemporary Literature and Culture

Researchers: Chang Yuan, Chu Kiu-wai, Cui Feng, Hee Wai Siam, I Lo-fen, Arista Kuo, Uganda Kwan, Ong Soon Keong, Yow Cheun Hoe, Zhang Songjian.

Modern and contemporary literature and cultural studies has always been a major emphasis of NTU Chinese. Our faculty has published extensively on Chinese-language literature and cultural productions by writers from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the global Chinese diaspora. Their works adopt various methodological approaches, ranging from Cold War studies; literature on gender and social movements since the 20^th century; Chinese diasporic writing; to nature and animal writing, and science fictions in the era of environmental crisis. Our members actively organize literary activities such as webinar series, poetry sessions, and reading groups specifically on Hong Kong and Singapore literature, regularly for both the academic community and the broader public.  

Visual, Media and Performance Studies

Researchers: Chu Kiu-wai, Hee Wai Siam, I Lo-fen, Arista Kuo, Uganda Kwan, Yeo Min Hui

NTU Chinese has a strong presence in Chinese and Sinophone film studies, visual media, and performance studies. Our faculty has published extensively on cinema and theatre of Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, which include field-defining books on Text-and-Image Studies; Singaporean and Chinese theatres; Chinese-language cinema in Singapore and Malaya before and during the Cold War, and Amoy-dialect cinema in the 1940s to 1960s, to name but a few. Our faculty also research and publish innovative and influential works on ecocinema and ecomedia studies; audiovisual translation and subtitling studies; urban culture and social movements. Many of these have received local and overseas awards and research grants.

Ancient and Modern History and Thoughts

Researchers: Chang Yuan, Chu Kiu-wai, Lu Hu (PT), Ong Soon Keong, Uganda Kwan

NTU Chinese’s research focuses on both the ancient and the modern periods. Our faculty’s research expertise and publications stretch from classical and modern Chinese thoughts to ancient and modern Chinese histories and cultural movements. Through studying ancient and modern histories, as well as classical and modern Chinese thoughts, our faculty’s research aims to advance knowledge in both Chinese history and philosophy. At the same time, we also explore the contemporary relevance of our research as we face the various challenges in the twenty-first century.   

Linguistics and Chinese Linguistics

Researchers: Lim Ni Eng, Lin Jingxia

Linguistics, and in particularly Chinese Linguistics, is one of the most important research areas within NTU Chinese; and our research faculties focus on pushing the boundaries of current linguistic theories and methods, as well as their applicability to real world situations. Our faculty has published extensively about the Chinese language within the disciplinary fields of sociolinguistics, pragmatics, linguistic typology, language contact and variations, Chinese dialectal studies, syntax-semantic interface, ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, medical interaction, second language education and global Chinese education.

Translation Studies

Researchers: Arista Kuo, Cui Feng, Uganda Kwan

NTU Chinese is not only devoted to further developing English-Chinese translation education but also playing a leading role in research in East Asian translation studies, persisting in delivering high-impact research. Our faculty continuously conduct innovative research to address interdisciplinary inquiries across diverse fields, including translation theories, translation history, literary translation, gender in translation, medio-translatology, translation in sports writing, translation policy, audiovisual translation, dialect translation, cognitive translation studies, and so on. Our researchers in translation studies also regularly organize translation seminars inviting speakers from both academia and industry.        

Ethnic Chinese and Singapore Studies

Researchers: Ong Soon Keong, Cui Feng, Hee Wai Siam, I Lo-fen, Arista Kuo, Lin Jingxia, Yeo Min Hui, Yow Cheun Hoe, Zhang Songjian

Being a leading research hub in Southeast Asia, NTU Chinese produces influential works on the study of ethnic Chinese studies in Singaporean and Malaysian contexts. Our faculty’s world-leading research focus on socio-economic and cultural histories of Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, adopting interdisciplinary approaches towards Chinese diaspora and migration studies in relations to China and the countries of residence, ranging from literature and film; education; to economics and politics, in order to reflect how Chinese communities have transformed Singapore and Malaysia. 

Creative Writing

Researchers: Hee Wai Siam, Yow Cheun Hoe, Zhang Songjian, Liang Wern Fook (adjunct), Tung Ka Wai (PT)

NTU’s Chinese Creative Writing programme consists of researchers from both our full-time faculty members, as well as prominent local writers such as Liang Wern Fook, Wong Koi Tet, and Tung Ka Wai. Researchers under the “Creative Writing” banners both compose and conduct research on fiction, prose, poetry, lyrics writing, playwriting, media writing and cross-media writing. NTU  also partners the National Arts Council to run the Asia Creative Writing Programme. Critically acclaimed writers, both local and international, work on a literary project of their own and teach creative writing courses in NTU.