Hongmei Yu

Hongmei Yu portrait
Associate Professor of Chinese

Office: Main 402

Phone: 563-387-2178

Email: yuho01@luther.edu

Biography

Education: Ph.D., Program of Comparative Literature, University of Oregon; M.A., Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture, Peking University, China; B.A., School of Journalism, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

Hongmei Yu earned her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Oregon and her M.A. from Peking University. She worked as a teaching assistant for courses in Chinese language, Chinese literature, and cinema at the University of Oregon before she joined Luther College for the newly established Chinese program in 2008.

Her research interests are film studies, comparative literature, and contemporary Chinese culture. She offers Chinese language courses at different levels at Luther as well as Chinese literature and cinema courses.

CHIN 101, 102 Beginning Chinese I, II

This course offers an introduction to speaking, reading, listening to, and writing Chinese. Through the study of the language, the student will also gain an appreciation of Chinese culture and contemporary life.

CHIN 201 Intermediate Chinese

A continuation of the study of Mandarin Chinese: grammar, writing, speaking, reading and listening comprehension. Speaking proficiency will be developed through active class participation. The use of authentic materials (video, music, texts) will enhance language skills and cultural knowledge.

CHIN 242 A Chinese Cinema & Chinese Modern

From the fall of the Clestial Empire to the rise of China’s economy today, Chinese cinema has witnessed many social changes in the modern era. This course will focus on the interaction between Chinese cinema and the process of modernization. By examining how Chinese films dialogue with Hollywood, it will explore Chinese people’s experiences of semi-colonial modernity, socialist modernity and postsocialist/global modernity. Students will watch select films made in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Along with reading and writing assignments, students will be required to do oral presentations.

  • Ph.D., Program of Comparative Literature, University of Oregon, 2008
    Dissertation: “The Politics of Images: Chinese Cinema in the Context of Globalization”
  • M.A., Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture, Peking University, China, 2001
    Thesis: “How the Steel was Tempered: A Russian Novel in China”
  • B.A., School of Journalism, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China, 1994