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Epic China: A Mandarin Journey Through Dramas and Legends

Step into Chinese with time-travel, palace plots, and poetic love

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What you'll learn

  • Master essential Mandarin phrases and cultural expressions through 10 iconic Chinese costume dramas.
  • Enhance listening and speaking skills by imitating dialogue from drama characters across fantasy, wuxia, and palace genres.
  • Gain deep cultural insight into Chinese values, traditions, and history—from ancient cities to poetic wisdom.
  • Build vocabulary and sentence structure while exploring themes like love, power, justice, loyalty, and destiny.

Explore related topics

  • Art History
  • Philosophy
  • Chinese Culture
  • Mandarin Chinese Language
  • Art & Crafts

This course includes:

10 sections • 30 lectures • 2h 16m total length

  • 2.5 hours on-demand video
  • Access on Podcast
  • Full lifetime access
  • Certificate of completion
     

Course Content

  1. Section 1: Rise of the Reborn Heroine: Lessons from Alfalfa (九重紫)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 1: "One Life, Many Paths" — Rewrite Your Fate in Mandarin
    2. Lecture 2: "Power in Patience" — The Art of Moving with Strategy
    3. Lecture 3: "Be Your Own Firework" — Speak Your Identity with Confidence

  2. Section 2: Cursed by Fate, Redeemed by Love: The World of Hua Qiangu (花千骨)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 4: "Born to Break the Curse" — Speak the Power Behind a Doomed Name
    2. Lecture 5: "Destiny vs. Devotion" — Say the Words That Define Tragedy
    3. Lecture 6: "Love That Hurts, Love That Heals" — Talk Through Betrayal and Grace

  3. Section 3: Ghosts, Morals, and Mirrors — The Haunting Truths of Liaozhai (聊斋志异)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 7: "Painted Faces, Ghostly Truths" — Speak the Line Between Humans and Masks
    2. Lecture 8: "Kind Intentions, Harsh Judgments" — Talk Morality Beyond Right or Wrong
    3. Lecture 9: "The Pure Need No Defense" — Say What It Means to Stay Righteous

  4. Section 4: Eternal Love Across Lifetimes: Mandarin Lessons from Peach Blossom Dreams (三生三世十里桃花)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 10: "Three Lives, One Love" — Speak the Poetry of Destiny and Peach Blossoms
    2. Lecture 11: "Only You in All Eternity" — Say the Line That Moved a Generation
    3. Lecture 12: "Past, Present, Future" — Talk About Love That Never Forgets

  5. Section 5: Mysteries of the Tang Dynasty: Language, Logic, and the Human Heart (唐朝诡事录)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 13: "A City of Shadows" — Speak the Secrets Hidden in Chang’an’s Alleys
    2. Lecture 14: "Truth Beneath the Tea" — Talk Through Cases and Clues Like a Tang Detective
    3. Lecture 15: "The Heart Knows Best" — Say What Even Evidence Can’t Prove

  6. Section 6: Hearts and Thrones: Mandarin Through the Drama of Scarlet Heart (步步惊心)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 16: "Trapped in Time" — Speak the Language of Love and Fate Across Dynasties
    2. Lecture 17: "Brothers, Rivals, Emperors" — Talk Through Power Struggles and Betrayal
    3. Lecture 18: "Rituals and Thrones" — Say What Rules the Qing Court and the Human Heart

  7. Section 7: Legends of Love and Blade: Learn Mandarin Through Chinese Paladin (仙剑奇侠传)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 21: "Jianghu Spirit" — Talk Like a Hero in a World Without Rules
    2. Lecture 19: "Destined Encounters" — Speak the Language of Fate, Swords, and First Love
    3. Lecture 20: "Chivalry and Chaos" — Master Mandarin Through Wuxia Spirit and Swordplay

  8. Section 8: Blades in the Snow: Mastering Mandarin Through Wuxia Legends (雪中悍刀行)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 22: "The Sword-Swinging Heir: Xu Fengnian’s First Step into Wuxia"
    2. Lecture 23: "One Man, One Blade: The Spirit of Kung Fu"
    3. Lecture 24: "Blades and Shadows: The Power Behind Dāo Guāng Jiàn Yǐng"

  9. Section 9: Joy of Life: Poetry, Power, and the Pursuit of Light (庆余年)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 25: "I Was Born for the Blade" — A Hero’s First Stand in a Ruthless World
    2. Lecture 26: "Spring Has Kites, Summer Has Fish" — Dreaming Amidst the Chaos
    3. Lecture 27: "Be the Lighthouse" — When the World Is Dark, Shine Anyway

  10. Section 10: "Chang’an Unveiled: Time, Heroes, and the World’s First Megacity" (长安十二时辰)

    3 lessons
    1. Lecture 28: "Hours That Moved a Nation: Understanding the Chinese 'Shíchen'"
    2. Lecture 29: "A Hero from the Shadows: Choice, Loyalty, and the Spirit of Xiá"
    3. Lecture 30: "Chang’an: The World’s First Metropolis and Its Ancient Genius"

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Requirements

  • No prior Mandarin experience required — this course is designed for learners at all levels. An interest in Chinese dramas, culture, or storytelling will enhance your experience.

Description

Tired of dull language apps and lifeless textbooks? It's time to learn Mandarin in a way that’s thrilling, emotional, and unforgettable.

Epic China: A Mandarin Journey Through Dramas and Legends invites you into the heart of Chinese language and culture—through 10 of China’s most iconic drama series.

From time-traveling romances to haunted love stories, from immortal realms to palace conspiracies, each set of three lessons takes you deep into a world where every word carries tension, beauty, and meaning.

You’ll step into scenes where swords decide justice, love defies fate, and secrets change destinies. Along the way, you’ll hear how Mandarin is spoken in moments of heartbreak, courage, betrayal, and quiet resilience—not from a textbook, but from the mouths of unforgettable characters.

1. Learn Mandarin through addictive drama, not dull drills—where every word has a story, and every story teaches a new way to speak.

2. Travel through epic tales of time-traveling heroines, immortal love, palace intrigue, and haunted romances—all while mastering real, emotional Mandarin.

3. Decode the language of betrayal, loyalty, heartbreak, and triumph as it’s spoken in legendary moments of Chinese television.

4. Discover how status, emotion, and unspoken meaning shape Mandarin in ways textbooks never could.

5. Build your vocabulary while unraveling love triangles, ghost weddings, sword fights, and secret rebellions.

6. Explore the poetic rhythm of Chinese through unforgettable quotes, monologues, and dramatic one-liners.

7. Immerse yourself in cultural values like filial piety, fate, honor, and resilience—embedded in gripping scenes you’ll never forget.

8. Feel like you’re binge-watching fantasy TV—but with every twist and plot turn, you’re becoming a more fluent speaker.

9. Whether you're a beginner or advanced learner, this course makes Chinese thrilling, cinematic, and culturally rich.

10. Come for the language, stay for the legends—and walk away with a voice that speaks Mandarin and a mind shaped by epic stories.

Who this course is for:

  • Mandarin learners who want to study the language through storytelling, emotion, and vivid cultural scenes. Fans of Chinese costume dramas, fantasy tales, and historical fiction who wish to deepen their cultural understanding. Beginner to intermediate learners looking for an engaging, drama-based alternative to textbook learning. Educators and culture lovers seeking authentic expressions and insights into Chinese values, poetry, and history. Anyone who’s ever fallen in love with a line from a Chinese drama—and wants to say it right.

Instructor

Garbo Tian

Garbo Tian is a seasoned business strategist and cross-border education entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, investment operations, and institutional partnerships across China, the U.S., and Asia-Pacific.

She is the founder of a cross-border education company with RMB 100 million+ in cumulative revenue, where she built and led academic credit transfer collaborations with over 400 universities and colleges around the world. Her work has helped bridge global education systems, develop sustainable academic programs, and promote East–West learning partnerships.

In the business sector, Garbo has advised on entrepreneurship strategy, ESG integration, and post-investment management across sectors ranging from education to finance.

Garbo is a frequent speaker in both English and Chinese, having delivered over 1,000 professional talks to audiences that include executives, university faculty, policymakers, and international entrepreneurs.

Her academic credentials include:

  • Doctor of Education, University of Southern California (USC)
  • Master's in Economics and Management, University of York, UK

Garbo's courses focus on:

  • Strategic analysis of leading Chinese companies, such as Huawei, Haidilao, Pop Mart, and Xiaohongshu
  • Cross-border business models and how Chinese enterprises scale internationally
  • Real-world MBA-level case studies grounded in system thinking, policy frameworks, and institutional dynamics
  • Entrepreneurial ecosystems and innovation in emerging markets
  • Chinese Culture

Her teaching style combines rigorous research with practical insights, helping learners understand not just what works in business, but why it works—especially in the context of China's fast-evolving market environment.

Her courses are designed for:

  • MBA students and business professionals
  • Entrepreneurs seeking global growth strategies
  • Educators and policymakers interested in Asia's innovation models
  • Anyone looking to understand business logic through real cases

Garbo believes that in a complex world, clarity comes from connecting global strategy with local insight—and that great businesses are built by those who understand both.