“The Qingfeng Classical Tibetan Language Course” is organized by the Qingfeng Academic Association with the aim of providing an efficient introduction to reading Classical Tibetan for beginners with no prior knowledge of the language. The course was first launched on March 2, 2024 and taught by Wang Yuzhe, a 2023 master’s student from the Institute of Qing History. Over thirty students from various universities and disciplines participated in this course.

The course is divided into two main components: foundational knowledge and reading practice. The foundational knowledge section covers phonetic rules and basic grammar, spread across four lessons. The first two lessons introduce the script system and cover the phonetic rules of the Lhasa dialect, while the latter two focus on elementary grammar and provide strategies for using dictionaries and reading sentence fragments. To assist students in better reading and utilizing Qing-era Tibetan archival materials, the course also includes instruction on the cursive forms of each letter. Reading practice requires participants to prepare texts in advance. During the reading sessions, students take turns reading and translating the text, while Wang Yuzhe provides explanations of the grammar, background knowledge, and comments on difficult or ambiguous sections.

The class atmosphere is lively and full of strong academic presence. The course opens the gateway for students to explore the profound history and culture of the Tibetan people.