Bosnian sinologist Ljiljana Stević explores how Chinese characters bridge cultures, showing how language learning fosters cross-cultural understanding between China and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At the University of Banja Luka in the Balkans, classrooms are often filled with the rising and falling tones of Mandarin pronunciation drills. This is the Department of Sinology, where many young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina first encounter Chinese.
As head of the department, Ljiljana Stević is both a Sinologist and a teacher who guides students step by step into Chinese language and culture, beginning with basic characters such as “人” (person), “大” (big), and “天” (heaven).
Two Mountains in Learning Chinese: Tones and Characters
In her teaching experience, Ljiljana Stević often points out that the biggest challenges for students are not vocabulary, but tones and Chinese characters—the two real “mountains” in learning Chinese.
For native Serbian speakers, the gap between the two languages is significant in terms of grammar, pronunciation, and writing systems.
“Serbian is not a tonal language, while meaning in Chinese depends heavily on tones. This makes the initial stages of learning particularly challenging,” she said.
To help students grasp tones, Ljiljana Stević and her colleagues use repetition, listening practice, and even body movement exercises. “Sometimes the body remembers pitch patterns better than the ear,” she noted.
Chinese characters present another challenge. Unlike alphabetic systems, they require a completely different way of thinking. Instead of memorising mechanically, Ljiljana Stević encourages students to break down characters and explore their cultural roots.
She usually starts with three characters: “人”, “大”, and “天”.
“These are visually simple, yet rich in cultural significance, making them ideal entry points for beginners,” she said. Their pictographic origins also help students immediately connect form and meaning.
Beyond Language: A Window Into Culture and Thought
From the beginning, Ljiljana Stević’s goal has never been limited to language teaching. She hopes her students become people who truly understand China, rather than merely serving as translators.
“When I teach vocabulary or texts, I always bring in the historical narratives, philosophical concepts, and literary imagery embedded in the language,” she said. A single word might lead to a passage from the Analects or a line of Tang poetry.
Students gradually learn not only how to say something, but also why it is said that way—and what cultural meaning it carries.
Over time, the Chinese character class evolved into something more than handwriting practice. The department now offers a course on the History of Chinese Writing. Through it, students explore how characters reflect Confucian, Daoist, and ancient cosmological ideas, and begin to see Chinese not just as a language, but as a system shaped by a long intellectual tradition.
Calligraphy has also entered the classroom. At first, students are often intimidated by the complexity of Chinese characters. But after a few attempts, their attitude begins to change.
“Many of them become fascinated by the logic, beauty, and symbolic depth of the characters,” Ljiljana Stević said. “Some even start to see writing them as an art form.”
She also stresses that language skills remain irreplaceable. “They allow students to directly engage with Chinese texts, people, and ideas—without relying on translation tools or AI as intermediaries.”
A Dialogue Between Cultures Written in Strokes
For Ljiljana Stević, the value of Chinese characters and Sinology goes beyond helping Bosnian students understand China. It is also about enabling mutual understanding in the other direction.
“There are no walls between cultures. Language is simply the key that opens the door,” she said.
Every carefully written Chinese character, in her view, becomes a small act of cross-cultural resonance.
From “人”, “大”, and “天” to thousands of square-shaped characters, students in Bosnia and Herzegovina are quietly forging their own path toward a world that feels both distant and familiar.
Additional reporting by Li Ziwei.
If you liked this article, why not read: Phil Taylor on Moving UK–China Education Cooperation from Exchange to Co-Creation
