Analysis of Classical Chinese Poetry Selection and Compilation in Intermediate and Advanced Comprehensive Textbooks for International Chinese Education: A Case Study of Road to Success, Developing Chinese, and Boya Chinese

As an integral part of literary works, classical Chinese poetry has consistently been a key source for text selections and compilation in international Chinese education (ICE) textbooks. This study focuses on intermediate and advanced comprehensive textbooks, selecting three representative and authoritative series: Road to Success, Developing Chinese, and Boya Chinese. Using statistical methods, this study examines the quantity, distribution, genres, themes, and instructional levels of classical Chinese poetry across the three textbooks. A total of 54 classical Chinese poems are included in three textbooks, with Road to Success demonstrating a clear advantage of the amount and diversity in genres and themes. The distribution of classical Chinese poetry within three textbooks is relatively scattered, reflecting a non-deliberate selection and dispersed arrangement. The quantity of classical Chinese poetry selections varies between intermediate and advanced levels, indicating a staged instructional design. The incomplete inclusion of classical Chinese poetry, along with the characteristics of the exercises and annotations, is also analyzed in this study. Additionally, the study explores the dual challenges of language instruction and cultural perception connected in the teaching of classical Chinese poetry. Based on these findings, the study outlines a theoretical framework of classical Chinese poetry teaching strategies in ICE and provides recommendations for refining the selection and compilation of classical Chinese poetry in ICE comprehensive textbooks. By focusing on classical Chinese poetry, this research provides further insights for educational research and practice on the integration of language and culture in ICE.