Mandarin fever: It seems everyone's getting it

Utah is a national leader in implementing English and Chinese dual-language immersion, with more K-12 students studying Chinese than in any other US state.

By 2020 about 15,000 students in 76 schools across Utah were studying Chinese language and culture through the Dual Language Immersion Program started in 2008.

Wang Taofeng, chief director of the Chinese Puzzle documentary, said: "When filming interviews for the documentary, many Americans could answer questions in fluent Chinese. The popularity of Chinese in the US was beyond my imagination. I didn't expect that there would be so many schools in the US with Chinese immersion programs."

Wang said he was especially impressed by Galal Walker, a professor of Chinese in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at Ohio State University.

The university opened the first doctoral program in Chinese language teaching in the US. The program has trained 25 doctoral students and hundreds of master's students in Chinese education, according to the documentary.

Walker is "a leader in Chinese education", Wang said. "His understanding and familiarity with Chinese classical literature make me ashamed as a Chinese."

Tao of SMG News said: "Language is the greatest bridge of communication. In today's world, many issues cannot be avoided around China, and everyone wants to understand China. This is the basis of the Mandarin fever."

minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com