Chinese studies and oriental studies degree personal statement example (1a) Oxford offer

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Spending time in China last year sparked my interest in sinology. Since then I have read a great deal about China's past and present; filled my iPod with Chinese pop stars; and found a summer teaching job in Yangshuo to begin when my current teaching job in Madrid ends. I look forward to studying Mandarin at university, the brief glimpse I saw whilst on a short course in Beijing fascinated me - one of the first characters I learned was 'fu' (happiness), it's made from the radicals for clothes and farmland, implying in a materialistic manner that those who are clothed and fed should be content. I find it fascinating, even touching, when the characters give insights like this. I am looking forward to learning many more.

I have always loved languages, literature and history and I have become fascinated by all things relating to China, this is my ideal degree and I look forward to studying it.

Last year Goldman-Sachs forecast that China will become the world's largest economy by 2027, and surpass American economic might twofold by 2050. China's future is as thrilling as its past. Martin Jacques' recent book argues that a hard-line Chinese regime will soon rule us all, while Will Hutton rebuts him saying that unsustainable growth and an absence of "enlightenment values" will prevent real Chinese success. I disagree with both writers, my suspicion - shared by the Beijingers I have met - is that China will rise, but liberalise. Hutton's pessimism comes from a Western belief-system that cannot account for the success of basic Chinese economic practices like "guanxi", thus it may not comprehend what can happen when the un-western concept of a huge nation, controlled rigidly by prudent autocrats, intends to take back its place as the global Middle Kingdom.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

While president of my school's history society I led a discussion with the motion of "Mao: hero or villain"; this is a question that I am still pondering. After the discussion I read Jung Chang's Wild Swans and Jean Pasqualini's Prisonnier de Mao. These offered me very negative views of Mao. Now, after many debates with my Chinese friends and after reading the writings of a utilitarian historian, Mobo Gao, I understand why some view him as a hero. I remain undecided.

Rana Mitter's Brief Introduction and Jonathan D. Spence's Search For Modern China gave me a good overview of the modern period. Erase una vez China (Jose Freche), and All Under Heaven (Kruger) gave me a good insight into the implications and events of China's earlier history. I am interested in earlier history, partly as it gives insights into those intransient attitudes that will endure into the future. For example, perhaps China accepts didactic dogmatic governance today because historically China fragmented into anarchy when the regimes were not authoritarian. I want to study the rich history for its own sake, but also because I believe that understanding the past provides insights into the present and future - as Confucius implies in 1:15 & 1:23.

In a bid to get a sense of the deep-rooted beliefs of this society I read the Sages. I am keen to see how their words have impacted upon Chinese history. The Daodejing states that human beings are "naturally" good - and should steer and be steered clear of corrupting influences, while Confucius and Mencius stress the importance of benevolent leaders governing according to "ren". I wonder whether such attitudes may have made China fertile ground for communism. WF Jenner argues in the Tyranny of History that China is obsessed by its past, that the history they believe is as influential as the doctrines they follow. I was interested to see evidence of this earlier this year when the China Daily cited the "Extraterritoriality Clauses" as a reason not to pardon Akhmal Shaik. Once I know more about the history and the Sages, I will be keen to explore how their words may have been bent, borrowed and prostituted by successive regimes.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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