Course prescriptions for Chinese and Literature 2025–2030
Students taking Chinese and Literature study language and ideas through prescribed themes and contemporary issues, via a range of prescribed texts. Find out more about these course prescriptions.
About course prescriptions
There are prescribed texts required for study in the Chinese and Literature Stage 6 course. The HSC course prescriptions should be read in conjunction with the:
- Chinese and Literature Stage 6 Syllabus and other support documents
- Record of changes for Chinese and Literature Stage 6 Syllabus.
NESA reserves the right to make changes to the prescribed texts listed on this page.
Prescribed themes and contemporary issues
The themes and contemporary issues are studied for both the Preliminary and HSC courses.
| Themes | Contemporary issues |
|---|---|
| The individual and the community |
|
| Youth culture |
|
| Cultural identity |
|
| Global issues |
|
Prescribed texts for HSC study
- Wee, Meng Chee (Namewee) (2016), Piao xiang bei fang (Drifting North), Album Ya zhou tong che (Cross over Asia), Ai bei ke si (Avex Taiwan Inc); 黄明志，歌曲《漂向北方》，选自专辑《亚洲通车》.Available online.
- Wang, Ziyi (Lulu Wang) (2019), Bie gao su ta (The Farewell), A24 Films; 王子逸， 电影《别告诉她》; China Books Sydney.
- A Nai (2018), Da jiang da he (Like a flowing river), Book 1 Chapter Year 1981, Beijing United Publishing Co., Ltd, ISBN-13: 978-7559620446; 阿耐，小说《大江大河四部曲》第一部1981年.
- Guo, Fan (Frant Gwo) (2023), Liu lang di qiu er (The Wandering Earth 2), China Film Group Corporation; 郭帆，电影《流浪地球2》; China Books Sydney.
- Huang, Deng (2020), Jia feng zhong de guang mang, from Wo de er ben xue sheng, Chapter 3, People's Literature Publishing House; ISBN: 9787020161874; 黄灯， 非虚构纪实小说《夹缝中的光芒》，选自《我的二本学生》第3章.
- Lao She (1929)，Er Ma (Mr Ma and Son), Chapter 2, part 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, Chapter 3, part 3, 4, Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House, ISBN：9787540481766; 老舍，小说 《二马》第二段 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 第三段 3, 4.
Prescribed texts mapped to themes
| Themes | Text type | Prescribed texts |
|---|---|---|
| The individual and the community | Film | Wang Ziyi (Lulu Wang) |
| The individual and the community | Novel | A Nai |
| The individual and the community | Film | Guo Fan (Frant Gwo) |
| The individual and the community | Nonfiction narrative | Huang Deng |
| The individual and the community | Song | Wee Meng Chee (Namewee) |
| Youth culture | Nonfiction narrative | Huang Deng |
| Youth culture | Novel | A Nai |
| Youth culture | Novel | Lao She |
| Cultural identity | Film | Wang Ziyi (Lulu Wang) |
| Cultural identity | Novel | Lao She |
| Global issues | Novel | A Nai |
| Global issues | Novel | Lao She |
| Global issues | Film | Guo Fan (Frant Gwo) |
Notes
Study of the texts prescribed for any Higher School Certificate course may not begin before the completion of the Preliminary course. This exclusion applies to study in the Preliminary Chinese and Literature course and to Preliminary courses in other subjects. It also applies to the study of a prescribed text in another medium, such as the film of a novel.