Hundreds of millions of people, Chinese and foreign, are learning a version of Chinese called Putonghua. But where did this language come from? And why does it seem so hard for foreigners to learn? This talk will cover the little known history of China's quest for a common language in the 20th century, the current language policy in China, and the future of Chinese in cyberspace and the Internet.

David Moser holds a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Chinese Studies from the University of Michigan. He was a visiting scholar at Peking University in 1987-1990, and a visiting professor for five years at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, where he taught Translation Theory and Psycholinguistics. Moser is currently Academic Director at CET Chinese Studies at Beijing Capital Normal University, where he teaches courses in Chinese history and politics, and a co-host of the Sinica Podcast. Moser also worked at China Central Television (CCTV) as a program advisor, translator, and host, and continues to be active in Chinese media.