As one of the official languages of the United Nations, Arabic is commonly used in more than twenty countries of West Asia and North Africa, where the glorious Arab-Islamic culture was born. This culture has played an influential role in the evolution of world civilization. In recent years, China has rapidly developed close relations with Arab countries in areas of political, economic, commercial and cultural exchanges.

The Department of Arabic Language and Cultures of Peking University was formerly the Division of Arabic Language and Cultures in the Department of Oriental Studies, which is the first Arabic division established in Chinese universities and colleges. In the past half century, the Arabic Department has cultivated a great many talents in many related areas. It has also gained rich teaching experience and formed an excellent faculty. The current faculty consists of two professors, three associate professors, one tenured associate professor, three lecturers, three assistant professors, two post-doctoral fellows, and one Full-time foreign faculty member, offering degree education at Bachelor's, Master's and doctoral levels and conducting teaching and research in the fields of Arabic Language, Arabic Literature, Arab-Islamic culture and Middle Eastern Studies. The department has institutions and chair professorships such as the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Peking University, the Institute of Arab-Islamic Culture at Peking University, the Sultan Qaboos Chair in Arabic Studies at Peking University, and the State of Qatar Chair in Middle Eastern Studies at Peking University, through which it actively carries out academic research and international exchange. Since 2019, the department has become a national first-class undergraduate major construction site.

In terms of the teaching and research of Arabic, as the first Arabic language major in colleges and universities nationwide, the department has not only created China's modern Arabic teaching system, but also compiled dictionaries such as Arabic-Chinese Dictionary, Chinese-Arabic Dictionary, Chinese-Arabic Classified Vocabulary, and Chinese-Arabic Idiom Dictionary, published textbooks such as Basic Arabic Course, Basic Arabic Listening Course, Arabic Reading, Concise Arabic Course, Concise Arabic Calligraphy Course, 300 Sentences in Arabic, and Travel Arabic, and monographs such as New Explorations in Arabic Rhetoric, Explorations in Arabic Semantics, Language, Ideology and Sociopolitical Change in the Arabic-speaking World.

Arabic literature research is also one of the focuses of the department. In this respect, a variety of literary history books and academic monographs have been published. A History of Arabic Literature (4 volumes) has won the first prize of the second Wang Zuoliang Award for Research on Foreign Literature. A History of Modern and Contemporary Arabic Literature has won the first prize for outstanding achievement in the humanities and social sciences awarded by the Ministry of Education. A General History of Arabic Literature and A Comparative Study of Chinese Literature and Arabic Literature have won the second prize for outstanding achievement in Beijing's humanities and social sciences. In addition, many Arabic literature translations have also been published. Notable ones include Ancient Arabic Poetry, Great Hero, Hymn of Love, Woman Without Shore, Calling the Motherland, The Last Sword, and The Book of Emir: Iron Gate. Professor Zhong Jikun, for his extraordinary achievements in literary translation and research, was awarded the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in the United Arab Emirates, the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Award for Translation in Saudi Arabia, and the Life Achievement Award as China’s highest award in the field of translation.

The department has also made remarkable achievements in studying Arab-Islamic culture and contemporary issues in the Middle East. The monographs it published in this filed include: A Brief History of Medieval Arab World, The Arabs: A Brief History, Arab-Islamic Culture: A Brief History, A History of Sino-Arab Relations, Modern Islamism, The Rise of Shiite Modern Islamism, and Politics and Ethnic Identity in Plural Societies of the Middle East, Study Of The Mamluk System in Egypt, The Kurdish Question in Iraq(1958-2003). In addition, it also published the translations of The Koran, History of the Arabs, The Arabs: A History, Going to Tehran: Why the United States Must Come to Terms with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and An Imam in Paris: Account of Stay in France by an Egyptian Cleric (1826-1831).

In addition, the department edits and publishes the academic journal Peking University Middle Eastern Studies, which conveys the latest research achievements in the fields of Arabic literature, culture and language and Middle Eastern Studies in China and abroad. The department also publishes Peking University Middle East Review online on a regular basis.

The above-mentioned works are not only essential references for Arabic language learners and researchers in China, but also consolidate the foundation of the discipline of Arab and Middle Eastern Studies. In addition to the teaching of Arabic language and the training of language skills, the department offers students a number of high-quality, cutting-edge courses in Arabic language, literature and culture and selective courses such as Public Arabic and Public Kurdish open to the whole univeristy.

The undergraduate program in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature spans four years. The program aims to cultivate well-rounded, ethically grounded professionals capable of excelling in diverse fields such as diplomacy, international trade, cultural exchange, foreign enterprise management, journalism, publishing, Arabic language education, and regional and country studies related to the Arab world and the Middle East.Students are expected to achieve a solid foundation in Arabic language, literature, and cultural history, and to master the essential language skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translation. Additionally, they are required to gain a basic proficiency in a second Middle Eastern language. The program emphasizes a broad understanding of the social, historical, cultural, diplomatic, political, and economic landscapes of Arab and Middle Eastern countries, as well as a comprehensive knowledge of Chinese and global cultures. Students are also expected to develop strong Chinese language proficiency and expressive abilities, along with independent learning skills, preliminary research capabilities, and the adaptability to meet the demands of various professional roles.

After graduation, students usually have three options.

(1)  Governmental ministries or big enterprises; (2) Post-graduate education in the Arabic Department or other majors in top-level universities or colleges in China; (3) Post-graduate education abroad, usually in Middle Eastern Studies and Arab Studies.