In 1984, the "Chinese Proficiency Examination Design Group" was established in the Beijing Language Institute and began to develop the Chinese Proficiency Examination. The development of the Chinese proficiency test began with the elementary and intermediate examinations and lasted for more than five years. On February 20, 1990, it passed the expert appraisal organized by the State Education Commission. On July 28, 1993, HSK (Advanced) passed the expert approval organized by the National Chinese Proficiency Examination Committee. In order to let more Chinese learners have the opportunity to test their own level, the basic Chinese proficiency test began in September 1995. On November 24, 1997, HSK passed the expert appraisal organized by the National Chinese Proficiency Examination Committee. HSK constitutes a relatively complete system from low to high level.

Anyone who has studied Chinese as a foreign language knows that HSK is the abbreviation of Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì. Chinese proficiency test (HSK) is a national standardized test for testing the Chinese proficiency of non-native speakers (including foreigners, overseas Chinese and ethnic minorities in China).  

The new HSK is an international standardized Chinese proficiency test, which focuses on examining the ability of non-first language Chinese candidates to communicate in Chinese in their life, study and work.  “In order to make the Chinese proficiency test (HSK) better serve Chinese learners, experts in the fields of Chinese-foreign language teaching, linguistics, psychology and educational measurement organized by the State Office of Chinese Language absorb the advantages of the original HSK and draw lessons from recent years on the basis of a full investigation and understanding of the actual situation of Chinese teaching abroad," the office said. Come to the latest achievements of international language testing research and launch the new Chinese proficiency test (HSK)."  

The new HSK consists of written and oral examinations, which are independent of each other. The written test includes HSK Level 1), HSK (Level 2), HSK (Level 3), HSK (Level 4), HSK (Level 5) and HSK (Level 6); the oral test includes HSK (Elementary), HSK (Intermediate) and HSK (Advanced). The oral test adopts recording form.  

How should you prepare for the HSK exam? We will talk about it in the next article.