The Course Handbook
Everything from the eight modules in one place: the core ideas, the prompts worth keeping, the key terms in English and Chinese, and an exercise sheet for each module. Use it as your take-home guide after the workshop, or as the facilitator guide when you teach the course.
By Rupert Chesman · Tools checked October 2026
Contents
- 1AI Foundations & Mental Models · AI基础与思维模型
- 2Prompt Engineering Mastery · 提示词工程
- 3Thinking With AI · 用AI思考
- 4Agentic Workflows & Automation · 智能体与自动化工作流
- 5Vibe Coding & App Building · 氛围编程与应用搭建
- 6AI Image Generation · AI图像生成
- 7AI at Work · 职场AI实战
- 8AI Strategy & Future · AI战略与未来
- AChina AI tool map
- BBilingual glossary
How to use this handbook
- Teaching is in English. Chinese terms appear where they help, so you can find the same button or menu in each app.
- Every app in the course works on a mainland network with a Chinese (+86) phone number. No VPN is needed.
- Do the exercise sheet at the end of each module with real work. That is where the time savings come from.
- Keep confidential and personal data out of public AI tools unless your company allows it.
AI Foundations & Mental Models
AI基础与思维模型What AI really is, how large language models work, and the mental model that lets you use Doubao, DeepSeek, Qwen and Kimi with confidence.
Core ideas
A large language model writes one token at a time by predicting what is most likely to come next. That is why it is fluent, and why it can be confidently wrong.
Models read in tokens (词元). Chinese uses roughly twice as many tokens per character as English does, which affects how much fits in the context window and what an API call costs.
Doubao for everyday tasks and voice, DeepSeek for reasoning, Kimi for long documents, Qwen for all-round work and images. Use more than one when the answer matters.
Many Chinese models are open-weight (开源): companies can download and run them on their own servers. This matters for data control and cost.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | What AI Actually Is (and Isn't) | Myth vs Reality Quiz, Animated LLM Diagram |
| 1.2 | How Large Language Models Work | Token Visualiser, Next-Token Predictor |
| 1.3 | Tokens, Context Windows & Temperature | Temperature Slider Demo, Context Window Comparator, RMB Token Cost Calculator |
| 1.4 | Hallucinations & Limitations | Spot the Hallucination Game, Verification Checklist |
| 1.5 | Model Comparison: Doubao vs Qwen vs DeepSeek vs Kimi vs Yuanbao | App Picker Flowchart, Filterable Comparison Table |
| 1.6 | Building Your AI Mental Model | Mental Model Builder, Export Summary Card |
| 1.7 | China’s AI Ecosystem & Open Weights | Ecosystem Map, Open vs Closed Explainer, 5-Question Quiz |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial intelligence (AI) | 人工智能 | réngōng zhìnéng |
| Generative AI | 生成式人工智能 | shēngchéngshì réngōng zhìnéng |
| Large language model (LLM) | 大语言模型 | dà yǔyán móxíng |
| Token | 词元 | cíyuán |
| Parameters | 参数 | cānshù |
| Training data | 训练数据 | xùnliàn shùjù |
| Context window | 上下文窗口 | shàngxiàwén chuāngkǒu |
| Temperature | 温度 | wēndù |
| Fact-checking | 事实核查 | shìshí héchá |
| Hallucination | 幻觉 | huànjué |
| Multimodal | 多模态 | duō mótài |
| Reasoning model | 推理模型 | tuīlǐ móxíng |
| Mental model | 思维模型 | sīwéi móxíng |
| Open-weight model | 开源模型 | kāiyuán móxíng |
| Fine-tuning | 微调 | wēitiáo |
Exercise sheet
Compare three assistants
- Ask Doubao, DeepSeek and Kimi the same work question.
- Note which answer is most accurate, most useful and fastest.
- Write one sentence on when you would use each.
Notes:
Prompt Engineering Mastery
提示词工程The Act–Explain–Please framework, scaffolding, chain of thought and few-shot prompting, plus bilingual prompting and a reusable prompt library.
Core ideas
Give the AI a role (Act as…), explain the situation and what you need, then say please do… with the format, length and audience. It works in English and Chinese.
Give the AI a structure to fill, or ask it to reason step by step before answering. Both make complex answers more reliable.
Two or three examples of the output you want teach tone and format faster than any description.
Write the instructions in the language you think in, and name the output language and register you need, such as formal Chinese for a client (正式) or plain English for an overseas partner.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | The Act–Explain–Please Framework | AEP Prompt Builder, Before/After Comparator |
| 2.2 | Prompt Scaffolding Techniques | Scaffold Template Gallery, Fill-in Prompt Composer |
| 2.3 | Chain-of-Thought Prompting | CoT Side-by-Side Demo, Fix the Prompt Exercise |
| 2.4 | Few-Shot & Zero-Shot Strategies | Example Injector Tool, Strategy Decision Tree |
| 2.5 | Research Prompt Workshop | Research Prompt Builder |
| 2.6 | Advanced Prompt Patterns | Pattern Library with Try-It, System Prompt Tester |
| 2.7 | Prompt Library: 50+ Templates | Searchable Prompt Library, Copy & Customise |
| 2.8 | Bilingual Prompting | Bilingual Prompt Builder, Tone Match Checker |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Prompt | 提示词 | tíshìcí |
| Prompt engineering | 提示词工程 | tíshìcí gōngchéng |
| Task breakdown | 任务拆解 | rènwu chāijiě |
| Chain of thought | 思维链 | sīwéi liàn |
| Zero-shot prompting | 零样本提示 | líng yàngběn tíshì |
| Few-shot prompting | 少样本提示 | shǎo yàngběn tíshì |
| System prompt | 系统提示词 | xìtǒng tíshìcí |
| Persona | 角色 | juésè |
| Output format | 输出格式 | shūchū géshì |
| Template | 模板 | múbǎn |
| Weekly report | 周报 | zhōubào |
| Localisation | 本地化 | běndìhuà |
| Tone | 语气 | yǔqì |
Exercise sheet
Rewrite three real prompts
- Pick three prompts you used this week.
- Rewrite each with AEP and, if useful, one example.
- Compare the old and new answers and note what improved.
Notes:
Thinking With AI
用AI思考Use AI as a thinking partner for decisions, brainstorming, strategy and critical evaluation, with Chinese business cases.
Core ideas
Use AI to widen your options and test your reasoning, not to make the decision for you.
Decision matrices and weighted scoring make trade-offs visible. Ask the AI to argue against your preferred option.
SWOT, scenario planning and going-global (出海) analysis work well with AI when you supply real data about your company.
Score AI work for accuracy, completeness, relevance and tone before you use it. You are responsible for what you send.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | AI as a Thinking Partner | Thinking Framework Selector, Challenge Exploration Tool |
| 3.2 | Decision-Making Frameworks | Decision Matrix Builder, Weighted Scoring Tool |
| 3.3 | Brainstorming & Ideation with AI | Brainstorm Method Picker, Prompt Generator |
| 3.4 | Analysis & Strategic Planning | SWOT Prompt Generator, Strategy Framework Picker |
| 3.5 | Critical Evaluation of AI Output | Output Evaluation Rubric, Rate the Output Exercise |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Socratic questioning | 苏格拉底式提问 | Sūgélādǐ shì tíwèn |
| Decision matrix | 决策矩阵 | juécè jǔzhèn |
| Brainstorming | 头脑风暴 | tóunǎo fēngbào |
| SWOT analysis | SWOT分析 | SWOT fēnxī |
| Going global | 出海 | chūhǎi |
| Critical thinking | 批判性思维 | pīpànxìng sīwéi |
Exercise sheet
Test a real decision
- Choose a decision you face at work.
- Build a weighted matrix with AI.
- Ask for the strongest counter-argument and note whether it changes your view.
Notes:
Agentic Workflows & Automation
智能体与自动化工作流From chat to workflow to agent: build automations in Coze, Feishu and DingTalk, and assess agent risk before you deploy.
Core ideas
Chat answers one request. A workflow (工作流) runs fixed steps. An agent (智能体) decides its own steps towards a goal. Use the simplest one that does the job.
Coze for bots and workflows, Feishu Base and DingTalk for automations inside your work suite, Dify for IT teams that need self-hosting.
Let AI draft and sort; let people approve anything that goes to customers, moves money or touches personal data.
Score each agent on data sensitivity, permissions and what happens if it goes wrong, then start in draft-only mode.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Chat vs Workflow vs Agent | Autonomy Level Sorter, AI Maturity Spectrum |
| 4.2 | Building Multi-Step AI Systems | Workflow Canvas Builder, Step-by-Step Visualiser |
| 4.3 | Task Automation with Coze 扣子 | Coze Recipe Gallery, Workflow Plan Generator |
| 4.4 | Workflow Orchestration with Feishu & DingTalk | Scenario Explorer, Platform Comparator |
| 4.5 | Agent Risk Assessment | Agent Risk Scorecard, Permission Checklist |
| 4.6 | Real-World Automation Projects | Project Template Selector |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Agent | 智能体 | zhìnéngtǐ |
| Workflow | 工作流 | gōngzuòliú |
| Knowledge base | 知识库 | zhīshikù |
| Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) | 检索增强生成 | jiǎnsuǒ zēngqiáng shēngchéng |
| Automation | 自动化 | zìdònghuà |
| API | 接口 | jiēkǒu |
| Human review | 人工审核 | réngōng shěnhé |
Exercise sheet
Automate one weekly task
- Pick a task that takes 30+ minutes a week.
- Design it as a Coze or Feishu workflow on paper.
- Mark where a person reviews it, then build the first two steps.
Notes:
Vibe Coding & App Building
氛围编程与应用搭建Build working tools by describing them: mini-apps in Kimi and Doubao, then real projects in Trae and Tongyi Lingma.
Core ideas
Vibe coding means describing the tool you want in plain language, testing it, and asking for changes one at a time.
A one-page calculator, checklist or tracker in Kimi or Doubao teaches the method. Move to Trae or Tongyi Lingma for real projects.
Describe an app you like screen by screen and ask the AI to rebuild the parts you need.
Paste the exact error and what you expected. Ask for the cause before the fix.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Build Mini-Apps with AI | Starter Project Gallery, Live Code Preview |
| 5.2 | Workflow Tool Prototyping | App Spec Generator, Spec-to-Prompt Converter |
| 5.3 | No-Code to Low-Code with AI | Platform Comparison Matrix, “Which Tool?” Quiz |
| 5.4 | Reverse Engineering Applications | Reverse Engineer Challenge, Prompt Comparison Tool |
| 5.5 | Debugging with AI Assistance | Error Decoder Tool, Debug Prompt Generator |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Vibe coding | 氛围编程 | fēnwéi biānchéng |
| No-code / low-code | 零代码 / 低代码 | líng dàimǎ / dī dàimǎ |
| Debugging | 调试 | tiáoshì |
Exercise sheet
Build a tool for your team
- Write a one-paragraph description of a tool your team needs.
- Build it in Kimi or Trae.
- Ask a colleague to try it and make two improvements.
Notes:
AI Image Generation
AI图像生成Professional image workflows in Jimeng, Doubao and Qwen: style control, consistency, photo editing and a Xiaohongshu campaign.
Core ideas
Subject, style, lighting, composition and mood, in that order. Jimeng accepts English or Chinese.
Chinese image tools use on-screen settings: aspect ratio, reference image and number of results. Match the ratio to the platform: 3:4 for Xiaohongshu, 9:16 for Douyin.
Lock style, lighting and colour, and use a reference image to keep a product or character the same.
In Doubao, Qwen and Meitu, describe one change at a time: replace the background, change the light, remove an object.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | Jimeng 即梦 Professional Workflows | Jimeng Prompt Builder, Style Reference Panel, Example Gallery |
| 6.2 | Conversational Image Editing with Doubao & Qwen | Composition Grid Tool, Style Keyword Library |
| 6.3 | Prompt Deconstruction Techniques | Prompt Anatomy Breakdown, Component Highlighter |
| 6.4 | Style Mixing & Consistency | Style Recipe Mixer, Consistency Checklist |
| 6.5 | Photo Editing with Jimeng & Meitu | Editing Workflow Guide, Prompt Template Library |
| 6.6 | Image Project: A Xiaohongshu Campaign | Image Brief Builder, 4-Image Project Planner |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Text-to-image | 文生图 | wén shēng tú |
| Style reference | 风格参考 | fēnggé cānkǎo |
Exercise sheet
Plan a 4-image set
- Write a one-line brief for a campaign.
- Lock style, lighting and colours.
- Generate four images in Jimeng and check they look like one set.
Notes:
AI at Work
职场AI实战Deep research, AI music, presentations and video with China’s strongest tools, including Seedance and Kling.
Core ideas
Kimi, Qwen and Metaso can research a topic and cite sources. Always open the key sources before you rely on a number.
Kimi's PPT assistant and WPS AI build a draft deck from a brief. Spend your time on the story, then refine the slides.
Generate short clips in Seedance or Kling, then edit, subtitle and add music in Jianying (剪映).
For each department, keep a small library of tested prompts with the tool, time saved and who reviews the output.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | Deep Research with Kimi, Qwen & Metaso | Research Plan Builder, Research Tool Guide |
| 7.2 | AI Music with Mureka | Song Prompt Builder, Genre & Style Selector |
| 7.3 | AI Presentations with Kimi & WPS AI | Presentation Brief Builder, Deck Refinement Checklist |
| 7.4 | AI Video with Seedance, Kling & Jianying | Video Prompt Builder, Tool Comparison Chart |
| 7.5 | AI in Production | Department Use Case Explorer, Workflow Template Library |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Deep research | 深度研究 | shēndù yánjiū |
| Image-to-video | 图生视频 | tú shēng shìpín |
| Text-to-video | 文生视频 | wén shēng shìpín |
Exercise sheet
Produce one real deliverable
- Choose a report, deck or video you need this month.
- Make the first draft with the tools in this module.
- Note the time saved and what you had to fix.
Notes:
AI Strategy & Future
AI战略与未来Readiness, a personal roadmap, the trends shaping Chinese AI, China’s AI rules, and how to teach AI to your team.
Core ideas
Score your current AI use honestly. The aim is steady weekly practice, not knowing every tool.
Weeks 1–4 foundations, weeks 5–8 your role, weeks 9–12 a real project and teaching others.
Label AI-generated content you publish; protect personal information under PIPL; use approved services and your company's policy for confidential work.
A 30-minute session with one live demo and a one-page handout spreads AI skills faster than any memo.
Lessons
| Lesson | Title | Interactive tools |
|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | AI Readiness Scorecard | Readiness Self-Assessment, Score Dashboard |
| 8.2 | Personal AI Roadmap Builder | 90-Day Roadmap Generator, Export as PDF |
| 8.3 | Emerging Trends: Open Weights, Agents & AI+ | AI Timeline Explorer, Trend Radar Chart |
| 8.4 | Safety, Ethics & China’s AI Rules | AI Policy Generator, Ethics Scenario Quiz |
| 8.5 | Teaching AI to Others | Workshop Planner, Handout Generator |
| 8.6 | Keeping Up & Homework | Resource Hub, Learning Plan Builder |
Prompts to keep
Key terms
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| AI-generated content label | AI生成内容标识 | AI shēngchéng nèiróng biāozhì |
| Personal information | 个人信息 | gèrén xìnxī |
Exercise sheet
Commit to your next 90 days
- Write your goal for the next 90 days.
- Choose one hour a week for practice.
- Book a 30-minute session to teach one thing to your team.
Notes:
China AI tool map
AI工具地图Every app used in the course. App names and features change often; check before each workshop.
| App | Maker | Best for | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doubao 豆包 | ByteDance | Everyday assistant: chat, voice, images and video in one app. The most widely used AI app in China. | Phone, web, desktop |
| DeepSeek | DeepSeek | Reasoning you can watch in thinking mode, long documents and coding help. | Phone, web |
| Qwen 千问 | Alibaba | All-round assistant with strong image and document skills. | Phone, web |
| Kimi | Moonshot AI | Long documents, research reports, slide decks and front-end code. | Phone, web |
| Yuanbao 元宝 | Tencent | Assistant with search across WeChat articles. | Phone, web |
| Zhipu Qingyan 智谱清言 | Zhipu AI | Bilingual work and coding on Zhipu's GLM models. | Phone, web |
| Metaso 秘塔 | Metaso | Ad-free AI search that shows its sources. | Web, phone |
| Coze 扣子 | ByteDance | Build bots and multi-step workflows without code. | Web (laptop) |
| Feishu 飞书 | ByteDance | Work suite: docs, Base automations and the aily agent. | Desktop, phone |
| DingTalk 钉钉 | Alibaba | Work suite with built-in AI agents and automations. | Desktop, phone |
| WeCom 企业微信 | Tencent | Work messaging for teams that live in WeChat. | Desktop, phone |
| Dify | Dify (open source) | AI app and workflow builder for technical teams; can be self-hosted. | Web |
| Trae | ByteDance | AI coding editor: describe what you want and it builds it. | Desktop |
| Tongyi Lingma 通义灵码 | Alibaba | Coding assistant inside your code editor. | Desktop |
| CodeBuddy | Tencent | Coding assistant for editors and the terminal. | Desktop |
| Jimeng 即梦 | ByteDance | Image generation and editing (Seedream) and video (Seedance). | Web, phone |
| Kling 可灵 | Kuaishou | Video generation with native sound and dialogue; image mode too. | Web, phone |
| Hailuo 海螺 | MiniMax | Video generation with natural human movement. | Web, phone |
| LiblibAI | LiblibAI | Community library of image style models. | Web |
| Meitu WHEE | Meitu | Photo editing with plain-language instructions. | Web |
| Jianying 剪映 | ByteDance | Video editing with AI captions and effects. | Desktop, phone |
| Mureka | Kunlun Tech | Songs, melodies and lyrics from a text prompt. | Web |
| Kimi PPT | Moonshot AI | Slide decks generated from a brief or document. | Web |
| WPS AI | Kingsoft | AI writing and slides inside WPS Office. | Desktop |
Bilingual glossary
AI术语表| English | 中文 | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial intelligence (AI) | 人工智能 | réngōng zhìnéng | Software that performs tasks that normally need human thinking. |
| Generative AI | 生成式人工智能 | shēngchéngshì réngōng zhìnéng | AI that creates new text, images, audio or video. |
| Large language model (LLM) | 大语言模型 | dà yǔyán móxíng | An AI trained on huge amounts of text to predict the next word. |
| Token | 词元 | cíyuán | The small piece of text a model reads and writes. Often just called “token” in Chinese too. |
| Parameters | 参数 | cānshù | The internal settings a model learns during training. |
| Training data | 训练数据 | xùnliàn shùjù | The text and media a model learned from. |
| Context window | 上下文窗口 | shàngxiàwén chuāngkǒu | How much text a model can consider at once. |
| Temperature | 温度 | wēndù | A setting for how predictable or creative the output is. |
| Fact-checking | 事实核查 | shìshí héchá | Checking a claim against a reliable source before you use it. |
| Hallucination | 幻觉 | huànjué | A confident answer that is false or made up. |
| Multimodal | 多模态 | duō mótài | Able to work with text, images, audio and video together. |
| Reasoning model | 推理模型 | tuīlǐ móxíng | A model that works through a problem step by step before answering. |
| Mental model | 思维模型 | sīwéi móxíng | Your working picture of how something behaves, so you can predict it. |
| Open-weight model | 开源模型 | kāiyuán móxíng | A model whose weights are published so anyone can run or adapt it. |
| Fine-tuning | 微调 | wēitiáo | Extra training that adapts a model to a specific task or style. |
| Prompt | 提示词 | tíshìcí | The instruction you give an AI. |
| Prompt engineering | 提示词工程 | tíshìcí gōngchéng | Writing prompts deliberately to get reliable results. |
| Task breakdown | 任务拆解 | rènwu chāijiě | Splitting a big request into a sequence of smaller prompts. |
| Chain of thought | 思维链 | sīwéi liàn | Asking the AI to show its reasoning step by step. |
| Zero-shot prompting | 零样本提示 | líng yàngběn tíshì | Asking for a task with no examples. |
| Few-shot prompting | 少样本提示 | shǎo yàngběn tíshì | Including a few examples to show the AI what you want. |
| System prompt | 系统提示词 | xìtǒng tíshìcí | Standing instructions that shape every answer. |
| Persona | 角色 | juésè | The role you ask the AI to play, such as “senior marketing manager”. |
| Output format | 输出格式 | shūchū géshì | The shape you want the answer in: a table, bullet points, an email. |
| Template | 模板 | múbǎn | A reusable prompt with blanks you fill in each time. |
| Weekly report | 周报 | zhōubào | The weekly progress report many Chinese workplaces expect. |
| Localisation | 本地化 | běndìhuà | Adapting content so it reads naturally for a specific market, not just translating it. |
| Tone | 语气 | yǔqì | How formal, warm or direct a piece of writing sounds. |
| Socratic questioning | 苏格拉底式提问 | Sūgélādǐ shì tíwèn | Asking a series of probing questions to test an idea. |
| Decision matrix | 决策矩阵 | juécè jǔzhèn | A table that scores options against weighted criteria. |
| Brainstorming | 头脑风暴 | tóunǎo fēngbào | Generating many ideas quickly before judging them. |
| SWOT analysis | SWOT分析 | SWOT fēnxī | Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. |
| Going global | 出海 | chūhǎi | Chinese companies expanding into overseas markets. |
| Critical thinking | 批判性思维 | pīpànxìng sīwéi | Judging information on its evidence rather than accepting it as given. |
| Agent | 智能体 | zhìnéngtǐ | An AI that plans and takes actions to complete a goal. |
| Workflow | 工作流 | gōngzuòliú | A fixed sequence of automated steps. |
| Knowledge base | 知识库 | zhīshikù | A set of your own documents the AI can draw on. |
| Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) | 检索增强生成 | jiǎnsuǒ zēngqiáng shēngchéng | The AI looks things up in your documents before answering. |
| Automation | 自动化 | zìdònghuà | Letting software carry out repeated tasks for you. |
| API | 接口 | jiēkǒu | A way for one piece of software to talk to another. |
| Human review | 人工审核 | réngōng shěnhé | A person checks the AI's work before it goes further. |
| Vibe coding | 氛围编程 | fēnwéi biānchéng | Building software by describing what you want in plain language. |
| No-code / low-code | 零代码 / 低代码 | líng dàimǎ / dī dàimǎ | Building tools with little or no programming. |
| Debugging | 调试 | tiáoshì | Finding and fixing what's wrong in code. |
| Text-to-image | 文生图 | wén shēng tú | Creating an image from a written description. |
| Style reference | 风格参考 | fēnggé cānkǎo | An image you give the AI to copy its look. |
| Deep research | 深度研究 | shēndù yánjiū | An AI mode that searches many sources and writes a report. |
| Image-to-video | 图生视频 | tú shēng shìpín | Turning a still image into a video clip. |
| Text-to-video | 文生视频 | wén shēng shìpín | Creating a video from a written description. |
| AI-generated content label | AI生成内容标识 | AI shēngchéng nèiróng biāozhì | The visible or hidden mark that shows content was made by AI. |
| Personal information | 个人信息 | gèrén xìnxī | Information that identifies a person. Keep it out of public AI tools. |
Questions or a workshop for your team: ru@rupertchesman.com