Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have played an essential role in advancing the development of innovative digital learning (Ossiannilsson et al, 2016; Milligan and Littlejohn, 2017). They allow anyone who has access to the internet access to education anytime, anywhere. As a result, a successful course generates enrollment that is one hundred times larger than that of conventional classroom-based courses. However, challenges remain concerning how to keep a large number of online learners engaged, particularly with respect to learners' attention, retention and interaction in language MOOCs (廖灝翔 2020; Jiang and Peng, 2023). This paper features an ongoing project of the MITx: Chinese Language in Culture series on edX, a MOOC provider founded by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2012. The author will share experiences from designing the essential components of a successful MOOC language course and discuss how Performed Culture Approach (PCA) is incorporated into its instructional practice.