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The Chinese Language Institute

CLI empowers students to learn Chinese and connect with China.

The Chinese Language Institute, based in scenic Guilin, China, delivers immersive Chinese language programs at the CLI Center, expert-led travel seminars throughout China, and print and online learning resources for students worldwide.
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“I appreciate CLI’s size, flexibility, and ability to accommodate students. Because it is a small community, it is easy to build relationships with the teachers and staff. I truly felt at home in Guilin.”
~ Daniel Del Bosque, Yale University
Our Programs

Chinese Language and Culture Programs

Chinese Language Institute
The Chinese Language Institute

CLI at a Glance

What's Happening at CLI 最新动态

Stories, Guides & Updates

From student life in Guilin to practical guides for learning Chinese — explore what's new at CLI.

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CLI's 2025 Year in Review

36,000 hours of one-on-one Chinese lessons. Students from 34 countries. A look back at CLI's best year yet.
A private student room at the CLI Center in Guilin with upgraded living facilities Campus Update

CLI Upgrades Student Living Facilities for the Year of the Horse

CLI enters 2026 with rebuilt student bathrooms, new keycard-entry doors, and upgraded air conditioning across its residence floors in Guilin.
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HSK Levels Explained: Complete Guide to All 9 Levels

What each HSK level means, what changed in 2026, and which level makes sense for your goals.
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Community in Guilin

Meet the CLI Team

Anna Liang, CLI Academic Director, at the Chinese Language Institute center in Guilin

Anna Liang 梁琨漫

Academic Director
Anna grew up in the coastal city of Beihai, Guangxi, and made her way to Guilin to study at Guilin University of Electronic Technology. She joined CLI in 2016, and what began as a teaching role has since evolved into leading the organization's academic program. As Head of Teaching Staff, Anna oversees scheduling, faculty meetings, and teacher development.
Mandarin teacher Sunny Xu at the Chinese Language Institute posing for team member portrait

Sunny Xu 许云花

Mandarin Instructor
Sunny joined the CLI team in 2010 as one of the school’s first Chinese teachers. In her 16+ years since, she has contributed to nearly every aspect of CLI's development. Over the years, Sunny has traveled extensively in her role at CLI, including stints at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC and with the China Fieldwork Semester in Yunnan. Sunny holds an MA in Teaching Chinese from GXNU.
Dayong, CLI Mandarin Instructor, at the Chinese Language Institute center in Guilin

Dayong 大勇

Mandarin Instructor
Dayong joined the team in the summer of 2009 and is CLI’s longest-serving Chinese teacher. He is from Harbin (哈尔滨), capital city of China’s chilly northeastern province of Heilongjiang (黑龙江). When asked to produce a bio for the CLI homepage, Dayong said, “At CLI, I’ve learned that the world is a big place, and every single person in it can be your teacher in some way.” Now in 2026, he remains one of CLI's most active Chinese teachers.
Anias Stambolis-D'Agostino, CLI Program Director

Anias Stambolis-D’Agostino 昕梅

Program Director
After a summer in the coastal city of Qingdao, Anias vowed to return to the Middle Kingdom to improve her language skills and deepen her understanding of contemporary Chinese society. She moved to Guilin with CLI’s Teach in China program in 2016 and joined the team as Program Manager in 2017. As of this writing in 2026, Anias resides in Tainan, Taiwan, where she leads CLI’s Taiwan expansion. Anias is fluent in Chinese.
Summer Liu, CLI Student Activities Manager

Summer Liu 刘春平

Student Activities Manager
After earning her MA in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Summer began her career at China’s prestigious Hanban (汉办), the parent organization of the Confucius Institute, and taught Chinese at Thailand’s Ministry of Education. Fortunately for CLI, Summer’s next move was to return to her hometown of Guilin and join the CLI team as Student Activities Manager, where she organizes the out-of-class components of CLI’s language learning system.
Since 2009 · Guilin, China

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Testimonials

Insight from Students

Continue Exploring 继续探索

Student Resources

Explore more resources to prepare for your journey to China.

Language and Culture Library Learning resources, articles, and guides
Meet Our Team Your support team in China, 24/7
Student Stories First-hand reviews and alumni reflections
Reviews Read verified reviews on GoOverseas
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CLI student and teacher
"Most Beautiful Under Heaven"

Welcome to Guilin

Welcome to Guilin

Nestled along the banks of the Li River, speckled with tens of thousands of karst peaks, and bustling with the arts, customs, and songs of southern China’s thriving ethnic minority groups, Guilin is a destination like no other.

The people, serene landscape, ease of transportation — the list goes on. Yet at CLI, we tend to view Guilin through the lens of language learning. This is where Guilin really shines: as a place to learn Chinese.

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Contact Us 联系我们

Your Journey to
China Starts Here

Have a question about our programs, daily life in Guilin, or how to get started? Our team responds within 48 hours — often much sooner.

Students learning Chinese at the CLI Center in Guilin, China
info@studycli.org +1 888-781-8383 WeChat: Study-CLI

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