Guilin

Guilin’s balance of vibrant, modern city life and surrounding countryside creates the ideal setting to learn Chinese. It features gyms, yoga studios, modern malls, universities, countless restaurants, upbeat nightlife, great public transportation, an international airport, three bullet train stations, and much more. Perhaps most importantly, the community here is friendly and welcoming.

Guilin upholds China’s rich cultural traditions while enjoying all the comforts of modern life.

Guilin is an ideal Mandarin learning environment because:

• Relatively few expats live in Guilin, and few locals speak English, which provides students plenty of language learning opportunities.
• Guilin locals are friendly, curious, and often seek to engage with international students.
• In Guilin students are exposed to both China’s northern and southern Mandarin accents, which gives learners a sharper ear and more well-rounded command of the Chinese language.
• Guilin provides an optimal balance of cost and quality of living; see the cost of living section in CLI’s FAQs for additional insight.
• Guilin’s famous natural environment is protected by law, making the air and water cleaner than in other parts of China.

The proverb 桂林山水甲天下 (Guìlín shānshuǐ jiǎtiānxià) proclaims that “Guilin’s scenery is the most beautiful under heaven,” and rightly so. Surrounded by picturesque limestone mountains, the bustling city is comfortably located along China’s famous Li River in the gorgeous province of Guangxi. Guilin’s natural landscape has proven so charming throughout history that it is even celebrated on the back of China’s twenty-yuan bill.

Guìlín 桂林 literally means “Osmanthus Forest” due its high number of osmanthus trees. Their sweet fragrance graces Guilin each autumn, adding to the city’s mystique and allure.