An Ideal Learning Environment
Guilin’s balance of vibrant, modern city and surrounding countryside creates the ideal setting to pursue Chinese fluency. Guilin features gyms, yoga studios, department stores, universities, countless restaurants, upbeat nightlife, great public transportation networks, an international airport, three bullet train stations, and much more. The community here is friendly and welcoming.
Guilin maintains China’s rich traditional culture while also enjoying the comforts brought on by China’s rapid modernization.
Guilin vs. China’s Largest Cities
“I like that CLI is located in Guilin rather than a larger city because it encourages you to use Chinese in daily experiences.”
– Craig W., Immersion Program Student
By way of their own study abroad experiences in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei and Guilin, CLI’s founders experienced firsthand the crucial advantages a smaller city like Guilin enjoys compared to its larger alternatives. Guilin’s friendly environment and active population make learning Chinese a pleasure.
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.
“Most Beautiful Under Heaven”
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 this wonderful city’s mystique and allure.
Your Gateway to China
“One month in Guilin was more productive than an entire year of coursework in a normal college class.”
– Allie R., Immersion Program Student
Your home at CLI presents you with countless opportunities to discover China. A breathtaking natural landscape presents a hiker’s paradise, an array of restaurants and bars provide an exciting social scene, and CLI’s language learning community delivers countless chances to practice and engage. Guilin is a wonderful place to dedicate yourself to learning Chinese.
Floating Down the Li River
