Guilin

Guilin was chosen as CLI’s home for a variety of reasons – it’s warm; it’s a safe distance from the poor air quality of China’s biggest cities; it’s simple to navigate; local residents are exceptionally friendly and engaging; the cuisine is excellent; and the city has been famous for its stunning natural beauty throughout Chinese history.

桂林山水甲天下

"Guilin’s scenery is the most beautiful under heaven, Guìlín shānxuě jiǎtiānxià" - Ancient Chinese Proverb

"Guilin is a very homey place and inside the CLI Center there's always a big community feeling.” - Martí N., Spring 2019

"CLI’s location in Guilin creates a unique experience for Chinese learners. We’re able to experience both city and rural life. Guilin is a city where you can easily go out and practice your Chinese.” - Alex Gavis, Summer 2011

The Ideal Learning Environment

Guilin’s balance of vibrant, modern city and surrounding countryside creates the ideal setting to pursue Chinese fluency, and folks at CLI and in Guilin are very willing to chat! Guilin features gyms, yoga studios, department stores, universities, seemingly countless restaurants, upbeat nightlife, excellent public transportation networks, an international airport, three bullet train stations, and much more.

Guilin maintains China’s rich traditions while enjoying all the comforts brought on by China's 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

By way of their own study abroad experiences in Beijing, Shanghai and Guilin, CLI's founders experienced firsthand the crucial advantages a smaller city like Guilin enjoys compared to its megacity alternatives.

Guilin's friendly environment and active population make learning Chinese a pleasure.

Guilin is the ideal Mandarin learning environment because:

  • Relatively few expats live in Guilin, and few locals speak English, which provides students plenty of language learning opportunities.
  • Locals in Guilin are friendly and curious and frequently 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 language.
  • Guilin is both countryside and city; traditional and modern; unique and representative.
  • Guilin’s famous natural environment is protected via a variety of mechanisms, making the air and water much cleaner than 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.

See Guilin Photos Aerial 3D Panoramas

Your Gateway to China

“One month in Guilin was more productive than an entire year of coursework in a normal college class.”– Allie Riggs, Immersion Program Your home at CLI will present you with endless opportunities to discover China. A breathtaking natural landscape offers a hiker’s paradise, an array of restaurants and bars provide an exciting social scene, and CLI’s language and culture experience provide students countless platforms to engage locals in Chinese conversations. Guilin is a remarkable place to devote yourself to not just studying Chinese, but actually learning Chinese.

Location of Guilin within China

Guilin is located in Guangxi Province and is a one-hour flight northwest of Hong Kong, a two hour flight southwest of Shanghai, and a three-hour flight south of Beijing.

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Floating Down the Li River