Learn Chinese in China with CLI
Source: https://www.studycli.org
Archived: 2026-04-23 16:39
Learn Chinese in China with CLI
Learn Chinese in China
Join the Chinese Language Institute (CLI) and learn Chinese through guided conversation and daily practice. Progress with one-on-one lessons, either online or in person at the CLI Center in Guilin, China.
CLI Homepage Photo Grid Rebuild — Responsive
Program Options
Testimonials
Guilin
The CLI Team
Our Story
Why CLI
Learn Chinese
Online
Resource Library
Apply Now
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.
“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 Immersion
One-on-one instruction and complete immersion within a safe, friendly language environment is among the most direct paths to Chinese fluency. Begin your stay in Guilin anytime and improve your Chinese each day within a focused and welcoming learning community.
Learn Chinese Online
CLI’s online Chinese lessons bring the classroom to you, providing the flexibility to continue your school or work commitments while learning Chinese. Our online lessons are held to the same high standard as courses taught at the CLI Center in Guilin.
Custom Travel Programs
CLI partners with a select number of schools and organizations to lead customizable study and travel experiences throughout China. Explore this section to learn more about joining a travel group or arranging a custom program of your own.
View All Programs
The Chinese Language Institute
CLI at a Glance
CLI is a Community
CLI fosters a vibrant and welcoming community for students, team members, friends, and family to advance their language skills and make connections with China and each other.
CLI is a Chinese Language School
At our core, CLI is a school for the study of Chinese language and culture. Since 2009, we’ve hosted students from over 50 countries for our Chinese Immersion Program in Guilin.
CLI is a Resource in China
The CLI team has connections in virtually every industry and province in China. Our network is yours to utilize. If you need help navigating China, we’re here to make it happen.
CLI is an Online Learning Platform
CLI connects online students with qualified Chinese teachers and Guilin-based conversation buddies. We facilitate classes and conversations that accelerate your path to fluency.
CLI is a University Affiliate
CLI is an official affiliate of Guangxi Normal University (GXNU), a leading research university with historical strengths in teacher education, the humanities and international exchange.
CLI is a Custom Programs Provider
Each year, CLI partners with schools and associations to create customized group study experiences in China, managing everything from program design to in-country logistics.
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.
Community
February 18, 2026
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.
Read more
→
Campus Update
February 16, 2026
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.
Read more
→
Study Guide
February 10, 2026
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.
Read more
→
Explore the Full Library
Community in Guilin
Meet the CLI Team
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 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 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.
Meet the Team
Since 2009 · Guilin, China
Trusted by students from 50+ countries and 400+ institutions worldwide
4.95
/5
GoOverseas
5,000+
Students
50+
Countries
400+
Institutions Represented
17+
Years Running
Join
5,000+
CLI alumni
1
/
10
Testimonials
Insight from Students
More Testimonials
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
↗
Apply Now
Ask a Question
21 photos
1
/
16
"Most Beautiful Under Heaven"
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.
Explore Guilin
The Case for Immersion
沉浸式学习
Why Learn Chinese in China?
Anyone who has studied language in a far away classroom knows what it's like to spend months of study and rote memorization, yet still be unable to converse.
“
One month in Guilin was more productive than an entire year of coursework in a normal college class.
— Allie R., CLI Student
Learning Chinese in China changes the equation. But it's not automatic: the environment you choose matters. CLI's founders chose Guilin in response to wonderful experiences learning Chinese here from 2000 to 2008, compared to subpar experiences in China's largest cities.
When it comes to language learning and quality of life, nothing compares to the charm, warmth, rhythm of life, and ideal size of Guilin.
The people here are warm and welcoming, the city expansive yet community-based, the countryside beautiful, and the everyday conversation patient and encouraging.
From CLI's Orientation Deck
Five Immersion Habits
On page 19 of our
CLI Orientation Deck
, we encourage students to build five Immersion Habits in Guilin:
01
Stay Focused in Class
Minimize distractions and stay present throughout each session.
02
Self-Study Every Day
Ideally between 2–3 hours — this is when you'll memorize the most vocabulary.
03
Get Out & Engage
This is where Guilin shines! People throughout the city have the patience to practice with you.
04
Surround Yourself
Listen to and engage with the Chinese all around you: TV, music, movies, podcasts, and daily life.
05
Think in Chinese
Sustain significant periods using Chinese exclusively in your internal dialogue — at any level.
Learn Chinese in China
Join the Chinese Language Institute (CLI) and learn Chinese through guided conversation and daily practice. Progress with one-on-one lessons, either online or in person at the CLI Center in Guilin, China.
CLI Homepage Photo Grid Rebuild — Responsive
Program Options
Testimonials
Guilin
The CLI Team
Our Story
Why CLI
Learn Chinese
Online
Resource Library
Apply Now
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.
“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 Immersion
One-on-one instruction and complete immersion within a safe, friendly language environment is among the most direct paths to Chinese fluency. Begin your stay in Guilin anytime and improve your Chinese each day within a focused and welcoming learning community.
Learn Chinese Online
CLI’s online Chinese lessons bring the classroom to you, providing the flexibility to continue your school or work commitments while learning Chinese. Our online lessons are held to the same high standard as courses taught at the CLI Center in Guilin.
Custom Travel Programs
CLI partners with a select number of schools and organizations to lead customizable study and travel experiences throughout China. Explore this section to learn more about joining a travel group or arranging a custom program of your own.
View All Programs
The Chinese Language Institute
CLI at a Glance
CLI is a Community
CLI fosters a vibrant and welcoming community for students, team members, friends, and family to advance their language skills and make connections with China and each other.
CLI is a Chinese Language School
At our core, CLI is a school for the study of Chinese language and culture. Since 2009, we’ve hosted students from over 50 countries for our Chinese Immersion Program in Guilin.
CLI is a Resource in China
The CLI team has connections in virtually every industry and province in China. Our network is yours to utilize. If you need help navigating China, we’re here to make it happen.
CLI is an Online Learning Platform
CLI connects online students with qualified Chinese teachers and Guilin-based conversation buddies. We facilitate classes and conversations that accelerate your path to fluency.
CLI is a University Affiliate
CLI is an official affiliate of Guangxi Normal University (GXNU), a leading research university with historical strengths in teacher education, the humanities and international exchange.
CLI is a Custom Programs Provider
Each year, CLI partners with schools and associations to create customized group study experiences in China, managing everything from program design to in-country logistics.
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.
Community
February 18, 2026
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.
Read more
→
Campus Update
February 16, 2026
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.
Read more
→
Study Guide
February 10, 2026
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.
Read more
→
Explore the Full Library
Community in Guilin
Meet the CLI Team
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 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 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.
Meet the Team
Since 2009 · Guilin, China
Trusted by students from 50+ countries and 400+ institutions worldwide
4.95
/5
GoOverseas
5,000+
Students
50+
Countries
400+
Institutions Represented
17+
Years Running
Join
5,000+
CLI alumni
1
/
10
Testimonials
Insight from Students
More Testimonials
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
↗
Apply Now
Ask a Question
21 photos
1
/
16
"Most Beautiful Under Heaven"
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.
Explore Guilin
The Case for Immersion
沉浸式学习
Why Learn Chinese in China?
Anyone who has studied language in a far away classroom knows what it's like to spend months of study and rote memorization, yet still be unable to converse.
“
One month in Guilin was more productive than an entire year of coursework in a normal college class.
— Allie R., CLI Student
Learning Chinese in China changes the equation. But it's not automatic: the environment you choose matters. CLI's founders chose Guilin in response to wonderful experiences learning Chinese here from 2000 to 2008, compared to subpar experiences in China's largest cities.
When it comes to language learning and quality of life, nothing compares to the charm, warmth, rhythm of life, and ideal size of Guilin.
The people here are warm and welcoming, the city expansive yet community-based, the countryside beautiful, and the everyday conversation patient and encouraging.
From CLI's Orientation Deck
Five Immersion Habits
On page 19 of our
CLI Orientation Deck
, we encourage students to build five Immersion Habits in Guilin:
01
Stay Focused in Class
Minimize distractions and stay present throughout each session.
02
Self-Study Every Day
Ideally between 2–3 hours — this is when you'll memorize the most vocabulary.
03
Get Out & Engage
This is where Guilin shines! People throughout the city have the patience to practice with you.
04
Surround Yourself
Listen to and engage with the Chinese all around you: TV, music, movies, podcasts, and daily life.
05
Think in Chinese
Sustain significant periods using Chinese exclusively in your internal dialogue — at any level.