Chinese Language Institute

18/05/2026

Meet Imani, a CLI student who came to Guilin during her gap year to study Chinese, explore China, and do something meaningful before beginning her next chapter.

At CLI, Imani’s Chinese learning happens both inside and outside the classroom: through one-on-one lessons, supportive teachers, local conversations, cultural activities, and everyday life in Guilin.

In this video, she takes us from the classroom to quiet gardens, local markets, antique shops, and a peaceful tea tasting.

朋友 - péngyou - friend
老师 - lǎoshī - teacher
学习中文 - xuéxí Zhōngwén - study Chinese
桂林 - Guìlín - Guilin
喝茶 - hē chá - drink tea

Ready to begin your own Chinese journey in Guilin?

studycli.org/chinese-immersion

06/05/2026

Thank you, Erin, for your review of CLI today on GoOverseas.com! We hope to see you again in Guilin soon ～

Student Review: Erin from the United Kingdom
Program: CLI Chinese Immersion Program in Guilin, China
Rating: 5/5
Recommendation: Yes, I recommend this program

“4 Weeks at CLI in Guilin - an incredible experience

I'd studied Chinese online for a few years, very slowly, but the four weeks I spent at the CLI in Guilin were an amazing boost to my progress, and a wonderful experience!

Support:
The admin support was top-notch; I had some minor issues in getting my visa and when I arrived, and both the admin staff and the student intern who met me on day one (and, later, helped me navigate the many apps!) were warm, supportive, and incredibly helpful. The airport pick-up and drop-off were highly appreciated and seamless.

Classes:
My three teachers were all encouraging, enthusiastic, and dedicated to my progress. They figured out where my weak points were and worked on a plan to address them with me, while shoring up my strengths. My Chinese improved dramatically over the four weeks I studied with them. After a couple weeks, I was having slow conversations with taxi drivers, long chats with people in shops, and waking up thinking in Chinese! My reading speed also advanced a lot. I did spend a fair amount of time outside of class as well reviewing the vocab and grammar, so I'd say if you're prepared to work hard you can really accelerate your progress in a very short time.

Activities:
I did a lot of activities offered through the school, and really enjoyed the option to try them out. I think especially as someone who was only there for a couple weeks, it's hard work to find and plan your own activities, and I enjoyed the school's. I got to see some beautiful scenery (trips out to Yangshuo were great!), eat a lot of amazing meals, and learn a little bit about a variety of things: music, dance, calligraphy, and more. (Also the school lunches are delicious.) The CLI is in a non-touristy part of Guilin but near loads of shops, markets, restaurants, etc., so it's very easy to get around even while you're still figuring things out. I really liked the neighbourhood vibe.

Overall:
I'm very glad I went, and would go again in a heartbeat. Highly recommend.”

Learn more about CLI’s Immersion Program in Guilin:
https://studycli.org

https://www.gooverseas.com/organization/chinese-language-institute-cli-reviews

24/04/2026

Every student who comes to Guilin has a unique story. For Katie, coming here wasn't just about exploring a new city, it was about returning to where her life began.

Born in Guilin in the summer of 1994, Katie was adopted by a loving family in New Jersey when she was two years old. Growing up, she always carried a deep curiosity about her roots, feeling that her Chinese heritage was an integral, irreplaceable part of who she is. She often wondered about the city she came from and the life she might have led had she stayed.

Now 31, Katie made the courageous decision to return to her birth city. By studying at CLI, she has been immersing herself in the language and the daily rhythm of Guilin: navigating the bustling streets, connecting with the community, and experiencing firsthand the everyday life she once wondered about.

However, her journey goes far beyond language. Katie is actively searching for her birth family. She has been putting up posters across the city and speaking with locals, hoping for a connection. She’s ready for whatever comes next. As she beautifully puts it, “My heart is open to accept whatever outcome and whatever answers I may get.”

Watch the first installment of our Guilin Story series to hear Katie share her experience.

If you or anyone you know in Guilin might have information, please feel free to share this post.

📍 Approximate Birth Date: July 1994
📍 Found Date: August 15, 1994
📍 Location Found: Outside the Guilin Social Welfare Institute
📍 Blood Type: A

We hope her search leads to the connection she is looking for. ❤️

04/04/2026

Every spring, usually around April 4th or 5th, Chinese families observe one of the most deeply personal holidays on the calendar. 清明节 (Qīngmíngjié), often translated as Tomb Sweeping Day, is a day rooted in filial piety, or the belief that honoring your parents, elders, and ancestors is not just a tradition, but a lifelong responsibility.

Families travel, sometimes great distances, to visit the graves of their loved ones. They pull weeds, sweep away dirt, burn incense, and leave offerings of food and drink. It is quiet, physical, attentive work, and this is the point. The act of tending to a grave is itself a form of love, a way of saying that the bond between generations does not end with death.

But Qingming is not only about grief. The name itself means "clear and bright," and the holiday falls at the moment when spring truly arrives. After visiting the graves, families often spend time outdoors together, walking in nature, flying kites, and sharing special foods like sweet green rice dumplings (called 青团 qīngtuán).

For over 2,500 years, this tradition has carried the same message: where we come from matters, and the people who shaped us deserve to be remembered with care.

Read more about the history and customs of Qingming Festival at

China’s Qingming Festival, or Tomb Sweeping Day, is observed in April and serves to honor the departed by visiting and cleaning their graves.

14/03/2026

One of the most meaningful ways to experience Guilin is through a homestay.

When Blake decided to learn Chinese at CLI, he had never left the United States, much less lived with a host family in China.

But soon after arriving, he understood why so many students choose this path: he felt welcomed, safe, and free to focus on his Chinese. With CLI there each step of the way, what first felt unfamiliar began to feel like home.

He has since returned for two more summers and now moves through daily life in China with confidence.

Join us for a glimpse into Blake’s experience as a homestay student at CLI in Guilin ～

03/03/2026

CLI ❤️

22/02/2026

The CLI Center just got a major upgrade.

After a three-month renovation, every student room across our three residence floors now features a completely rebuilt bathroom and a new keycard-entry door. Air conditioning across the building has also been upgraded.

马到成功 — the Year of the Horse has arrived!

CLI completed a three-month renovation of its Guilin center — new bathrooms, keycard doors, and AC units across the building. See photos of the upgraded facilities.

17/02/2026

Happy Year of the Horse! Join us as we take a look back at this past year at CLI. We hope to see you in Guilin in 2026!

https://studycli.org/2025-year-in-review/

Here are a few essential Spring Festival phrases to use with your Chinese-speaking friends, teachers, or classmates:

新年快乐 - xīn nián kuài lè - Happy New Year
马到成功 - mǎ dào chéng gōng - Wishing you swift success
龙马精神 - lóng mǎ jīng shén - Wishing you energy and vitality
恭喜发财 - gōng xǐ fā cái - Wishing you prosperity
万事如意 - wàn shì rú yì - May everything go as you wish
身体健康 - shēn tǐ jiàn kāng - Wishing you good health
马年大吉 - mǎ nián dà jí - Great luck in the Year of the Horse
春节 - chūn jié - Spring Festival
红包 - hóng bāo - red envelope (gift of money)
团圆饭 - tuán yuán fàn - reunion dinner
桂林见 - guì lín jiàn - See you in Guilin

In 2025, CLI delivered over 36,000 hours of one-on-one Chinese lessons to students from 35 countries. Explore the year's highlights — from the classroom to farewell dinners in Guilin.

10/02/2026

Before the pandemic, our team would travel together to a different place in China each year. These trips were our way of saying thank you, spending time together, and stepping outside of our routine to see our work and one another more clearly.

After a five-year pause, this past November we led the team to Chongqing 重庆 and Wulong 武隆. There, we encountered hotpot, great fog, and long staircases. We hiked mountain trails and climbed urban steps like we’ve never seen. And together, in the midst of all that ascent, we reflected on the winding path that brought us to our present place in space and time.

After seventeen years of immersion learning, we are still here, still together, and still as optimistic as ever about the future of connection and contact between the world and China. After a winding journey, we now find ourselves hosting more students in Guilin in 2026 than we did in the years leading up to the pandemic.

Our saying for the trip was 学如登山 (xué rú dēng shān) — studying is like climbing a mountain. And as every mountain climber and every person striving to surmount a challenge knows: beyond mountains are mountains. Each summit reveals that the scenery extends farther than we imagined. Each summit reminds us that the journey is still young.

09/01/2026

Happy 2026! In classic CLI fashion, for the new year we ask "what major trends in Chinese language education does 2026 bring?"

This year, we have an important answer.

The HSK is changing! After a multi-year transition, the HSK exam (汉语水平考试 Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) has reached its most significant milestone in a generation.

Beginning in 2026, the “HSK 3.0” will be rolled out at testing centers worldwide. Highlights include:

🔹 A "Three Stages, Nine Levels" framework (no longer just HSK 1-6)

🗣️ Mandatory speaking: written HSK and spoken HSKK are increasingly bundled

🎯 A more realistic skills focus, aligned with real-world communication

🀄 Recognition-first character requirements at beginner levels (less forced handwriting early on)

🏆 A single, integrated HSK 7-9 Advanced exam for academic and professional mastery

We wish you success and great progress in your Chinese studies in 2026. To learn more about the new HSK, read on:

The HSK Chinese proficiency test is about to undergo some major changes. Read on to learn what we know so far about the upcoming overhaul of this key exam.

26/12/2025

Happy holidays from the CLI family to yours. 🎅🎁🎄

祝你节日快乐！