Chengde is the birthplace of Mandarin, the world’s most spoken language. You don’t have to worry about dialect in Chengde because everyone here speaks standard Mandarin. You can easily understand others and be understood.
As a cultural and political hub during the Qing Dynasty, Chengde played a key role in standardizing the language. The city’s strategic location and its use as the Qing emperors’ summer retreat facilitated interactions between various ethnic groups, contributing to the evolution of a common tongue. Mandarin, influenced by northern dialects, emerged as the lingua franca of the empire, with Chengde at its heart. This rich linguistic history cements Chengde’s place as a cornerstone in the origins of Mandarin Chinese.
Chengde is a smaller city renowned for its natural beauty and historical importance as a summer retreat for Qing Dynasty emperors. The Chengde Mountain Resort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, showcases stunning gardens and traditional architecture. Chengde offers a more tranquil atmosphere, ideal for those seeking relaxation and scenic landscapes, including the nearby Bashang Grassland and the less-crowded Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. Chengde is only 1 hour away from the capital, Beijing, by high-speed train. There are 2 to 4 high-speed trains from Chengde to Beijing every hour. Despite being so close to Beijing, the cost of living is amazingly lower than that in Beijing.
Chengde presents an appealing alternative for those looking to enjoy a lower cost of living without sacrificing the quality of life. Its combination of affordable living expenses, rich cultural heritage, and beautiful natural surroundings make it an attractive destination for individuals and families alike. Whether you’re considering relocating for work, study, or simply seeking a change of scenery, Chengde offers a balanced and economically sensible lifestyle choice compared to the hustle and bustle of Beijing.
At the heart of Chengde’s allure is the Mountain Resort (Bishu Shanzhuang), an expansive imperial garden and palace complex. Built during the 18th century, this magnificent retreat covers a staggering 5.6 square kilometers, making it one of the largest ancient gardens in China. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the resort is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, blending the natural beauty of its surroundings with the refined aesthetics of traditional Chinese architecture.
Beyond this historic sanctuary, Chengde’s landscape unfolds in a tapestry of natural wonders, from gentle hikes in the surrounding hills to leisurely boat rides on its clear waters. Each season brings its own charm, with vibrant autumn leaves, blossoming spring flowers, cool summer escapes, and snowy winter vistas. Chengde is an ideal getaway for those seeking a blend of cultural richness and the calming beauty of nature.
One semester is 16 weeks. If you have a tight budget, but also want to enjoy the best quality of teaching, the semester Chinese program would be the best choice.
The Semester Chinese Program offers long-term student visas, which is ideal for people who want to live in China for the long term. China is a country that many people dream of because of the vast business/working opportunities and low living costs. If you are in between jobs or unsure about the future, studying Chinese in Chengde and taking the Semester Chinese program could be the best decision to help you gain a skill that will benefit you for a lifelong time.
The beginner class is designed for students who have never studied Chinese.
Topics covered in beginner class are the introduction of yourself, daily life, food, transportation, interests, and hobbies.
The levels of the students in one class might be slightly different. Please bear in mind that you might not have exactly the same level.
You can join this program on the first Monday of each month.
The Elementary class is designed for students who have learned 500 Chinese words and 48 grammar points, and are able to recognize 300 Chinese characters.
Topics covered in Elementary are “socializing”, family life, study arrangements, shopping, dining, personal feelings, traveling experience, course situation, cultural and sports activities, festivals and customs, and career, etc.
The levels of the students in one class might be slightly different. Please bear in mind that you might not have exactly the same level.
You can join this program on the first Monday of each month.
The Intermediate class is designed for students who have learned 2245 Chinese words and 210 grammar points and can recognize 900 Chinese characters.
Topics covered in Intermediate are community life, healthy conditions, campus life, office communication, animals, and plants, interpersonal relationships, lifestyles, studying methods, natural environment, social phenomenon, social contacts, etc.
The levels of the students in one class might be slightly different. Please bear in mind that you might not have exactly the same level.
You can join this program on the first Monday of each month.
The Advanced class is designed for students who have learned 5456 Chinese words and 424 grammar points and are able to recognize 1800 Chinese characters.
Topics covered in the Advanced class are socializing protocols, science and technology, culture and art, emotions, academic fields, political economy, philosophy, history, academic research, laws and regulations, business trade, and international affairs.
The levels of the students in one class might be slightly different. Please bear in mind that you might not have exactly the same level.
You can join this program on the first Monday of each month.
As an outstanding Chinese language institute that has been well-established for 20 years, we offer students program certificates at the end of the program. You can use it for:
Each student has his/her Chinese language background. Don’t worry! We will offer a free placement test before you start the Semester Chinese Program. The teacher at Keats will suggest one class that is most suitable for your level.
Your “Life Advisor” will be helping you with
Your “Study Advisor” will be helping you with
In order to create more opportunities for Keats students who take the Semester Chinese Program to practice Mandarin Chinese outside of classrooms, the Friends Program at Keats provides the immersion experience by making friends with Chinese people and practicing Chinese. You will be paired with a local Chinese who can speak standard Mandarin. Keats has strict criteria for selecting Chinese people with standard accents to join the Friends Program. You and your language partners are encouraged to take part in all activities at Keats.
Whenever you need help, we are here to help. We understand that living abroad can be stressful, especially for the first time. We are here to ease your concerns and make your transition smooth. Keats is your home in China and is with you all the time. Learn Chinese in China and explore China by taking the small group Chinese class.
As a Keats student, you can request a student ID. With the student ID, you can receive student’s prices or discounted prices at 80% parks in China. This saves you a lot of money which you can invest in your Mandarin Chinese language courses. The student ID provides the best opportunity to travel in China on a budget.
Keats offers support for your long-term student visa application. After you complete your registration at Keats, we will send you instructions on how to get your long-term student visa with help from Keats. Keats can also provide dependent visas for your spouse and children. Get started and plan your trip to learn Mandarin Chinese in China.
Keats closely works with the Investment Promotion Service Department of Chengde High-tech Industrial Development Zone. They offer many good policies to facilitate foreign investors to start their own business in Chengde. Keats offers consulting services to any student who wishes to start their own business in Chengde.
I have really enjoyed the Chinese course in China at Keats and meeting the teachers here and the students. We have a lot of fun in class. It is a really great school to learn with good teaching methods and a really good textbook, examples and games, and everything.
I have studied at Keats for 2 semesters. I highly recommend Keats School. If you are very interested in taking a Mandarin course in China, I would suggest you come to Kunming. Kunming people are very friendly. The weather in Kunming is great. So I recommend that you study Chinese at Keats in Kunming.
It is very convenient to come to Kunming from Thailand. I really like my Chinese class and my Chinese improved a lot in a few months. There are many benefits of learning Chinese. The best thing I like about Keats is that it is in Kunming, a city with eternal spring. There is so much to see in Kunming and you will love this city after you come.
In the one-to-one intensive Chinese course, you can choose the learning method you like. The small group Chinese class in China at Keats follows the HSK textbook. Teachers often collect feedback from the students, teachers listen to our requirements and opinions. I felt that my oral level is better than before .
I really had a wonderful experience at the school. The teachers are very very friendly. In my class, we practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing. We play games and other fun activities. We have trips around town. The staff at Keats is phenomenal. My teacher is one of the best teachers I have ever had in my educational experience. She comes in with a smile every day.
The teachers at Keats know how to read the students and how to help students learn Chinese language easily. They know the level of the students. I am a slow learner, but they managed to adapt to my learning. They made the class very fun, very exciting. I am pleased that not only I got to learn the culture and the language, but I also got to make amazing friends, really unbelievable, Chinese friends and European friends, American friends, from all over the world.
All my classmates stay together for one year and we improved so much! The teachers at Keats are all very great. They like to organize a lot of activities to help us learn Chinese. I like Keats! I like Kunming!
I think the Chinese learning environment here is great. The teaching methods are also very interactive and fun. What I particularly enjoy here is the fact that my teacher does not stick to the textbook. We spend a lot of time discussing general topics, such as Chinese culture, world news, typical expressions used by local people. We also discuss social and economic topics.
Yes, you can join this program on the first Monday of each month.
Yes, it includes accommodation. You will live in the school’s apartment.
Yes, we will help you with long-term student visas. If you are living abroad, we will send you the visa documents to apply for student visas after full payment for the program is made.
Your student visa will be 6 months if you sign up for 1 semester.
Your student visa will be 1 year if you sign up for 2 semesters.
We are very sorry that the Semester Chinese Program is carried out based on 16 weeks. The minimum duration of the program you can take is 16 weeks. If you are unable to finish the entire 16 weeks, you will not receive a refund. This program is designed for students who want to live and study in China for long term.
If you are looking for a short-term intensive program, you can check out the intensive one-on-one Chinese programs with 10 locations available for choosing or the small group Chinese classes in Kunming.
The Semester Chinese Program offers 2 hours of Chinese group classes per day, Monday to Friday. You will be studying with a professional and licensed Keats teacher in your class.
Yes, people who can register for this program are from 18 years old to 65 years old. Since there will be other students in the small group classes, you will need to accommodate other students’ learning speeds. The teacher for the small group class will get everyone involved and make sure that each student has enough attention.
If you prefer to take a completely customized course designed exclusively for you, you can take the Intensive One-on-one Chinese program. The teacher for the one-on-one Chinese program will prepare the lessons according to your level of Chinese and your learning goals to ensure that you learn the most Chinese in the shortest possible time. The Intensive One-on-one Chinese course will be designed to target your weakness and help you learn Chinese at your own pace.
Absolutely! You can just let us know at least one week before you plan to switch, and we will make arrangements for you.
You can pay the difference of the programs for the rest of your stay.
There are no more than 6 students in one class. Students are from all over the world with one goal of speaking Chinese fluently. You will soon make new friends after you start the school.
You can register here or click the “APPLY NOW” button on the top right and send the deposit of USD 200 to reserve your room and your spot in the small group class at Keats. After we receive your deposit, we will send you a booking confirmation and an invoice with payment details for the balance. Then you can arrange the payment through bank transfer. We will send you the official Admission Notice to apply for a student visa. After you receive the visa supporting materials from us, you will be ready to apply for a student visa at the Chinese embassy or visa center in your country. Once you get the visa, you are ready to start a wonderful journey at Keats! Click here for a detailed description of the enrollment process.