Learn Chinese in Shanghai, China!

Shanghai: A City “On the Sea”

Learning Mandarin in Shanghai immerses you in a vibrant, modern city where you can practice Mandarin daily while experiencing authentic Chinese culture firsthand. Shanghai is the evolving cultural, commercial, financial, industrial and communications hub of China. “Shanghai” literally means “on the sea”, thanks to its location on the Chinese coastline near the East China Sea and its historical importance as a port and trading hub.

Explore Shanghai

The best way for students learning Mandarin to discover Shanghai is by foot. For shopaholics, Shanghai provides a feast. From the traditional markets of Yuyuan Bazaar to the endless rows of well-known brand shops on Nanjing Road, there is no shortage in supply.

Take a break from shopping and detour off the high street and you’ll find amongst the city buildings, temples, original art-deco architecture amidst traditional Chinese grocery stores and restaurants. In fact, wherever you are in Shanghai, you’re never too far from traditional Chinese food with a huge variety of colourful sweet and savoury dishes.

Overlooked in the distance by the city skyscrapers, students can explore the carnival of kiosks and street stalls, where you can try some of Shanghai’s famous foods such as Xiao Long Bao, aka steamed soup dumplings. For students just starting out learning Mandarin, there are tour guides to help show you around.

If you love to travel and explore while studying, another site worth seeing is the People’s Square, with its greenery amongst interesting museums, mirror-windowed hotels, and bars. The vast Shanghai Museum in People’s Square has tens of thousands of exhibits that lead you through the story of China’s civilisation. With its shaded alcoves, sparkling pools filled with goldfish, classical pavilions and rustling bamboo, Yuyuan Gardens is one of Shanghai’s most eminent sights and what most tourists envisage true China to be like.

Shanghai at night is a sight to behold

Rivalling the glitz of Western capitals like Paris and New York, the city at night is breathtakingly beautiful with bright and colourful lights and structures shaping the cosmopolitan skyline. As dusk settles whisk yourself up by fast-moving elevator to the 55 metre Skywalk 100 observation corridor at the summit of the Shanghai World Financial Center, the best place to see the lights go on in stages across the city. Then head down to the 91st floor where the 100 Century Avenue Bar and Restaurant can provide you with a dry Martini and an inspiring view from one of the world’s highest bars. One thing is for sure, outside of study time, boredom is consigned to the past.