4-Day Chinese Language Immersion: Class, Craft and 798 Art

Four days that move Mandarin out of the textbook and onto the street. Day one opens with a welcome ceremony, a programme briefing and a first basic Chinese class, followed by a guided walk through the Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420. Day two is daily conversation - travel, dining, directions - reinforced in the afternoon with calligraphy and paper-cutting, where the written character becomes something made by hand. Day three adds the cultural layer with a lecture on Confucianism and Taoism and a visit to the National Museum of China, and the farewell day puts everything to use with shopping-and-dining Chinese around the 798 Art District before the airport transfer.

• Start speaking on day one with a basic Chinese class and a guided walk through the Forbidden City, the 1406-1420 palace complex inscribed by UNESCO in 1987.
• Practise daily conversation for travel, dining and directions, then cut a paper window flower and grind your own ink in the same afternoon.
• Hear how Confucian hierarchy and Taoist naturalism still shape the words and politeness patterns learners meet in real conversations.
• Visit the National Museum of China on the east side of Tiananmen Square, where the collections put the language's history on display.
• Use shopping-and-dining Chinese for real at the 798 Art District, the 1950s factory complex turned contemporary art quarter.
• Keep the class small by design: placement by level, with materials matched to what each group actually needs.

• 3 nights hotels, good 4-star or equivalent, twin share with daily breakfast (3 nights in Beijing)
• Meals as listed in the itinerary, with dietary requirements and allergies arranged in advance
• Private air-conditioned coach with licensed driver throughout, plus airport or station transfers on arrival and departure
• Professional English-speaking guide throughout the programme
• All entrance fees to the sites named in the itinerary, including the programme classroom, the National Museum of China and the 798 Art District, with shuttle buses and cable cars merged into the ticket price where the site requires them
• Study materials, record sheets and a printed reader for the programme
• Two accompanying teachers free of the land programme cost, amortised into the student price
• Travel insurance at 30 CNY per person per day
• Luggage handling where group size requires it
• Bottled water, tour headsets where group size requires them, and local handling services
• All government taxes and service charges as itemised in the quotation

• International air tickets to and from China, and any domestic flights or high-speed rail fares not listed in the itinerary
• China visa fees, invitation letters and any documentation costs
• Meals and drinks not listed in the itinerary, including all alcoholic beverages
• Optional evening performances, additional excursions and any activity not named in the itinerary
• Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping and personal items
• Gratuities for guides and drivers (entirely at your discretion)
• Anything not expressly listed under “What is included”
• Costs arising from events beyond our control, such as flight delays, weather, or changes to opening hours or site access

Frequently asked questions

Is four days enough to learn anything useful?

Yes, if the goal is functional Mandarin rather than fluency. By the farewell day students handle greetings, numbers, directions and ordering food unaided - the phrases the street actually rewards. Schools wanting a longer arc can extend this programme to a week or two with the same teaching team.

What level are the classes pitched at?

Beginner to lower intermediate, with placement on day one. Groups with prior Chinese can be split into a faster track; the craft and culture sessions run for the whole group together.

Are the teachers qualified Mandarin instructors?

Yes. Classes are taught by trained instructors of Chinese as a second language, and the culture lecture is delivered by a university lecturer. Teacher credentials are available to schools on request before booking.

How many teachers travel free?

Two accompanying teachers travel free of the land programme cost, amortised into the student price. Quotations are built for 16, 20 or 30 students.