Teach English in Chengdu with Reach To Teach!
If you want to teach English in Chengdu, this is the place to be!
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province. With a population of over 7 million people in the city alone and 14 million people in the metro area, Chengdu has been ranked as China’s fourth most livable city. The city itself is the financial and economic hub of Western China, while the surrounding area is best known for its fertile plains.
The requirements to teach English in Chengdu are not as high as other major cities. While applicants need to have 2 years of work experience after graduating with a full university degree, those years need not all be teaching experience. Here are the basic requirements to teach in Chengdu:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Two years of postgraduate work experience
- Teaching experience (the more, the better)
- 120-hour TEFL certificate
History of Chengdu: Ancient City
The area now known as Chengdu is thought to have been inhabited at least 4,000 years ago, established by the finding of two major archeological sites: Sanxingdui and Jinsha. Known as Shu culture, the discovery of these sites in 1987 was the first confirmation that this culture existed, even though it was mentioned in many historical records.
Because many of these mentions read more like mythology than history, it was thought this was an imaginary place. However, these dig sites proved that there was a distinct culture that existed at least as early as 1400 BC. It wasn’t until this site was excavated that a completely new culture was discovered with its own artistic style and religious practices.
Jumping ahead several thousand years, when the National Party fled to Chengdu to avoid the Japanese army during WWII, they brought much of the wealth of China with them.
This helped Chengdu develop economically. Even though Chengdu has never been an official capital, its place as an economic center was developed while the leaders of China were there in exile.
Sites of Chengdu
Mount Qingcheng is a combination of Taoist temples and beautiful scenery. The main peak is 5,200 ft above sea level and contains a main temple area. The temples all have fortune tellers, best avoided as they always give bad news which, can of course, be cured with the right incantation or prayer (which comes at a price).
Even though the base of this area is within the suburbs of Chengdu, making it highly accessible, plenty of trails exist where you can quickly forget you are anywhere near the city.
Take the sky tram to the top of the peak if you are feeling brave (or lazy) and don’t forget your camera! Some of the most iconic type of Chinese scenery can be found here-Taoist temples with backgrounds of mountains and rivers.
The Chunxi Road shopping area is famous for its trendy stores, fashion boutiques, and general shopping. Both small private stores and big shopping centers are present. This is a popular hangout with a history dating back to 1924-trendy meets classic!
If it’s food you are looking for, then take a trip to Jinli, another popular neighborhood with an ancient history. This area is mentioned in the most ancient histories of Chengdu and was commercialized by the Han Dynasty.
Today, you will find everything from local street vendors to upper-end restaurants and teahouses to bars. Before heading off for drinks and dinner, don’t forget to check out Wuhou Shrine, a museum thought to be more than 1500 years old. Built as a memorial to Chinese emperor Liu Bei and his top general, the complex connections of halls and 
temples are suited for those who wish to feel like they are in ancient China.
One cannot mention Chengdu without mentioning the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary. The total area of this sanctuary is 3500 miles squared or nearly 300,000 acres.
Roughly 30% of the world’s endangered giant pandas live in the wild here, along with snow leopards and red pandas. The area includes seven nature reserves and nine scenic parks, including Mount Qingcheng.
Teach English in Chengdu through Reach To Teach!
Reach To Teach Recruiting has a number of different kinds of positions in Chengdu. Most prominently, we work with private language schools that focus on students aged 3-15. Full-time kindergarten positions are available at different times of the year and the language schools are always hiring. If you are interested in such positions, apply here.
