Because native Chinese speakers have such great difficulties speaking English, and often lack the opportunity to practice what they indeed know, so-called “English corners” are an ubiquitous feature of the Chinese social landscape. Often they are held in parks, where Chinese people meet and force themselves to communicate with each other in English. Of course, once a foreigner arrives on the scene, he is the star of the location.

English corners are also increasingly held at restaurants, and often, foreigners of an ethnicity other than Han receive a very preferential treatment indeed. At the Yinhua Hotel on Wu Yi Dadao in Changsha (the capital of Hunan province), every Tuesday and Friday evening, foreigners get free drinks, including beer (as much as they want to), while Chinese visitors, even school girls, pay the high price of 15 Yuan just to get tea or water.

In Nanning at the V-Touch, foreigners that show up on Saturday morning for the buffet, receive coupons with which they get subsequent Saturday morning buffet meals at a discounted price.

In the large metropolitan cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, these English corners are not significant as there are anyway a good number of foreigners with whom to practice English skills. But in large cities with very few foreigners, English corners can be the principal meeting places for foreigners and locals. In such cities, English corners are often not only frequented by those who want to practice their English, but also by young local women who are set on foreign men. There may not be many in provincial cities, but if there are, they are quite likely to frequent English corners, and English corners can be excellent pick-up places, even for short-term liaisons.

Here now a list of English corners in various cities in China:

NANNING

(from: http://www.robsnanningsite.com/expatcorner.html)

The primary English Corner for foreigners in Nanning to connect up with available Chinese ladies is the V-Touch Coffee Corner (2636388) at No. 43-12, Xinmin Rd. at 9:15 AM Saturday morning, 9 AM to 12 Noon. Price for the buffet breakfast is 23 RMB with a green coupon for 10 RMB off on next week’s buffet breakfast for foreigners!

The Dream Cafe (5849988) also is gathering a following of people for an English Corner on Sunday morning at 10:30 AM where you can buy a breakfast for as little as 10 RMB or if you like, you can just sit and have water.

Guangxi University has three English Corners.

Guangxi Art Institute has an English Corner on Wednesday night at 7:45 PM in room 302 in the last teachers bldg. on the left from the main gate.

Guangxi Medical University has an English Corner on the 3rd floor of the English Bldg. in the English Salon on Friday at 8 PM. It is the tall bldg. on the right as you go through the main entrance.

Goodman’s Coffee Club (13878899386) also has an English Corner, but its time might be changed.

The Nanning Hotel used to have a thriving English Corner on Sunday morning at 9 AM until they went up to 30 RMB for their buffet breakfast.

The Guangxi College of Education has an English Corner at 8 PM Tuesday night in the outside square.

Tom’s English Corner gathers a large group of students on Saturday morning at 9 AM at the main gate just outside the Nanning Zoo.

Minzhu Square also has an English Corner Sunday from 9 AM to 12 Noon where people stand around and talk under the trees.

HEFEI

(from: http://www.yingkesongusa.com/anda02report.htm)

Hefei City English Corner located in GaoShan park.

At China-Australia School, two locations : The main campus on Sui Xi Lu, and the Self-Study campus on Huo Shan Lu.

BEIJING

(from: http://www.studyabroad.slu.edu/pdf/beijing_printable.pdf )

Beijing's largest English corner" is located at Peoples University near our home campus of UIBE.

(from: http://bbs.chinadaily.com.cn/viewthread.php?gid=4&tid=567709&extra=page%3D1 )

English Corner will be opened on the evening of June 15 in Shijingshan District.
It will be held on each Friday from 17:30 to 22:00 in Shijingshan Sculpture Park.
Beijing Youth Palace, Sunday afternoons, from 14:00 to 17:00 hours at 68 Xizhimen Nanxiaojie, Xicheng District, Beijing

(from: http://www.travelotica.com/travelguide/5161/china/beijing/listings-5203.htm )

English corner Sundays in Zizhuyuan Park.

(from: http://www.popenglish.tv/)

Beijing University English Corner
116 Bei Avenue, Zhongguan Village, Haidian City, Beijing
Every Saturday begins at 19:00

Beijing Foreign Studies University English Corner, North Xi Sanhuan Road 2
Every Friday begins at 18: 30

FUZHOU

(from: http://forum.21stcentury.com.cn/simple/index.php?t42153_21.html)

The Wuyi Square English Corner is held on every Thursday night.

GUANGZHOU

(from: http://community.travelchinaguide.com/d_forum2.asp?i=30560)

Guangzhou Library (Sunday), under the canopy of the big banyan, ZhongShanSi Road

Guangzhou New Oriental School holds an English Corner on every Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 at Haizhu No. 8 classroom NANJING

(from: http://www.lifeinchina.cn/)

English corner at the 4th floor, Public Book Mall in Xie Jie Kou, twice every week. One is from 7pm to 8pm on Friday evening. The other is from 1:40pm to 2:40pm on Saturday afternoon.

Another English corner in Nanjing at the Gu Lou Square, time is every Saturday night starting from 6:30pm.

CHENGDU

(from: http://community.travelchinaguide.com/d_forum2.asp?i=27363)

Sichuan University
19:00~ 21:00
Every Thursday

Sichuan International Studies University
Wednesday English Corner
There is a great new English Corner on Wednesday and Saturday nights at the High Connection Coffee House near the Southwest Financial University. It usually starts around 7:00 pm. The address is Qingyang Qu Shuangqing Nanlu 6 Hao Fu A-20. Their phone number is 8732-5855.

(from: http://www.travelotica.com/)

English Corner Wednesday and Friday evenings at 7.30pm on the corner of Renmin Nan Lu and Binjiang Lu, by the Jinjiang bridge. Worth dropping in on for the mix of young local students, who may offer to act as guides in return for English conversation.

WUHAN

(from: http://www.travelotica.com/")

English corner Every Friday at 7pm, in the Internet café on Floor 2 of the Mingcheng Plaza, Zhongshan Dadao, Hankou.

HAIKOU

(from: http://www.popenglish.tv/")

Hainan Normal University English Corner
No. 99, South Longkun Road, Haikou, Hainan
Every Sunday evening, from 7:30 to 11:00

Hainan University English Corner,
NO. 58 Renmin Ave, HaiDian Island, Haikou, HaiNan Province
Every Tuesday evening

GUIYANG

(from: http://www.travelotica.com/")

English corner Held every Sunday morning in the old Taosit temple/tea house on Zhonghua Lu, just north of the Zhongshan Lu crossroads.

XIAN

(from: http://www.popenglish.tv/")

NORTHWESTERN POLYTECHNICAL UNIVERSITY English corner
No.127, W. You Yi Road, Xi'an Province
Dong Fanghong Square
Every Wednesday evening

Xi'an International Studies University English Corner
Address: 1 South Wenyuan Road , Guodu Sci-Education Development Zone
Every Thursday evening

SHANGHAI

(from: http://www.popenglish.tv/")

Guang Qi Park English corner
No.17, Nandan Road, Shanghai
Every Saturday afternoon

Shanghai International Studies University English Corner
---550 Dalian Road(W) Shanghai 200083 P.R.China
Address:Canteens in the Teaching zone
Every Wednesday evening

English Corner of East China University of Political Science and Law,
Wanhang Du Road 1575
Address: glass plot in the school
Time: Every two weeks, at 18:30 on Tuesday

Fudan university english corner
Handan Road 220
Every Sunday begins at 18:30

Jingan Park English Corner
Road intersection of N. Nanjing Road, Huashan Road, Middle Yanan Road
before 11:00 every Sunday

English Corner of Foreign Language Department of Shanghai University ,
Shangda Road 99

PUDONG

(from: http://www.popenglish.tv/")

Library of Pudong New Area English Corner
Address: 1st floor, Yingchun Road 324, Pudong New Area
from 9:30 to 11:30 on Saturday

ZHUHAI

10 SANTANA ENGLISH SCHOOL
Tel:0756-3372110 3372810
Address:方东省珠海市吉大九洲大道中金桥大厦三楼
http://www.zhses.com.cn/
 

20 GATEWAY LANGUAGE VILLAGE
平和免费英语角
时间：每两周周日晚 7:00
地点: 柠溪路香洲文化广场B区二楼平和英语大厅
Tel:2319666
http://www.glvchina.com/english/main_en.php
 
 
3) Zhu Hai English Corner every Thursday evening
Email:aweiname2008@163.com for more information
 
4) FOUNTAIN SCHOOL
 Every Sunday 4:30-5:30pm
方通英语地址Address：
吉大-吉大海天城证券公司侧   香洲-五洲花城世派街二楼2-3号
Tel: Ji Da吉大-3331122 3331171   Xiangzhou香洲-2266458 2266478
http://www.fountainschool.com/
 
5)English corner in 珠海市外经贸学院
Check up the site then you know the contact detail:
http://www.ibeedu.com/jcx/article/readnews.asp?newsid=120
 
6)ROYAL EDUCATION 诺亚英语培训学校
地址Address：珠海拱北名门大厦7楼 电话
Tel： 0756-8138771 8139771 传真
Fax：0756-8138772
http://www.eduroyal.com/chinese/index.html