The U.S. government identifies Chinese as one of the 15 critical languages important for the nation's economic competitiveness and security interests (U.S. Department of Education, p.1). Consequently, the U.S. government has funded Chinese language programs through the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) to increase the number of U.S. residents studying critical-need languages from an early age and to boost the number of teachers of critical-need languages, providing them with ample resources (U.S. Department of Education, p.1). Research in the field of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) teaching has revealed that teachers' identities significantly influence their teaching practices (Di et al., 2022; Tsiu, 2007; Wayne & Youngs, 2003; Ying, 2017; Yu et al., 2014). This study investigates CFL teachers' identities within college-level Chinese language classrooms in the United States, examining the internal and external forces that shape their identities and how these identities shift across different contexts. Data collection encompasses interviews, CFL teachers' reflective journals, and teaching artifacts. The data are analyzed through the lenses of sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1986) and poststructural theories (Bourdieu, 1977, 1986; Norton, 1995). The analysis indicates that CFL teacher identities are influenced by personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, teaching philosophies, and interactions with institutional dynamics. Moreover, the resilience embedded in Chinese cultural values, the influence of standardized testing systems, and a profound respect for scholarship collectively inform CFL educators' pedagogical approaches. The study discusses implications for CFL pedagogy, CFL program and policy makers, and CFL teacher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]