Due to the importance of metaphorical capacity for L2 learners, metaphor instruction is increasingly considered a crucial part of language education. To contribute to the still growing literature, the current study reports a project of teaching Chinese animal metaphors to learners of Mandarin as a foreign language, following the framework of systemic-theoretical instruction for concept-based instruction (CBI). Given the conceptual nature of metaphors and their role in the conceptual understanding of a language, a concept-based approach is therefore hypothesized as relevant in the development of learner's metaphorical capacity. By analyzing the surveys, coursework, and assignments completed by and the audio recordings of instructional sessions conducted with three focal participants, this research shows that CBI is effective in growing the learners' metaphorical awareness and competence, despite their difference in general language proficiency and the seemingly short period of instruction. As such, this research reveals both the mechanisms of L2 metaphor learning and the effects of CBI on the practice of L2 metaphor instruction.