China Travel & Living Guide: Key Insights from 11 Years in China

Objective

Document Type: Long-form Travel and Expat Guide

Purpose: Provide practical advice and cultural insights for those preparing to visit, live, or immerse in China for the first time.

Contents

• The Basics
• Transportation & Sightseeing
• Food & Drink
• Interacting with Chinese Culture & People
• Conclusion

The Basics

1. Essential Apps & Tech

• Download:
  • CTrip (Expedia-like for booking trains/hotels)
  • Tunar (domestic airfare bookings)
  • Dianping (Yelp-like)
  • WeChat & Alipay (messaging, payments)
  • ChatGPT/other translation app
  • Pleco (dictionary)
  • VPN (e.g., Astrill; crucial for accessing Western sites—many popular VPNs don’t work reliably)
• Save emergency numbers:
  • Police: 110
  • Fire: 119
  • Ambulance: 120
• New developments: You can now often link WeChat/Alipay to international credit cards. See Wise.com for up-to-date info.

2. Survival Communication

• Translation: Use ChatGPT or similar for conversations; Pleco for quick phrases.
• Hotel address: Screenshot address in Chinese characters for taxis.
• WeChat: Most important app for communication, payments, and social interaction.

3. Visa and Travel Preparation

• Visa required: Research up-to-date requirements for your nationality.
• Apply early: Processing can be slow; no harm in starting soon.

4. Money & Banking

• Cash: Exchange some RMB (Yuan) for emergencies.
• Mobile payments: Alipay & WeChat Pay accepted everywhere, often even by street vendors.
• Chinese bank account: Not always necessary; linking international cards is now becoming feasible.
• Alternatives: Trusted friend can transfer cash into your WeChat wallet.

5. Time Zone

• China Standard Time (UTC+8): Only one time zone, no daylight savings.
• Regional adjustments: E.g. Xinjiang (unofficial local time).

6. Major Holidays

• Dragon Boat Festival: Late May/Early June
• Qingming/Tomb-Sweeping: Early April (somber, NOT a happy celebration)
• Mid-Autumn Festival: Mid-September/Early October
• National (Golden) Week: October 1-8
• Spring Festival (Chinese New Year): Late Jan - Mid Feb (countrywide shutdown, largest annual migration)

7. Basic Skills Before Arrival

• Basic Mandarin greetings
• Asking directions
• Pronunciation (resources available on Mandarin Blueprint channel)

Transportation & Sightseeing

1. In the City

• Subway: Extensive, modern, clean, cheap.
• Didi: China’s Uber—cheaper than US alternatives.
• Rental bikes: Ubiquitous, require mobile payment setup.
• E-bikes: Good for longer stays.

2. Inter-City Travel

• High-speed rail: Extensive, efficient—cars rarely needed.
• Airports & airport express trains: Well-developed.
• Apps: Use Ctrip/Tunar for ticketing.

3. Travel Timing

• Avoid: National holidays especially Spring Festival—massive crowds, travel chaos.
• Climate: Very cold in northern winters, extremely hot in southern cities called "The Three Furnaces" (Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing). Prepare accordingly.

4. Common Scams & Safety Tips

• Pickpockets: Less common than in Europe, but stay alert.
• Overfriendly strangers: Potential scam.
• Tourist price gouging: Haggle; always start very low (offer ~1/8 of quoted price).
• Taxis: Use official lines, insist on meter ("Chong biao").

5. Traffic

• Rules: Looser, “me first” attitude.
• Cross safely: Be decisive, alert.
• Road rage: Almost nonexistent.

6. Rural vs. Urban

• Urban areas: First-world amenities, high standards, modern payments.
• Rural areas: Lower standard of living, check utilities, bring flashlight, wet wipes, hand sanitizer.
• Hotels: May need to register at local police.
• Bring passport: Always when traveling.

Food & Drink

1. Regional Diversity

• Chinese cuisine: 8 great systems, plus vast local variation.
• Special favorites: Xinjiang food (Middle Eastern & Indian influences).
• Recommendation: Try as many local cuisines and dishes as possible.

2. Table Etiquette

• Family style: Dishes shared at big table; use own chopsticks to serve politely.
• Chopstick rules: Don’t stick in rice, don’t point with them, don’t play with them.
• Paying: One person pays (no splitting); offer to treat as a sign of respect (“wo qing ni”).
• No tipping: Not expected; servers don’t hover, call "fuwuyuan" to get service.

3. Street Food

• Tempting but risky: Gutter oil exists, but flavor is unique and worth occasional risk.
• Favorites: Shaobing, chuan, dumplings, etc.

4. Water

• Don’t drink tap water: Bottled only.
• Hot or room temp water: Standard due to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

5. Eating Dog

• Rare: Dog meat is uncommon, has negative connotation for most Chinese.

6. Delivery Apps

• Meituan, Ele.me: Super-fast, wide selection; requires mobile payment setup.

Interacting with Chinese Culture & People

Quickfire Observations

• Politeness: Generally friendly, helpful, welcoming.
• Greetings: Bowing rare, nod/smile/handshake OK, avoid hugs.
• Optimism: Future-focused ("ming" = bright); some is propaganda.
• Public behavior: Modest in public, loud and fun indoors.
• Smoking: Still common; non-smoking areas limited.
• Spitting: Older generation, decreasing; generational divide is pronounced.
• Punctuality: Time is elastic, lateness common (15-30 mins).
• Drinking customs: Toasts (ganbei), pressure to match others; about 20% of Chinese are alcohol intolerant.
• Face (“mianzi”): Avoid public embarrassment, don’t criticize/humiliate openly.
• Regional differences: North = tougher/edgier, South = smaller/easygoing. Sichuan especially laid-back due to historical abundance.
• Safety: Violent crime is rare; theft (esp. bikes) more common; generally safe, especially for women.

Deeper Cultural Insights

• Color symbolism: Red = luck; white = mourning. Wearing a white headband = bereavement.
• Cultural tolerance: Foreigners not expected to know all customs; efforts to do so are appreciated.
• Green hats: Symbolize being cheated on; avoid.
• Listening style: Chinese are often good listeners, open to ideas (may not show disagreement openly).
• Sensitive topics: 3Ts (Tibet, Taiwan, Tiananmen), Xinjiang, Falun Gong, Xi Jinping—don’t post online. In private, Chinese are often open to political/cultural discussion.
• Religion/politics: Loyalty to Chinese civilization more than the CCP; regime seen as “custodians.”
• Showing emotion: Emotional restraint preferred; laughter in awkward situations helps others "save face".
• Integrity: Scammers rare; most people act honorably.
• Legal enforcement: Laws as guidelines; enforcement inconsistent and can change suddenly.
• Conservatism: Traditional family values, high workforce participation for women, “don’t ask don’t tell” for LGBTQ due to one-child legacy. Family pressure to have children is strong.
• Holding contradictions: Chinese society can be both highly flexible and tradition-bound; malleability and historical burden both coexist.

Conclusion

• Prepare thoroughly: Tech, finance, and basic phrases.
• Immerse yourself: Sample diverse foods, travel widely (urban and rural), engage in local customs.
• Approach with openness: Expect both warmth and cultural differences.
• Learn Mandarin: Even a little makes a huge difference in experience and in building goodwill.
• Be patient with contradictions: China is a complex, ever-changing society with deep history and rapid transformation.
• More learning: For guided Mandarin learning, check out Mandarin Blueprint’s resources.

This guide reflects key lessons distilled from over a decade’s experience living, working, and integrating in China, focusing on actionable advice and real cultural understanding rather than just travel tips.