Indoor smoking is still more common than many foreign visitors expect. Law vibe is formal and structured, with clear rules and social order.
Minimum budget: rural $500/mo, urban $1100/mo. Medical insurance: $1,500/yr.
Auto: A Russian license or IDP is not enough in mainland China; you need a Chinese temporary driving permit or local license plus translation. Rentals are available after that, roughly ¥180-450/day for BYD, VW, Sylphy-class cars, with EVs common and apps, navigation in Chinese. International rental-car border crossing is effectively not a normal traveler option; use trains, flights or a hired driver.
Smoking: Indoor smoking is still more common than many foreign visitors expect.
Police / rules: Police and public-order vibe is structured and orderly: the system likes clear rules, controlled behavior, and predictable paperwork more than improvisation.
Zones
Eastern Urban Belt: Dense megacities, old-capital layers, lake cities, bullet trains and polished systems. Humid subtropical megacity climate with dense skylines and seasonal monsoons. Summers sit around 28–36°C with heavy rain bursts and sticky humidity, while winters range from -2 to 10°C depending on latitude with colder northern cities and milder southern coasts.
Humid South: Lush southern cities, river commerce, factory-startup energy and heavy humid heat. Lush subtropical and tropical zones with rice fields, rivers and green mountains. Summers stay around 28–35°C with long rainy seasons and frequent thunderstorms, winters mild around 10–18°C with misty humid air.
Mountain & Dry West: Silk Road edges, plateaus, oasis towns, deserts and travel in very long jumps. High plateaus, deserts and alpine basins with sharp temperature swings. Summers range 20–32°C but nights drop sharply, while winters can fall from 0 to -20°C in northern inland regions with very dry air and strong sun.