Travel China - Shanghai and the South

Beware of the "Grand Tours" of China offered in the brochures. Saturation from temple visits, transport fatigue and frustration at not being able to stroll around longer here or there can cause disappointment. China is a continent, and you do not "do" a continent in one go. It is better to limit your ambitions to one single region. Find a tour operator specialising in organised visits to the area and follow their advice.
There is nothing worse for someone Chinese than to lose face. Shouting and gesticulating makes people laugh more than anything else, and does not help a situation. Asian patience is learned... in Asia.
Visiting China, particularly the southern provinces, is not a rest cure. No question of tanning and relaxing by the pool. Relaxing, sometimes after hours on a train or a bus, is to stroll with no regard for time in the Old Districts of a town, or to wind down in a restaurant. In short, a trip to China is above all cultural, and requires curiosity.
What should you take in your suitcase?
As long as you avoid taking clothes that are too provocative, the Chinese are not very formal in this respect. You would do better to think practical and light: tee-shirts and anoraks can be bought there at low cost. In winter, a thick sweater, warm undergarments, trousers and a thick parka are compulsory. Cotton clothes are the most comfortable in rainy season, as the heat is intense, and do not forget to take something waterproof and shoes that do not have a problem with water! Regarding medication, the change in food habits can cause stomach problems (heartburn...): so take some pills along, particularly if you are also going to travel through the country. A precaution: photocopies of your passport and identity photos will be very useful to you should you lose them.