I recently returned to the United States after traveling throughout Asia. Last time, I wrote about my experiences in Indonesia. Here are my takeaways as a transgender man visiting China.

Why I Chose to Travel to China

China was the focal point of my entire trip. When choosing where to go, I was torn between China and Cuba since I knew current politics meant future travel to either destination could be impossible.

The United States has a difficult relationship with China, effectively putting us in a Second Cold War. China is a top tourist destination despite political barriers due to its rich cultural history and natural wonders. However, Americans are more hesitant to visit China compared to other Asian destinations like Japan, South Korea, or Thailand.

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China Travel Guide: Important Things to Know Before Visiting

I arrived in Beijing near the end of the Chinese New Year, traveling south by train until I reached Hong Kong two weeks later. China competes with the United States as THE global superpower and provides a wealth of new experiences.

Here are some of the most important things to know about China.

China’s Population, Geography, and Regional Differences

China is the second-most populous country in the world, surpassed only by India’s growing population in 2023. Nearly 1.5 billion people live in China – and 94% of Chinese residents live along the east coast.

YSK: China’s population has decreased for the fourth consecutive year. It is considered a rapidly aging population due to low birth rates. Many people incorrectly believe the Chinese government still enforces a strict one-child policy. 

The One-Child Policy ended in 2015 to combat China’s declining birth rates. As of July 2021, there is no limit on the number of children a couple may have. Despite this, China’s birth rates have not improved, and young couples report reluctance to have children due to the high costs of living.

91.5% of China’s population is part of the Han ethnic majority. 55 minority Chinese groups make up the remainder, which live along China’s outer borders. Hong Kong and Macau are exceptions, whose minority groups consist of Western European and Southeast Asian.

China is a massive country with geographical diversity rivaling that of the United States. Most of China is mountainous, which is why most people live in the less mountainous east.

The north gets frigid winters and humid summers. While in Beijing, it was below freezing, and the city was dusted with snow. In contrast, regions south of Hong Kong are classified as tropical – Hainan stays around 80°F throughout the year. Only 6% of people live west of the Heihe–Tengchong Line, which is extremely arid from the Tibetan Plateau and Gobi Desert.

Earthquakes and typhoons are the most deadly natural disasters common to China. China ranks among the top ten countries for the number of earthquakes per year. Most of China’s seismic activity occurs in Western China, which is why the most recent significant earthquake was in 2010 in Yushu, killing almost 3,000 people.

Health, Safety, and Travel Risks in China

The Department of State classifies China with a Level 2 Travel Advisory, recommending travelers to exercise increased caution when visiting. This advisory is due to reported arbitrary enforcement of local laws and exit bans by the People’s Republic.

This disproportionally affects Americans with high-ranking connections. Government personnel, academics, and journalists are more likely to be targeted due to PRC censorship and its difficult relationship with the US.

Even in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, it is unsafe to drink local tap water. Both locals and foreigners should drink water boiled, filtered, or bottled to avoid contamination.

Always visit your primary healthcare provider before traveling abroad. Your provider will administer and prescribe necessary vaccinations and medications for your travel.

The CDC recommends the vaccinations and medications for the following:

• Chickenpox
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Influenza
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella
• Polio
• Shingles
• COVID-19
• Chikungunya
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Rabies
• Tick-Borne Encephalitis
• Typhoid
• Leptospirosis
• Schistosomiasis
• Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever
• Dengue
• Leishmaniasis
• Hantavirus
• Tuberculosis

The CDC recommends having a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination. Use the emergency function on your phone or carry a physical card in Chinese detailing your blood type, serious allergies, and chronic conditions.

Some medications widely accessible in the United States may be prohibited in China. Commonly restricted medications include stimulants (ex. Adderall, Ritalin), pseudoephedrine, dextromethorphan, codeine, and benzodiazepines. On the other hand, China has a massive culture around herbal medicine that requires caution when transporting back to the United States.

Language Barriers in China and How to Communicate

The official language of China is Mandarin, which is the standardized version of Chinese spoken by 1.2 billion people. Mandarin is part of the Chinese national identity, although minority languages exist in fringe provinces like Tibet and Xinjiang.

China has an extremely low English proficiency rate. If you are traveling to China, it will be nearly impossible to navigate without a guide or knowing Mandarin. 

Even in Beijing, only 15% of people speak basic English. The EF English Proficiency Index ranks China at 86 out of 123, and less than 1% are conversational.

Like most things, Hong Kong and Macau are exceptions. Due to European occupation, Hong Kong is highly proficient in English, whereas Macau is skilled in Portuguese. Both Special Autonomous Regions speak Cantonese rather than Mandarin.

All Chinese languages are tonal, and Mandarin contains four tones. Tones can be a strange concept to English speakers – the closest tonal languages to us are Norwegian and Swedish, which each have two tones. The pitch of a tone changes the meaning of a word, so it’s important to get it right and difficult to master.

Google Translate can handle basic Chinese, but it will be difficult to use. All Google services are blocked in Mainland China without a VPN. Locals use Baidu Translate for conversation and WeChat’s built-in features for messaging.

Religion, National Identity, and Cultural Expectations in China

The People’s Republic of China is officially atheist – it’s one of the few countries in the world to take an opposing position to organized religion alongside Vietnam and North Korea. The government strictly regulates organized religion, so 90% of China identifies as religiously unaffiliated or atheist.

China officially allows freedom of belief, so citizens are allowed to worship under any faith. However, the government mandates that faiths be congruent with the Chinese national identity.

There are five officially recognized religions:

• Buddhism [15.85%]
• Taoism [0.40%]
• Catholicism [0.68%]
• Protestantism [3.34%]
• Islam [1.86%]

Most Chinese worship a combination of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism – although, technically, Confucianism is a philosophy and not a religion. Lumped together, these “Three Pillars” are what we know as Chinese folk religion.

The Three Pillars are fundamental to daily life, even when people don’t outwardly identify with a religion. Chinese culture is rooted in tradition, even if it’s separated from organized religion.

China is a collectivist culture that prioritizes group harmony. As a result, saving face and conflict avoidance are important to understand Chinese relationships.

Most Americans are self-aware enough to understand our patriotism can be silly, jarring, or even disturbing. That can’t necessarily be said about Chinese nationalism. The Communist Party of China promotes hegemony under a unified national identity to make China a global superpower. Combined with censorship and surveillance, you’re not going to find anyone openly going against the status quo.

Censorship and Surveillance in China

China is one of the most censored countries in the world. Censorship is mandated by the Chinese Communist Party, the sole ruling party of the People’s Republic since 1949. Combined with mass surveillance, this was the biggest culture shock I experienced.

The CCP doesn’t censor everything, but it may feel like it. The Chinese government censors anything that might make the CCP look unfavorable or break cultural hegemony. 

In other words, reserve all political topics for private conversations away from prying eyes or cameras. Chinese citizens are willing to talk privately, but people have societal trauma from the rough takeover of the CCP.

All elections must adhere to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. There are no competing parties, zero opposition, and the CCP controls all nominations. The Chinese Communist Party determines the National People’s Congress, and the National People’s Congress determines the president, premier, and other key official roles.

Based on people I talked to, citizens don’t vote – but they aren’t particularly bothered by this. People have been conditioned into believing they are too uneducated or inferior to make political decisions.

Censorship applies to television, print media, radio, theater, literature, and every facet of life.

• Theater plays a huge role in education. Every village will have performances – I recommend seeing some of them, but remember they’re scripted. You also won’t be allowed to record most of them.
• Censorship in television and radio is less jarring to Americans since we expect it. While US censorship is based on advertiser interests and profit margins, China centralizes it to enforce party loyalty.
• All books and printed media are regulated. This includes flyers and novels brought in by tourists, but inspections are generally limited to political and religious topics.

Prints are what cause the most grief for travelers. People expect graphic T-shirts saying “screw the CCP” aren’t going to fly, but they’re caught off guard when guidebooks get flagged. Border agents don’t manually search every item, but all luggage gets X-rayed. The Lonely Planet’s China guidebook is commonly confiscated because it includes maps that don’t align with official standards.

What Is the Great Firewall of China?

The Great Firewall refers to mass internet censorship in China. Many apps common in the rest of the world are blocked by the Great Firewall. Certain apps and websites won’t work if you’re connected to a local SIM card or internet. The Great Firewall forced me to partially detox because so many things simply didn’t work.

Customs officials have been given the authority to inspect electronic devices since 2024, although they don’t check everyone. People are chosen randomly for forbidden media, including downloaded movies and pornography.

You can use blocked websites and applications with VPNs, but it’s more complicated than it sounds. Throughout most of the world, VPNs work fine and give you the freedom to use apps from anywhere. 

The Great Firewall purposely looks for VPNs. China is pro-AI, and AI technology is ingrained in the Great Firewall. VPN use gets flagged by the Great Firewall, so users must change servers frequently to work against the algorithm. 

The Great Firewall does NOT apply to Hong Kong or Macau. The Special Administrative Regions have uncensored internet access. As a result, most foreigners get eSIMs and SIM cards based in Hong Kong and Macau for easier internet access. However, internet use is still surveilled to monitor possible anti-government activities.

Foreigners cannot purchase SIM cards in Mainland China since purchase requires Chinese citizenship. I ran out of data halfway through my trip, and my Hong Kong-based provider’s tech team could not figure out how to reload, and my available phone didn’t accept eSIMs. I was without mobile data until I finally reached Hong Kong.

Notable Websites and Applications Blocked in Mainland China

• DuckDuckGo
• Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger)
• ChatGPT
• Discord
• Reddit
• X
• Tumblr
• Pinterest
• Twitch
• TikTok
• Signal
• Archive of Our Own
• Netflix
• Crunchyroll
• HBO
• Spotify
• SoundCloud
• Bandcamp
• DeviantArt
• BBC
• TIME
• ABC
• The New York Times
• Bloomberg
• The Washington Post
• The Wall Street Journal
• HuffPost
• Reuters
• Wikipedia
• Internet Archive

China’s Surveillance State and Facial Recognition

China is widely considered the world’s largest surveillance state. To be fair, the United States is just as bad, but it’s much more obvious in China compared to the National Security Agency.

There are cameras everywhere, including in rural villages. While not every square foot may be monitored in the countryside, mass surveillance is still maintained through the Sharp Eyes Initiative and assigned patrols. 

All public and private cameras are connected to the government to allow centralized monitoring; all surveillance is equipped with advanced AI technology to track facial recognition. Biometric data is required for most foreigners entering China as part of the immigration process.

Mass censorship and surveillance also mean there is little genuine public art. It’s not everyone’s favorite, but I believe graffiti encapsulates society’s inner thoughts. The only place I saw graffiti in Mainland China was in regulated districts like 798 until I reached Hong Kong.

Money, Prices, and Budgeting for Travel in China

The official currency of China is the Yuan (RMB). Special Administration Regions use separate currencies and do not accept RMB, so you will have to exchange mainland money for local use.

At the time this post was published, exchange rates were as follows:

• 1 RMB = 1.15 HKD
• 1 RMB = 1.19 MOP
• 1 USD = 6.79 RMB
• 1 GBP = 9.20 RMB
• 1 EUR = 7.98 RMB
• 1 AUD = 4.92 RMB
• 1 INR = 0.07 RMB

China is a cashless and cardless economy. The United States is a hybrid cash-card economy where most merchants accept both payment types. This isn’t the case in China: merchants may refuse to accept cash, and merchants do not have card readers. Debit and credit cards will only be useful at ATMs.

Like the rest of Asia, China uses QRIS-based wallets. It is entirely QR-based, and transactions occur in one of three ways:

1. The vendor will have a QR code available to scan. Input how much money you want to send to the vendor. They will get a notification when it is received and complete the transaction.
2. The vendor will have a QR scanner. Open your QRIS wallet and find your personal QR code to place on the scanner. The vendor’s machine will scan and withdraw the exact amount needed for the transaction.
3. The vendor will have a WeChat or Alipay “miniprogram” that you pay, similar to a virtual shopping cart. WeChat and Alipay allow vendors to host tiny regulated websites within the app.

In my experience, the transaction type depends on the merchant industry and size. Street vendors, tiny stores, and small businesses will use method #1. Moderate and large stores will primarily use method #2. Sites owned by the People’s Republic and restaurants will use method #3.

The two payment apps used in China are WeChat and Alipay. Get both and set up payment before arriving in China. Having both WeChat and Alipay provides a backup in the event of technical difficulties.

Certain industries are cheap, like haircuts and nail services. China is the world’s manufacturing hub and has put a lot of energy into electronics to compete with Japan and the US, providing good deals on tech not available at home.

Travel costs and accommodation are similar to other developed countries like Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Climate and the Best Time to Visit China

China is geographically huge. The north borders frozen countries like Russia and Mongolia, the west is covered in arid mountains and deserts, and the south is near tropical destinations like Vietnam and Thailand.

• Beijing, which is located in northern China, experiences wet 88°F summers and dry 18°F winters.
• Shanghai sits in central China, experiencing humid 90°F summers and damp 32°F winters.
• Hong Kong, located in one of China’s southernmost regions, gets to 90°F in the summer and experiences mild 60°F winters.

Tourism peaks during the spring and fall while the weather is mild, but it varies by region. 

Typhoon season is from May to December, peaking between July and September in coastal regions like Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang. China experiences about 20 typhoons per year. China’s government evacuations have decreased typhoon fatality rates, although tropical cyclones still pose a significant threat.

Chinese Holidays and Festivals That Affect Travel

Festivals and public holidays can change a trip. The biggest ones to look out for are Golden Week and Chinese New Year. Here are the most notable events to consider in China. 

• New Year’s Day (January 1)
• Chinese New Year (January or February)
• Qingming Festival (April 4, 5, or 6)
• Labor Day (May 1)
• Dragon Boat Festival (June)
• Mid-Autumn Festival (September or October)
• Golden Week (October 1)

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Is China Safe for Transgender Travelers?

China is not an openly LGBTQIA+-friendly destination, but it is considered safe for queer tourists. China poses heavy restrictions on LGBTQIA+ citizens, but most of these will not impact your ability to experience China.

Equaldex rates China 52 out of 100, on par with countries like Japan, Venezuela, and Poland.

Are Same-Sex Relationships Legal in China?

Same-sex activity between consenting adults has been legal since 1997, when it was decriminalized under the Penal Code.

While China has a long history of LGBTQIA+ activity dating back to ancient times, the Ming Dynasty established sex as part of the heterosexual marriage contract. While same-sex activity was briefly legal following the Qing Dynasty, the Communist Party publicly humiliated and imprisoned people found guilty of “deviant or decadent” behavior.

Like most Western apps, Grindr does not work well in China. Users can only use the app when connected to a VPN or foreign mobile data. Always use caution when using geo-tracking dating apps in countries hostile to LGBTQIA+ identities.

LGBTQ+ Censorship in China

The Chinese Communist Party mandates censorship throughout public and private life. While the CCP primarily targets political content that could make the People’s Republic look negative, state censorship is also applied to LGBTQIA+ topics.

China labels modern LGBTQIA+ advocacy as foreign, regardless of the nation’s extensive queer history. Since the CCP and the Great Firewall are already predisposed to censoring content likely to mass mobilize, LGBTQIA+ activism is lumped together in national bans.

State censorship prevents large-scale and public LGBTQIA+ organizations. Pride celebrations do exist, although they are kept low-profile to prevent government conflict.

ShanghaiPRIDE, the largest public pride festival in China, was forced into an indefinite hiatus in 2020. The organization continues to host limited virtual events via their website. Although PFLAG China still operates, it changed its official name and mission in 2021 to focus on “national development, national progress, and social harmony.”

LGBTQIA+ topics are not allowed to be shown on mainstream media. The China Television Drama Production Industry Association established guidelines in 2015 banning “incest, same-sex relationships, sexual perversion, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual violence, and so on.”

Queer content creators frequently post films to independent or foreign websites like YouTube and Vimeo – although this limits domestic reach due to the Great Firewall.

Does China Recognize Same-Sex Couples?

China defined marriage as the formal union of a cisgender man and woman in 1980. Following public support and a court ruling in 2016, the National People’s Congress amended the law in 2017 to allow same-sex couples the right to appoint each other as legal guardians, akin to marriage. China does not recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions, instead using the third category created by this amendment.

This system allows same-sex couples the right to make important decisions together, including death, funeral rites, and property management. 

The appointment system struggles with corruption since it gives individual government officials too much personal power. A couple in Hunan was forced to attend a six-hour meeting while the official discussed whether the appointment would “disrupt public disorder.” Another couple in Guangzhou had to submit a 100,000 RMB deposit that wasn’t enforced on identical heterosexual couples in the city.

Can LGBTQ+ People Serve in China’s Military?

China has vague policies regarding whether LGBTQIA+ people can serve in the People’s Liberation Army. While there is no explicit ban, LGBTQIA+ citizens have privately reported that China enforces regulations akin to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

China has a de jure military service similar to that of the United States. All Chinese citizens ages 18 and older are required to serve if called, like the Selective Service under Article 55 of the Constitution.

The massive number of volunteers has made mandatory conscription or drafts unnecessary since 1949. The People’s Liberation Army recruits for two-year periods. Like the American military-industrial complex, better career prospects and social prestige drive young citizens to enlist.

LGBTQ+ Parenting, Adoption, and Family Rights in China

Same-sex couples are explicitly not allowed to adopt children within the People’s Republic. However, Chinese law does not forbid queer individuals from adopting children as singles.

On the other hand, domestic adoption is focused on heterosexual marriages and eligible single women. Unmarried men experience extreme difficulty when trying to adopt. 

Despite current limitations, the Chinese public favors LGBTQIA+ individuals having the right to be legally recognized as couples and adopt children.

Are LGBTQ+ People Protected From Discrimination in China?

There are no anti-discrimination provisions under Chinese law to protect individuals on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, although citizens can still be protected by other laws.

Although LGBTQIA+ identities are not explicitly included under Chinese labor protections, the government sided with a queer employee in 2018 when he was wrongfully terminated. 

There are no known legal protections for LGBTQIA+ people regarding hate crimes, housing, or other aspects of life.

Transgender Rights and Legal Gender Recognition in China

Civil law has allowed transgender citizens to change their legal gender since 1986. The National Health Commission updated policies in 2022 to allow transgender individuals to update their official documents as long as they have undergone surgery to remove reproductive organs (ex. orchiectomy, hysterectomy) rather than requiring full genital reassignment surgery.

While this requirement is still a heavy barrier, it is a slow improvement towards equality. Eligibility criteria for sex reassignment surgery were also relaxed: individuals no longer need a notarized declaration and one year of mental health intervention, and the minimum age for surgery has been lowered to 18. Other barriers continue to remain, such as being unmarried and notifying direct family members.

Gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy is difficult to access in China. The conservative social culture has created a vacuum of clinics or physicians to provide documented care, pushing transgender individuals to utilize telehealth services and online retailers.

While there are a few clinics in major cities that provide hormone replacement therapy, few transgender people pursue their services since it requires parental consent – even as adults.

China began allowing transgender minors access to transition in 2021 through the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University. A select number of these provide puberty blockers to eligible patients.

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My First Impressions Arriving in China

I arrived in Beijing around 2 AM from an 8-hour flight – Indonesia is further from China than people expect! I was exhausted and quickly overwhelmed by all of the bureaucratic paperwork that’s part of the entry process. The more you travel throughout China, the more you’ll understand that bureaucracy is a major theme.

I wasn’t able to get DiDi, the ride-sharing app of China, to work. There are multiple official versions of DiDi, and I had downloaded the global one rather than the Chinese version. The global app kept routing me to download the local version. Connected to the airport’s wifi, I managed to download from the Google Play Store, but couldn’t log into my account without verifying my phone number. Normally, I can get texts using the Android wifi calling feature – but the airport’s internet blocks SMS, and the feature doesn’t work on data alone.

Without DiDi, I was forced into the taxi queue line outside. Registered taxis line up on the curb as passengers are directed by airport staff into cars. Handing off both the English and Chinese versions of my hostel address, my taxi driver drove me into Beijing.

I’m not a fan of taxis in general, and this experience wasn’t ideal. I kid you not – the driver drove over 190 kilometers per hour (120 mph) almost the entire way, ignoring flashing speed warnings along the route. He would slam the brakes every few minutes when approaching a speed camera.

The taxi driver refused to accept anything under 680 RMB (100 USD), even though a late-night travel like that should have been around 300 with tolls included. Like most people in China, he didn’t speak any English, so we were conversing with his speech-to-text app. Plus, at that moment, both WeChat and Alipay refused to send the driver money despite being set up before arriving – probably due to the high amount. I had to convince the driver to drive me to the nearest ATM to withdraw cash to pay him instead.

When the driver was finally appeased, he realized he didn’t know where my hostel actually was. My first stop was Peking International Youth Hostel, but it was so late that the streets were dead. He parked the taxi, and we walked back and forth through the hutongs with my luggage for another twenty minutes before we finally found it. He left quickly after that, but only after berating the hostel owner for his signage.

During my time in Beijing, I had three major impressions:

The city was both extremely dead and congested. Since I arrived during Chinese New Year, there were fewer people than usual because citizens traditionally travel to the countryside to be with extended family. On the other hand, the Forbidden City, Lama Temple, and Tiananmen Square were PACKED with both Chinese and foreign tourists during the day.

Guides explained this was due to the holiday, but Beijing can still feel like this throughout the year. While Beijing does have nightlife, people don’t go out nearly as much as in other countries. Half of my camera roll from Beijing is completely empty streets to capture how eerie it felt.

Beijing is eerily clean. There is no graffiti in China outside of specific sections like 798. No street art, no murals, and no public performances. Some people aren’t fans of street art since it can feel dirtier than what’s in museums – but it captures the thoughts of the public. This, combined with the lack of people milling about, made Beijing feel more like a set than an actual place.

There are cameras everywhere. Yes, even more than you’re imagining. At the average intersection, there were between eight and twelve cameras to capture every possible angle. It doesn’t matter if you’re outside on the Great Wall or in some little alley. All cameras are connected to the government and adapted with facial recognition AI. You’re always being watched.

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Best Experiences I Had in China as a Transgender Traveler

Even though China can feel harsh, it’s beautiful and has a wealth of history, culture, and food to explore.

Beijing

Beijing’s Forbidden City might have been the busiest attraction I saw, still crawling with crowds despite the Chinese New Year. It was commissioned in 1406 by the Ming Dynasty and is the largest preserved royal palace in the world. 

It’s also a lot of walking; the palace is 1,000 buildings over 180 acres, covered in uneven walkways and stairs. Although local signage is in Chinese, it’s interesting to experience something that was closed to the public until 1925.

The Great Wall was the highlight of my trip – it was the very reason I decided to go to China over Cuba. The Great Wall is a day trip from Beijing, and visitors usually pick between ten sites along the 21,000-kilometer fort.

I specifically visited Mutianyu, which is in the mountains north of Beijing. It’s remote enough that you can easily get photos alone, but still significantly restored. If you need convenience, Badaling is connected to Beijing by high-speed train – but that’s also why it sees the biggest crowds.

It’s hard to get good photos of Tiananmen Square, partly because it’s an entire plaza and partly because China doesn’t exactly want you photographing their most famous media disaster. It’s a somber experience because you know what happened there, but no one is allowed to speak about it. 

There are even more cameras at Tiananmen than usual, and the plaza is filled with undercover patrols intentionally listening for discontent. There is a time and place for activism; saying anything negative in Tiananmen Square is the fastest way to be detained.

Local Cuisine

Chinese food is vastly different from American Chinese food; the cuisine we’re accustomed to is Cantonese-based and often uses more processed sauces. The same applies to Chinese food in the UK, Australia, and other parts of the world, since traditional Chinese food is way more regionally diverse than the Cantonese versions we know.

Try local dishes at every stop, whether it’s Peking duck, rou jia mo, or hot pot. Traditional food uses a lot of vegetables, unless you’re in the West, where vegetables become scarce compared to meat. Few regional profiles are numbing or spicy, like Sichuan.

Xi’an

After Beijing, my next stop was Xi’an – home of the Terracotta Army. The mausoleum is a relatively recent discovery, unearthed in 1974. The army dates back to 201 BCE from the first-ever emperor of China. 8,000 life-sized warriors stand in formation across three pits.

Nearly every figure is a restoration project. It is believed that the warriors were destroyed shortly after the Qin Dynasty collapsed by the very slaves who were forced to build the tombs. 

According to local guides, it’s likely the soldiers were knocked over when the tomb was being looted by the rebelling slaves – and due to being positioned like dominoes, they all came crashing down. Only one warrior out of the 8,000 was found undamaged, the half-kneeling figure known as “The Lucky Archer.”

Xi’an is also the eastern point of the Silk Road, historically known as Chang’an when it connected China to Turkey. As a result, Xi’an has a substantial Muslim population that is famous for great street food.

Chengdu

While I wished I had time to visit Chongqing and witness its cyberpunk infrastructure, Chengdu isn’t a city to skip either. Chengdu sits in western China and serves as a major environmental site for preserving giant pandas. 

It’s home to 21 million people and is China’s fifth-largest city with a rapidly increasing population. Chengdu is the capital city of Sichuan province, so you’ll get the best array of numbing spices here.

Chengdu is the final entry point to Tibet. There are a LOT of monks. This is the final stop before their pilgrimage, so you’ll see plenty of local shops selling Tibetan robes and other necessities.

Most flights to China’s outskirts originate in Chengdu, which brings up state censorship again. Tibet is one of the three big things you don’t discuss openly in China, alongside Taiwan and Tiananmen Square (also known as the “Three Ts”).

Like Taiwan, Tibet is a controversial topic because of its disputed sovereignty. It was annexed by the People’s Republic in 1950, experiencing cultural suppression and human rights violations since China has tried to enforce hegemony there from the mainland. 

Like Taiwan, Tibet considers itself sovereign and illegally occupied by the People’s Republic. China and the rest of the world view Tibet as governed by the PRC to not upset international relations.

China’s High-Speed Rail System

China accounts for two-thirds of the world’s high-speed rail, connecting most provinces. Bullet trains are fast, reaching over 200 miles per hour, but they’re significantly more expensive compared to overnight trains. Still, they’re something everyone should try since the United States lacks high-speed rail.

Guilin & Yangshuo

Guilin had the most spectacular views outside of the Great Wall. Its dramatic landscapes genuinely feel unreal, covered in steep limestone karst hills. Guilin is in the southern portion of China and surrounded by rural “villages” a few hours north of Yulin.

Guilin is famous for its caves and rivers, so make sure to visit some before moving on elsewhere. The easiest way to tour the Yulong River is by bamboo raft.

Hong Kong

I ended my journey in Hong Kong, one of China’s Special Administrative Regions. Hong Kong and Macau are SARs due to being occupied by European powers. Both cities are free to operate capitalist systems under loyalty to China until 2047. Most mainland laws, including the Great Firewall, don’t apply since Hong Kong and Macau have their own legal system.

Hong Kong was occupied by the United Kingdom until 1997. The UK ruled Hong Kong for 156 years after the First Opium War, forcing China to give Britain land to establish a colony. Similarly, Macau was controlled by Portugal for 442 years until it was given to China in 1999.

I didn’t get to spend much time in Hong Kong before boarding my next flight to Vietnam. It was like finally exhaling a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Mainland China is great, but it’s so rigid and can feel void of modern creative expression. There is a huge emphasis on China’s ancient history and art pieces, but the ultimate cost of state censorship is the destruction of genuine art.

Hong Kong also feels very British. Walking down its streets, it might take you a minute to realize you’re not in downtown London. Hong Kong uses the same city layout, public buses, and signage as the UK – and due to its colonial rule, English is an official language posted and spoken everywhere.

Buildings in Hong Kong are also older than those in the mainland. The People’s Republic requires buildings to be demolished and rebuilt constantly, so most buildings – regardless of whether it’s an apartment complex, massive skyscraper, or manufacturing center – have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years. This makes infrastructure seem of lesser quality in Hong Kong in comparison, which is probably the point.

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Gender Roles, Masculinity, and Passing in China

Even though women are highly active in China’s workforce, they’re still expected to manage domestic life, similar to American women struggling with the double burden of unpaid labor. Even though women make up 54.6% of the national workforce, they only represent 26.5% of seats within the National People’s Congress.

China’s one-child policy reshaped society, creating a deep-seated preference for sons due to inheritance traditions. Even before the Chinese Communist Revolution, women were restricted to just a few roles. Foot binding originated during the Song Dynasty and continued until the mid-20th century.

Transgender foreigners obtain a type of privilege while in places like China. When we fail to conform to local gender norms, we aren’t automatically clocked. Locals are focused on our nationality and race over gender expression.

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Entering China: Visa, Customs, and Immigration Process

I entered China at Beijing’s Daxing International Airport. Most travelers will enter China fine as long as you do not fit within any of the People’s Republic “watch lists,” like journalists, government officials, or those of Chinese ancestry. 

How to Get a Chinese Tourist Visa

Although Americans can enjoy visa-free travel into Hong Kong, American citizens must obtain a physical visa to enter Mainland China. 

You must have a physical visa before landing in China. There are no options to apply for or purchase a visa upon arrival. Most airlines require you to verify your approved visa before boarding to China.

Individuals traveling ONLY to Shanghai may have the opportunity to get an e-Visa through their pilot program, but the PRC uses physical paper visas only.

Potential travelers start the process by completing the China Online Visa Application (COVA), an extensive questionnaire that asks for personal, travel, education, and work history. 

Once you’ve uploaded the required documents and submitted your application, the next step is physically taking your passport and application to your assigned Chinese Consulate. There are five available locations in the United States: 

• Washington DC
• New York City
• Chicago
• San Francisco
• Los Angeles

Passports must be physically delivered to their assigned location. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates do not accept mailed applications or passports. If you live in Texas, your nearest office is Washington DC; if you reside in Ohio, your assigned office is New York City.

Visa approval is also not a one-day process. You must hand over your physical passport and application to the office – and after a few days, you return to get your passport back. If your visa is approved, you’ll find a passport-sized sticker in your visa pages. Congrats! That’s your visa!

The process is laborious. My nearest office was the Chicago Consulate, which was at least a five-hour train ride, and going up north meant also staying in Chicago for about a week, since it takes the Consulate three or four business days to return your passport.

Luckily, some businesses offer solutions. Although the Consulate requires your passport to be physically delivered to its office, it does not require YOU to be the one delivering it. Many hirable companies will complete the visa process for you, bypassing the need to go in person.

I had success with ItEasy, but I shopped around for about a week before choosing them. The whole process feels sketchy since it feels wrong to mail your passport, but my visa got approved and returned on schedule. Just make sure to research any company before using this type of service.

A Chinese tourist visa costs 140 USD, which is much pricier than other visas. For context, my visa-on-arrival in Indonesia was 35 USD. That’s the minimum, but I paid 400 USD in total by doing the process with ItsEasy.

The price tag was why I shopped around for so long before going with them. I concluded it was worth it since going myself would mean paying for a two-way train ticket plus at least four nights of accommodation in Chicago. Since most hotels are about 100 USD per night, it was cheaper to go with ItsEasy.

What to Expect at Chinese Immigration

Once you get off your flight, your next steps will be completing a Digital Arrival Card and Immigration. 

Travelers can complete the Digital Arrival Card within three months of entry through the National Immigration Administration WeChat and Alipay mini programs, but you can also complete it at the airport on your phone or on one of the kiosks.

Physical arrival cards can be made available, but NIA staff definitely prefer you complete the digital process. It creates a QR code that you present for scanning at immigration. 

Immigration will inspect your passport, visa, and arrival card. China’s arrival cards are pretty comprehensive, so immigration didn’t ask as many questions as I expected – most of what they needed to know, like travel route and accommodation, was detailed in the arrival card.

If approved by immigration, you’ll have to complete fingerprinting and have your photo taken. This process isn’t optional; it’s required for basic entry for all travelers between the ages of 13 and 70.

China Customs Rules and Restricted Items

After clearing immigration, your next step is proceeding through customs. You’ll place all your luggage in an X-ray machine and walk through a metal detector – which is the exact same process you’ll be doing a lot, since all subway and train stations require X-rays and metal detectors.

NIA staff will determine whether you require additional screening based on your scans. Books, electronics, and magnetic items are the most likely to trigger inspection. Inspection does not mean confiscation; the NIA will open your luggage and manually decide whether your item is allowed into China. 

None of my luggage was flagged for manual inspection. I entered Daxing with a laptop, additional mobile monitor, spare phone, and steel-toe boots.

NIA DID determine I required manual verification for travel plans, which they seemed to do with every non-Chinese person going through customs. This frustrated the woman behind me a lot more than it bothered me, but I will admit it seemed pointless for customs to go through every one of my travel stops when I had just gone through that with immigration, my airline, and the visa center.

Make sure you don’t bring anything into China that could get you in major trouble.

• Personal belongings valued at more than 2,000 RMB must be declared IF those belongings are intended to remain in China.
• Cash valued at more than 20,000 RMB ($5,000 USD) must be declared.
• 1.5 liters of alcohol per person is allowed without declaration. Any excess must be declared. Liquid is considered alcohol if it contains 12% or more alcohol content.
• Individuals are permitted to bring up to 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, or 500 grams of tobacco. Any excess must be declared.
• Animals, animal products, plants, plant products, microbes, biological products, human tissues, blood, and blood products must be declared.
• Radio transmitters, radio receivers, and communication security equipment must be declared.
• Commercial advertisements and samples must be declared.
• Cameras, video cameras, laptops, and other electronics valued at over 5,000 RMB AND intended to be taken out of China must be declared.
• Gold, silver, and other precious metals must be declared.
• Cultural relics, endangered animals/plants/products, and biology species resources must be declared.
• Individuals are forbidden from bringing firearms, imitation arms, ammunition, or explosives of any kind.
• Counterfeit currencies and counterfeit negotiable securities are strictly prohibited.
• Printed media, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and video tapes, compact discs, and electronic storage media deemed detrimental to the political, economic, cultural, and moral interests of China.
• Individuals are prohibited from bringing deadly poison of all kinds.
• Opium, morphine, heroin, marijuana, and other “addictive” drugs and psychotropic substances are forbidden from being imported into China.

The above is China’s official customs clearance guide for entering MAINLAND CHINA. Hong Kong and Macau have different customs clearances that you should verify before entering.

Traveling to China With Prescription Medication

China can be strict about medication, and I was most worried about encountering issues in China versus the rest of my trip.

Upon arrival, I had prescription sertraline, topical testosterone, and doxycycline hyclate. Unlike Indonesia, I passed through customs without being flagged for inspection and passed through without any issues regarding my medication.

It is a good idea to obtain signed letters from your medical providers to present with your prescriptions if you are uncertain whether customs will give you grief.

Getting From the Airport to Your Accommodation

Finally, head to the arrival corridor and choose how you want to get to your accommodation.

Since I arrived a little after midnight, my only options were to get a taxi or wait at Daxing until morning. If you arrive during the day, the Daxing Airport Express subway line takes you to the city in 20 minutes. Airport shuttle buses operate during the day, and ride-sharing is available via DiDi China.

Tourists are required to register their accommodation within 24 hours of arrival under the Exit and Entry Administration Law. Hotels will handle this for you automatically, but this is something to keep in mind if you use any private residences during your visit.

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Best Apps and Tools for Traveling in China

Having the right tech can alleviate stress associated with traveling. These are my top recommendations.

None of these are sponsored – they’re just the apps I found worked best for myself and other travelers.

WeChat & Alipay

WeChat and Alipay are strict requirements for travel in China. Without them, you will be unable to purchase most goods and services since China is both cashless and cardless.

WeChat and Alipay work similarly to PayPal. Users transfer funds via QR codes associated with their accounts. Merchants will either provide a QR for you to scan, scan your QR code, or have you order virtually through a mini program.

Download and prepare both apps before arriving in China. Neither is superior, and nearly all vendors accept both apps. Having both WeChat and Alipay provides a potential backup.

WeChat Pay (also known as Weixin) is integrated in the general WeChat app, which is China’s dominant social media app. Users can post on social feeds, instant message, video call, and transfer money all in one spot. WeChat’s built-in translation is handy for foreigners since it will automatically translate mini programs like government tickets and restaurant menus.

Alipay (Zhifubao) has its own cool features, like having DiDi integrated. If you have a DiDi account, Alipay allows you to order food delivery and rideshares without changing applications.

As mobile wallets, WeChat and Alipay are identical. Users report greater success connecting international cards to Alipay, but both accept mainstream cards and charge the same 3% fee on transactions greater than 200 RMB.

DiDi China

DiDi is a ridesharing app like Uber, Lyft, and Grab. It serves 550 million, predominantly serving users in China and Latin America. If you want an alternative to taxis and public transit, DiDi is a necessity since Uber and other competitors don’t operate in Mainland China.

DiDi has a SEPARATE app to operate in Mainland China. The global app version does not work inside China due to the Great Firewall, which is why DiDi created a separate app to comply with local laws.

AMap

We live in a digital world, so having a navigation app is essential for easy travel. AMap (Gaode) is China’s number one navigation app – over one billion users use AMap for reliable routing.

Google Maps does not work in Mainland China. Even though you can download Google Maps for offline use, it is not recommended because Google lacks accurate geographic data from the GCJ-02 coordinate system. Basically, even when Google Maps works, it can’t give you accurate directions because of legal issues.

Apple Maps is highly accurate and works as an alternative to AMap. This is because Apple has a positive relationship with the People’s Republic and is allowed to map streets in compliance with local regulations, whereas Google has a poor relationship with the PRC.

Premium/Paid VPN

Normally, I recommend free but trustworthy VPNs because I believe in accessibility. I like Proton because their free VPN is still solid without forcing you to upgrade. You might be able to get by with only free VPNs in Mainland China, but having a premium or paid VPN will reduce headaches.

The Great Firewall is a sophisticated algorithm, constantly evolving to detect VPNs. Most free VPNs have already been detected and blocked by the Great Firewall.

Users have intermittent success with Proton’s free VPN and related WireGuard, but it’s not reliable. 

• Proton VPN has a better user-friendly interface for phones and laptops, but you can’t pick what server you connect to without paying for an upgraded membership. This can suck if your automatic assignment is already blocked by the Great Firewall.
• WireGuard allows users to connect to any free server of their choice via downloaded config files. Users can switch between servers easily. Since WireGuard is the underlying service under Proton VPN, it’s less user-friendly and has a learning curve.

If neither seems like a reliable option for your trip, paid VPNs are pretty equal to the Great Firewall. Commercial VPNs use advanced services on premium servers, and multi-server access allows users to move around node blocking.

Regardless of whether you use a free or premium VPN, make sure you have it installed before arriving in Mainland China. VPN providers are blocked, so you will be barred from downloading.

Popular Premium VPN Providers

• ExpressVPN
• Proton VPN
• SurfShark
• NordVPN
• TotalVPN

Google Translate, Apple Translate, and Baidu Translate

Mandarin is the standardized version of Chinese. While that’s a linguistic headache, it’s good news for translation apps and tourists since almost all of the population understands it.

Google Translate is arguably the best translation app available for free. The app allows users to translate offline by saving entire language modules for free. It also translates photos similar to Google Lens and can process real-time conversations. However, Google and all its related services (including Google Translate) are blocked by the Great Firewall. You’ll need a VPN or foreign mobile data to use its online services.

Apple provides the same features as part of its base Apple software. Apple is NOT blocked by the Great Firewall, so you can use Apple Translate freely. Conversely, Apple Translate only works for 19 languages compared to Google Translate’s 249. Good news – Chinese is included.

12306

12306 is the PRC’s official website for booking train tickets throughout Mainland China. Knowing how to use 12306 is high-priority unless your travel is being handled by a guide.

Foreigners are allowed to use 12306 to book accommodation as long as they have a valid passport. Make sure to have your passport handy at the train station since staff will verify it for entry.

Even though 12306 has an English interface, tourists can find the registration process difficult. Third-party services like Trip.com can also handle train booking, although they’ll charge additional fees.

Offline Tools

You should have mobile apps that function without wifi or data that can help in an emergency. Choose an app that best fits your needs, like money conversion, a compass, and first aid.

The American Red Cross has a free First Aid app that walks users through different health emergencies. All functions work offline.

The best apps for natural disasters and emergency alerts are Disaster Alert, Smart Traveler, and the International SOS Assistance App – but these might not work in Mainland China due to the Great Firewall.

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Final Thoughts on Traveling in China as a Transgender Visitor

China was 100% worth visiting, but it will push you out of your comfort zone if you venture past Hong Kong. The culture shock in Mainland China is more jarring than in US-friendly destinations like Japan and the Philippines.

Like my time in Indonesia, China isn’t a destination I would recommend to everyone. Its rules are intimidating, and China lacks a visible LGBTQIA+ culture. 

Want to learn more about China? Here are some more great guides.

• Lonely Planet
• Nomadic Matt
• National Geographic
• Indie Traveller