China., Culture shock to the EXTREME. Options

[KayleighKins]

So I'm going to China in 6 days and I was wondering if anyone had ever been to China, or was from there. I'd like to have some tips, or whatever, to make my whole trip a little smoother.

Is there anything I should pack that I might desperately need? Is there anything I might need to remember, culturally wise (taboos to thank yous)? Is there a phrase I should learn quickly?

You know where I'm going with this.

I'm going to/on:
. SHANGHAI
. YICHANG
. THREE GORGES DAM SITE
. SHENNONG STREAM or DANING RIVER
. WANXIAN / SHIBAOZHAI / FENGDU
. XI'AN
. BEIJING

I dunno if that helps with the tip giving, but it won't hurt :D

....Oh, and any items of clothing I should have? I'm from Florida, so cold to me is 70s. I already went to a bunch of travel sites and whatever, but I trust you guys with your insider views :D

[Comptine]

DO try a little of everything. China's really fun and part of the fun part is the food.

-I had fried scorpions and stirfried silkworms in Beijing's famous like something alleyway.
-I had water beetles and snake in China, both are surprisingly really good.

The food in China is really good. It might be the same dishes and stuff but the taste is definitely authentic. I loved the fried man tao dipped in sweet milk and all the other dishes that you just have to go to China to get.

Another tip: Yeah, things are dirt cheap in China but don't go crazy. Usually most of the stuff you buy are poor quality and end up getting damaged some way early on (not biggie stuff. most lint balls and fraying and losing color this might just be the mall I went to in Guangzhou though). Stuff I do recommend you do buy is things that can't really change from here or there. Like, brand name contacts (if you use them). My friend got a year's worth of Acuvue for 50 bucks. Don't trust the even the malls when they say it's the "real brand". A lot of the times it's just high end knockoffs. But they still look nice.

Most of all, HAVE FUN!