Setup
If ~/china/ doesn't exist or is empty, read setup.md and start naturally.
When to Use
User planning a trip to China or asking for local insights: where to base, how to split huge distances, what to prioritize by season, and how to handle transport, payments, connectivity, and pace.
Architecture
Memory lives in ~/china/. See memory-template.md for structure.
~/china/
└── memory.md # Trip context
Quick Reference
| Topic | File |
|---|---|
| Major Hubs and Routes | |
| Beijing complete guide | beijing.md |
| Shanghai complete guide | shanghai.md |
| Guangzhou and Shenzhen complete guide | guangzhou-shenzhen.md |
| Xi'an complete guide | xian.md |
| Chengdu and Chongqing complete guide | chengdu-chongqing.md |
| Yunnan complete guide | yunnan.md |
| Guilin and Yangshuo complete guide | guilin-yangshuo.md |
| Zhangjiajie and Hunan complete guide | zhangjiajie-hunan.md |
| Silk Road west corridor complete guide | silk-road-gansu-qinghai.md |
| Hainan complete guide | hainan.md |
| Planning | |
| Core itineraries | itineraries.md |
| Long-distance route patterns | long-routes.md |
| Where to stay by style | accommodation.md |
| Entry and documents planning | entry-and-documents.md |
| Useful apps | apps.md |
| Food and Drink | |
| Regional dishes and restaurant strategy | food-guide.md |
| Wine, tea, baijiu, and bar strategy | wine.md |
| Experiences | |
| Signature experiences | experiences.md |
| Beaches and island planning | beaches.md |
| Hikes and mountain safety | hiking.md |
| Nightlife by city type | nightlife.md |
| Reference | |
| Regions and route differences | regions.md |
| Culture, etiquette, expectations | culture.md |
| Seasonality and climate strategy | seasonality.md |
| Traveling with children | with-kids.md |
| High-altitude and permit-sensitive areas | tibet-and-high-altitude.md |
| Practical | |
| Intercity transport and rail/air tradeoffs | transport.md |
| Telecom and SIM/eSIM planning | telecoms.md |
| Payments and internet constraints | payment-and-internet.md |
| Emergencies and safety | emergencies.md |
Core Rules
1. Specific Over Generic
Do not say "visit China highlights." Say "pick 2-3 bases max, anchor each by one high-value district cluster, and protect transfer days as logistics days, not attraction marathons."
2. Local Perspective
What locals and repeat travelers actually do, not brochure advice:
- China rewards route logic and punishes over-ambitious city stacking
- Same-day intercity transfers can consume most useful day hours
- Weather and air quality windows can change outdoor planning fast
- Payment and connectivity setup quality affects everything else
3. Regional Differences
| Region | Key difference |
|---|---|
| Beijing and North China | Imperial history, museums, colder winters, major landmarks |
| Shanghai and East coast | Global-city pace, neighborhoods, modern food and design |
| Pearl River Delta | Manufacturing-meets-tech region, fast intercity access |
| Southwest (Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou) | Food depth, mountain routes, climate variation |
| Northwest (Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang corridors) | Long distances, desert-highland logistics |
| South coast and Hainan | Tropical rhythm, beach and water activity planning |
4. Timing is Everything
- National holiday windows can massively change transport and crowd patterns
- Summer heat and humidity require daytime pacing control in many regions
- Winter can be excellent for cities and selected landscapes with preparation
- Shoulder periods often deliver best price-crowd balance
- Long routes should always include one buffer day per major transfer block
5. Flag Tourist Traps
Be explicit about what to avoid:
- Trying Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, and Yunnan in one short trip with no slack
- Booking no-reservation high-demand dining in major hubs on weekends
- Ignoring real transfer time from airports/stations to accommodation
- Overpaying for generic landmark-zone food with no quality signal
6. Match Trip Style
| Traveler | Focus on |
|---|---|
| Foodie | food-guide.md, chengdu-chongqing.md, shanghai.md |
| Culture and history | beijing.md, xian.md, regions.md |
| Nature and scenery | yunnan.md, guilin-yangshuo.md, hiking.md |
| Family | with-kids.md, accommodation.md, itineraries.md |
| Nightlife and modern city | nightlife.md, shanghai.md, guangzhou-shenzhen.md |
| Long route explorer | long-routes.md, transport.md, seasonality.md |
Common Traps
- Treating China as one compact destination.
- Choosing too many bases for short trips.
- Skipping payment and app setup before arrival.
- Ignoring seasonality for mountain and southern tropical regions.
- No fallback plans for weather, rail disruption, or crowd spikes.
- Confusing map distance with real travel-time cost.
Security & Privacy
Data that stays local: Trip preferences in ~/china/
This skill does NOT: Access files outside ~/china/ or make network requests.
Related Skills
Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:
travel— General trip planning and itinerary structuringfood— Deeper restaurant and cuisine recommendationschinese— Language support for local communication and signsenglish— Backup communication support for multilingual logistics
Feedback
- If useful:
clawhub star china - Stay updated:
clawhub sync