Survival Manual生存手册 The China for Dummies Guide中国傻瓜指南
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A survival manual for friends and family visiting China for our wedding. You'll be totally fine — millions of people do this every year. But a little prep goes a long way.为参加我们婚礼的亲友准备的生存手册。放心，你会没事的——每年几百万人都这么干。但提前准备一下会轻松很多。
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Apps You MUST Download (Before You Fly)必须下载的 APP（上飞机前！）
- WeChat — WhatsApp + Venmo + Facebook + Uber + QR scanner in one app. Set it up and verify your account BEFORE arriving, and add a credit card to WeChat Pay. If you do one thing from this guide, do this.微信：WhatsApp + Venmo + Facebook + Uber + 二维码扫描器的合体。到达之前注册并验证账号，绑定信用卡到微信支付。这份指南只做一件事的话，做这个。
- Alipay — WeChat's twin sibling. Some places take Alipay but not WeChat, and vice versa. Link a credit card and keep it installed. Think of it as your backup parachute.支付宝：微信的双胞胎兄弟。有些地方只收支付宝不收微信，反之亦然。绑定信用卡。就算主要用微信也别卸载。当它是你的备用降落伞。
- Amap (高德地图) — the Chinese Google Maps. Google Maps is basically useless here. Amap does walking, metro, and even ride-hailing. Your new best friend.高德地图：中国的谷歌地图。谷歌地图在中国基本是摆设。高德能导航、查地铁、还能直接叫车。它是你的新好朋友。
- LetsVPN — Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and ChatGPT don't work in China without a VPN. Install and test it before arriving. Not optional, unless you enjoy digital isolation.LetsVPN：没有 VPN 的话，Google、Instagram、WhatsApp、Facebook 和 ChatGPT 在中国都用不了。到达前安装并测试好。这不是可选项，除非你享受数字隔离。
- Railway 12306 — only if you're taking trains between cities. A little painful to set up; if it feels overwhelming, we'll book your tickets. No shame in that.铁路 12306：只有坐城际火车才需要。设置过程略痛苦。如果觉得太麻烦，我们帮你买票。不丢人。
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Visa (Very Important, Sadly Not Optional)签证（非常重要，遗憾的是不能跳过）
- Visa rules depend entirely on your passport. Some countries get visa-free entry (15–30 days), some can use transit visas, many need to apply in advance.签证规则完全取决于你的护照。有些国家免签（15-30天），有些可以用过境签，很多需要提前申请。
- Key advice: check early, don't assume anything — processing times vary wildly. The bureaucracy is real but survivable.关键建议：早点查，别想当然，审批时间差异很大。官僚主义是真实存在的，但可以活下来。
- We'll provide an invitation letter and hotel confirmation to support your application. We've got your back.我们会提供邀请函和酒店确认函来支持你的申请。我们罩你。
- Check whether 144-hour visa-free transit through Guangzhou applies to you — it might save you a lot of paperwork.查查广州 144 小时过境免签是否适用——可能省你一大堆材料。
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Cash Is Basically Dead现金基本已死
- China is almost entirely cashless. You'll pay with WeChat Pay or Alipay for everything — street food, taxis, vending machines, even temple donations.中国几乎完全无现金化。微信支付或支付宝可以付一切——街头小吃、出租车、自动贩卖机，甚至寺庙的功德箱。
- Link your credit card to both apps. Some merchants don't take foreign cards directly, but the apps usually work. If not, we can help you top up.两个 APP 都绑定信用卡。有些商家不直接收外国卡，但 APP 通常可以。不行的话我们帮你充值。
- Still carry 200–500 RMB in cash as emergency backup. Many places won't have change — think of cash as your panic button, not your Plan A.还是带 200-500 元现金备用。很多地方连零钱都没有，所以现金是你的紧急按钮，不是你的 A 计划。
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Food & Ordering (QR Codes Everywhere)吃饭点菜（二维码无处不在）
- At most restaurants: sit down, scan a QR code with WeChat, order on your phone, food magically appears. Often no English menu, no physical menu, no human interaction. Welcome to the future.大多数餐厅：坐下、微信扫码、手机点餐、食物神奇出现。有时没有英文菜单、没有纸质菜单、没有人类互动。欢迎来到未来。
- If you're stuck: screenshot the menu and translate it, or just point at what the next table is eating. The universal language of 'that one please' works everywhere.卡住了就：截图菜单然后翻译，或者直接指着隔壁桌在吃的东西。「那个，来一份」是全球通用语言。
- Tap water is NOT drinkable — locals boil it first. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere, and every hotel room has a kettle. Just don't drink from the tap.自来水不能直接喝。当地人都烧开了喝。瓶装水便宜到处都有。每个酒店房间都有电热水壶。别直接喝水龙头的水就行。
- Guangdong cuisine is world-famous — dim sum, roast meats, fresh seafood. Teochew food (Lina's hometown cuisine) is the real highlight: beef hotpot, oyster omelets, and things you didn't know existed but will immediately love.广东菜举世闻名——点心、烧腊、海鲜。潮州菜（Lina 家乡菜）才是真正的亮点：牛肉火锅、蚝烙，还有你不知道存在但会立刻爱上的东西。
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Toilets & Tissues (Read This. Seriously.)厕所与纸巾（认真读这段）
- Public bathrooms often do not have toilet paper. This is normal. This is expected. This is NOT a prank. Keep tissues or wet wipes in your bag at all times. Bonus points for hand sanitizer.公共厕所通常没有厕纸。这是正常的。这是预期之中的。这不是恶作剧。随时在包里放纸巾或湿巾。带上洗手液加分。
- Squat toilets exist, and you might meet one at an inconvenient moment. Many modern places have Western toilets; some older or public ones don't. If you see footprints on a toilet seat… that's your sign.蹲厕是存在的，你可能在不方便的时候遇到。很多现代场所有西式马桶，但一些老旧或公共厕所没有。如果你看到马桶座上有脚印……你懂的。
- You'll survive. Millions do. But nobody wants to learn this lesson the hard way at a rest stop between Guangzhou and Qingyuan.你会活下来的。几百万人都活下来了。但没人想在广州到清远的服务区用惨痛教训学会这一课。
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Traffic (Organized Chaos)交通（有组织的混乱）
- You'll see scooters everywhere — on roads, on sidewalks, ignoring physics and basic traffic laws. This is normal. Do not panic.你会看到电动车无处不在。在马路上、人行道上，无视物理定律和交通规则。这是正常的。不要慌。
- How to survive: walk predictably, don't suddenly dodge or stop. Scooters flow around you like water around a rock. Terrifying at first, then it becomes Tuesday.生存法则：走路要可预测，别突然闪避或停下。电动车会像水绕过石头一样绕过你。一开始觉得恐怖。然后就习惯了。
- Ride-hailing via Amap is cheap, fast, and your best friend. Drivers rarely speak English — that's normal. Copy-paste the address and let the app think for you.通过高德叫车便宜、快速，是你的好帮手。司机通常不说英语——正常。复制粘贴地址，让 APP 替你思考。
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Survival Mandarin (Optional but Powerful)生存中文（可选但强大）
- You don't need Mandarin to survive, but these phrases make you feel like a local genius:不需要会中文也能活下来，但这几句话会让你觉得自己是天才：
- nǐ hǎo (你好) = Hello. xièxie (谢谢) = Thank you. bù hǎoyìsi (不好意思) = Excuse me / sorry.你好 = Hello。谢谢 = Thank you。不好意思 = Excuse me / sorry。
- zhège (这个) = 'This one' — the single most powerful phrase in China. Point at anything and say zhège. Problem solved.这个 = 'This one'——在中国最强大的一句话。指着任何东西说这个。问题解决。
- bú yào là (不要辣) = Not spicy. Memorize this one, unless you want your mouth to file a restraining order against you.不要辣 = Not spicy。背下来，除非你想让你的嘴巴对你申请禁止令。
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Cultural Cheat Codes文化秘籍
- Hongbao (red envelopes): the traditional Chinese wedding gift is cash in a red envelope. No pressure at all — your presence is the gift. Seriously. Flying to China IS the gift.红包：中国传统婚礼礼物是现金红包。完全不必有压力——你的到来就是最好的礼物。认真的。飞来中国本身就是最好的礼物。
- Tipping is NOT customary. Don't do it — it can genuinely confuse people. Your 15% instinct? Leave it at the airport.不需要给小费。别给。给了反而让人困惑。你那 15% 的本能？留在机场就好。
- China is extremely safe — low crime, cameras everywhere. You can wander at 3am eating street food without a worry. Genuinely one of the safest places you'll ever visit.中国非常安全。犯罪率低，到处都有摄像头，凌晨 3 点在街上吃宵夜完全不用担心。这是你去过最安全的地方之一。
- If something breaks, doesn't work, or makes zero sense: ask us. That's what we're here for. You're here to celebrate, eat great food, and have a good time — we'll handle the rest.如果什么东西坏了、不好用、或者完全看不懂：问我们。我们就是干这个的。你来这里是庆祝、吃好吃的、玩得开心的。其他的我们搞定。
囍 Questions about anything above? Message us any time — we want this to be the easiest trip you've ever taken.对上面任何内容有疑问？随时联系我们——我们希望这是你有史以来最轻松的一趟旅行。
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