Packing for China: The Checklist That Matches the Season

What to bring for Chengdu humidity, Beijing winters and high-altitude sun — plus the four items travellers always forget and can't easily buy locally.

Year-round essentials

Type I plug adapter (230 V) — buy two; Chinese outlets often accept flat + angled pins.
Power bank ≤20,000 mAh (100 Wh) in cabin luggage only; power banks are mandatory gear for long sightseeing days where every map runs on your phone.
Passport, printed first-night booking, and two photocopies stored separately.
Alipay/WeChat set up with your card before departure (test a small payment at home).

Seasonal layering

Chengdu winters are damp-cold (3–10 °C): a windproof layer beats a heavy coat. Summers are 30 °C+ with real humidity — quick-dry shirts earn their space. Beijing and Xi'an are drier but colder in winter (−5 °C feels colder with wind). Yunnan/Tibetan areas swing 20 °C between day and night regardless of season: pack a fleece year-round.

The four forgotten items

Slip-on shoes — temples and many homes require removal, repeatedly.
Small notes wallet — for the ¥10/¥20 cash buffer.
Own medications with prescriptions — pharmacies stock analogues but not your brand; some common Western meds are prescription-only here.
Spare passport photos — permit applications (Tibet) and SIM registration occasionally want one.

What to skip

Umbrellas (¥15 convenience-store versions are everywhere), toiletries (every hotel provides), and VPN hardware sticks (software is enough). Leave space for the return leg — tea, panda plush and Sichuan pepper buy more easily with 5 kg free.