China has a pollution problem. Nanchang and Beijing were very hazy. We arrived in Beijing in the evening and the drive from the airport to the Beijing Hotel was surreal - like we were in the "Blade Runner" movie.

Carolyn had packed (and I lugged through the airports) a variety of seasonal clothing and convinced me to to likewise, although, I managed to do it in much less space. I found some slacks at REI that could be converted into shorts (the legs zipped off). They were very comfortable and very practical.

We chose to take ligher weight items that could be layered if the weather got cooler rather than heavier items that we might not need. If you are travelling in the spring thru the fall, you may want to consider doing the same. We took two umbrellas, but never even opened them up.

Lastly, be sure to check the conditions in the area(s) you will be travelling. There are plenty of sites on the Internet to help. Here's a sample:

Guangzhou
Hangzhou
Hong Kong
Kunming
Nanchang
Nanning
Shanghai
Xiamen
Zhengzhou