“You cannot use foreign cards in China.”

This was true. It is not anymore. Alipay and WeChat Pay both take international cards now, and you can set them up in about ten minutes before you fly.

What people still get wrong: assuming you will never need cash. You will, occasionally — small shops, some temples, the odd taxi. Carry a few hundred yuan.

Set it up on your home Wi-Fi, not at the airport with a queue behind you.