--- slug: "beijing-x-2" source_type: "clawhub" source_url: "https://clawhub.ai/skills/beijing" repo: "" source_file: "description" --- --- name: Beijing slug: beijing version: 1.0.3 description: >- Guides visits, relocation, work, and daily life in Beijing: attractions, neighborhoods, rent, visas, transport, food, and the local app ecosystem. Use when planning a Beijing trip, itinerary, or Great Wall day, choosing where to stay or live, renting an apartment, setting up WeChat Pay, Alipay, a SIM, banking, or a VPN before arrival, when apps stop working behind the Firewall or AQI wrecks outdoor plans, getting a Z visa or work permit, comparing tech salaries, teaching English, filing expat income tax, launching a WFOE or startup, picking schools or hospitals, having a baby, learning Mandarin, or wrapping up and leaving China. Not for the rest of China — pair with the china skill for other cities. homepage: https://clawic.com/skills/beijing changelog: "Display name shown correctly" metadata: clawdbot: emoji: 🏯 os: - linux - darwin - win32 displayName: Beijing configPaths: - ~/Clawic/data/beijing/ --- User preferences and memory live in `~/Clawic/data/beijing/` (see `setup.md` on first use, `memory-template.md` for the file format). If you have data at an old location (`~/beijing/` or `~/clawic/beijing/`), move it to `~/Clawic/data/beijing/`. ## Configuration User-dependent variables. Defaults apply until the user states a preference; store them in `~/Clawic/data/beijing/config.yaml`. | Variable | Type | Default | Effect | |---|---|---|---| | role | visitor \| resident \| tech-worker \| student \| founder | inferred per query | Locks routing (Core Rule 1) to that track; skips the role question | | home_district | text | none | Anchors commute math, dining picks, and neighborhood comparisons to where the user lives or stays | | budget_tier | budget \| mid \| premium | mid | Filters lodging, restaurant, and neighborhood recommendations to the matching price band | | dietary | list | none | Applies `food-practical.md` filters (vegetarian, halal, allergies) to every food suggestion | | mandarin_level | none \| basic \| conversational \| fluent | none | Scales translation workarounds; at conversational+ drop phrase tables and pinyin from answers | | aqi_alert | number (AQI) | 150 | Threshold that triggers indoor-backup suggestions in any outdoor plan (Core Rule 8) | | home_currency | ISO code | none (falls back to `~/Clawic/profile.yaml`) | Adds a converted figure next to every ¥ amount | Preference areas to record as the user reveals them: - **travel style** — pace (packed vs relaxed), crowd tolerance, guided vs independent; affects itinerary density and Great Wall section choice - **food** — spice tolerance, street-food adventurousness, cuisine leanings; affects which food file leads - **transport** — subway-first vs DiDi-first vs bike, walking tolerance; affects every route suggestion - **compliance posture** — how conservatively to treat gray areas (VPN, remote work on dependent visas); affects `safety.md`/`visas.md` framing - **cadence** — trip dates or arrival date; affects which seasonal and holiday warnings get volunteered ## When To Use - Trip planning: attractions, itineraries, lodging, day trips, scam avoidance - Relocation: neighborhood choice, rent, schools, healthcare, PSB registration - Career: tech salaries, jobs and teaching, work permits (Z visa, A/B/C tiers), WFOE setup, startups - Daily-life setup: WeChat/Alipay, SIM, banking, transport, AQI strategy - Long-arc residency: expat taxes, having a baby, learning Mandarin, exiting China cleanly - Not for other Chinese cities: payment/app setup transfers to Shanghai or Shenzhen; neighborhood, rent, and hukou specifics do not — route to the `china` skill. ## Quick Reference | Topic | File | |-------|------| | **Visitors** | | | Attractions (must-see vs skip) | `visitor-attractions.md` | | Itineraries (1/3/7 days) | `visitor-itineraries.md` | | Where to stay | `visitor-lodging.md` | | Tips & day trips | `visitor-tips.md` | | **Neighborhoods** | | | Quick comparison | `neighborhoods-index.md` | | Chaoyang, CBD, Sanlitun | `neighborhoods-downtown.md` | | Haidian, Zhongguancun | `neighborhoods-tech.md` | | Dongcheng, Xicheng (Historic) | `neighborhoods-historic.md` | | Shunyi, Changping, Tongzhou | `neighborhoods-suburban.md` | | Choosing guide | `neighborhoods-choosing.md` | | **Food** | | | Overview & dining scene | `food-overview.md` | | Beijing & Northern Chinese | `food-local.md` | | International & fine dining | `food-international.md` | | Best areas for dining | `food-areas.md` | | Dietary, alcohol, practicalities | `food-practical.md` | | **Practical** | | | Moving & settling | `resident.md` | | Leaving China (exit checklist, pension refund) | `leaving.md` | | Transport (subway, DiDi, bikes) | `transport.md` | | Cost of living | `cost.md` | | Safety & laws | `safety.md` | | Weather & AQI tips | `climate.md` | | Local services (banking, SIM) | `local.md` | | **Career** | | | Tech industry & salaries | `tech.md` | | Jobs beyond tech (teaching, labor law) | `jobs.md` | | Expat income tax (IIT, six-year rule) | `taxes.md` | | Business setup & WFOE | `business.md` | | Visas (Z, X, M, residence permit) | `visas.md` | | Startups & funding | `startup.md` | | **Lifestyle** | | | Culture & customs | `culture.md` | | Healthcare & insurance | `healthcare.md` | | Schools & education | `education.md` | | Kids, ayi, having a baby | `family.md` | | Learning Mandarin | `mandarin.md` | | Expat lifestyle & social | `lifestyle.md` | | Driving & car ownership | `driving.md` | | **Anything else / unclear** | Ask role + timeline first, then load the closest file above | ## Core Rules ### 1. Route by Role AND Timeline Same question, different file: "where should I stay" → `visitor-lodging.md` for a week, `neighborhoods-choosing.md` for a move. Ask which before answering (skip the question when `role` is set in config or obvious from context). If the user is already inside China without a VPN, only suggest solutions that work behind the Firewall — app-store links, Google Docs, and gmail-verification flows are dead ends. ### 2. Pre-Arrival Sequence (order matters, each step gates the next) 1. Install and TEST a VPN — cannot be downloaded once inside China. 2. Set up WeChat + Alipay, verify with passport; link Visa/Mastercard (supported since 2023). Alipay "Tour Pass" alternative: load from foreign card, 90-day validity, ¥10,000 cap. 3. Save every address (hotel, meetings) as Chinese characters — drivers cannot read pinyin. 4. Book Forbidden City ~10 days ahead; it sells out. If they arrive with only step 0 done, triage in this order — payment before maps. Details: `visitor-tips.md`, `local.md`. ### 3. Payments: Mobile-First, Cash-Last Set up BOTH WeChat Pay and Alipay — vendor coverage differs and some merchants take only one. Carry ¥500-1,000 cash as backup: legal tender, but small vendors often cannot make change. Foreign cards work only at international hotels and malls. A dead phone = no payment, no DiDi, no ticket: a power bank is financial equipment here. ### 4. Language Baseline Assume zero English outside international hotels and Sanlitun: taxi drivers, government offices, hospitals (non-VIP), and most restaurants operate Chinese-only. Default toolkit: Amap or DiDi in English mode + camera translation + addresses saved in characters. Survival phrases and Beijing-accent notes: `culture.md`. ### 5. Current Data (Feb 2026) Canonical detail lives in the aux files; this table is the summary. When quoting, state the date — rents and salaries drift. | Item | Range | Canonical file | |------|-------|----------------| | 1BR rent, CBD/Guomao | ¥10,000-18,000/mo | `neighborhoods-index.md` | | 1BR rent, Sanlitun | ¥9,000-15,000/mo | `neighborhoods-index.md` | | 1BR rent, Zhongguancun | ¥6,000-10,000/mo | `neighborhoods-index.md` | | Senior SWE (5-8 yrs) | ¥50,000-80,000/mo | `tech.md` | | Subway single ride | ¥3-10 (distance-based) | `transport.md` | | Taxi flagfall | ¥13 | `visitor-tips.md` | | Hotpot dinner for two | ¥150-300 | `food-overview.md` | | International school | ¥200,000-350,000/yr (bilingual from ¥100,000) | `education.md` | | IIT effective rate at ¥720,000/yr gross | ≈18% (worked example) | `taxes.md` | ### 6. Registration Is a Hard Deadline All foreigners register with the local PSB within 24 hours of arrival. Hotels do it automatically; private residences and many Airbnb hosts do NOT — then it is on you. Re-register within 24 hours after every address change and after each visa renewal. Skipping it surfaces later at visa renewal: fines, delays, possible deportation. See `visas.md`, `safety.md`. ### 7. Transport Default: Subway + DiDi Subway for anything near a line (¥3-10, English signage, add 3-5 min at each entry for X-ray security); DiDi for the rest. Flagging street taxis rarely works — drivers take jobs via DiDi. Worked example, Great Wall day: DiDi to Mutianyu ≈ ¥300 round trip split among passengers vs ¥200-300/person on a tour — a group of 3+ should DiDi. Driving is a trap: license plates are allocated by lottery with years-long odds (`driving.md`). ### 8. Weather and AQI Gate the Plan - AQI >150 → mask outdoors; >200 → move the day's plan indoors (museums, malls, hotpot), N95 if you must go out. Check daily; canonical thresholds in `visitor-tips.md`. - Bad-air season = winter heating season (mid-Nov to mid-Mar). Best months: Sep-Oct. - Never plan around Oct 1-7 (Golden Week) or Chinese New Year: peak crowds, closures, surge prices. - Winter -10°C, summer 35°C+: itineraries need seasonal restructuring, not just packing changes (`climate.md`). ### 9. Neighborhood Matching | Profile | Best areas | Why | |---------|-----------|-----| | Young professionals | Sanlitun, CBD, Guomao | Nightlife, expat scene, walkable | | Expat families | Shunyi, Chaoyang Park area | International schools, space; Shunyi = car required | | Tech workers | Zhongguancun, Wudaokou, Haidian | Commute to tech campuses | | Students | Wudaokou | PKU/Tsinghua, cheap, Korean food | | Budget-conscious | Tongzhou, Changping | Half the rent, 40-60 min commute | | History/culture | Dongcheng, Xicheng hutongs | Character; check heating/plumbing before signing | | Default (unsure, mid budget) | Dongzhimen/Sanyuanqiao | Central, Airport Express, moderate rent | ## Hukou & Work Permit Context - **Hukou (户口)** is household registration for Chinese citizens; Beijing hukou is among the hardest to obtain and gates local schooling and property. Foreigners are outside the hukou system — their equivalent gate is the work permit tier. - **Work permit tiers**: A (top talent — points score 85+, or qualifying achievement), B (professional — degree + 2 yrs experience typical), C (temporary/intern). Tier determines renewal ease and family visas. Points come from salary, education, experience, HSK level: `visas.md`. - Practical consequence: a B-tier offer letter with salary near the bottom of market range weakens renewals — negotiate salary partly as an immigration asset. ## Output Gates Before answering, check: - Did I identify role (tourist/resident/worker/student/founder) and timeline? - Are my numbers from the canonical file, quoted with their date? - Does my advice work behind the Firewall if the user is already in China? - Did I flag the 24h registration whenever the user mentions arriving or moving? - Did I apply `config.yaml` values (dietary, budget_tier, aqi_alert, home_currency) instead of the defaults they override? ## Traps | Trap | Why it fails | Do instead | |------|--------------|------------| | Arriving without VPN | Cannot download one inside China; cut off from Google/WhatsApp day 1 | Install + test before boarding | | Only one payment app | Some vendors take WeChat only, others Alipay only | Set up both, link cards to both | | Skipping PSB registration | Surfaces at visa renewal as fines/delays | Register within 24h; confirm your landlord/host actually did it | | Relying on street taxis | Drivers take DiDi jobs; empty cabs pass you by | DiDi app in English mode | | Buying a car | Plates by lottery, years of waiting; unrestricted driving impossible | Subway + DiDi; plate math in `driving.md` | | Underestimating AQI | 200+ days cluster in winter; no mask = sick, plans ruined | N95s in bag, purifier at home, indoor backup plans | | Treating cash as primary | Vendors can't make change; queues form behind you | Cash is backup only (¥500-1,000) | | Booking Badaling | Most crowded Wall section; 2h+ cable queues on holidays | Mutianyu (first visit), Jinshanling (photos), Simatai (night) | | Golden Week travel | Oct 1-7: attraction quotas sell out, hotel prices surge | Shift trip by one week either side | | Assuming English menus/staff | Chinese-only outside expat zones | Camera translation, picture menus, saved phrases | | Working on an M/tourist visa "temporarily" | Deportation + entry ban when caught; schools get raided | Z visa + work permit before day one (`jobs.md`, `visas.md`) | | Leaving without the work-permit cancellation certificate | Blocks any future China work permit; unobtainable once the employer moves on | Exit checklist in `leaving.md`, 2-3 buffer weeks before the flight | ## Legal Awareness | Rule | Reality | |------|---------| | VPN | Gray zone: personal use tolerated, selling/promoting illegal | | Working on wrong visa | Z visa + work permit or nothing; violation = deportation + entry ban | | Drugs | Zero tolerance; any amount is a serious criminal matter | | Photography | No military, police, or government buildings | | Political speech | Criticizing Party/government carries real risk — including on WeChat, which is monitored | | LGBTQ+ | Not illegal, no legal recognition; discretion advised | Full guidance and red-flag scenarios: `safety.md`. ## Related Skills More Clawic skills, get them at https://clawic.com/skills/beijing (install if the user confirms): - `china` — travel across the rest of China; Beijing hands off there for any other city or region - `travel` — general trip planning and itinerary structuring beyond one city - `chinese` — writing natural Chinese; this skill covers survival language only ## Feedback - If useful, star it: https://clawic.com/skills/beijing - Latest version: https://clawic.com/skills/beijing Part of [Clawic](https://clawic.com), the verified skill library. Get this skill: https://clawic.com/skills/beijing.