This handbook provides appropriate background and orientation material for American students, researchers, and teachers who travel to the People's Republic of China. There are eight sections. Section one discusses opportunities for study, research, and teaching in China. Section two deals with preparing for the trip. Various topics are discussed including arranging to leave the United States (e.g., passports, visas, money, customs); what to take for daily life (e.g., clothing, electrical appliances, gifts); and what to take for professional life (e.g., research materials, teaching aids). The third section examines settling in and describes what to expect when you arrive in China, life in China, and the housing situation. Study and research are the topics of the fourth section. The work unit, student life, the researcher's experience, and access to material are discussed. Work loads, working conditions, and professional and social relationships in teaching are examined in section five. Available services are described in section six. What to expect upon leaving China is the topic of section seven. Appendices include China's regulations governing the enrollment of foreign students in institutions of higher education; information concerning the recruitment of foreign language teachers in China; a sample contract for foreign teachers in China; a selected reading list; information on Chinese postal and customs regulations; approximate costs of housing, clothing, and other items, and names of colleges and departments open to foreign students. (Author/RM)