/install beijing
When to Use
User asks about Beijing for any purpose: visiting, moving, working, studying, or starting a business. Agent provides practical guidance with current data.
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Expat lifestyle & social | lifestyle.md |
| Driving & car ownership | driving.md |
Core Rules
1. Identify User Context First
- Role: Tourist, resident, tech worker, student, entrepreneur
- Timeline: Short visit, planning to move, already there
- Load relevant auxiliary file for details
2. The Great Firewall Reality
China operates the world's most sophisticated internet censorship system:
- Blocked: Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, most Western news
- Essential: VPN before arrival (cannot download inside China)
- Super Apps: WeChat (微信) is EVERYTHING — messaging, payments, food, transport, social
- Alternative Apps: Baidu (search), Amap/Gaode (maps), Alipay (payments), Taobao (shopping)
See
local.mdfor comprehensive app ecosystem.
3. Language Barrier
Beijing is NOT English-friendly like Singapore or Hong Kong:
- Mandarin essential: 90%+ of daily interactions require Chinese
- Even expat-heavy areas: Limited English compared to Shanghai
- Apps help: Translation apps, DiDi has English mode, some menus have pictures
- Pinyin: Learn basic tones and phrases — it matters
See
culture.mdfor language survival guide.
4. Weather Reality
Beijing has extreme continental climate:
- Winter (Nov-Mar): -10°C to 5°C, bone-dry, occasional snow
- Summer (Jun-Aug): 30-40°C+ with high humidity
- Spring (Mar-May): Sandstorms possible, pleasant otherwise
- Autumn (Sep-Nov): Best season, crisp and clear
- AQI: Air quality varies dramatically — check daily, mask recommended
See
climate.mdfor monthly breakdown and AQI survival strategies.
5. Current Data (Feb 2026)
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| 1BR rent (CBD/Chaoyang) | ¥8,000-15,000/month (~$1,100-2,100) |
| 1BR rent (Haidian) | ¥6,000-12,000/month (~$830-1,650) |
| Senior SWE salary (local) | ¥40,000-80,000/month (~$5,500-11,000) |
| Senior SWE salary (foreign) | ¥60,000-120,000/month (~$8,300-16,500) |
| Subway single ride | ¥3-10 (distance-based) |
| Hotpot dinner (mid-range) | ¥100-200/person |
| International school fees | ¥150,000-350,000/year |
6. Registration & Compliance
All foreigners must register with police within 24 hours of arrival:
- Hotels: Register automatically
- Private residence: YOU must register at local PSB (Public Security Bureau)
- Penalty: Fines, visa issues, potential deportation
- Every move: Re-register if you change address
See
visas.mdandsafety.mdfor compliance details.
7. Transit Excellence
Beijing has world-class public transport (but traffic is horrific):
- Subway: 27 lines, 800+ km — largest network globally
- Buses: Extensive but complex for non-Chinese speakers
- DiDi: Chinese Uber equivalent — essential for non-subway trips
- Bikes: Dockless bikes everywhere (Meituan, Hello, Didi)
- Driving: Restricted by license plate lottery, not recommended
Most expats use subway + DiDi. See
transport.mdanddriving.md.
8. Neighborhood Matching
| Profile | Best Areas |
|---|---|
| Young professionals | Sanlitun, CBD, Guomao |
| Families (expat) | Shunyi, Chaoyang Park area |
| Tech workers | Zhongguancun, Wudaokou, Haidian |
| Students | Wudaokou, Haidian university area |
| Budget-conscious | Tongzhou, outer Chaoyang |
| History/culture lovers | Dongcheng, Xicheng (hutongs) |
| Luxury seekers | Sanlitun, CBD penthouses, Shunyi villas |
Hukou & Work Permit Context
Beijing has unique residency restrictions:
- Hukou (户口): Chinese household registration system
- Beijing hukou: Extremely hard to get even for Chinese citizens
- Impact: Access to schools, healthcare, property purchase differs by hukou status
- Foreigners: Not affected by hukou directly, but work permits are tier-based
- Work Permit Tiers: A (top talent), B (professional), C (temporary/intern)
See visas.md for work permit details and education.md for school implications.
Beijing-Specific Traps
- No VPN = no Western internet — Must install BEFORE entering China. Cannot download inside.
- WeChat dependency — Without WeChat Pay, daily life is extremely difficult. Link bank card ASAP.
- 24-hour registration — Forgetting to register at PSB is a serious offense. Hotels do it automatically.
- License plate lottery — Cannot just buy a car and drive. Beijing plates require years of waiting.
- AQI underestimation — Heavy pollution days (200+ AQI) happen. Have N95 masks and air purifier.
- Cash almost useless — China is nearly 100% mobile payment. Carry ¥500 max as backup.
- Taxis without DiDi — Flagging taxis is hard; most drivers use DiDi exclusively.
- Saturday/Sunday schools — Kids often have weekend classes (tutoring culture).
- Noise levels — Beijing is LOUD. Traffic, construction, people — expect it.
- Spitting and smoking — Common in public, including restaurants. Improving but still present.
Legal Awareness
Key laws visitors/residents must know:
- VPN: Legal gray area. Personal use tolerated, selling/promoting is illegal.
- Registration: 24-hour PSB registration MANDATORY for all foreigners.
- Work permit: Working without proper Z visa + work permit = deportation + ban.
- Drugs: Zero tolerance. Death penalty possible for trafficking. Any amount is serious.
- Photography: No photos of military, police, government buildings.
- Political speech: Criticizing government/Party is risky. Avoid completely.
- Social media posts: WeChat is monitored. Be careful what you share.
- LGBTQ+: Not illegal, but no legal recognition. Discretion advised.
See safety.md for comprehensive legal guidance.
Related Skills
Install with clawhub install \x3Cslug> if user confirms:
No related skills published yet.
Feedback
- If useful:
clawhub star beijing - Stay updated:
clawhub sync - Report issues
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install beijing - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/beijing - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
What is Beijing?
Navigate Beijing as visitor, resident, tech worker, student, or entrepreneur with neighborhoods, transport, costs, visas, and local insights. It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 402 downloads so far.
How do I install Beijing?
Run "/install beijing" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is Beijing free?
Yes, Beijing is completely free (open-source). You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does Beijing support?
Beijing is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (linux, darwin, win32).
Who created Beijing?
It is built and maintained by Iván (@ivangdavila); the current version is v1.0.0.