Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, Paige, but it looks like you've had some great input. A couple more hints:
1. Water is a problem throughout China. Even in some of the 5-star western hotels, it isn't potable. Most will provide you with a couple free bottles of water, but you'll need to buy it after that. (It's REALLY cheap.) Some hotels will have a hot pot that you can use to boil water. Once it's boiled, it's safe. Most people handle the drinking bottled water okay, but forget that this means they can't brush their teeth (or sing in the shower
) Take a couple baggies and rubber bands and cover up the taps in your bathroom, so you don't accidentally use it. I saw w-a-a-a-y too many people get sick from simply brushing their teeth! There's some controversy about whether ice is safe in hotels. I always retrieved it from the ice machine myself and never had a problem, but others have sworn they never drank the water, so it had to be the ice that gave them Mao's Revenge.
2. With the exception of the western-style bathroom connected to your hotel room, most are Asian-style hole-in-the-ground affairs, even at some airports, tourist spots, restaurants, and official government buildings. Keep a mentholated lip balm to swipe under your nose if you are forced to use these bathrooms. They can be overwhelmingly primitive. Keep some tissue in your purse to use, as there's often no toilet paper. Finally, keep a fold-up umbrella in your purse. That way, when there's no door on the stall (as is often the case) you can open it and use it as a barrier. (Place some of those tissues under the points that touch the ground.)
It looks like you'll be hitting a lot of the best spots to see. Personally, I found the condition of the Great Wall very sad, but I LOVED the Xian warriors, and Chongqing was one of the friendliest places I've ever been to.
One more thing. Shanghai flights are serviced by two completely separate airports. One services domestic China flights, while the other services the international, so make sure your Shanghai entry and exits are planned accordingly. I've had bunches of folks miss their flight home because their hotel was much closer to the domestic airport than the international airport!
Let me know if I can provide additional info.
And have a great trip!
Fifty