Your first trip to China does not need to fit every landmark onto one list. Choose the right first city and the rest of the route begins to make sense naturally.
Start with trip length, not city fame
With only three or four days, one walkable city is usually more rewarding than crossing hundreds of kilometres. Seven to ten days is when two or three places can begin to share one route.
Put your interests before the destination
For history, begin with Beijing or Xi'an. For urban life, Shanghai and Chengdu open easily. For landscapes, Guilin, Yunnan, and the northwest reveal another China.
Give transfer days their real weight
Trains and flights do not erase station time, local transfers, or check-in. Removing one attraction often improves the whole texture of a trip.