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During Chinese New Year is the worse time to visit and tour. As the entire country is on holidays and traveling back to their home towns or visiting relatives in thier adopted cities.
Not only is the entire population on the move the price of travelling is triple in some cases. For instance I normally am able to rent a car for 148 rmb a day, but during CNY it is 408rmb for the same car!
As well CNY not only brings loved ones together for (often) the first time all year, but brings out the worse too. Theft, muggings, pick-pockets, etc. are at a peak during this time. Criminals are aware that almost everyone is carrying large sums of money and often expensive gifts to present to family members.

I suggest coming to China in April/May to visit the southern provinces and later for northern provinces to have more comfortable weather.

Where to go? Well that's a decision you'll have to make. There are too many places of interest and the country is larger than you may imagine. In the end; It'll all depend on your own taste. I would suggest a guided tour or group tour as a first time to China. Getting around the country as a foreigner is daunting with language barriers being the major obstacle. Different parts of the country have different dialects. Even if Mandarin is the official language; it does not mean everyone you will encounter speaks it.


Kris

Most of China is beautiful.  Some of it less so.  Jiangsu is full of lakes and rivers.  Anhui has more than enough mountains and a few famous rivers.