1. Don't drink the tap water.
2. Always have your passport/visa with you when you leave the house.
3. LEARN THE LANGUAGE
4. Always have a good stock of Western medicine for headaches, stomachaches, etc
5. Don't trust anyone who just randomly approaches you.
6. Don't trust Chinese drivers.
7. Research common scams so you don't fall for them.
8. Get a carbon monoxide and radon detector for your house.
9. Get vaccinated before you come.
10. You might consider getting a chain for your wallet so it'll be harder to steal.

For my first three months here I could only say three phrases:

你好 ni hao hello
谢谢 xie xie thank you
冰啤酒 bing pi jiu cold beer

Sure there's other stuff you might need to know or be warned about, but just think of it as an adventure and take the good with the bad. Everything else you'll discover best by experience.

Drink and Learn

Whatever you were promised or told by a recruiter is probably a lie....

Whatever you were promised or told by a recruiter is probably a lie....
Yes at least 80%

Just beware of the women. Dating is a different thing here. If the girl is obviously a horndog just down for a booty-bud then fine, but dating a regular girl who wants a family and such needs to be taken more seriously unless you want to end up with a dramatic scene. They seem more sensitive than back home.