Disclaimer: I’m not responsible for the content of this page. The information sources are not always reliable. Please use it at your own risk.
This page contains the information I gathered for the WorldCon. If you have a better tip, please let me know.
You can also Google/DeepL Translate the Japanese version of this page, which has more (but some irrelevant) information.
Names
When Japanese, Chinese, Korean names are written in their respective languages with their family names first, then given names. But when a Japanese name is written in Roman alphabets, some people choose to put their given names first. Yes, it’s confusing. Personally I prefer to retain the original order. My name is YASHIMA Yugen, and please call me Yugen.
Chinese and Japanese
Chinese and Japanese languages are linguistically very different. But the Japanese adopted Chinese characters into their writing system about two millennia ago, along with words and idiomatic expressions. So, a Japanese can guess the meaning of many Chinese characters without any special training. But he or she cannot pronounce the words.
If you are new to WeChat like me, you might want to turn off its “People Nearby” function from General > Manage Discover. It let’s you discover WeChat users close to you, and let’s they see you. You can also revoke the Location privilege of the app on your device/app setting. The function might be useful at the convention venue, but not always.
WeChat also has a Windows app.
Baidu
If you are outside China, you cannot register to Baidu. There is a workaround, but perhaps you might not need it.
ATM (Self-Service Banking)
ATMs can be found with the name Self-Service Banking (24小时自助银行). The machines are often found in a building, rather than on a wall.
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport
There is at least one ATM at Terminal 2 at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport but not at Terminal 1. There is a currency exchange (open for 24 hours) at Terminal 1, level 2.
Chengdu Science (science fiction) Museum
I cannot find its official website as of now. You can confirm its location by searching for 菁蓉湖 (Jingrong Lake) on Baidu. Yes, you need to use the Chinese characters.
Hotel
For those who stay at Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Palace Chengdu Hotel (成都天之府温德姆至尊豪廷大酒店), there is a small mall with restaurants near the hotel.
Gmail
Gmail and some other major services (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, etc.) cannot be used in China. You can work this limitation around by using a certain type of SIM card or a VPN service. I suspect that sending Gmail can be slow and unreliable. It may be better to use other services or Microsoft account e-mail, such as Outlook.com.
Pronunciation of Chinese
You can find pronunciation (pinyin) of Chinese words by pasting them into Google Translate.