Short answer: the most noticeable restrictions are online: many foreign websites and apps are blocked, and political speech is heavily censored. Mainland casino gambling, drug offenses and some religious activities are also tightly controlled. Rules change, so check current official travel guidance before you go.
Blocked websites and apps
China's internet filtering, often called the Great Firewall, blocks or restricts many foreign services, including Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X and WhatsApp, as well as a number of foreign news sites. Local platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, Douyin and Baidu fill the gap and follow content rules set by the authorities.
VPNs
Many visitors use VPNs to reach blocked services. Rules restrict unapproved cross-border VPNs, and enforcement has mostly focused on sellers and providers. If you plan to travel, set up anything you need before you arrive.
Political speech and censorship
Criticism of the Party and content on politically sensitive topics are censored online and can carry legal risk offline. Groups such as Falun Gong have been banned since 1999.
Gambling and drugs
Casino gambling is illegal on the mainland, with state lotteries as the main exception, while Macau operates under its own rules. Drug offenses are punished severely, including for foreigners.
Wealth displays and superstition
Two other "forbidden" topics that come up often are online wealth-flaunting and feng shui. Neither is a blanket ban, but both are restricted in specific ways. We explain each in Wealth Flaunting in China and Is Feng Shui Banned in China?
What about a "forbidden" wealth frequency?
The Forbidden China Wealth sales page says China's leaders banned a secret wealth frequency and persecuted scholars to protect it. The famines and persecutions it mentions are real, well-documented events, but no historical source shows they were connected to a frequency. The name draws on the Forbidden City (紫禁城), not on any banned technology. For the product's actual details, see our Forbidden China Wealth overview.
Practical tips for travelers
- Read your government's current travel advisory for China.
- Carry your passport, and expect to show it for hotels, trains and attractions.
- Download offline maps and translation tools before you go.
See the official Forbidden China Wealth offer
Forbidden China Wealth is a $39 digital audio program with three bonus guides and a 365-day refund promise. Read our full overview first if you haven't yet.
Last updated: September 20, 2026. Facts on this page are compiled from the sources named above and can change over time.