I think one of the most important things a visitor can do before traveling to China is try reading about some of the country's history. It will make your trip here much more valuable. China's history is so long that many foreigners come and just don't get a real sense of what they're experiencing. One of my friends recently recommended his top China books and I thought I would post it here for people who are planning on coming to China or are already living in the country. Check it out here.