Just had to comment on '...know nothing of China (unless you rent your own apartment)...' In fact, it's the opposite. Be prepared, if you rent your own place as opposed to school housing, you will need to learn Chinese fluently very quickly -- if something breaks, if it doesn't work, if you don't even have it, if you need to set up utilities, etc, if your landlord is mad, if the bureaucracy comes to you... All of which is quite possible and likely when it comes to apartments, even nice ones. UNLESS you live in major foreigner centres like Beijing, OR you have lots of close trustworthy Chinese friends -- which is a whole other story -- as in maybe they have guanxi with some contractor who needs work, and you are the sucker...
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There's so much truth in what you say. Also It's worth making a point that all private schools that say they will provide accommodation, will merely introduce you to various landlords and negotiate on your behalf; trouble is they will not bargain very well and you will still end up being held responsible for all well-used fixtures and fittings. You are totally right, you do need to know fluent Mandarin or have a Chinese wife who does; otherwise, you will be a lamb to the slaughter, a year-long cash-cow for your landlord; and maybe he, will give a back-hander to your school for introducing you in the first place. Even though state universities and places like Yuncheng IELTS School(who will send you out to middle schools) do not provide much above the disgusting in classroom and toilet conditions, they do generally provide a decent flat, thrown in with the job. Yuncheng IELTS school is a pretty decent private school by the way, even if some of the middle schools they send you to smell not a little bit. Whatever you end up with, it's pointless moaning; just get on with it and enjoy what you can.