I will still dissect your post now. I was wrong to criticize you for lunchtime drinking, still don't think it is fair on your students however.

But I'm INSIDE the great wall! It's irrelevant what 'nothing outside of China is' in my case.

But what if you need to return the UK or travel out of China? Then it would become very relevant would it not?

I disagree with what you say will happen in the future here re the cost of living.

I'm no economist, but still can't agree. Items have increased in price, others haven't. The problem is FT's salaries in the public sector remain the same.

And last year in a poor county of Shanxi, I paid just 5 RMB for a haircut

Very good value indeed with the rinse and shampoo included. But a poor county of Shanxi does not equate with all of modern day China.

My t/a told my wife a former middle school classmate of hers had just started a job as a hairdresser there, on just 800 RMB/month.

Problem is with that, for younger chinese person who leaves poor county of Shanxi for example, that salary won't cut it in Beijing or Shanghai. And what choice do they have but to go to the city to seek a better job with higher pay? It's a double edged sword, more chances in the cities, but higher living costs.