Hi Michael,
I actually ended up being very fond of Beijing. I spent a total of nearly two weeks there on and off getting to know it. Chengdu was fab and I also liked the cosy, small town vibe of Pingyao. The Mountain regions really are the true escape. However, China is not somewhere on the top of my list to return to quickly, but certainly in the next five years before all the old stuff is destroyed forever.
Becki