OK, I am a total ignoramus on this...and it really irritates me, because I am pretty picky about bank accounts in the US/UK.
In my first week here, I was told to open a bank account on campus, to allow me to be paid. I did so (CCB -- due to BoA relationship, I had one or two others choices), and amazingly, I get paid without ever giving my bank details to payroll: lack of privacy is astonishing sometimes!
I have no idea how to use my bank account. And basically, I just withdraw cash from ATMs -- CCB is v. plentiful round these parts. I seem to get the right amount of money deposited into the bank every month, and if there are fees involved, they don't seem to be exhorbitant. I would love to be able to do online banking, but been warned off that 'it's difficult' if one doesn't read chinese (may well be true).
If I need to make a bank transfer, I usually get a colleague to do it, and I pay them in cash...I hope I'm not causing them to incur fees.
tb