I find most secondary airports in China (by secondary I mean other than PVG and PEK) that you can cut things very close, and in fact, it's preferred. If you show up early you will be welcomed by only 2-3 check-in counters trying to service 150-200 pax. It's fine if you have status, but then you hit the security and usually it's one security line trying to service 150-200 pax. So it'll take you forever, and then the joke they call lounge.

I simply show up 30 minutes before a flight now in China if it's not in PVG or PEK.