This summer, I'm doing a study abroad program through my university in China. Right now, I don't know the exact itinerary. I do know that we will start in Xian, go to Kunming and Lijang, and end in Beijing. Total time is about 4 weeks. I do know that I will have some free time, although I am not sure about how much and where. To that end, any suggestions for what I should (or shouldn't) see/do? I'm not the most artsy or culturally inclined guy (I tend towards science/tech stuff).

Also, I'm flying in by myself (and meeting a group). I go HNL-NRT-PVG-XIY on JO, JL, and MU, respectively. Coming back, I go PEK-NRT-HNL on ANA. Anything I should be aware of? I heard some things about PVG that weren't entirely reassuring.

Thanks!

Could you be more specific? Is the program itself 4 weeks, or your travel time? If the program and travel is four weeks, you should be fine. Otherwise, you're spoiled for places. If in Kunming and Lijiang, why not try some other places in Yunnan (Dali, Xishuangbanna) or check out Chegdu/Chongqing? You could also try to get into Tibet (Lhasa) for a few days. I'm a huge fan of Xinjiang particularly Kashgar. Guilin and Yangshuo are also possibilities. I haven't been to any (save for Xinjiang, Xi'an, Beijing and Shanghai - of the places you mentioned) and need to get on it pronto.

But my main point is that you are spoiled for places to visit and see in China if you have the time. I don't know how sciency and tech that places in China are, though, since I'm not much of a tech geek and didn't actively search for it. I guess you could always check out a few of the electronics markets here in HKG or Zhongguancun in Beijing just to get an idea how tech and electronics shopping for most geeks/average people is. Very different from back home in the US.

The whole program is just short of 4 weeks. There's some travel time in there to get between points, but I don't know quite how much, nor how we're getting around. Just to clarify, this is a program run by a US university. We'll be traveling with a couple faculty, so this isn't the sort of thing where I can really take off on my own. Unfortunately, I'm also limited on my arrival and departure dates, so I don't really have time to go elsewhere (like HKG).
I don't think going to Tibet is on our itinerary, although we may be going to the plateau. Our time in Beijing includes the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Tiananmen Square, and a few other places. I also have a couple half-days of free time there. I don't know about the rest of the trip yet.
I realize I don't have a lot of info right now, and I can ask again when I do have more details. The main thing I'm looking for is points of interest for the periods when I do have some free time.

Thanks for the help, Jamoldo.