Is Wikipedia blocked in China?
Yes — and editing it from China is a separate problem from reading it. Here is how to do both, and how to take it with you offline.
The short answer
Yes. Every language edition of Wikipedia has been blocked in mainland China since 2019 (the Chinese-language edition was blocked earlier). Hong Kong and Macau are not affected.
To read it from the mainland you need a roaming home SIM, a travel eSIM that routes data outside the mainland, a VPN installed before you arrive — or an offline copy.
Reading works through a VPN; editing usually does not
Through a VPN, reading Wikipedia is completely normal. Editing is another matter: to fight vandalism, Wikipedia blocks edits from VPN and proxy addresses, almost always including commercial VPN servers. You will see a message that your IP address is blocked from editing.
That is Wikipedia's own policy and applies to every VPN, not a sign that something is broken. Editors who need to work from China can apply to Wikipedia for an IP block exemption.
Take an offline copy
Kiwix is a free app for phones and computers that downloads Wikipedia for offline reading. You choose how much: a text-only English edition is far smaller than the full version with images. Download it at home on Wi-Fi; once it is on your device it needs no connection at all.
Download before you leave — Kiwix's download site may be slow or unreachable from inside China.
What people in China use instead
Baidu Baike is the main Chinese-language encyclopedia and works without a VPN.
Checking other sites before a trip? Try our is-it-blocked checker, or the checklist before you fly.