This study examines fieldwork-methodology problems in China that few scholars have discussed in social science, criminology and law, and describes the author’s experiences in conducting fieldwork for an empirical study of criminal justice in mid- and western China in three aspects: general access to the courts and procuratorates, informed consent in interviews, and access to courtroom trials and case files. It argues that researchers need to understand and exercise social, cultural and political sensitivities in overcoming various challenges and difficulties in data collection. Making use of guanxi, building up trust, and developing friendship are essential to the access to the field in China.