SilverStar administration know the issues teachers now face, and they are direct in communicating these with teachers.
They direct hire, handle the paperwork in house.

They pay 12 months a year, 7k.

Still, you have that security cam directly facing your apartment door at the teacher quarters on campus.

Number 3 is good, Number 1 (usually just worded as CityName Middle School) is better, of course. KanJie is best, but good luck getting in there IELTS has that contract.

Yuncheng is not as severe as these smaller towns 20-50kms away, but you do get some of the same behaviour.

Oh- - forgot about the surveillance via mobile phone and constant photos taken of you in public without being asked.

If you want a great story, a break, and to see the REAL China, Yuncheng is very good. The fast train makes getting to places with western food and many more foreigners very easy, now. 80 minutes, 95rmb, from the Yuncheng fast train station and Xi'an subway to the Bell Tower in the middle of Xi'an. Makes it much more bearable, if expensive. Easier to spend your money now that it is so close, timewise.

Yuncheng is not like most of China, it isn't a mega-city with legendary traffic jams, 300 m buildings, and no greenery. As far as medium-sized Chinese cities go, it is better than most.

Pollution is bad, but it's like the internet - same all over China.