Alipay, WeChat Pay, cards and cash
In everyday life in China, a lot runs through Alipay and WeChat Pay. I linked my Wise card to Alipay and also added it to WeChat. For me, this worked without problems. It is a Visa card.
I hardly ever use the physical card directly while travelling. In practice, I mostly pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay, with the linked card running in the background.
Cash
I still always carry a few hundred yuan in banknotes. In my experience, cash is almost never a real problem, especially in small shops or for simple purchases.
Taxis
With taxis, you need to pay attention: if you order one through an app and want to pay in cash, make sure to choose a taxi or payment option that accepts cash.