Note that hotel bookings and flight tickets (or train tickets if they're accepted) aren't required if you have a letter explaining where you'll be staying and how you will be traveling. I received an L visa in Chiang Mai late last year with a letter explaining where I would be staying (someone's home), how I was going to be traveling (by car from Laos, in a Kunming registered vehicle) and length of stay. In the end I ended up flying due to lack of time but not having to submit bundles of unnecessary paperwork was a breeze.

Make sure your letter also explains how you will travel to China and where you will stay so you don't need to worry about accommodation bookings or flight tickets.