Mrs.Angie Humphrey, it is the rule for applicants who was formerly Chinese, you have to provide original Chinese passport or the photocopy of the information page of the passport, if you don't have any paper to indicate you were a Chines citizen, it is advisable to go to the consulate in person to explain it to the visa officer, otherwise, you can't get a Chinese visa.

Thank you for your reply. Is there any option to obtaining the visa besides making a trip to Houston from Florida? If we have no alternative except to come in person, what papers do I need to bring and do we need to make an appointment in advance and will I be able to get a determination at that time? As we left China in 1950 under my father's passport, we were not given any other papers and since I was only six years old, we didn't have Chinese citizenship papers nor birth certificates. The only documents I have is the citizenship paper issued by the U.S. Immigration Office and my current U.S. passport. Will those papers be sufficient if we brought them in person? I also have an older sister who lives in California who came to this country under the same circumstances who can vouch that we were not given any other papers. I would like very much to be able to visit the country of my birth and any assistance you give me prior to our making a trip to Houston would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Angie Chang Humphrey

No appointment is required. Just bring all the possible documents you have to the consulate. Don't worry too much, it is not that hard for you to get a visa to China.