Gathering information here...I'm retired, American and thinking of living in China.

It is very difficult for you to get permanent residency in China. If you don't know anyone or have family living in China, you can only apply for a tourist visa. This type of visa has validity of 2 years at most with the duration of 30 - 90 days one entry. So, China multiple entry tourist visa is the best choice. It can also be extended within China before expires.