Getting visa without booking entire trip

I will backpack in China for a month but I don't want to book every part of the trip (hotels, traintickets etc). Can I get a visa if I only book one or two nights in Beijing for the first days or is the thought that they want you to show your exact plans? Should that and a simlpe explination of the trips we make (like Beijing - Xian - southern - Shanghai -Beijing) and that we plan to book tickets while in China be all that it takes? have booked flight there and train back. Thanks!