Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

Deep Tones

1 in 2,000: The Long Odds of Becoming a Pro Gamer in China

China became the world’s largest esports market in less than a decade. Now, as clubs cut back and the old pipeline tightens, breaking through is harder than ever.

He Qitong

After Years of Endless Choice, China’s Shoppers Now Want Trust

As shoppers grow more cautious, China’s retailers are reworking stores, staff, and supply chains around new demands for quality, service, and experience.

Li Xin

Pushed Out as Demand Falls, China’s Obstetricians Start Over

A decade of declining births is shrinking maternity wards, reshaping hospitals, and forcing obstetricians to adapt, retrain, or leave the profession altogether.

Jiang Xinyi

Ten Lives in China’s Age of AI

AI has spread across China with startling speed. Ten people describe what it now allows them to do, what makes them uneasy about it, and what life might look like without it.

The Cost of Staying Visible on China’s Internet

As China’s attention economy matures, creators face constant pressure to produce, adapt, and remain visible in an increasingly crowded and competitive system.

The Decade Comedy in China Grew Up, Seen From a Stage in Kunming

As stand-up spread beyond the big metros, one club in Kunming shows how comedians turned punchlines into careers, and learned where the line is.

Fan Yiying

China’s First DINK Generation Is Growing Old

For decades, a small number of couples built lives without children. As more Chinese choose the same path, their experiences offer an early glimpse of what a child-free future may demand.

Chen Yiru

Ten Years in Transition

To mark its 10th anniversary, Sixth Tone looks back on the past decade through 10 stories documenting how people across China adapted to change.

Sixth Tone

China’s Next Megaprojects Are Built for Big Science

Data shows how China’s infrastructure drive is beginning to include new scientific instruments built to explore the frontiers of physics, astronomy, and energy.

Wu Haiyun

Luo Yahan

In China’s Scripted Romance Games, Staged Love Is Paid Work

The format pairs players with paid “love companions,” selling intimacy through staged dates and private scenes where expectations and rules are often set in real time.