Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

VividTones

The Life Project: Documenting the Chinese Woman Who Gave Birth at 60

Photographer Wu Fang reflects on 15 years and 20,000 photos capturing the life of a bereaved mother who gave birth to twins at 60.

Wu Huiyuan 

The Dog, the Drivers, and the Decision to Save Her

A stray dog has gone viral on Chinese social media after a group of local taxi drivers raised money for her surgery.

Lü Xiao

The Long Hunt for China’s Vanishing Elephant Slides

A photographer travels across the country documenting a little-noticed relic of mid-20th-century public space as it slowly vanishes.

Qi Ya

How ‘Blood-Sweating Horses’ Became Auspicious Symbols in China

Rumors of an exotic steed that sweats blood first spread thousands of years ago, persisting in ancient writings and metamorphosing into various mythical horses.

Sheng Wenqiang

Collage: The Year of the Horse

Public art and festive displays welcome the Year of the Horse across China.

Sixth Tone

In Photos: 24 Hours at Asia’s Largest Flower Market

Ahead of Chinese New Year, sellers at Dounan Flower Market headed into their busiest weeks amid changing weather and rising online competition.

On the Trail of Shanghai Jazz

She Picked Up a Computer Mouse in Her 50s — Then Defeated a World Champion

Her Eye, Her Era, Her Archive: Xiao Zhuang, One of China’s First Female Photojournalists, Dies at 93

Beginning as a young army photographer, Xiao’s eye for everyday human moments led her to document the rise of a nation.

China’s 2025 in Photos

A selection of the year’s best photos by Sixth Tone’s visual editors.