generations

The Factory Workers Who Helped Build a Nation

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

A photographer strives to protect the memory of China’s Third Front Movement and the families who dedicated their lives to it.

Jiemian News

From Blind Boxes to AI Friends, Young Chinese Buy to Feel Better

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

A new report by Chinese social platform Soul and the Shanghai Youth Research Center reveals emotional value is now a key driver of consumer behavior.

Fan Yiying

A Memory of Loss: ‘Could Grandma Hear My Cries?’

In tribute to her grandparents, artist Wu Wei explores in her work the anguish of loss and the joy of remembrance.

Wu Wei

One Piece Puzzle: How Anime Merch Found the Perfect Fit in China

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

Once niche and underground, anime, comic, and game collectibles are now a $23 billion force shaping China’s next consumer wave.

Ding Rui

China’s Gen Z Embraces AI

A new survey found that 95% of Gen Z respondents used AI for work or study — and almost half used it to meet their emotional needs.

Fu Xiaoqing

Young, Tired, and Still Trying: China’s Next Generation Rethinks Success

Writer Peter Hessler and anthropologist Xiang Biao on the changing lives of young Chinese, the meaning of hard work, and why parents should cut their kids some slack.

Sixth Tone

Zest for Zen: Brands Tap Spiritual Shift in Young Spenders

As young Chinese turn to mysticism for luck and protection, companies are capitalizing with brand tie-ins and metaphysical products and services.

Li Xin

Li Miaoran

Spring Festival 2.0: How Gen-Z Is Changing China’s Biggest Holiday

Young Chinese are reshaping the Spring Festival with online rituals, social commerce, and personalized traditions, balancing family expectations with a digital-first approach.

First Cafés, Then Bars — Now, Young Chinese Study, Work at Disneyland

With pricey annual passes in hand, students and office workers are squeezing productivity into theme park trips, making the most of every visit.

Donkey Burgers to Farm Tales: The Podcasts Giving Rural China a Voice

Big-city creators have long dominated China’s podcast charts. Now, voices from smaller cities and remote regions are beginning to make themselves heard.

Li  Yanshu

Big City Dreams, Small-Town Realities for China’s Rural Youth

As more rural youth return to their hometowns due to employment, family, or big city life pressure, small cities are serving as a buffer zone between their dreams and reality.

Wang Defu

Young Chinese Have Almost No Concerns About AI, Survey Finds

A new study has found that China’s Gen-Z are strikingly unfazed by the risks posed by artificial intelligence. They are far more concerned about how to use AI to make money — and feel less lonely.

He Qitong

Li Dongxu

How a Local Police Station Became China’s Hottest Holiday Destination

A hit documentary has turned a police station in the central city of Changsha into a viral hotspot — and caused some unease among local authorities.

Last Dance: Medical Condition Leads to Deeper Appreciation of Mothers’ Sacrifice

A common gynecological condition has sparked discussion on the cost of childbirth between mothers and daughters, highlighting the sacrifice women make for their children.

Chen Yihan

On China’s Streets, Young Vendors Toil for Money, Friendship, and Freedom

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

MULTIMEDIA

Lü Xiao

Torn in Two: Balancing Motherhood and a Career in China

A 36-year-old mother and career woman describes her struggle in balancing these two roles in China in the new nonfiction book “A Room Facing South” that shares memoirs by 22 women.

China 30s

For China’s Gen-Z, Entrepreneurship Represents a Ticket to Freedom

Starting a business in China’s pandemic-stricken economy is far from easy. Young Chinese are plowing ahead anyway.

Chang Minxiao

The Teenagers Revitalizing China’s Sports Prospects

For decades, China’s sporting prowess has been built on a state-driven system that excels at drilling athletes in traditional Olympic disciplines. But a new generation of young stars is determined to break the mold.

Li Pasha

After 3 Years of COVID, China’s Gen-Z Face a Tough New Reality

For young Chinese, the pandemic hasn’t just brought years of lockdowns; it has fundamentally altered their expectations for the future — and their understanding of their place in society.

Chen Jiangyi

China’s Gen-Z Is Entering the Workforce. Employers Are Terrified.

Chinese companies have long pressured staff to work grueling hours for no extra pay. Militant Gen-Z staff are fighting back.