arts

Is There a Right Way to Make Chinese Opera?

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

With countless adaptations, “The Peony Pavilion” is China’s answer to “Swan Lake.” But recent attempts to return the show to its roots continue to miss the mark.

Guo Chenzi

In ‘Only the River Flows,’ China Gets an Unlikely Arthouse Hit

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

With its open-ended narrative, this detective film set in the 1990s in rural China invites audiences to draw their own conclusions, sparking debate and interpretations on social media.

Ding Rui

With Funeral Portraits, a Photographer Gives Dignity to Rural Elderly

Seeing that most elderly villagers in a rural part of Shaanxi province do not have access to cameras, let alone professional photographers, to take portraits of them for their funerals, local journalist Yang Xin and her team decided to step in.

Ye Zhanhang

Snapshots of a Nation: How Guangdong Pioneered Chinese Photography

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

MULTIMEDIA

Spanning two centuries, “History of Photography in Guangdong: 1844-2020” delves into the history of Chinese photography. The book chronicles its journey from early daguerreotypes to the prominence of digital imagery in modern times.

Ding Yining

Myriam Kryger on How Rivers Inspire the Flow of Art, Ideas

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

SIXTH TONE ×

The former French cultural attache on the importance of creating space for face-to-face interactions that inspire fresh ideas and exchanges.

Our Water

On Stage and in a Wheelchair

Zhao Hongcheng has made hundreds of videos about the challenges of life as a disabled person. Now she’s starring in a hit play about her life.

Liu Qing

Our Water: Shanghai Launches Program to Promote Global Culture Flow

City teams up with Paris for the first year of a river-inspired initiative that aims to promote international exchanges and cooperation with world metropolises.

Famous Taiwan Rapper Admits Plagiarizing Comic About Depression 

The 2004 comic “Jumping Off a Building” depicts a suicidal woman witnessing the sad lives of her neighbors as she falls to her death. MC HotDog, a famous Taiwanese rapper, has just admitted using the storyline in his new song without authorization.

Jiang Zuer

The Hungry Dead and the Envoys of Hell: China’s Ghost Festival

Costumed parades in the street, spectral drawings, and religious ceremonies illustrate how the Chinese celebrate Ghost Festival.

Sheng Wenqiang

Photo Agency Demands Compensation From Photographer — For Using Own Photos

VCG has demanded up to 86,500 yuan ($11,856) in compensation after a photographer published his own photos on his WeChat public account.

‘THE PALETTE’: Young Chinese Artists Create Meaning in a Diverse World

New exhibition “THE PALETTE” illuminates the journey of young Chinese artists who grew up in mixed cultures finding their identity and exploring the meanings of life through different art forms.

Annex Space

Xiaohongshu Accused of Using Users’ Artwork to Train Its AI

According to one illustrator, the social media platform has admitted to using his artwork to train its image generating AI. The platform says the artwork used was from open access sources.

How a Top Modern Dance Troupe Lost Its Home

The Paper

How a Controversial Play Captured Aranya’s Cultural Divide 

The exclusive resort town wants to be known as a cultural hub. But high culture and high commercialism are an awkward match.

Xi Muliang

Chinese TV Show Brings Together Country’s Leading Writers to Discuss Kafka, AI

Set on a picturesque resort island in southern China, “I Read Books on an Island” is proving a hit with viewers enthralled by discussions surrounding the love of writing and reading.

Tang Dynasty Poetry Comes Alive in Animated Film ‘Chang An’ 

Blending modern animation with traditional poetry, ‘Chang An’ has been a surprise hit at the box office and won praise for its celebration of traditional Chinese culture.

New Musical Honors Shanghai’s Legacy of Welcoming Jewish Refugees

Composed and conducted by award-winning musicians, the oratorio will premiere in Shanghai on Nov. 17 and then embark on a global tour.

Sixth Tone

Amid Twitter Chaos, Japanese Illustrators Flock to Weibo — and Welcomed With Open Arms 

The illustrators have seen their Weibo following far exceed their Twitter following just a few days after joining the Chinese microblogging platform.

Yang Caini

Chinese Creepy Crawlies: Keeping the Pests of May at Bay

In Chinese folklore, scorpions, snakes, toads, geckos, and centipedes come out in May to harm humans, who have been trying to keep them at bay with herbs, clothing, and paper charms for centuries.

Lights, Camera, Etiquette: China’s Film Fans Want a Silent Show

To battle distractions, movie fans are now recording disruptive behavior during screenings in an online shared document. They hope it will help create a more respectful movie-watching culture.