family

China Is Getting Seriously Worried About Student Anxiety

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

In 2021, China made reducing the academic pressure on students a top policy priority. But anxiety disorders in schools are still a severe problem — and appear to be affecting more children at younger ages.

Ni Dandan

Majority of Parents Stressed Over Children’s Education: New Survey

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

The survey showed that a staggering 92% of the 535 parents said they had experienced emotional breakdowns due to their children’s education.

Li Xin

The Father-Son Duo Winning Over China’s Marathon Scene

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

SIXTH TONE ×

Inspired by marathoner Dick Hoyt, who ran together with his disabled son, a Chinese courier and his son have taken the running world by storm.

The Paper

Help Me Find My Son

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

MULTIMEDIA

China’s First “Male Morality” Class

Yi Tiao

A Chinese City Offers Free High School Tuition for Third Child

Weifang hopes the policy will encourage couples to have more children, while critics say it risks creating inequality.

China’s Maternity Hotels Offer New Moms a Break — From Their In-Laws

Maternity hotels have found success by tapping into the Chinese tradition for mothers to “sit the month” after giving birth. But they also offer young moms another benefit: an escape from unwanted parenting advice.

Wang Lianzhang

In IVF Mix-Up, Anhui Couple was Given the Wrong Embryo

A court ordered the hospital in question to take full responsibility, pay family compensation.

Ye Zhanhang

Waiting for Wealth: China’s Gen Z Wants Careers Before Children

A new survey also found that pain during childbirth and the lack of parenting skills were among the major reasons young Chinese cited to avoid having children.

As Birth Rate Falls, Sichuan Lets the Unmarried Register as Parents

Officials say the policy shift will ensure that unmarried individuals can enjoy maternal and child care services.

Luo Meihan

After ‘Zero-COVID,’ China’s Families Face a Lunar New Year Dilemma

For the first time in years, people across China are free to return to their rural hometowns to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday. Many fear they’ll bring COVID-19 with them.

Li Wei

Shenzhen Offers $2,800 Subsidy for Couples Having Third Child

Chinese cities are coming up with lucrative measures for childbirth as the country faces a demographic crisis.

The Desire for Twins Is Putting China’s Mothers in Danger

Many Chinese couples long to give birth to twins, and seek out assisted reproduction clinics willing to help them do so. But multiple pregnancies can bring serious health risks — and force mothers to make heartbreaking choices.

After Losing Her Son to a Chicago Shooting, She Tries to Move On

“Whenever I saw something about a shooting, I’d lose sleep,” said Li Rong, who later lost her own son in a shooting in Chicago.

For China’s Mothers, Preterm Births Bring Shame and Trauma

Premature births are a traumatic event for parents around the world. But the pain is magnified in China, where new mothers often struggle to access the support they need.

Chinese City Announces Maternity Insurance for Unmarried Mothers 

Experts have hailed the first-of-its-kind policy as progress.

Yang Caini

A Vietnamese Bride’s Chinese Dream

For Vietnamese brides, cross-border marriages are like a lucky draw: some good, some not.

Investigation 107

‘Marriage? Whatever’: Young Chinese on Love, Life, and Family

Luo Yahan

Lü Xiao

Xie Anran

At Home and at Work, China’s Weaning Moms Face a Bottleneck

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

VOICES & OPINION

Just because Chinese society expects moms to breastfeed their babies, doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Liu Xinyu

Thai School: For These Chinese Moms, the Future Is Foreign

Options abroad solve some problems but sometimes, create new ones.