disability

As Live Music Booms in China, Disabled Fans Call for More Inclusion

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

The return of large-scale pop concerts has sparked huge excitement in China over recent months. But fans with disabilities still face serious barriers to accessing the events — and they’re calling for change.

Xu Cen

Ni Dandan

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

World Book Day: A Bookstore for the Blind

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

Backlight 226 has become the go-to spot for visually impaired reading enthusiasts in Shanghai.

Yang Caini

Shanghai Eases Driving License Process for Deaf Drivers 

The city opened its first driving school and a designated physical exam center for the hearing impaired wanting to obtain a permit.

Online Influencer With Disability Hits Back at Trolls

Attacks against the earthquake survivor come amid a growing spate of online violence.

Ye Zhanhang

China’s First Deaf Lawyer Beat The Odds. Now, She’s Giving Back.

There still isn’t a system in place for Tan Ting to argue in court so she works on spreading legal awareness among the deaf. In China, that’s equally important.

Seeing for the Sightless

On a mobile app that connects the whole world, volunteers lend their eyes to the visually impaired, who in return give their ears to offer soothing comfort.

Beijing Youth Daily

Shanghai Codifies Accessible Infrastructure for the Old, Disabled

Shanghai joins capital Beijing in constructing a more barrier-free environment for people with special needs.

Li Xin

A Beijing Theater Is Committed to Screening Movies for the Blind

Reckoning Theater has organized over 1,000 screenings since its opening in 2004.

Star Snowboarder Su Yiming Becomes New Special Olympics Ambassador

The Special Olympics Committee hopes Su’s star power will help change social attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities in China.

Jiang Xinyi

Disabled Man in Chinese Countryside Inspires Disillusioned Youth

A viral video of a 66-year-old man’s life story of him overcoming the odds has left millions of viewers reflecting.

Wu Haiyun

In Training Machines, China’s Disabled Find New Hope, Old Woes

As China ramps up on feeding data into AI, people with disabilities wrestle with the job prospects it brings.

Code for Life

He’s China's Most Famous Conductor. He Also Has Down Syndrome.

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

MULTIMEDIA

Lü Xiao

China’s CODA Share Their Stories 

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

VOICES & OPINION

Long marginalized by mainstream society, children of deaf adults, or CODA, are building a community of their own.

Zheng Xuan

Shaanxi ‘Caged Woman’ Was Trafficked, but Not Caged: Investigators

A municipal investigation finds that a woman in China’s northwest was a victim of trafficking, but husband is not charged.

Wu Peiyue

China’s Paralympic Athletes Make History, Top Medal Ranking

The result was a far cry from the one medal the country won during the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang.

Fan Yiying

For a Speed Skating Prodigy Turned Coach, It's Not About the Medals

Liu Xiuming's students have won medals at the Special Olympics. More important is how sport can change the lives of children with disabilities.

Tencent Launches Emergency Services App for the Deaf

China has more than 20 million hard of hearing people. Tech giant Tencent says its new system will help them make emergency calls.

Zhu Ruiying

Call of Duty: Why Family Care for the Mentally Ill Is No Game

Family support is essential for people with mental illnesses. But it leaves caregivers struggling with the emotional fallout.

Liang Ting

Shanghai’s Wheelchair Dancers Put a New Spin on Disability

The city’s first wheelchair dance group, Home of Hope, are on a mission to redefine what it means to be a disabled person in China.