Eating Disorder Awareness Campaign Gains Momentum in China

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

Many young Chinese have never heard of eating disorders, and this lack of awareness makes the conditions even more dangerous. But a grassroots campaign is starting to put the issue on the public agenda.

How an Army of Elderly Influencers Took Over China’s Instagram

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 pandemic led to a surge in the number of Chinese seniors using a range of mobile apps. Now, retirees are migrating onto an unexpected platform: the lifestyle app Xiaohongshu.

In China’s COVID Battle, Medical Students Bear a Punishing Burden

As COVID surged in China last December, hospitals drafted in medical students to prop up understaffed wards. Many were unprepared for what awaited them.

Looking for Love in China? Get Into Esports.

China has seen a steep decline in the number of young people willing to get married in recent years. But one surprising group bucks the trend: esports fans.

China’s Downturn Fuels a Worrying New Trend: a Surge in Foreclosures

Home repossessions have more than tripled in China since 2019, leaving families in dire situations.

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.

After 3 Years of COVID, China’s Gen-Z Are Mourning Their Lost Future

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.

In China, Millions of Women Never Learned to Read. Can TikTok Help?

Decades of inequality have left millions of Chinese women unable to read — and shut out of society in myriad ways as a result. Now, many of them are turning to social media to get the education they were denied.

Chinese Cities Offer Huge ‘Group Buying’ Discounts on Unsold Properties

In a desperate bid to revive the property market, more than 20 cities have launched schemes encouraging groups of state-sector workers to buy up new apartments at discounts of up to 30%.

Soy Sauce ‘Double Standards’ Stir Massive Controversy in China

A controversy over food additives has generated billions of views on Chinese social media — and thrust an unsuspecting condiment maker into the spotlight.

Patriotic Movies Dominate China’s Holiday Box Office, Again

“Home Coming” has become the latest chest-thumping blockbuster to score a big hit at the Chinese box office. But overall ticket sales are lagging compared with last year’s National Day holiday.

As China’s Economy Stutters, the Elderly Are Emerging as Big Spenders

Insulated from the economic slowdown, retirees have become the driving force of China’s struggling tourism industry.

China Spends Holiday ‘Lying Flat’ Amid Heavy Travel Restrictions

With long-distance travel strictly controlled, many Chinese are checking into upscale local resorts for the weeklong National Day holiday.

In China’s Hinterlands, Young Women Can’t Find a Man. Literally.

China often blames the country’s plunging marriage rate on women choosing to stay single. But the word “choose” can be misleading in a country where the urban-rural divide is also turning into a male-female divide.

The Winners of China’s Housing Bust: Burnouts and Beach Bums

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

MULTIMEDIA

Situated in scenic towns and all but free, they’re the perfect flats for lying flat.

In 2022, China’s Students Are Struggling to Cope. So Are Their Teachers.

China is growing increasingly concerned about a spike in mental health problems among students. But “zero-COVID” is taking a shocking toll on teachers, too.

In ‘Zero-COVID’ China, the Elderly Are Becoming Ever More Marginalized

In China’s major cities, residents now have to use “digital health codes” to do pretty much anything: from entering a restaurant to using a public restroom. For the many seniors who don’t have smartphones, that’s a big problem.

China Is Pushing for a Baby Boom. It’s Getting a Baby Bust.

After China’s birth rate plunged to a record low last year, authorities introduced a slew of measures to encourage couples to have more kids. They haven’t worked.

Bridesmaids Go Professional

If you’re single, shorter than the typical bride, and enjoy frequent travel, there’s a growth industry looking to hire.

First Tragedy, Then Farce: The Chaos Engulfing China’s Broadway

In Shanghai, theaters are finally reopening after a four-month shutdown. But putting on a show isn’t easy — especially when your cast, director, and audience members could be locked down again at any moment.