A Woman of No Significance

Your questions, answered. In-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China.

Q & A

When historian Luo Xin began experimenting with “microhistory,” his colleagues were dismissive. Then his biography of a fifth century palace maid became one of the biggest books of 2022.

Digging Into the Shang Dynasty’s Empire of Bones

For centuries, the rulers of China’s first dynasty practiced a brutal form of human sacrifice. What did it mean? And more importantly, why did they stop?

How an Aging Artist Put His Stamp on the New Year

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

VOICES & OPINION

Understanding the Chinese art world’s latest controversy is simple. Just follow the rabbits.

Three Women Who Changed the Tang Dynasty

What, if anything, can Shangguan Wan’er, Wu Zetian, and Princess Taiping tell us about contemporary China?

Is Confucius Really Dead?

Sociologist Zhao Dingxin, author of “The Confucian-Legalist State,” on the demise of Confucianism, the resilience of Legalism, and the structural sources of individual power.

How a Flailing Tutoring Company Became a National Rallying Cry

Once China’s best-known English tutoring company, New Oriental’s business evaporated after last year’s crackdown. Now it’s back with a new business model, and backed by a groundswell of public support.

After Two Years, Shanghai Returns to Remote Learning. Has Anything Changed?

Many parents welcomed the decision, but not everyone has the time to micromanage their kids’ learning schedules.

What Eileen Gu Means to China

The 18-year-old skier has dominated this year’s Olympics like no one else.

The Obscure Traffic Rules Helping Tesla Conquer Shanghai

What looks like a loophole in the city’s vehicle registration system is in fact an example of how city officials leverage minor regulations to effect big changes.

Chinese Archaeology: Past, Present, and Future

Sixth Tone invited three archaeologists to share their perspectives on the field’s development and future prospects.

Remembering Li Zehou, Philosopher of the ‘Chinese Enlightenment’

The author of books on Chinese and Western philosophy, Li’s work helped kickstart the country’s post-Cultural Revolution “fever” for culture and aesthetics.

China’s Master of Fireworks on the Art of the Explosion

Cai Guo-Qiang, who has a solo show at the newly opened Museum of Art Pudong, on what makes gunpowder so alluring, and why he dreams of losing control.

For China’s Most Beloved Team, It’s the End of an Era

The country’s women’s volleyball team was unceremoniously ousted in the group stage of this year’s Olympics, but they’re still the popular favorites.

March of the Red Souvenirs

Ahead of the Communist Party of China’s centenary next month, officials have unveiled a host of youth-oriented commemorative gear.

I Got the Vaccine. Why Are So Many Chinese Still Hesitating?

Getting vaccinated is an almost painless process in much of China, yet many continue to vacillate.

This Valentine’s Is for (Fake) Lovers

What’s behind the rise of shipping culture in China? It’s complicated.

Born in 1920: The Martyr in the White Scarf

Sister Jiang is one of China’s best known Communist martyrs. How she got that status is a tale fit for an opera.

How ‘Sacrifice’ is Making Old-School Patriotism Cool Again

The film, which has already made more than 350 million yuan domestically, draws from China’s cinematic past to tell a tale of heroism unburdened by doubts.

‘Devils’ on the Silver Screen

Chinese depictions of Japanese soldiers have ranged from the cartoonish to the vicious over the years, but “The Eight Hundred” brings something new to the stage: condescension.

How Guan Yu Became China’s God of War, Wealth, and Everything Else

Born 1,860 years ago, the bearded warrior’s unlikely combination of traditional values had something for both emperors and commoners alike.