Last Saturday, The World of Chinese magazine celebrated its 20th anniversary, bringing together the team, longtime readers, and friends at Beijing’s Shixi Teahouse for an afternoon filled with shared memories, anecdotes, and fun.
The editorial team has also put together a collection of the magazine’s highlights from each year. This exhibition is a trip down memory lane, celebrating the stories, people, and moments that have shaped the magazine’s journey so far. It also offers a reminder of how rapidly society has changed—and how those changes have shaped all of our lives.
The celebration kicked off with a panel tracing TWOC’s two-decade journey as an English-language magazine in China with the magazine’s former deputy publisher, Chu Dandan, managing editor, Liu Jue, and long-time contributor, Jesse Young.
Established in 2006, The World of Chinese began as a magazine designed to help readers learn the Chinese language and explore Chinese culture. Over time, as China and its connection with the world continued to evolve, so did the publication. It expanded beyond language learning to tell deeper stories about Chinese society, culture, and everyday life, covering social changes, youth trends, technology, and the people shaping contemporary China.
The event also offered a sneak peek of the latest issue, “I, Humanoid,” which explores the rapid development of humanoid robotics in China, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the issue. Attendees watched a feature video on the growing popularity of armored combat, or buhurt, in China, and heard from one of the country’s few female athletes in the sport about her journey as a fighter and how the sport is finding a new audience in China.
On the magazine’s 20th birthday, we are especially grateful to all the writers, photographers, editors, designers, and partners who have shared their passion and creativity with The World of Chinese.
We are also deeply thankful to our readers around the world, whose curiosity and support have inspired us to keep exploring, questioning, and sharing meaningful stories about China. Stay tuned for the next chapter and many more stories to come!
Here are some highlights of the event:
Photography by Chen Yongmei, Zhong Ming, and Jiayu Zhang
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