BOOKS
Poet’s Peak
How verses by an obscure Tang hermit inspired an American countercultural movement
TV
Sister Act
Hit talent show featuring ‘older’ women may not be feminist—but viewers are ready to forgive
ARTS
China’s Vertical Future
A surge in “portrait mode” dramas is redefining how video platforms present their content
ARTS
Bated Breath
The viral documentary traces China’s unregulated mining industry, and the health and safety risks that haunt it—and the director’s own family
BOOKS
Monumental Memory
Yan Lianke’s memoir is a vivid meditation on life, death, and dignity in rural China
TV
Love for Boys’ Love
Unrealistic portrayals of gay men in straight women’s fantasies raise questions for LGBT representation in media
BOOKS
Painting the Philosophers
Chinese ink painting illustrations bring new life and perspectives to Chinese and Western thinkers
BOOKS
Soles of Wit
A new translation revitalizes a Qing “morality play” about love and corruption for a modern audience
FILM
Chicken Soup for the Pandemic
State-sponsored documentary “In Wuhan” stirs debate on the role of media in hard times
