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As the “2D Goods Economy” Explodes in China, Can Fantasy Worlds Solve Real-life Woes?
With the sale of anime-related products now a multi-billion-yuan industry, there’s no sign of the trend slowing down. But who are the beneficiaries, and what impact has this explosion in popularity had on the subcultures it grew out of?

How Beijing’s “Academic Bars” Are Helping to Democratize Knowledge
Bar-based lecture series are becoming increasingly popular in the capital, attracting students and workers looking to learn and find community outside of traditional educational spaces

Smooth Operator: The Vending Massage Chairs Invading China’s Public Spaces
Amid the pressures of modern living, vending massage chairs have proven a cheap and easy way for young people to unwind. But is this trend built to last—or will it be over as quickly as the massages themselves?

Can a Local Supermarket Save China’s Offline Retail Sector?
Despite the economic downturn, Pangdonglai, a once-obscure regional supermarket, is thriving—yet its success may be difficult to replicate

Borderline Addicted: How Shenzhen Became Hongkongers’ Weekend Escape Plan
Once a shoppers’ paradise, Hong Kong now watches its residents head north in search of low prices, lush parks, and luxe experiences

Scandals from China’s Annual Consumer Rights Festival in 2025
From repackaged sanitary products to fraudulent home repair services, here are the most shocking consumer rights scandals unveiled during China’s annual “3·15 Gala” this year

Amid Snags in Global Trade, Chaozhou’s Wedding Dress Factories Battle to Survive
Faced with mounting pressures from overseas tariffs and dwindling labor and growing competition at home, the future of the city’s decades-long dress trade hangs in the balance

As China’s Russian Goods Stores Proliferate, Just How Russian Are They?
After the opening of nearly 1,000 “Russian goods” stores in the country over the past year, consumers and authorities are beginning to question the true origin of their products

Can Livestreaming Be the New Way to Solve Relationship Issues in China?
As more Chinese women turn to influencers like Li Dan for guidance, growing concerns about their expertise and commercial motivations are becoming hard to ignore

The Memory Makers: The Rise of Professional Memoirists in China
A growing industry of memoir ghostwriters is helping China’s seniors preserve their legacies—and boosting the silver economy
