HISTORICAL FIGURES

Wen Yiduo: The Poet, The Martyr

Wen Ting, the great-granddaughter of Republican Era-poet Wen Yiduo, talks about her great-grandfather’s cultural and emotional legacy

MODERN HISTORY

Lonely Hearts Transformed: The Evolution of Chinese Marriage Advertisements

A history of Chinese marriage ads, from newspaper columns to matchmaking TV shows and mobile dating apps

HISTORICAL FIGURES

Reclaiming the Genius of China’s First Female Architect

As well as costing her an architecture degree, Lin Huiyin’s gender would lead many to focus on her looks and alleged love affairs over her groundbreaking work

MODERN HISTORY

Letters of Revolution: The Failed Movement to Eradicate Chinese Characters

The campaign to replace traditional characters with a phonetic system reflected Chinese society’s desire for change during the 20th century

MODERN HISTORY

How Labor Day Shaped Modern China

Discover the origin of Labor Day celebrations in China and how it became one of the country’s most important holidays

MODERN HISTORY

One Card to Rule Them All: The History of China’s ID System

How Chinese ID cards evolved from simple handwritten cards in 1984, to sophisticated digital documents essential for everything from riding the train to playing video games

MODERN HISTORY

A Brief History of China’s Hotel Industry

How China’s hotels transformed from exclusive spaces for the privileged to accommodation for the masses

ANCIENT HISTORY

The City at the Heart of Three Kingdoms Power Struggles

Cao Cao, Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and other Three Kingdoms heroes fought over Jingzhou for decades

ANCIENT HISTORY

China’s Long History of Dragon Sightings

Reported sightings of the mythical creature have captivated people in China for centuries

ANCIENT HISTORY

Carved in Stone: Why Did Ancient Chinese Etch Messages into Rock?

Exploring the ancient Chinese obsession with carving messages and poems on rocks and walls