ENTERTAINMENT
The Murky Management Companies Behind China’s Biggest Internet Stars
Li Ziqi, one of China’s most popular vloggers, has fallen out with her management company—what does that mean for the industry?
LIFE
Saddle Up: Riding with China’s New “Cowboys”
Modern “cowboys” embrace the steppes of northern Hebei province as a rural escape
TRADITIONAL CULTURE
The Bathing Cultures Dividing North and South China
Northern bathhouses are famous for their vigorous scrubbing, while gentle massages in the South lull bathers to sleep
TRAVEL
Dancing for the Dead: Stumbling Across a Tujia Funeral
A chance encounter with the Tujia ethnic group’s funeral practices in south-central China
ENTERTAINMENT
Selling My Soul for Views: Breaking in as a Female Livestreamer
A former female livestreamer shares her story of sexualizing herself to attract big-spending clients
TRADITIONAL CULTURE
The Changing Face of Yingge Dance
How the whole village works together to keep Puning’s traditional “hero dance” alive
LIVING IN CHINA
The Weirdest Singles Day Products of 2021
What were the most imaginative products on China’s top e-commerce platform this year?
TRADITIONAL CULTURE
Supernatural Chinese Beings Perfect for Halloween
Halloween may be a Western import, but ancient Chinese literature is full of spooky beasts, demons, and ghosts to consider this October 31
FOOD
Ancient China’s Love of Crab-Eating
China’s love of crab-eating stretches back centuries, with literati writing poems and even appointing “crab servants” to cook the delicacy
TRADITIONAL CULTURE
Why Young Performers are Giving Up On Years of Traditional Opera Training
A former Kunqu opera performer describes working in a disappearing art
TRAVEL
Explicit Carving in Yunnan’s Mountains Confuses Scholars
A mysterious and unique carving of female genitalia in a Buddhist grotto has served as a place of worship for centuries
