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Hello TWOC readers!
Happy early Dragon Boat Festival!
For those unfamiliar with the holiday, also known as Duanwu Jie, TWOC has picked out a few stories from our archive that will guide you through its traditions, meanings, and modern celebrations.
Check them out:
Discover the Many Legends of the Dragon Boat Festival
Choice Chengyu: Speaking of Qu Yuan
The Fast and Furious Dragon Boat Racers of Foshan
There’s a popular saying in Chinese: Knowledge can change one’s destiny (知识改变命运). While the sentiment still holds, the way people acquire knowledge has changed dramatically. The traditional source, books and the publishers behind them, have been struggling to keep up.
Influencers have recently driven up book sales in China through livestreaming, but is this surge truly sustainable, or even beneficial, for the publishing industry as a whole?
Read on to find out more:
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In 2024, China’s top livestreamer, Dong Yuhui, invited Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah to his channel. During their 100-minute conversation, more than 110,000 copies of Gurnah’s first Chinese-translated series were sold. Such sales figures have caused a seismic shock within both the literary world and the publishing industry. Read more
Since its founding in 2008, TAO Dance Theater has pushed the limits of physical movement, now it’s inviting amateurs to do the same. Best known for its “Numerical Series,” each showcasing a test of the body’s limits and represented by a digit, the troupe has toured more than 40 countries across five continents, performing at over a hundred art festivals worldwide. Read more
In a scramble to capture and retain both customers and delivery riders, the country’s three biggest delivery platforms have gone into “war mode.” Meituan and Ele.me were pushed to improve driver benefits after JD.com gained traction by offering social insurance. Customers rejoiced over wild discounts like “3 yuan for two milk teas”—until regulators stepped in on May 13 to enforce fair competition rules. Read more
Chinese You Need
Money First, Love Later: How Young People Are Redefining the “Internet Valentine’s Day”
May 20, also known as the “Chinese Internet Valentine’s Day,” has over the years morphed into yet another shopping festival, much like the equally made-up “Singles Day.” But this year, the memes and slang that emerged seemed to push back against both consumerism and romance. Learn the words and phrases to join the conversation here
Where We’re Traveling
The Real Travelers’ Summer Guide in China
From cities that blend history and modernity to off-the-beaten-path towns and hidden countryside, The World of Chinese is dedicated to showcasing the authentic China—its diverse regional cultures and its people—through in-depth travel writing. Embark on a wonderful summer journey across China with our collection of travel essays. Or better yet, grab one of our cultural guides, book a flight, and experience the country for yourself! Find out more here
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