China Stories

Within his country, "the last emperor" of China was one of the most hated figures of his time. But for most of his life, Puyi had no agency, used as a pawn in competing agendas. Click here to read the article by James Carter. Narrated by Kaiser Kuo. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The practice defies easy categorization. Click here to read the article by Li Yongping. Narrated by Elyse Ribbons. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

3 million players — some of whom made their living on WoW — are now without their beloved pastime. Click here to read the article by Caiwei Chen. Narrated by Kaiser Kuo. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Excluded and stigmatized, some young migrants look for fun and recognition off campus. Click here to read the article by Xiang Xin. Narrated by Elyse Ribbons. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

As physicians-to-be struggle to find the hands-on experience required to take the licensing exam, they are turning to agencies that provide forged qualifications. Click here to read the article by Zhou Xinda and Wang Xintong. Narrated by Sylvia Franke. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Liu’s signature brand of “hard sci-fi” continues to dominate, but a new generation of authors is putting a more traditional spin on the genre. Click here to read the article by Emily Xueni Jin. Narrated by Ryan Cunningham. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The war has sparked an energy crisis in Europe, driven up global inflation and triggered a world-wide grain shortage. Click here to read the article by Lu Chen, Jing Yuhan and Denise Jia. Narrated by Kim Dalrymple. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Market watchers wonder when the fintech giant will be able to revive its IPO plans and what it will have to give up to get a financial holding company license — one of the last items on its restructuring to-do list. Click here to read the article by Liu Ran and Kelsey Cheng. Narrated by Sarah Kutulakos. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at http...

​A year on from the Winter Olympic Games, has Zhangjiakou bounced back from the pandemic and lived up to its promise as China’s ski capital? Click here to read the article by Shao Yefan. Narrated by Cliff Larsen. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Once shunned by Chinese youth as old-fashioned and overly formal, tea-drinking is becoming cool again. Click here to read the article by Tan Yunfei. Narrated by Anthony Tao. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

On a wintry day in 1784, a schooner docked in New York set sail for Guangzhou. This journey halfway around the globe would take half a year; it marked the beginning of the largest trading relationship that the world has ever known. Click here to read the article by James Carter. Narrated by Kaiser Kuo. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.c...

Lost: One Emperor. If found, you can keep him. Click here to read the article by Jeremiah Jenne. Narrated by Sylvia Franke. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

When a rapid spread of COVID-19 engulfed Beijing and caused severe delays in package delivery, an army of couriers from other cities were relocated to alleviate the problem. Their bravery has led to a national conversation about privilege and the role of essential workers. Click here to read the article by Yucheng Tang. Narrated by Kim Dalrymple. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

Lego has found huge success in recent years by tapping into popular movie franchises like “Star Wars.” Its Chinese rivals are turning to a very different source of inspiration: the People’s Liberation Army. Click here to read the article by Wu Peiyue and Zhang Liting. Narrated by Ryan Cunningham. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...

The country has spent more than a decade pouring billions of dollars into youth soccer, but amid lax oversight and a society that prizes higher education, the sport is struggling to move beyond the campus. Click here to read the article by Wang Bowen and Kelly Wang. Narrated by Ryan Cunningham. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...

China is the largest trading partner to Australia and New Zealand, and that’s clearly top of mind for the leaders of both countries, despite pressure from their Western security allies to get tough on Beijing. Click here to read the article by Nadya Yeh. Narrated by Sarah Kutulakos. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-se...

Candidates from China face more competitive admissions overseas and an altered job market after graduation. Click here to read the article by Fan Qiaojia, Han Wenrong and Cai Xuejiao. Narrated by Cliff Larsen. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

It's hard to know exactly what happened at the Battle of Red Cliffs some 1,800 years ago. But what is agreed upon is that this monumental battle changed Chinese history — and achieved a mythical status that still endures. Click here to read the article by James Carter. Narrated by Kaiser Kuo. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy...

Surge in spending around Lunar New Year holiday is fueling optimism tempered by more sober outlooks for some sectors. Yu Hairong, Cheng Siwei, Fan Qianchan, Wang Liwei and Han Wei. Narrated by Sylvia Franke. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

China has seen a steep decline in the number of young people willing to get married in recent years. But one surprising group bucks the trend: esports fans. Fan Yiying and Fan Shuying. Narrated by Elyse Ribbons. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

On February 11, 1958, the People's Republic of China introduced a new system for rendering the Chinese language, using not characters but the Latin alphabet. The move was revolutionary. Click here to read the article by James Carter. Narrated by Kaiser Kuo. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Follow a father-son duo who trained some of China’s first internationally certified search-and-rescue dogs, and dream of having a dog for every city. Click here to read the article by Story FM. Translated by Ana Padilla Fornieles. Narrated by Cliff Larsen. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Seeking the lost northern capital of the Mongol Yuan dynasty. Click here to read the article by Mads Vesterager Nielsen. Narrated by Anthony Tao. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

For 13 years, the “China’s Ugliest Buildings” poll has documented the misfires and gambles that defined the country’s urban building spree. What can the results teach us about taste in architecture? Click here to read the article by You Xudong. Narrated by Sarah Kutulakos. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info...

From “Water Margin” to “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” it was the setting of some of China’s best-loved works of fiction and fantasy. But does anyone still care about the “jianghu”? Click here to read the article by Cai Yiwen. Narrated by Ryan Cunningham. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .