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People & Culture /

Gender & Diversity

Related Topics:
LGBTQ in China
Women and gender
Families in China
Children in China
Mental health
Zhu Yuemeng, 36, is the only female senior officer on China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier. Photo: SCMP composite/Baidu/Sohu
Trending in China

China warship’s sole female top officer tells women to prioritise professional skills

Poised, confident senior officer adopts role of ‘evil instructor’ on board; is also known for her ‘caring’ attitude towards crew members.

Trending in China

Ancient Chinese women used crude contraceptives – ate tadpoles, ingested mercury

Trending in China

China Qing era spawned female authors, poets, despite restrictions on women in arts

Trending in China

China women living together for years spark debate on cohabitation and support

‘Best friends’ rent flat together after abusive marriages to men; story sheds light on country’s long history of ‘collective’ female living.

Two women in their 50s in China have lived together for 13 years and their story, shared online, has sparked discussions about female cohabitation. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote
Two women in their 50s in China have lived together for 13 years and their story, shared online, has sparked discussions about female cohabitation. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote
Trending in China

Taiwan actress, 58, praised for ‘youthful’ looks opposes ‘female competition’

Former teen idol says she strives to be a ‘radiant mum’; calls on women to find partners who respect them for who they are.

Trending in China

China entrepreneur, abandoned as child, owns fashion brand with US$36 million sales

Driven woman who came from parents who rarely remembered her name, dumped her on a mountainside, tells young women ‘there is hope’.

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Trending in China

China village event sees 600 men bow in homage to ancestors, ignites gender debate

Major ceremony takes place in area considered the cradle of Chinese ritual culture; critics say patriarchal spectacle is ‘antiquated’.

A Chinese village held a stunning ceremony where 600 men bowed in homage to their ancestors, igniting discussions online about tradition versus patriarchy, as women looked on. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo
A Chinese village held a stunning ceremony where 600 men bowed in homage to their ancestors, igniting discussions online about tradition versus patriarchy, as women looked on. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo
Trending in China

Garlic in brides’ dowries: symbol of frugality and household management in China

More than a kitchen staple, garlic is revered as a ‘divine herb’; boasts 3,000-year legacy in medicine, rituals, home protection.

Trending in China

China exit of top German lingerie brand as women prefer comfort, reject male gaze

Popularity of going braless plus growing desire for practicality sees purveyors of wire-free underwear brands push up sales.

Trending in China

China women pay for ‘companions’ in role-playing games, spark love debate

Sociologists suggest that many Chinese women view role-playing games as a safe, low-risk opportunity to ‘rehearse romance’.

A trend is growing among Chinese women that involves hiring a “love companion” during script-killing games where participants engage in a fictional scenario, often with a male host. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote
Trending in China

Explainer | Why China Li ethnic group’s 6,000-year pottery tradition passed down exclusively to women

Unique tradition sees pottery dried in sunlight, fired on open bonfires; male members of group banned from even looking at items.

The Li ethnic group in China boasts a 6,000-year-old pottery tradition which is passed down exclusively among women, with men historically banned from observing the process. Photo: ccmapp.cn
The Li ethnic group in China boasts a 6,000-year-old pottery tradition which is passed down exclusively among women, with men historically banned from observing the process. Photo: ccmapp.cn
Trending in China

Explainer | Why old Chinese custom requires brides to bring ‘toilet’ for ceremony

In rural Wuhan, a pair of chopsticks is placed inside chamber pot, representing swift birth of son.

Trending in China

Explainer | China Manchu ethnic group birth ritual uses bow and arrow for boys, red strip for girls

Birthing rituals which ban expectant mothers from sitting on stoves, attending other people’s weddings, persist in some regions today.

Trending in China

Japan ramen eatery bans ‘troublesome’ China diners, charges more for English menu

Restaurant says it had to call police over unruly Chinese diners; online sleuths claim real reason for ‘trouble’ is dual pricing policy.

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A Japanese ramen restaurant has faced backlash on social media after announcing a ban on Chinese customers, claiming that 90 per cent of issues with foreign diners involve people from China. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Google Map
Trending in China

Explainer | China folk custom beats women to boost fertility, dire results for not conceiving

Ancient ritual saw women beaten with bamboo sticks, brooms, wooden clubs; in variation of tradition, women were held over a fire.

We explain the reasons behind the distressing Chinese folk custom of Da Sheng in which women faced beatings to exorcise evil spirits and promote fertility. Photo: Shutterstock
We explain the reasons behind the distressing Chinese folk custom of Da Sheng in which women faced beatings to exorcise evil spirits and promote fertility. Photo: Shutterstock
Viral stories

Japan woman mocked for ‘ugly’ looks, resists cosmetic surgery, uses make-up

Ridiculed as a child, woman takes more than 30,000 selfies in 13 years on fashion journey; says it was like a ‘scientific study’.

Trending in China

Profile | Zhou Qunfei: ex-security guard becomes world’s richest self-made woman entrepreneur

Woman who began life in destitution goes from factory floor to US$16 billion fortune; says success comes from ‘refusal to accept defeat’.

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Trending in China

China woman who lost limbs in crash gives disabled staff jobs based on their strengths

30-year-old who suffered 3 heart attacks, 14 rounds of surgery dresses like a ‘warrior’; is described as the ‘pride of all women’ online.

A woman who lost her left arm and leg in a car accident, recently opened a shoe-washing factory in China, hiring disabled workers and creating roles based on their strengths. Photo: SCMP composite/Zhihu/Sina
A woman who lost her left arm and leg in a car accident, recently opened a shoe-washing factory in China, hiring disabled workers and creating roles based on their strengths. Photo: SCMP composite/Zhihu/Sina
China education

China tutoring school links civil service exam success to higher bride prices

Wedding betrothal advertisement emblazoned on public bus sparks public anger; officials order institution to stop marketing campaign.

Trending in China

Profile | Ex-Taiwan model, actress Jean Wang ends abusive marriage, excels in culinary arts

Entertainment star impresses with patisserie skills; maintains film career, becomes role model for women who face domestic violence.

Trending in China

China basketball hall of fame honours pioneer wife of infectious disease expert

Household name blazed a sporting trail then branched out into health, sports science; fans say she should be hailed for her own achievements.

In December 2025, China’s Basketball Hall of Fame inducted nine new members, including Li Shaofen, one of the first female basketball players in the country. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/nfnews
Trending in China

Explainer | Why China custom requires new wife to leave husband’s home, hide from family lantern

Decorations normally seen as a sign of ‘light and hope’, but turn taboo for newlywed women during annual festival.

We explain why, in northern China, a custom known as “hiding from the lanterns” requires new wives to leave home and hide from the groom’s family lantern during their first Lantern Festival after marriage. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
We explain why, in northern China, a custom known as “hiding from the lanterns” requires new wives to leave home and hide from the groom’s family lantern during their first Lantern Festival after marriage. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
Trending in China

Chinese ex-policewoman ‘Hotpot’ tackles workplace stereotypes in stand-up comedy

36-year-old who learned combat skills from monkeys in her village growing up as a ‘left-behind child’ uses comedy to help women fight abuse.

Trending in China

Explainer | China Bao’an ethnic group’s ritual ‘whips’ bride’s dad for not disciplining daughter

Ritual ‘punishment’ carried out as woman’s father kneels in courtyard of groom’s family; 3-day wedding also involves soot smearing custom.

Trending in China

China undertaker criticised for disrespecting the dead for wearing make-up at work

Embalmer who looks like famous singer talks to dead bodies as she works on them; she says it gives them comfort on their journey to afterlife.

A mortician in China has been criticised for disrespecting the dead because she wears make-up and perfume at work. Photo: Shutterstock/Douyin
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