https://www.scmp.com/rss/331177/feed Qin is a reporter at Inkstone. Previously, she worked in newsrooms across the United States for five years. She was a senior video producer at The New Yorker, a documentary producer at CNBC, and a designer at the San Jose Mercury News. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com This is the fifth in the South China Morning Post’s series of explainers about China’s Communist Party, in the lead up to the party’s 100th anniversary in July. In this piece, Jane Cai and Qin Chen shed some light on why so many people in China join the Communist Party, and what this entails. China’s ruling Communist Party had only 50 members when it was founded in 1921 by Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao. Both Chen and Li studied Marxism in Japan, and were among the Chinese intellectuals with communist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3134071/why-do-so-many-people-join-communist-party-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3134071/why-do-so-many-people-join-communist-party-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 May 2021 21:00:14 +0000 More young Chinese people are preparing wills than ever before, according to a new report released by China Will Registration Center. Experts say the coronavirus pandemic has prompted more young people to think about death and their assets. From 2019 to 2020, the number of will writers born after 1990 has grown 60 per cent, faster than in previous years. Since last August, a growing number of overseas Chinese people are consulting the centre in order to arrange their assets at home. The centre... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3128613/coronavirus-pandemic-pushes-more-young-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3128613/coronavirus-pandemic-pushes-more-young-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:00:20 +0000 Chinese sports brands Li-Ning and Anta are experiencing a surge in popularity and price on the secondary market as international footwear brands find themselves facing boycotts from many Chinese consumers over statements expressing concern about allegations of forced labour in Xinjiang.  Since late March, prices for some of Li-Ning’s and Anta’s more popular sneakers jumped so fast it resulted in official op-eds from state media denouncing the secondary market.  The sneaker that attracted the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3128501/xinjiang-cotton-controversy-has-been-boon-chinese-premier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3128501/xinjiang-cotton-controversy-has-been-boon-chinese-premier?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:00:17 +0000 Chinese internet users have criticised the penalty handed down to a cosmetic surgery operator who left a Chinese rising star’s nose blackened with dead flesh as too lenient. The operator was suspended from her practice for a six-month period while the clinic she worked at faces fines of 49,000 yuan (US$7,478) after the 24-year-old actress and singer, Gao Liu’s four-hour nasal surgery left her disfigured. “So, this is the punishment for crippling a human being?” asked one commentator on the news... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3128264/internet-users-angered-over-light-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3128264/internet-users-angered-over-light-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Apr 2021 06:37:55 +0000 Physical Education (PE) classes are famous for jogging around a track, dodgeball and the occasional competitive sporting match.  But a primary school in the central city of Xian is finding success with a much older activity: a centuries-old Chinese martial art.  Three years ago, the school began to try out teaching Hong Quan, or red fist, a type of martial art famous for its focus on precision and skill. School principal Yin Junlong told the online media outlet Sohu that it is now a regular... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3127893/chinese-pe-classes-might-train-next-kung-fu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3127893/chinese-pe-classes-might-train-next-kung-fu?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Apr 2021 05:00:10 +0000 A Chinese writer who collects and sells the inspirational and moving life stories of people has become an online hit, amassing 300,000 followers. Seeking her own inspiration as a freelance writer, Cong Pingping, launched an online shop in 2012 asking people to share a moment of their life with her by writing their story. She then edited and posted the person’s full story in the online shop on e-commerce site, Taobao, which people could buy to read for 1 yuan (US 15 cents) each. In nine years,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3128152/online-store-china-collects-and-sells-peoples-life-stories-just?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3128152/online-store-china-collects-and-sells-peoples-life-stories-just?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Apr 2021 01:45:14 +0000 A growing conversation about mental health, sparked by the 18th anniversary of the death of a music icon, highlighted an unmet need for accessible and affordable mental health care in China. On April 1, 2003, Leslie Cheung, a Canto-pop superstar, award-winning actor and gay icon, committed suicide after suffering from severe depression.  It was always a poignant moment to commemorate the musical legend, but this year, people also openly talked about their own mental health.  “When I was living... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3128007/anniversary-pop-icons-death-sparks-concerns-about-depression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3128007/anniversary-pop-icons-death-sparks-concerns-about-depression?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Apr 2021 13:00:13 +0000 A 34-year-old woman has died following a cosmetic surgery procedure three days ago in the southern Chinese island province of Hainan.  Local authorities have arrested the surgical operator, surnamed Wang, and recommended she be charged for practising without a medical license, said local law enforcement in a statement.  The woman surnamed Li, went to Wang’s clinic on Saturday to undergo a procedure known as fat grafting where fat from her thighs would be injected into her forehead and into lines... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127793/chinese-woman-dies-after-botched-fat-grafting-cosmetic-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127793/chinese-woman-dies-after-botched-fat-grafting-cosmetic-surgery?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:00:27 +0000 A modern problem has created a new avenue for people in China to make a living: helping people solve personal problems such as procrastination, overconsumption or home organisation.  These self-help gurus are often young people, and their companies are targeting other young people to help them perform goals and tasks. These young professionals reflect the zeitgeist of modern China. As the country grows more prosperous, people are willing to pay for various services to boost their quality of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127628/marie-kondo-adulting-chinese-companies-help-people-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127628/marie-kondo-adulting-chinese-companies-help-people-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Mar 2021 10:30:17 +0000 China is home to the most self-made women entrepreneurs in the world, according to a new report.  The country minted 24 new female billionaires to start 2021, bringing the total number to 85, said Hurun Research Institute.  China’s 85 female billionaires amount to two-thirds of the 130 women billionaires in the world. While the number of women billionaires grew 30 per cent from last year, the 3,098 male billionaires dwarf the 130 self-made women billionaires. Rupert Hoogewerf, the chairman and... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127254/china-now-home-two-thirds-worlds-top-women-billionaires-four?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127254/china-now-home-two-thirds-worlds-top-women-billionaires-four?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Mar 2021 06:00:15 +0000 An elderly Asian woman who beat off a violent attacker on a San Fransisco street has vowed to donate almost US$1 million to end racism in Asian-American communities. Xie Xiaozhen, 76, has pledged the money that was raised on a GoFundMe page set up by her family after the vicious attack that left her badly bruised and bleeding heavily.  Her family said she was donating the money because fighting the problem of racism was “bigger than her.” The March 17 assault on the elderly grandmother made... https://www.scmp.com/society/attacked-white-man-chinese-granny-gives-nearly-us1-million-fight-racism/article/3126957?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/attacked-white-man-chinese-granny-gives-nearly-us1-million-fight-racism/article/3126957?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:27:40 +0000 A university that offers a controversial whistling course is in the spotlight after a video of one of its teachers wowing his students with an award-winning whistling technique was posted online. While many have criticised the university for recently offering the unconventional course, it has proved popular among students. Cao Qingyue, who teaches an elective course called “whistling art” at the Qingdao University of Science and Technology in China’s eastern Shandong province, became an... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126996/quirky-china-poker-faced-bungee-jumper-young-good-samaritan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126996/quirky-china-poker-faced-bungee-jumper-young-good-samaritan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Mar 2021 10:04:17 +0000 Xie Xiaozhen, a 76-year-old Chinese grandmother who fought off a violent attack in San Francisco, plans to give all of the charitable donations she received to organisations that fight racism directed at the Asian-American community. As of Wednesday evening, around 31,200 people had donated US$933,630 to Xie’s medical expenses in five days via GoFundMe, far beyond the US$50,000 target they set. In a statement released on the family’s campaign page, John Chen, Xie’s grandson, wrote: “[Xie]... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3126803/chinese-grandmother-who-fought-white-attacker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3126803/chinese-grandmother-who-fought-white-attacker?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Mar 2021 11:32:38 +0000 A major discovery of a gold mask alongside a treasure trove of artefacts at a Bronze Age site in China has generated online debate about whether there were once aliens in China thousands of years ago. The gold mask, possibly worn by a priest, along with more than 500 artefacts in Sanxingdui, a Bronze Age site in central Sichuan province, have become the talk of China since the news broke on Saturday The mask is similar to previous discoveries of bronze human statues, however, the inhuman and... https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3126720/historical-discovery-revives-wild-theories-alien-civilisation-ancient-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3126720/historical-discovery-revives-wild-theories-alien-civilisation-ancient-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Mar 2021 05:30:13 +0000 A recent discovery at a famous archeology site in China has rekindled fantastical theories that it was once home to a civilization not from earth.  A recent finding of more than 500 artifacts in Sanxingdui, a Bronze Age archeology site in central Sichuan province, included the notable discovery of a gold mask that a priest may have worn.  The mask carries wide-eyes and a deep nose, similar to earlier discoveries of bronze human statues, fueling speculation of alien inhabitants because the... https://www.scmp.com/society/major-archeology-site-discoveries-rekindle-theories-alien-civilization-once-roamed-china/article/3126647?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/major-archeology-site-discoveries-rekindle-theories-alien-civilization-once-roamed-china/article/3126647?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:54:24 +0000 A popular Chinese comedy show said on Sunday that it would suspend a highly anticipated episode roasting two famous Chinese basketball players after viewers criticized it for being uncomfortably harsh.  The decision from Tencent’s Roast! also highlights the push and pull between China’s state-led sports system and private industry.   On March 14, the show aired the first half of a series roasting Chinese National Team basketball players Guo Ailun and Zhou Qi. The two players were part of a team... https://www.scmp.com/society/chinese-comedy-show-pulls-episode-after-it-dunks-too-hard-basketball-players/article/3126623?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/chinese-comedy-show-pulls-episode-after-it-dunks-too-hard-basketball-players/article/3126623?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:54:23 +0000 A cemetery in China found itself in hot water after touting a mortgage plan for buying a burial plot, amid concerns about unethical funeral cost mark-ups.  The Kunming Jinlong Ruyi Park in the southwestern province of Yunnan revealed on Tuesday a plan to partner with a local bank to offer 10-year mortgages for graves that would covers costs up to 200,000 yuan (US$30,000).  The news quickly generated an avalanche of criticism. Several state media outlets published op-eds that decried the practice... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126154/cemetery-china-forced-bury-controversial-mortgages-graves-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126154/cemetery-china-forced-bury-controversial-mortgages-graves-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Mar 2021 10:18:07 +0000 When Xiaohao, a pseudonym, was a freshman in high school, his peers spent months bullying him emotionally and physically, including repeated instances of sexual assault. All because he is gay.  In the most harrowing incident, Xiaohao was stripped naked, pinned to the ground and forced to watch pornography while someone stimulated his genitals. The bullies filmed the incident.  He remembered one of the abusers asked, “Shouldn’t this give you pleasure since you are gay?”  Xiaohao, who made his... https://www.scmp.com/society/bullied-and-sexually-assaulted-months-school-tells-gay-high-school-student-deal-it/article/3125977?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/bullied-and-sexually-assaulted-months-school-tells-gay-high-school-student-deal-it/article/3125977?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Mar 2021 11:09:59 +0000 A gay teenager was subjected to months of emotional and physical bullying, including repeated instances of sexual assault, at a school in China. In the most severe incident Xiaohao (not his real name) was stripped naked, pinned to the ground and forced to watch pornography while someone stimulated his genitals while being filmed. During the assault he recalled one attacker asking, “Shouldn’t this give you pleasure since you are gay?” Xiaohao, who made his experience public last Saturday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126000/bullied-and-sexually-assaulted-months-school-china-tells-gay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126000/bullied-and-sexually-assaulted-months-school-china-tells-gay?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Mar 2021 10:16:31 +0000 A company that fired a woman for taking too much maternity leave must pay her salary compensation and severance pay, Chinese state media reported on Sunday. The woman, surnamed Zhong, was fired for “absenteeism” after taking three months of maternity leave, despite being legally allowed to take six. The case was made public at a media conference on March 3 held by the Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court. National laws in China provide 98 days of maternity leave while also giving room for other... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125697/woman-china-fired-taking-maternity-leave-when-pregnant-wins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125697/woman-china-fired-taking-maternity-leave-when-pregnant-wins?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Mar 2021 06:00:15 +0000 A company that fired a woman for taking too much maternity leave must pay her salary compensation and severance pay, a Chinese court ruled in a hearing made public on March 3. Legal experts said the ruling signals a desire by authorities to enforce maternal leave policies in the hope that it encourages more people to have children.  China faces a demographics crisis that got far more urgent in 2020 after the government recorded a 15% decrease in newborns registered its hukou housing system.  The... https://www.scmp.com/society/court-ruling-might-help-chinese-women-enjoy-more-maternity-leave/article/3125665?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/court-ruling-might-help-chinese-women-enjoy-more-maternity-leave/article/3125665?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Mar 2021 12:36:19 +0000 Slingshot to stardom Slingshot enthusiasts across the country have been enthralled by a Chinese man named Zhu Liang who can hit moving water droplets from a distance with a slingshot. What started out as a hobby has morphed into Zhu becoming a slingshot master and guru to the 70,000 people that follow him online. Zhu’s precision and techniques are something he now plans to teach to others across China. One of Zhu’s exercises is to toss a walnut into the air and then try to split it by... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125319/quirky-china-slingshot-master-splits-water-drop-hotel-stays?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125319/quirky-china-slingshot-master-splits-water-drop-hotel-stays?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Mar 2021 06:28:41 +0000 What would life be without people being weird, wonderful and wacky?  Sure, dreams and goals are important, but life will be terribly dull if we don’t take a breath to enjoy the whimsy surrounding us.  These people China have completely embraced this ethos, making waves by mastering a slingshot, a street workout guru who makes the natural environment his gym and hotels in Hangzhou that installed computer chips to clean clothes.  They brought joy to millions of people along the way.  The Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/society/three-quirky-stories-china-bring-bit-joy-life/article/3125183?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/three-quirky-stories-china-bring-bit-joy-life/article/3125183?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Mar 2021 15:17:41 +0000 Legally, China promises to cultivate a healthy work-life balance. Labor laws limit employees to work 8 hours a day, or 44 hours per week, with overtime limited to 36 hours per month.   The reality is the polar opposite. Many workers in China are subject to a grueling work culture that is so ingrained it is drawing serious concern from Chinese lawmakers.  But people are doubtful that the “996” culture - working from 9am to 9pm for 6 days per week - will change anytime soon.  One official, Li... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-may-not-be-able-stop-overwork-culture-even-if-it-wants/article/3125282?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-may-not-be-able-stop-overwork-culture-even-if-it-wants/article/3125282?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Mar 2021 15:17:39 +0000 A Chinese lawmaking official has suggested that the country consider mandatory marriage and dating courses in universities to reduce tragedies caused by toxic relationships.  Yu Xinwei, a legislative deputy from the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature, said college students are less likely to commit “extreme acts” with “a proper understanding of love and relationships.” The proposal comes as a series of high-profile homicides and suicides have captured society’s attention.   In... https://www.scmp.com/society/can-mandatory-university-courses-cure-toxic-relationships/article/3124539?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/can-mandatory-university-courses-cure-toxic-relationships/article/3124539?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:08:19 +0000 University is a place where people often find their career, find their passion and, in many cases, find love.  But a series of incidents of domestic violence against women has led many in China to seek solutions.   In November 2020, in the southwestern province of Sichuan, a female student at Sichuan University Jinjiang College was killed by her boyfriend during a fight. He took his own life afterwards.  A month later, also in Sichuan, a man murdered his 19-year-old girlfriend who attended... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3124671/calls-china-mandatory-relationship-courses-after-wave-domestic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3124671/calls-china-mandatory-relationship-courses-after-wave-domestic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Mar 2021 07:40:10 +0000 As China begins to overhaul how the country learns about sex in school, a flurry of new proposals suggests that educating children about sexual assault will be a top priority.  On Tuesday, two days ahead of the “two-sessions,” China’s all-important legislative meeting, several lawmaking deputies put forward proposals that would require all primary and middle schools to teach sexual assault deterrent classes. The proposals are follow-ups on a revision of a law protecting minors that will require... https://www.scmp.com/society/chinas-mandatory-sex-education-might-start-sexual-assault-prevention-course/article/3124093?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/chinas-mandatory-sex-education-might-start-sexual-assault-prevention-course/article/3124093?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:00:43 +0000 When Cui Le, a Chinese university lecturer, publically came out as homosexual in 2015, he wanted to show a young woman that people in China supported her and remind her that she was not alone.  He could not have predicted the severity of the oppression, ostracisation and emotional despair he would go through. And yet, not only does he have no regrets, he is shining a light on gay teachers in China, providing a rare glimpse into a community that is seldom discussed in society.  Cui came out to... https://www.scmp.com/society/being-gay-china-one-man-shedding-light-plight-homosexual-teachers/article/3123738?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/being-gay-china-one-man-shedding-light-plight-homosexual-teachers/article/3123738?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:48:08 +0000 A Chinese film director has made history as the first Asian woman – and second woman ever – to win the best director award. As accolades poured in from around the world for Chloé Zhao, the 38-year-old’s stepmother Song Dandan – a well-known actress in China – described her as legend in their family whose win would inspire countless Chinese children. Zhao won the best director gong for her film Nomadland – the third of her films following on from Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) and The... https://www.scmp.com/arts/china-celebrates-golden-globes-anoints-new-star/article/3123756?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/china-celebrates-golden-globes-anoints-new-star/article/3123756?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:48:06 +0000 Chinese film director Chloé Zhao won this year’s Golden Globe for best director for her film Nomadland. Zhao is the first Chinese woman to win the prize, and her win was applauded in China and by its entertainment industry.  More significantly, the film also came out on top in the best picture drama category. Nomadland is the 38-year-old director’s third feature film, following Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) and The Rider (2017). The story follows a woman living as a modern-day nomad after... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3123611/china-rejoices-chloe-zhao-makes-history-golden-globe-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3123611/china-rejoices-chloe-zhao-makes-history-golden-globe-best?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:30:04 +0000 Gig workers, be them food delivery drivers, home cleaners or ride-hailing drivers, became essential cogs in the global economy during the coronavirus pandemic.  In the early days, food delivery drivers were literal lifesavers in Wuhan when the city was placed under lockdown to curb the spread of the virus.     But they also typically lack basic benefits like healthcare or retirement funds, an issue that has become front-of-mind in countries across the world.   In China, a draft proposal for the... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-wants-create-retirement-fund-gig-workers/article/3123254?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-wants-create-retirement-fund-gig-workers/article/3123254?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Feb 2021 10:04:53 +0000 The Chinese government has issued a broad top-down edict to push the nation towards becoming a more environmentally friendly economy, signaling a large-scale national push to become carbon neutral in the coming decades.  The State Council, China’s cabinet, released a directive on Monday that called for the nation to adopt a green and low-carbon transformation with the goal of peaking its carbon use by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2060. The carbon-neutral promise was first made by... https://www.scmp.com/china/china-climate-change-government-issues-ambitious-vague-carbon-plan/article/3122943?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/china-climate-change-government-issues-ambitious-vague-carbon-plan/article/3122943?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:37:21 +0000 America calls itself the land of opportunity. China says it will take care of its own. Regardless of the truth behind these ideas, they are fundamental to understanding the mythologies of their respective governments. One of the core documents the Chinese government uses to “take care of everyone” is a social security card that is far more powerful than its American counterpart. While a social security number in the US is a de facto national identification system, the Chinese version is... https://www.scmp.com/society/5-china-lacks-card-access-basic-social-services/article/3122613?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/5-china-lacks-card-access-basic-social-services/article/3122613?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:01:54 +0000 The year 2021 is still young. But for the majority of Chinese people, the year has yet to start.  According to the traditional Chinese calendar, or lunar calendar, the new year begins on February 12, when the world will then formally enter the Year of the Ox.  For millennia, ancient Chinese people relied on a calendar system to calculate and record time, dates and years. At the core of these measures is the Chinese zodiac, a group of 12 animal symbols, each assigned to a new year that repeats... https://www.scmp.com/china/chinese-new-year-year-ox-explained/article/3121397?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/chinese-new-year-year-ox-explained/article/3121397?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Feb 2021 08:29:14 +0000 Bling Empire, a Netflix reality show featuring a mostly Asian-American cast, is trash-TV at its finest and is a trailblazer for the representation of Asians in US entertainment. But for viewers in China, the show is yet another example of misrepresenting Asian culture.  Many Chinese viewers find the show’s portrayal of Asian culture foreign and absurd at best, shallow and inappropriate at worst. Of the 2,875 people who reviewed the show on movie review site Douban, 46% rate it three out of five... https://www.scmp.com/society/bling-empire-misrepresents-asians-say-chinese-viewers/article/3121118?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/bling-empire-misrepresents-asians-say-chinese-viewers/article/3121118?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Feb 2021 11:07:13 +0000 China’s LGBT communities are reeling over new internet self-publishing rules they claim will remove the last vestiges of free expression they have. The new rules apply to everyone in China and force self-publishers to apply for an official licence to publish current affairs content. The tough new restrictions on self-publishing, introduced by the Cyberspace Administration of China last year and given more details in late January, particularly target “we-media”, a phrase that refers to bloggers... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3120754/chinas-lgbt-communities-fear-new-internet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3120754/chinas-lgbt-communities-fear-new-internet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Feb 2021 10:00:15 +0000 New rules to crack down on online speech in China have sent a chill through China’s LGBT community, who worry that organizing efforts or discussions of their lived experience will violate the new regulations.  In late January, the Cyberspace Administration of China instituted strict restrictions on self-publishing for working journalists, notably criticizing their act of practicing “we-media,” a phrase that refers to bloggers who have built up a sizable following on social media... https://www.scmp.com/society/china-lgbt-groups-squeezed-china-tightens-rules-internet-publishing/article/3120714?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/china-lgbt-groups-squeezed-china-tightens-rules-internet-publishing/article/3120714?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Feb 2021 09:44:13 +0000 A man’s obituary for a young friend who, he says, died from poverty has painted a harrowing picture of life for China’s poor. The 22-year-old video-game streamer known as Mocha, whose family name was Chen, died of diabetic complications in early January, his friend wrote in the online obituary, published on January 21. However, the writer said he believed his friend’s descent into poverty, which left him unable to buy food, was the real reason for his death. Last year, Chen had been diagnosed... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/social-welfare/article/3119831/young-mans-death-sheds-light-life-chinas-poor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/social-welfare/article/3119831/young-mans-death-sheds-light-life-chinas-poor?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Jan 2021 12:20:16 +0000 When Mocha, an obscure 22-year-old video game streamer, died, his cause of death was said to be diabetes. But one close friend who knew him suspected a different reason for the young man’s passing: extreme poverty.  An obituary published by his friend paints a vivid portrait of a man who descended into extreme poverty, and it has laid bare class struggles that are a defining characteristic of life in China.  Mocha, surnamed Chen, died of diabetic complications sometime in early January, his... https://www.scmp.com/society/aching-hopelessness-nobody-was-there-help-young-man-falling-through-cracks-chinese-society/article/3119748?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/aching-hopelessness-nobody-was-there-help-young-man-falling-through-cracks-chinese-society/article/3119748?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Jan 2021 09:01:11 +0000 A local government proposal that encourages people in China to have more babies has reignited concerns over the country’s looming demographic crisis and raised doubt over whether it can work. Guo Xingping, director of the state-owned Shanxi Province Reproductive Science Institute, presented the proposal to legislators in the central province of Shanxi. He said the government should create a “good matchmaking environment and encourage women aged between 21 and 29 to give birth during this optimal... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/social-welfare/article/3119139/can-china-encourage-its-people-have-more-babies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/social-welfare/article/3119139/can-china-encourage-its-people-have-more-babies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:21:06 +0000 A provincial government in China wants to create a framework to incentivize people to have more children, but there are real questions about if it is possible.  The policy proposal in Shanxi, in central China, wants the government to create a “good matchmaking environment and encourage women aged between 21 and 29 to give birth during this optimal reproductive period.” The proposal reflects deep anxiety in China about a looming demographic crisis.  Chinese people have fewer children, and the... https://www.scmp.com/society/more-child-policy-government-wants-convince-chinese-have-more-babies/article/3118826?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/more-child-policy-government-wants-convince-chinese-have-more-babies/article/3118826?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Jan 2021 10:29:27 +0000 A lenient sentence for a man who raped a five-year-old girl in China has deepened a rift between the public perception of child sexual assault and how the crime is treated by the law.  The 20-year-old man, surnamed Li, was sentenced to five years in prison and fined US$510 on January 15 by a local court in the southwestern province of Yunnan. The sentence caused outrage in China, with many people calling for a harsher sentence and even the death penalty.  Li is the uncle of the victim and he... https://www.scmp.com/society/child-rapists-five-year-prison-sentence-sets-wave-anger/article/3118635?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/child-rapists-five-year-prison-sentence-sets-wave-anger/article/3118635?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jan 2021 10:01:09 +0000 In his final weeks in office, US President Donald Trump has issued a wave of controversial pardons to family members, close allies and Blackwater guards who killed Iraqi civilians. But controversial presidential pardons are hardly unique for outgoing presidents. US President Bill Clinton pardoned 176 people on his final day in office in 2001, including his brother. He received harsh blowback for the decision. In China, executive pardons work differently and are granted much less often. Since the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3116085/us-presidents-regularly-issue-pardons-chinese-presidents-dont-could?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3116085/us-presidents-regularly-issue-pardons-chinese-presidents-dont-could?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jan 2021 21:15:21 +0000 In his final weeks in office, US President Donald Trump has issued a wave of controversial pardons to family members, close allies and Blackwater guards who killed Iraqi civilians.  United Nations experts said the pardon of four Blackwater contractors violated international laws that obligate countries to hold their war criminals accountable for their crimes.  But controversial presidential pardons are hardly unique for outgoing presidents. US President Bill Clinton pardoned 176 people on his... https://www.scmp.com/politics/trump-has-put-spotlight-pardons-how-does-it-work-china/article/3115958?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/trump-has-put-spotlight-pardons-how-does-it-work-china/article/3115958?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Dec 2020 10:51:28 +0000 Women who work in the province of Liaoning in northeastern China will be given two days’ leave a month for period pain. The new regulations are part of a government push to improve women’s rights in the workforce, but not everyone believes it will achieve that. Wei Yiran, 26, fears it will increase discrimination in the workplace and create barriers for women seeking jobs. “My first reaction was that this would make it more difficult for women to find work,” says Wei, 26, a Guangdong-based... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115696/chinese-province-grants-women-two-days-paid-period-leave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3115696/chinese-province-grants-women-two-days-paid-period-leave?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Dec 2020 20:15:16 +0000 A Chinese province will obligate companies to provide women with menstrual sick leave days starting in March, 2021.  The announcement from the provincial government of Liaoning, a province in northeastern China, renewed worries that such “protective policies” will actually worsen gender discrimination in the workplace.  The rules stipulate that companies must provide their employees with one or two days of sick leave for women on their menstrual cycle, provided they have medical proof of... https://www.scmp.com/society/menstrual-cycle-leaves-may-make-it-harder-women-find-work/article/3115556?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/menstrual-cycle-leaves-may-make-it-harder-women-find-work/article/3115556?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Dec 2020 09:54:23 +0000 No matter how much we would like to forget 2020, it will be a year that everyone remembers. The pandemic has dramatically changed lives and the course of history, and its ripple effects – still being felt globally – will continue for many years to come. But amid the sorrow, distress and challenges, there have also been stories that have warmed the heart and made us laugh. As the year draws to a close, here are five from China. Pet rescuers in Wuhan After the Chinese government locked down Wuhan... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3115265/5-weird-and-wonderful-china-stories-stood-out-2020?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3115265/5-weird-and-wonderful-china-stories-stood-out-2020?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Dec 2020 21:15:08 +0000 A Chinese court’s decision to punish a nine-year-old girl for failing to repay her dead father’s debts has triggered heated debate about the growing reach and power of the country’s judicial system. The punishment also prompted concerns about the country’s burgeoning social credit system. The social credit system is similar to a credit-scoring system. It punishes individuals and businesses that fail to follow rules and regulations and rewards those who perform actions deemed beneficial to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3115133/nine-year-old-found-liable-court-dead-fathers-debts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3115133/nine-year-old-found-liable-court-dead-fathers-debts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Dec 2020 12:45:15 +0000 A 9-year-old schoolgirl in China found herself caught up in the country’s burgeoning national social credit system, prompting concerns that the scheme’s wide net may unwittingly capture the wrong people.  In November, the girl, named Chen Man, was banned by a local court in Henan from doing “high-level consumption” activities, which include flying, travel by high-speed rail and checking into hotels - not typical activities for a kid. The girl appears to have been caught up in China’s social... https://www.scmp.com/society/courts-punishment-9-year-old-girl-highlights-concern-chinas-expansive-social-credit-system/article/3114954?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/courts-punishment-9-year-old-girl-highlights-concern-chinas-expansive-social-credit-system/article/3114954?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Dec 2020 11:02:45 +0000 A government-backed experiment aimed at revitalising the rural economy in eastern China is offering cheap farmhouse rentals to city residents. For about US$1,000 over 20 years, or US$50 per year, they can rent a farmhouse in Dashuibo, a town with a population of 35,000 in Shandong province. Tenants have to commit to spending at least another US$30,000 on renovations to their property, and agree to buy at least US$760 worth of produce from local farmers every year. The local government subsidises... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3114143/rent-holiday-home-20-years-us1000-how-one-chinese-town?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3114143/rent-holiday-home-20-years-us1000-how-one-chinese-town?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Dec 2020 12:15:15 +0000