https://www.scmp.com/rss/508149/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang In China’s competitive dating market, a new matchmaking start-up is staking its revenue on a bold wager: find true love, or get every penny back. Launched in July, Liangpei AI charges an annual membership fee of 2,000 yuan (US$300), which is fully refundable if a user remains unmarried after three years. The offer is an audacious challenge to a conventional business model built on keeping singles hooked. China’s online dating market reached 22.6 billion yuan (US$3.4 billion) in 2024, serving... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373674/china-us300-dating-app-marriage-or-refund-guarantee-sparks-intense-online-buzz https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373674/china-us300-dating-app-marriage-or-refund-guarantee-sparks-intense-online-buzz Sun, 08 Nov 2026 02:00:27 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Videos showing a glowing Guanyin, or Goddess of Mercy, carried by a drone and another similar device disguised as a crane have attracted significant attention on Chinese social media. Together, the two devices recreate the traditional funeral send-off in which the deceased is said to “ascend to heaven.” In China, a common euphemism for someone who has died is that they have “ridden a crane to the Western Paradise,” or simply “gone west.” In the viral clips, released in early November, dozens of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373629/china-goddess-mercy-drone-send-reveals-modern-shift-funeral-services https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373629/china-goddess-mercy-drone-send-reveals-modern-shift-funeral-services Sat, 07 Nov 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang China’s pet scene has found its digital answer to cottagecore icon Li Ziqi – “Meow Ziqi,” a social media account featuring three AI-generated cats that cook traditional Chinese dishes and practise heritage crafts. Since bursting onto the scene in April, the account has amassed over 1.76 million followers and more than 500 million views. The parallels with Sichuan-born cultural influencer Li Ziqi are unmistakable. Li captivated over 56 million fans worldwide with her cinematic depictions of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3373622/ai-generated-cats-showcasing-rural-life-chinese-cuisine-land-major-brand-sponsorships https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3373622/ai-generated-cats-showcasing-rural-life-chinese-cuisine-land-major-brand-sponsorships Sat, 07 Nov 2026 02:00:31 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Ahead of China’s Double 11 shopping spree, a viral WeChat mini-programme called “Wallet, Please Wait” is helping consumers curb impulse purchases. The free tool borrows from corporate finance workflows, outsourcing approval of everyday purchases to the crowd. Users can submit purchase requests detailing the item, its price, their reasons for wanting it and any cheaper alternatives. Shoppers can share requests with family members or post them to a public “plaza”, where purchases are approved or... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373558/viral-chinese-app-lets-strangers-vote-purchases-stop-impulse-buying https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373558/viral-chinese-app-lets-strangers-vote-purchases-stop-impulse-buying Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan China’s first UFC champion recently shared that her family has been pressuring her to get married, but she is afraid to use her real name on dating websites for fear of revealing her identity. Thirty-six-year-old mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Zhang Weili discussed her difficulties finding a boyfriend during an interview with mainland influencer Papi Jiang (known in English as Pepi Sauce) in late October. The interview has received a total of 230,000 likes and more than 10,000 comments across... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3373480/china-mma-champion-zhang-weili-faces-family-pressure-find-partner-go-blind-dates https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3373480/china-mma-champion-zhang-weili-faces-family-pressure-find-partner-go-blind-dates Fri, 06 Nov 2026 02:36:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Burnt out by the relentless grind, some young people in China have rallied around an unlikely patron saint: a famously indolent Ming dynasty (1368–1644) emperor. This autumn, across office towers, universities, and streets in China’s tier-one cities, young people have begun sporting black Taoist robes modelled on the garment worn by the Jiajing Emperor in the classic historical drama Ming Dynasty in 1566. In the drama, actor Chen Baoguo portrays the Jiajing Emperor as an unkempt, robe-clad... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373419/burnt-out-chinese-youth-wear-laid-back-emperors-robe-resist-overtime https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373419/burnt-out-chinese-youth-wear-laid-back-emperors-robe-resist-overtime Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:30:56 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A groom in southwestern China who feared an empty wedding reception found himself surrounded by hundreds of supportive strangers after his online appeal went viral. Twenty-four-year-old Xu, from Zhaotong in Yunnan province, recently posted a video on Douyin inviting internet users to his wedding banquet on October 31. In the clip, Xu explained that he had grown up facing stigma and bullying in his rural community for being an “orphan,” a label associated with low social status. He hoped a few... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373328/200-strangers-pack-wedding-banquet-shunned-chinese-man-bringing-roast-pigs-private-chefs https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373328/200-strangers-pack-wedding-banquet-shunned-chinese-man-bringing-roast-pigs-private-chefs Thu, 05 Nov 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese influencer who became known for bravely battling bone cancer after her parents abandoned her following her diagnosis has died, prompting widespread mourning online. On October 27, the account of anti-cancer influencer Miracle Xia Xia posted an obituary announcing that she had died in a Shanghai hospital. The video shows Xia Xia choosing her own memorial portrait, turning it black and white, and typing her own eulogy on her phone. She apologised to her followers for becoming a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3373208/abandoned-parents-after-cancer-diagnosis-chinese-woman-dies-after-solo-battle https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3373208/abandoned-parents-after-cancer-diagnosis-chinese-woman-dies-after-solo-battle Wed, 04 Nov 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A woman from central China has moved many online after inviting her ex-mother-in-law to live with her following the deaths of her ex-husband and ex-father-in-law. Lin, from Henan province, recently flew more than 1,000km to Guangdong province in southern China to bring her ex-mother-in-law to live with her, despite having divorced her ex-husband 12 years ago. Lin made the decision after her ex-father-in-law died of an illness in 2024 and her ex-husband died last year. Lin’s ex-mother-in-law,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373192/chinese-woman-invites-late-ex-husbands-mother-live-her-12-years-after-divorce https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373192/chinese-woman-invites-late-ex-husbands-mother-live-her-12-years-after-divorce Wed, 04 Nov 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A growing number of Chinese retirees are embracing home-swapping holidays, exchanging keys with strangers to travel on a budget and expand their social circles. The concept dates back to European teachers in the 1950s and gained global popularity through the 2006 film The Holiday. In China, it emerged among young people in 2023 amid soaring hotel prices. During China’s National Day holiday in October, average per-person travel spending reportedly fell to about 894 yuan (US$135) per trip, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373115/home-swapping-holidays-surge-among-china-retirees-travel-affordably-foster-connections https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373115/home-swapping-holidays-surge-among-china-retirees-travel-affordably-foster-connections Tue, 03 Nov 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A food delivery driver from northeastern China, whose whirlwind marriage to an American teacher captivated social media, has announced their divorce. Liu Hao, 28, from Liaoning province, met Hannah Harris, 31, an English teacher from Alabama, in November 2024 after delivering food to her flat. Charmed by Liu, who greeted her in the lift with the simple English phrase “Hello, I love you,” Harris soon bonded with him over their shared love of food, sport and pets. The relationship progressed... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373051/chinese-delivery-driver-divorces-american-teacher-he-married-4-months-after-love-confession https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373051/chinese-delivery-driver-divorces-american-teacher-he-married-4-months-after-love-confession Tue, 03 Nov 2026 02:00:17 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Millions of people in China were moved by the story of a secondary school graduate who put off university to care for her seriously ill mother – and of the classmates who donated their treasured collections to help her. Cao Feng, a graduating student at Yuwang Secondary School in central China’s Anhui province, recently decided to give up her place at university so she could care for her mother, who is hospitalised in Shanghai. Cao’s mother, Cuiping, 47, has generalised myasthenia gravis, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373000/millions-china-moved-student-who-quit-school-care-seriously-ill-mother https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3373000/millions-china-moved-student-who-quit-school-care-seriously-ill-mother Mon, 02 Nov 2026 09:55:20 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Across China, a growing number of middle-aged working mothers are quietly checking into hotel rooms alone, desperate to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. Caught between demanding daytime jobs and an exhausting “second shift” of housework and parenting, many women see these solo hotel stays as their only real escape, according to multiple mainland reports. One 34-year-old mother, who lives with her husband, in-laws, and kindergarten-age daughter, shared on RedNote that she had no personal... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372918/exhausted-chinese-working-mums-book-solo-hotel-stays-escape-childcare-and-sleep https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372918/exhausted-chinese-working-mums-book-solo-hotel-stays-escape-childcare-and-sleep Mon, 02 Nov 2026 02:25:45 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu China’s first female conductor, Zheng Xiaoying, is 97 years old, but she continues to give outstanding performances to audiences. In August, the nonagenarian conducted the Chinese-language version of the opera Carmen in Xiamen, in southeastern China’s Fujian province, where she lives. Tickets for the performance were like gold dust, and audiences marvelled, as always, at her elegant, expressive conducting. Zheng has led a remarkable life. Born in Shanghai in 1929, she began studying piano at age... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3372882/97-chinas-first-female-conductor-still-performs-public-wowing-audiences https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3372882/97-chinas-first-female-conductor-still-performs-public-wowing-audiences Sun, 01 Nov 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Chinese photographer is facing fierce public backlash for charging middle-aged women inflated fees while allegedly subjecting them to sexually suggestive remarks during photo shoots. Known online as “Duan Gongzi,” 48-year-old army veteran Duan Xiaozhou has amassed nearly 400,000 followers on Douyin. At his Wuhan studio, he charges 16,800 yuan (US$2,500) for 36 unedited portraits. Duan promotes his sessions as empathetic exchanges intended to capture clients’ authentic selves. But... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372860/flirtatious-us2500-photo-shoots-lonely-middle-aged-women-spark-backlash-china https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372860/flirtatious-us2500-photo-shoots-lonely-middle-aged-women-spark-backlash-china Sun, 01 Nov 2026 02:00:21 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu In ancient China, without electricity, how did people stay cosy at home during freezing winters? The answer lies in warming baskets, which have been used for more than 2,000 years. A traditional warming basket featured a charcoal brazier beneath a bamboo cover. One of the earliest written references to the device dates back to the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC–220). At first, the basket served as a stove to keep a room warm. Later, people added incense to the brazier and placed a basin of water... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372826/how-ancient-chinese-stayed-cosy-using-gadgets-found-classical-literature-historic-artwork https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372826/how-ancient-chinese-stayed-cosy-using-gadgets-found-classical-literature-historic-artwork Sat, 31 Oct 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A growing number of young people in China are embracing a “zero-cost” lifestyle, seeking out free perks, complimentary gifts, and trial services. Across mainland social media, tens of thousands of posts share tips on scoring free samples at shopping malls or booking test drives with no intention of buying. One popular variation is mall-walking, in which budget-conscious shoppers stroll through air-conditioned malls while spending next to nothing. A classic routine might go like this: grab a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372804/zero-cost-lifestyle-china-cash-strapped-youth-embrace-thrifty-living-mental-relief https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372804/zero-cost-lifestyle-china-cash-strapped-youth-embrace-thrifty-living-mental-relief Sat, 31 Oct 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Chinese people use the phrase “yao chan wan guan,” or “carrying ten thousand strings of cash around the waist,” to describe wealth. But how much was a string of cash, and what could one buy in ancient China? Guan was a traditional Chinese unit of account. Literally referring to the string used to thread coins together, it emerged alongside the round coin with a square hole, which first appeared during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). A guan generally equalled a string of 1,000 individual copper or... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372732/whats-true-worth-behind-chinese-phrase-carrying-10000-strings-cash-around-waist https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372732/whats-true-worth-behind-chinese-phrase-carrying-10000-strings-cash-around-waist Fri, 30 Oct 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese woman donated 500 yuan (US$75) to an 18-year-old stranger with a disability after seeing a social media post saying he was too poor to afford meals. Eight years later, he repaid her double the amount after learning she was going through a difficult time, which moved many people online. In 2018, Wang Shuming, from China’s eastern Shandong province, posted a video saying he had no money and could not afford food. Wang lives with the effects of a childhood fever. He has difficulty walking... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372646/kindness-returned-chinese-woman-helped-disabled-man-8-years-ago-now-gets-financial-aid https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372646/kindness-returned-chinese-woman-helped-disabled-man-8-years-ago-now-gets-financial-aid Fri, 30 Oct 2026 02:00:39 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu While it is common for Chinese people to hold banquets for teachers upon graduation as a way of honouring them – a traditional value – in ancient China, students expressed their respect for teachers differently: by presenting them with vegetables. The tradition began in the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC). On the first day of school, students wore blue gowns and brought their teachers wild vegetables they had gathered themselves. They then bowed reverently before memorial tablets honouring ancient... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372585/why-students-ancient-china-honoured-teachers-gifting-wild-vegetables https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372585/why-students-ancient-china-honoured-teachers-gifting-wild-vegetables Thu, 29 Oct 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A boy in central China who donated 10 yuan (US$1.5) to the Three Gorges Dam project in the 1990s now works for the power grid, helping transmit the electricity it generates across the country. Wang Yu, 47, works for the State Grid Corporation of China in his hometown of Zigui county, Hubei province, according to Hubei Daily. In 1991, 12-year-old Wang received a daily allowance of just one yuan – barely enough to buy breakfast – at a time when his parents earned a combined monthly salary of less... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372500/chinese-boy-who-donated-us15-end-power-cuts-now-works-energy-company https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372500/chinese-boy-who-donated-us15-end-power-cuts-now-works-energy-company Thu, 29 Oct 2026 01:54:32 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Chinese social media users were touched by the story of a young man who, six years ago, was encouraged by a strawberry farm owner he discovered through an English exam question – and has now fulfilled the promise they made. He Ziqi, a postgraduate student in artificial intelligence at the Central University of Finance and Economics, shared the story as he began a new chapter of his life in Beijing. Six years ago, when He was a senior secondary school student, a Beijing strawberry farm owner... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372431/chinese-student-encouraged-farm-owner-enrols-masters-programme-6-years-later https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372431/chinese-student-encouraged-farm-owner-enrols-masters-programme-6-years-later Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Gen Z tech influencer from central China has brought science fiction to life by handcrafting a manned hoverboard and teaching himself flight control and mechanical engineering. Song Xingyu, 26, from Enshi, Hubei province, is known online as “Amazing Ayu.” He has amassed more than 3 million social media followers by sharing videos of his aerial inventions. On October 15, Song stunned the internet with a video of himself riding a hoverboard he had spent about two months building, soaring over... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3372367/chinese-can-actually-fly-man-pilots-homemade-hoverboard-over-mountains-across-yangtze-river https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3372367/chinese-can-actually-fly-man-pilots-homemade-hoverboard-over-mountains-across-yangtze-river Wed, 28 Oct 2026 02:24:19 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A restaurant in Shunde, Guangdong, is turning heads online with a bizarre new dessert: egg tarts topped with crispy water beetles that look exactly like gigantic cockroaches. Shunde is a city known for its Cantonese cuisine and recognised as a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy. In early October, it introduced a new “water roach egg tart”, priced at 28 yuan (US$4) for three. Images of the dessert, with a large insect perched on each tart, quickly made it a social media sensation. However,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372291/china-eatery-creates-egg-tarts-topped-giant-cockroaches-drawing-widespread-curiosity https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372291/china-eatery-creates-egg-tarts-topped-giant-cockroaches-drawing-widespread-curiosity Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang AI-generated “sob-story boys” have recently taken Chinese short-video platforms by storm, allegedly using emotional manipulation to cheat elderly viewers out of their savings. Known collectively as “Xiaohai”, these digital avatars typically appear as teenage boys in school uniforms or plain white shirts, tearfully describing their poverty-stricken lives on camera. In one video, a Xiaohai avatar holds a steamed bun and laments to viewers, whom he addresses as “aunties and mothers”: “All my... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372223/ai-boy-avatars-go-viral-china-using-sob-stories-trick-elderly-out-money https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372223/ai-boy-avatars-go-viral-china-using-sob-stories-trick-elderly-out-money Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang In a remote Miao village in southwestern China, dogs are honoured as life-saving heroes. Every seventh month of the lunar calendar, residents of Jiaobang village in Jianhe county, Guizhou province, celebrate Tai Gou Jie, or the “Dog-Carrying Festival” – a unique folk tradition recognised as local intangible cultural heritage in 2015. During the festival, villagers select a dog. Traditionally, it was a white female, but today adult males and native Xiasi dogs may also be chosen. The honoured... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372156/why-chinas-heritage-listed-dog-carrying-festival-honours-canines-sacred-lifesavers https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372156/why-chinas-heritage-listed-dog-carrying-festival-honours-canines-sacred-lifesavers Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese court recently heard a land dispute between neighbours who have been fighting over the same issue for two centuries and across multiple generations, stunning social media users. The court in Yanta district, Xian, in northwestern China’s Shaanxi province, recently presided over a case concerning a land boundary between two neighbouring families, surnamed Du and Zhang. For the past two decades, the neighbours have repeatedly disputed the boundary. When the Dus tried to renovate their... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372098/chinese-neighbours-go-viral-over-200-year-land-dispute-dating-back-qianlong-era https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372098/chinese-neighbours-go-viral-over-200-year-land-dispute-dating-back-qianlong-era Mon, 26 Oct 2026 02:00:17 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu In ancient China, before the advent of mechanical clocks and digital devices, people relied mainly on night watchmen to keep time, prevent fires and maintain their daily routines. But how did the watchmen tell the time? Chinese night watchmen mainly used two methods: clepsydras and incense sticks. A clepsydra, also known as a water clock, measures time through the regulated flow of water from a vessel. The ancient Chinese divided the night into five gengs. Each geng lasted around two hours,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372045/how-ancient-chinese-night-watchmen-patrolled-streets-used-dripping-buckets-tell-time https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372045/how-ancient-chinese-night-watchmen-patrolled-streets-used-dripping-buckets-tell-time Sun, 25 Oct 2026 10:00:05 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A woman in eastern China has been devotedly caring for her daughter-in-law for 17 years, ever since she fell into a vegetative state, moving social media users. The younger woman, surnamed Xu, fell into a vegetative state in 2009 after being struck by a truck in her village in Qingyun county, Shandong province. The accident happened just one month after she got married, Shandian News reported. Since then, her mother-in-law, Xuan Fengying, has cared for her around the clock. “She married my son,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372043/mum-good-chinese-woman-wakes-vegetative-daughter-law-after-17-years-care https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372043/mum-good-chinese-woman-wakes-vegetative-daughter-law-after-17-years-care Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:15:07 +0000 Kevin McSpadden Kevin McSpadden Animal sacrifice has played a major role in human history, from mythological stories about Odysseus to modern rituals such as Nepal’s Gadhimai Festival. The tradition also dates back to ancient peoples we know little about. A research paper published in the Journal of Archaeological Science in late August suggests that the enigmatic Sanxingdui people likely practised animal sacrifice. To reach this conclusion, researchers identified what appeared to be a sacrificial pit based on the spatial... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372019/china-study-suggests-animal-sacrifice-may-have-been-part-ancient-sanxingdui-rituals https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3372019/china-study-suggests-animal-sacrifice-may-have-been-part-ancient-sanxingdui-rituals Sat, 24 Oct 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Pets in China have become deeply woven into people’s lives and romantic relationships, especially those of younger couples. When romance sours, deciding “who gets custody” is becoming a painful legal grey area for many couples. According to pet industry data, China’s urban dog and cat population reached 126 million in 2025, driven largely by Gen Z and millennial. Many young couples treat their pets like children, calling each other the “Mum” and “Dad” of their fur babies. “While love may fade,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371992/pet-custody-disputes-draw-increasing-attention-china-where-pets-are-treated-property https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371992/pet-custody-disputes-draw-increasing-attention-china-where-pets-are-treated-property Sat, 24 Oct 2026 02:14:29 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A man from southeastern China, dubbed the “Wind-Breaking Rider,” has mastered his wheelchair and stunned the internet with his skateboarding skills. Xie Junwu, 55, lives in Nanchang, Jiangxi province. At 19, he fell from a tree, injuring his thoracic spinal cord and leaving him paralysed from the waist down. For the first eight years after his injury, Xie depended entirely on his mother. Confined to his home, he struggled with the loss of his independence. “The pain was secondary,” Xie recalled... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371897/running-his-hands-chinese-world-record-holder-wows-public-skateboarding-skills https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371897/running-his-hands-chinese-world-record-holder-wows-public-skateboarding-skills Fri, 23 Oct 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Lu Yong, who has a slow-growing blood and bone marrow cancer and inspired the 2018 blockbuster Dying to Survive, has begun reducing his medication and hopes to stop taking it completely within three months. The acclaimed film is based on Lu’s experience. He has chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and helped patients across China obtain affordable, life-saving generic drugs from India, but was prosecuted by Chinese authorities for selling “fake drugs”. Before his diagnosis, 58-year-old Lu was a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371839/china-cancer-patient-who-inspired-hit-film-hopes-stop-treatment-after-35000-pills-over-2-decades https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371839/china-cancer-patient-who-inspired-hit-film-hopes-stop-treatment-after-35000-pills-over-2-decades Fri, 23 Oct 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Tesla’s “flying” Roadster stunt has set social media alight worldwide, turning a car launch into a debate about technological innovation and China-US rivalry. At an event in Texas on October 15, Tesla unveiled its redesigned sports car, the Roadster, with stunts including a takeoff from a steep, curved ramp and a leap over parked cars. Pre-orders are open in China with a deposit of 332,000 yuan (US$50,000) for the street-legal, two-seat “Performance” package. The flying-car reveal quickly turned... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371781/chinese-public-urged-stay-confident-domestic-innovation-after-tesla-flying-car-debut https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371781/chinese-public-urged-stay-confident-domestic-innovation-after-tesla-flying-car-debut Thu, 22 Oct 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese influencer has sparked heated online discussions after posting about her remarkable recovery from a fall from the 35th floor nearly a year ago. On October 12, the influencer, who uses the handle @wananan, returned to her account after an almost 17-month hiatus, saying she “had been reborn through adversity”. The 27-year-old woman from Hunan province in central China said she had almost fully recovered from the fall, which happened more than a year ago. It was previously reported that... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371699/chinese-influencer-who-survived-35-floor-fall-returns-social-media-after-near-full-recovery https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371699/chinese-influencer-who-survived-35-floor-fall-returns-social-media-after-near-full-recovery Thu, 22 Oct 2026 02:01:55 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Beijing-based smartphone and electric vehicle giant Xiaomi announced in mid-October that it would promote 31-year-old Luo Fuli to its highest-level position, once again putting the “AI prodigy” at the centre of heated discussion. The move came 10 months after Luo joined the company as head of its large language model (LLM) unit. Luo attracted significant public attention in late 2024, when Xiaomi founder and CEO Lei Jun said during a live-stream that he hoped to hire her at an annual salary of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371581/china-ai-researcher-rises-xiaomis-top-level-10-months-talks-work-life-balance https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371581/china-ai-researcher-rises-xiaomis-top-level-10-months-talks-work-life-balance Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan An increasing number of Chinese celebrities are voluntarily sharing their histories of mental illness, rather than following the previous practice of keeping them hidden, in what some see as an effort to win empathy and audience support. These conditions include depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In January last year, famous actress Zhao Lusi’s suspension of work due to severe depression put celebrities’ mental health... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371507/china-celebrities-speak-out-mental-health-diagnoses-seek-authentic-connections-fans https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371507/china-celebrities-speak-out-mental-health-diagnoses-seek-authentic-connections-fans Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Chinese AI girl group has sparked intense online backlash after announcing that one of its virtual members was “pregnant” to explain her departure. BABYQUEEN, a four-member, K-pop-style AI girl group managed in Liaoning province in northeastern China, formed in September and has around 1,100 followers. On October 13, the group posted an announcement written from member Mity’s perspective. Saying she was “pregnant” and would pause all public activities, Mity asked fans to respect her privacy... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371407/chinese-ai-idols-pregnancy-stunt-sparks-backlash-debate-over-digital-boundaries https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371407/chinese-ai-idols-pregnancy-stunt-sparks-backlash-debate-over-digital-boundaries Tue, 20 Oct 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan After Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen won the China Open in early October, a series of photos showing her in a white dress and studded high heels, holding the trophy on the Great Wall, unexpectedly drew criticism from female internet users who accused the athlete of trying to please men and of not looking like an independent woman. Chinese social media celebrated Zheng’s victory, which made her the first Chinese player to win the championship in the tournament’s 22-year history. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371350/seeking-male-approval-chinese-tennis-star-criticised-glamorous-photo-shoot-trophy https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371350/seeking-male-approval-chinese-tennis-star-criticised-glamorous-photo-shoot-trophy Mon, 19 Oct 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A young couple in eastern China have gone viral on social media for skipping elaborate wedding traditions and instead holding simple nuptials, spending money only on banquets and cash gifts for their guests. The bride, surnamed Zhu, is from Ningbo in Zhejiang province, while the groom, Wang, is from Taizhou, also in Zhejiang. The couple, both in their early 30s, held wedding celebrations in their respective hometowns in September, according to the Ningbo Evening News. Rather than follow... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371308/no-fuss-just-dinner-china-couple-trade-wedding-extravagance-us11000-feast-cash-gifts https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371308/no-fuss-just-dinner-china-couple-trade-wedding-extravagance-us11000-feast-cash-gifts Mon, 19 Oct 2026 02:00:10 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang In ancient China, welcoming autumn could involve stealing pumpkins, sitting on giant hanging scales and eating extra meat – rituals reflecting how people connected seasonal change with fertility, health and good fortune. Historical records show that during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), groups of young people would gather on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival to sneak into fields and take pumpkins. Far from being considered wrongdoing, the practice was often tolerated – and even welcomed – by... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371301/why-stealing-pumpkins-newlyweds-blessing-ancient-chinese-tradition https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371301/why-stealing-pumpkins-newlyweds-blessing-ancient-chinese-tradition Sun, 18 Oct 2026 10:01:39 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Palau authorities are investigating an alleged underwater attack by a South Korean divemaster on Taiwanese musician Devon Song and his Bangladeshi divemaster. Song, a member of the music group Nan Quan Mama, posted on social media that he and his divemaster, Sobuj Patwary, were attacked by a South Korean divemaster known as “Romeo”. Song said they were diving at Siaes Corner, a popular site west of Koror, when Romeo suddenly charged at them from below, about 25 metres underwater. Romeo allegedly... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371282/outrageous-taiwan-mandopop-band-member-assaulted-south-korean-diver-underwater https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371282/outrageous-taiwan-mandopop-band-member-assaulted-south-korean-diver-underwater Sun, 18 Oct 2026 02:19:35 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan When a couple from Xinjiang took their quintuplets home on a 36-hour train journey, the babies became favourites of both the train crew and fellow passengers, who took turns caring for them. The five babies were born on February 26 at a major hospital in Wuhan, in central China’s Hubei province. Their father, known as Abu, and their mother, Dili, are both from Hotan in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region. The 24-year-old mother conceived naturally despite having previously been diagnosed with... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371231/strangers-and-railway-staff-help-chinese-couple-bring-quintuplets-home-train https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371231/strangers-and-railway-staff-help-chinese-couple-bring-quintuplets-home-train Sat, 17 Oct 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A man in southwestern China has sparked widespread criticism after holding a wedding with one woman and a celebration for his baby with another at the same venue on the same day. According to The Beijing News, Wu Linfeng, from Liupanshui, Guizhou province, held a wedding ceremony with Kong Sihan on the first floor of a restaurant while hosting a 100-day celebration for his son with his former girlfriend, Lin Si, on the second floor. One poster at the venue showed Wu and Kong in wedding attire... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371221/chinese-man-celebrates-wedding-one-woman-baby-ex-lover-same-venue-same-day https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371221/chinese-man-celebrates-wedding-one-woman-baby-ex-lover-same-venue-same-day Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan The eastern city of Hangzhou has sparked widespread controversy by banning residents in its downtown area from walking their dogs during the day. Under the city’s Restraining Dog Raising Rules, owners of small ornamental dogs in designated “key restraining” areas may walk their pets only between 7pm and 7am. Large dogs cannot be taken outdoors at any time. The rules stipulate that dog owners must keep their pets on a leash and clean up their excrement immediately. Violators face fines of 200 to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371142/china-tech-city-dog-walking-limits-criticised-some-question-how-dogs-can-get-some-sunshine https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371142/china-tech-city-dog-walking-limits-criticised-some-question-how-dogs-can-get-some-sunshine Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese fugitive who posed as his deceased twin brother for 19 years was recently arrested after his late brother’s ex-girlfriend identified him. In 2002, a robbery took place in Yuhuan, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. Seven suspects abducted the victim and robbed him of cash and valuables. Local police quickly arrested six of the suspects, but the seventh, surnamed Chen, escaped. Police searched extensively for Chen but failed to find him, and the case eventually went cold. Five years... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371084/chinese-fugitive-poses-dead-twin-brother-2-decades-exposed-siblings-ex-lover https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3371084/chinese-fugitive-poses-dead-twin-brother-2-decades-exposed-siblings-ex-lover Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:25:21 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A mainland-produced film about a Chinese restaurant in Baghdad that became a wartime refuge has been selected as China’s entry for next year’s Oscars, bringing global attention to untold stories from the Iraq War. Directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng and Jiang Qiming, Once Upon a Time in the Middle East became a box-office hit after its domestic release in China in August, earning more than 2.3 billion yuan (US$344 million). The film follows Xu Fu, a chef who travels to the Middle East to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371020/chinas-iraq-war-safe-haven-restaurant-film-real-people-represent-country-oscars https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3371020/chinas-iraq-war-safe-haven-restaurant-film-real-people-represent-country-oscars Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Like people elsewhere in the world, Chinese people often have nicknames in addition to their official names. Some of these may surprise people from other cultures because they sound humble or even unflattering. Chinese parents have traditionally given their children humble, sometimes vulgar, nicknames – occasionally using animal names such as “Dog” or “Pig.” The practice dates back to ancient times. Parents believed that the humbler a nickname sounded, the better, as it might help ensure their... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3370937/ancient-chinese-families-gave-babies-humble-nicknames-dog-pig-ward-bad-luck https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3370937/ancient-chinese-families-gave-babies-humble-nicknames-dog-pig-ward-bad-luck Thu, 15 Oct 2026 02:56:08 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A newlywed Chinese couple has gone viral on social media because they share exactly the same name, written with the same Chinese characters, and work in the same industry. The coincidence has caused a few practical complications, but many people see it as pure fate. On October 6, the groom, 33, and the bride, 28, both named Zhu Xiaocong, held their wedding in Zhejiang province, eastern China. Someone shared their wedding poster online, which showed that the couple had exactly the same name,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3370890/pure-fate-china-newlyweds-share-identical-names-face-endless-glitches-life-situations https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3370890/pure-fate-china-newlyweds-share-identical-names-face-endless-glitches-life-situations Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:49:52 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Across China, a new breed of freelance “robot trainers” are wearing motion-capture gear to turn everyday household chores – picking up cups, opening bottle caps and washing dishes – into data that will teach tomorrow’s machines. The data is later converted into training sets to help robots work in settings ranging from kitchens and factories to supermarkets. Such roles are increasingly advertised on mainland social media and job platforms. They reportedly pay trainers between 4,000 yuan and... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3370792/china-robot-trainers-fold-clothes-wash-dishes-200-times-day-us900-month https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3370792/china-robot-trainers-fold-clothes-wash-dishes-200-times-day-us900-month Wed, 14 Oct 2026 02:00:16 +0000