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Trending in China

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Trending in China
The latest news, trends and events people are talking about on China's internet, social media and elsewhere.
China’s healthcare administration is allowing retired Beijing residents to claim prenatal examination reimbursements, sparking mockery online. Photo: Shutterstock
China birth rate

‘Mad to boost birth rate’: China lets retirees claim prenatal exam costs, sparks mockery

Following move to tax condoms, contraceptives, online observers deride Beijing move as desperate attempt to boost birth rates.

Crime in China

Chinese man flaunts cash online; envious ex-colleague poses as woman, steals US$10,500

Guinness World Records

China wedding goes viral as twin brothers marry twin sisters; both sides have twin uncles

Children in China

China girl pens love notes to late grandpa, sparks calls for better grief education

11-year-old who seldom talks about her late grandfather uses phone watch to send him ‘I miss you’ texts, details of her daily life.

An 11-year-old Chinese girl has been sending messages to her deceased grandfather for two years, sharing her daily experiences and often saying: “I miss you.” Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Chinese husband smashes up home after wife buys dishwasher without his consent

Raging husband with considerable debts explodes violently over domestic purchase then apologises saying they can buy a ‘smaller’ machine.

China wife sues after late husband’s affair, US$2.8 million transfer to mistress

Shocked wife finds out about cash-giving philandering late hubby while going through his belongings; court orders lover to repay money.

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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.

We explain China’s Manchu ethnic group’s tradition of hanging a wooden bow and arrow to signify a boy’s birth and a red cloth strip for a girl’s. Photo: Sohu
Health in China

China office workers run to bond with peers, clients, pressured to meet speed targets

Working-on the run craze hits big cities as some firms formalise fitness regimes; trend mirrors rise in popularity of marathon running.

Social media

China actress loses brand partners for saying ‘hundreds of thousands’ a month not enough

Product boycott calls force 53-year-old star into online apology; actress admits she had forgotten ‘her roots’; will change after self-reflection.

Chinese superstitions

Explainer | How Chinese ritual balances unboiled egg on mirror or knife to detect spirit possession

Strange tradition can also involve the use of a copper coin; often used to ‘treat’ young children who wake up in the night screaming and crying.

We explain why an old Chinese ritual for detecting spirit possession involves balancing an unboiled egg on a mirror or knife. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

Chinese man earns US$39,000 in 2 years teaching adults to ride bicycles amid big demand

Set to graduate with his sports education master’s in June, Li plans to refine his teaching methods and expand into nearby provinces.

A man who is studying a master’s in sport education in Shanghai earned 270,000 yuan (US$39,000) in two years teaching hundreds of people to ride bicycles. Photo: RedNote
Iceland

China woman shares civil service life in Iceland, admires culture that respects choices

Family jokes that she travelled to other side of world to work in ‘neighbourhood committee’ – lowest tier of China’s governmental structure.

Animals

China woman seeks online help to slaughter pigs, attracting 1,000 volunteers to farm

On day of event, local public security bureau dispatches staff to maintain order, ensuring a smooth experience for all attendees.

Pets

Unaware of owner’s death, China dog waits daily in corridor for his return, moves many

Story draws comparisons to 1920s Japan tale, where dog waited for owner at railway station for 10 years after his death, until it too died.

After a Shanghai man died in December 2025, his dog waited daily in the corridor for his return, touching many by its loyalty. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/IMDb
Drones

China ‘hardcore grandma’ live-streamer gains fame for farm fertilisation drone skills

Dai views her new role as both a source of entertainment and a way to stay connected with her family.

An 82-year-old Chinese grandmother is gaining fame for her drone skills in farm fertilisation and as a live-streamer selling rice, earning admiration as a role model for modern farmers. Photo: Xinhua
Health in China

Chinese woman swallows raw fish gallbladder to relieve headache ends up in ICU

Fish gallbladder is ‘even more toxic than arsenic’; a few grams are capable of poisoning an individual, larger amounts are potentially fatal.

Viral stories

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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China’s crackdowns

China targets wealthy influencers with audits, fines as fiscal pressures rise

Big data is used to flag income gaps for top online stars and overseas earners, as regulators recover billions in unpaid levies amid slumping land sales and value-added tax revenue decline.

China is cracking down on live-streamers who are not paying their fair share of taxes. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese superstitions

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.

Mainland China

Video | China’s bookstores are booming, but not because of the books

Bookstores that feature stunning architecture and tasteful interior design are the newest hotspot for aspiring influencers.

China midwife accidentally severs baby’s finger, results in reattachment surgery

Nurse admits blunder, blames newborn’s moving fingers as she cut umbilical cord; infant’s father says wife is ‘distraught’ about incident.

A Chinese midwife accidentally severed a baby’s middle finger during a caesarean section and the infant was transferred to a larger hospital for surgery. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Baidu
Year of the Horse 2026

China factory error gives toy horses’ mouths pouty curves, wins hearts, boosts sales

Sewing mistake spawns unlikely retail hit seen as fitting mascot for approaching Lunar New Year of the Horse.

A production error at a Chinese factory led to soft toy horses with pouting mouths, dubbed the “crying face” horse, winning hearts online and boosting sales to tens of thousands daily. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote
National Football League

China entrepreneur promises football players a car each, retracts offer after big win

Team members express private discontent after withdrawal of vehicle pledge; soccer association say they ‘understand’ businesswoman’s position.

Scams and swindles

China teen makes bogus returns on cosmetics platform, profiting US$570,000 from resale

17-year-old makes 11,900 deceptive refund applications after discovering loophole; splurges ill-gotten gains on new mobile phones, friends.

Mainland China

Video | Chinese-made ‘Are You Dead’ app addresses fear of dying alone

Failing to check in for two days in a row will result in the app sending an email to the emergency contact person.

A viral Chinese app called “Are You Dead” has topped the paid app charts in China’s ios App Store.
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Apps

China ‘dead or alive’ app allows solo users check in daily, alerts contacts if they miss it

‘Entertaining’ phone app that flirts with taboo notion of death and cost US$140 to develop now valued at US$1.4 million.

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A viral Chinese app called “Dead or Not” helps people who live alone check in daily to confirm that they are alive. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Sohu

China girl, 12, pens essay to thank ‘second dad’, offers him US$140 after job loss

Youngster says she was left ‘shivering in the wind’ after death of father; love from uncle saved her from the darkness.

Insurance

China woman buys US$28 ‘love insurance’, claims US$1,400 after marriage a decade later

Husband says he thought his wife had been scammed when told about policy; couple opt for cash payout over 10,000 roses.

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