How One Obscure Word Captures Urban China’s Unhappiness

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
Anthropologist Xiang Biao explains why the academic concept of “involution” became a social media buzzword. Read More

Chinese War Drama Taken Offline Over Fancy Home, Fancy Hairstyles

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
“Warrior of Thunder” was pulled from networks following criticism by People’s Daily. Producers defended their show in a now-deleted social media post. Read More

How China’s E-Commerce Giants Enable Illegal Online Gambling

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
Gamblers have funneled over $100 billion through Chinese tech platforms during the pandemic. Now, the police are cracking down. Read More

After the Pandemic, China’s Middle Class Re-Imagines the World

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
Unable to travel and consume abroad, some wealthy Chinese are “domesticating” their purchasing habits — and rethinking their place in the global community. Read More

Art Exhibition by Women, for Women Held in Shanghai

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
“Stand By Her” kicked off over the weekend with works from 12 artists shining a spotlight on women’s bodies, motherhood, and their struggles. Read More

How Rediscovering User Creativity Fueled China’s Short-Video Revolution

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
Chinese entrepreneurs once dismissed user-generated content (UGC) as “industrial waste.” Now that waste is powering their global ambitions. Read More

Taking Aim at Corporate Hierarchy, NetEase Backs Staff Nicknames

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
In a move toward dismantling the rigid corporate hierarchy common at many Chinese companies, game developer NetEase is allowing employees to choose their own preferred nicknames. Read More

Dance Dance Arbitration: Why China’s Idols Want Out of Their Deals

 /  Celebrity  / 
A recent spate of contract disputes has cast a spotlight on one-sided contracts and cutthroat competition in the country’s idol industry. Read More

Chinese Web Celebs Appointed to Party-Backed Youth Organization

 /  Celebrity  / 
To the surprise of many online observers, pastoral life vlogger Li Ziqi and commercial livestreamer Wei Ya have been included among the All-China Youth Federation’s current cohort of 1,375 members. Read More

The ‘Punchline Queens’ Ripping Into Chinese Comedy’s Boys’ Club

 /  Chinasplaining  / 
Female contestants are stealing the spotlight in the popular online series “Rock & Roast,” sparking discussion on the wide gender gap in stand-up comedy. Read More

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