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How Labor Day Shaped Modern China
Discover the origin of Labor Day celebrations in China and how it became one of the country’s most important holidays
One Card to Rule Them All: The History of China’s ID System
How Chinese ID cards evolved from simple handwritten cards in 1984, to sophisticated digital documents essential for everything from riding the train to playing video games
A Brief History of China’s Hotel Industry
How China’s hotels transformed from exclusive spaces for the privileged to accommodation for the masses
Two-Way Communication: How China Adopted Japanese Terms to Discuss Modernity
In the early 20th century, debate raged in China over whether to accept a deluge of Japanese loanwords
Acrobats, Tai Chi, Kids: What Makes a Chinese Opening Ceremony?
From celebrations of workers at the 1959 National Games to vast displays of technological prowess during this year’s Asian Games, China’s opening ceremonies have evolved dramatically over time
30 Years of Choosing College Majors in China
How did Chinese students earn the right to choose their own majors, and how did the most popular choices evolve over time?
How the Whampoa Academy Gave Birth to Famous Enemies in Chinese Political History
Founded on June 16, 1924, China’s first modern military academy aimed to reunite a divided nation. It didn’t quite work out that way.
Backpedaling the History of Bicycles in China
The story of the two-wheeler’s rise and fall—and comeback—in the “Kingdom of Bicycles”
Remembering the Deadliest Bridge on the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway
A spectacular 115-year-old railway bridge in Yunnan province stands as a reminder of the Chinese workers who died in its construction
How the TV Stole Spring Festival
First airing live in 1983, CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala didn’t just change TV—it changed the way China celebrates the Lunar New Year
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