Author: Yiying Fan

Chinese traveler with a western mindset interested in cultural difference.
Education, Society

After 3 Years of COVID, China’s Gen-Z Are Mourning Their Lost Future


In October, Chen began to feel seriously unwell. Worried he might need emergency medical treatment, the 20-year-old student went to his tutor for help. The tutor’s response frustrated him. Rather than ask Chen how he was doing, his tutor bluntly informed him that he would need to apply for permission to leave campus due to the college’s strict virus-control rules. For Chen, the incident encapsulates … Continue reading After 3 Years of COVID, China’s Gen-Z Are Mourning Their Lost Future

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Culture, Education, Gender

In China, Millions of Women Never Learned to Read. Can TikTok Help?


At first glance, Liu Bingxia’s lesson looks like any regular Chinese class: The 47-year-old stands in front of a blackboard, reading out the characters she has neatly written in white chalk. “Siji — driver,” she says, then calls on students to repeat the word back to her. But Liu is no ordinary teacher. Each of her online lessons is attended by thousands of people from all … Continue reading In China, Millions of Women Never Learned to Read. Can TikTok Help?

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Marriage

In China’s Hinterlands, Young Women Can’t Find a Man. Literally.


After college, Zhao Junru made the selfless decision to move back to her hometown in central China’s Henan province. As an only daughter, she felt duty bound to live close to her aging parents, even though she longed for the freedom of big city life. Yet two years later, Zhao’s relationship with her parents has collapsed. Things have gotten so bad recently, she’s no longer … Continue reading In China’s Hinterlands, Young Women Can’t Find a Man. Literally.

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aging, Travel

As China’s Economy Stutters, the Elderly Are Emerging as Big Spenders


Zheng Peijun hasn’t let China’s “zero-COVID” restrictions stop her from having a good time.  Before the pandemic, the 60-year-old used to go on vacations all over the world: to the United States, Southeast Asia, and a dozen different European countries. This year, she’s had to stay within China, but she’s traveling even more than before. This week, she’s spending the National Day holiday hiking with … Continue reading As China’s Economy Stutters, the Elderly Are Emerging as Big Spenders

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Business, Travel

The Winners of China’s Housing Bust: Burnouts and Beach Bums


It sounded too good to be true, almost like finding a cheat code for Chinese real estate. Tired of big city life after years in Beijing and Hangzhou, freelancer Pan Deng set out as a digital nomad in 2019. The Hebei native decided to go to Guangzhou, seeking warm weather and delicious Cantonese food. But when he got off the highway on the outskirts of the southern … Continue reading The Winners of China’s Housing Bust: Burnouts and Beach Bums

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