The Big Snip: The Men Making Vasectomies Go Viral in China


SHANGHAI — In July 2023, Liu Luyang walked into a hospital and changed his life in 30 minutes. Two small incisions made him part of a statistic so rare it barely registers: 0.02%, joining the fraction of men in China who choose vasectomies. That staggering figure was only the start. Liu turned the camera on himself, transforming a quiet act of rebellion into a public … Continue reading The Big Snip: The Men Making Vasectomies Go Viral in China

Change of Art: Bringing a 1,000-Year-Old Pottery Village Back to Life


ZHEJIANG, East China — In the heart of Yaoli Village, where traditional homes with white walls and black tiles stand as a testament to the past, an abandoned pigsty has found new purpose. Transformed into a pottery culture center, it now welcomes visitors from across China with a poetry anthology titled “My Ideal,” collaboratively crafted by over 30 villagers who had never before engaged in … Continue reading Change of Art: Bringing a 1,000-Year-Old Pottery Village Back to Life

In China, Life Coaches Are Seeing Booming Demand From Gen-Zers


SHANGHAI — As she got ready to graduate this May, Zhao Xinli recalls feeling “very confused” about her career plans.  The history major had some hard decisions to make: She had a job offer on the table, but it was “completely irrelevant” to her studies. Though she hated the idea of settling for a boring role, she also knew that the job market was fiercely … Continue reading In China, Life Coaches Are Seeing Booming Demand From Gen-Zers

Young Chinese Love Everything About Sweden. Except Living There.


After years working in China’s finance industry, Helen Wang was feeling on the edge of burnout. She was fed up with working grueling hours, then being expected to be on call during her precious time off. The 28-year-old wanted to find a new path: one where she could “lie flat” for a while. Then, a friend gave her a left-field suggestion: move to Sweden. On … Continue reading Young Chinese Love Everything About Sweden. Except Living There.

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