Shanghai Adult Expo: Hugging Robots, Talking Dolls, Toys That Learn


SHANGHAI — Robots that hug, dolls that whisper, toys that know your heartbeat. At this year’s adult products expo in Shanghai, cutting-edge pleasure technologies included lifelike responses to touch and emotion, blurring the line between human connection and machine interaction. The three-day international adult products expo, which opened April 18, brought together more than 400 exhibitors from around the globe. Showcasing a wide range of … Continue reading Shanghai Adult Expo: Hugging Robots, Talking Dolls, Toys That Learn

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

On Chinese Dating Shows, the Stars Are Old, Single, and Ready to Mingle


Inside a colorfully lit TV studio, a middle-aged woman dressed in a tight-fitting silk dress is trying to convince an older man to loosen up. “Can we hold hands and hug right now?” she asks, stepping toward him. The man, a 60-something wearing a traditional Tang jacket, looks visibly shocked by how forward she’s being. “Holding hands is fine,” he replies awkwardly. But the woman … Continue reading On Chinese Dating Shows, the Stars Are Old, Single, and Ready to Mingle

China Has a Problem With Bad Sex Advice. Can a New Exam Fix It?


Guo Yun finally found the courage to step into a sex shop last year to buy a dildo for her birthday. Before long, however, she retreated back to the streets of downtown Shanghai, confused and disappointed. “It was one of the most elegant sex shops I’ve seen in the city, and I thought they’d have professional sales assistants as well,” says Guo. “But instead, they … Continue reading China Has a Problem With Bad Sex Advice. Can a New Exam Fix It?

Late Bloomers: China’s Elderly Embrace Sex After 60


SHANGHAI — Every Wednesday afternoon, Xue Xiaoqing grabs her favorite purse and heads to a beauty salon in the city’s leafy former French Concession. There, the 70-year-old receives special massage therapy that her therapist has coyly named “private maintenance.” The treatment for vaginal dryness is designed to help Xue improve her sex life with her husband. After a year of weekly sessions, she says she … Continue reading Late Bloomers: China’s Elderly Embrace Sex After 60