MODERN HISTORY

The Glamour and the Gloom of Cabin Life for China’s Female Flight Attendants

Once a privilege for the few, air travel has changed dramatically—along with the stewardesses who are now speaking out against unfair working conditions and unnecessary, even dangerous, dress codes

HISTORY

Vanished Empire: Resurrecting China’s Western Xia Tombs

China’s newest UNESCO site could hold the keys to a lost kingdom. Explore its destruction and how historians are reviving the Western Xia tombs.

MODERN HISTORY

The Rocky History of China’s Marriage Law Reforms

On the 75th anniversary of China’s first marriage law, a look back at how far the legal framework has come, from advancing women’s rights to addressing the demographic crisis

ANCIENT HISTORY

Children Untaught: “Father-Destroying” Stories in Ancient China

Through greed, betrayal, or simple mischance, these ancient sons and daughters brought ruin upon their own fathers, officials, princes, and emperors alike

ANCIENT HISTORY

Peculiar Devices: A History of Robotic Fantasies in Ancient China

From pedestrian wheelbarrows imbued with mystical powers to mechanical beings that poured wine for Tang dynasty courtiers, ancient China birthed mechanical wonders that blurred the line between craft and myth

HISTORICAL FIGURES

The Dreams of Tang Xianzu, the “Shakespeare of the East”

A contemporary of William Shakespeare, Ming dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu left a literary legacy built on dreams and love

MODERN HISTORY

170 Years of China and the World Expo | Photo Story

​With the 2025 World Expo underway, take a look back at China’s long-standing presence and key milestones at the global fair

ANCIENT HISTORY

Rebellion, Corruption, and the Lychee: The History of Chinese Couriers

Long before express delivery became an everyday essential, ancient China had built an intricate courier system, though its bureaucracy also bred corruption and chaos

MODERN HISTORY

History of Ballroom Dancing in China

What was once a banned pastime in the 1980s has transformed into a nationwide cultural movement—filled with joy, competition, and camaraderie

HISTORY

Ne Zha: From Myth to Cultural Icon

Ne Zha transcended his origins as a Buddhist deity to emerge as a rebellious, anti-patriarchal hero in popular culture