https://www.scmp.com/rss/318202/feed The latest society, public affairs and community news from China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Dannie Peng Dannie Peng Residents in some parts of Beijing are on edge as rises in humidity and temperature lure snakes into the Chinese capital, where encounters with the reptiles are usually rare. Concerned residents have been sharing their sightings on social media. “Why are there snakes in Beijing’s parks?” one user posted. “It scared me to death.” In the comments section, many others shared similar experiences, with one woman recounting her shock at finding a snake hiding behind the fridge of her 25th-floor... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3356111/snakes-alive-warmer-weather-brings-flurry-sightings-chinese-capital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3356111/snakes-alive-warmer-weather-brings-flurry-sightings-chinese-capital?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan As China’s most important national examination, known as gaokao, looms, many students are flocking to hospitals to inhale oxygen in the belief that doing so will “recharge” their brains. Gaokao refers to the country’s national university entrance exam which takes place between June 6 and 8 every year. Many people believe it can make or break a young person’s future since scores in the test will largely determine in which university and what major a student can study. In the past few years,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355841/chinese-pupils-seek-oxygen-therapy-boost-memory-reduce-anxiety-national-exam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355841/chinese-pupils-seek-oxygen-therapy-boost-memory-reduce-anxiety-national-exam?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A kindergarten teacher in China has been suspended from her job and placed under police investigation for using a glue gun to scald a little girl’s lip, causing serious blisters. The incident unfolded on the morning of May 27 in a nursery in Fengxian county, Jiangsu province, eastern China. According to surveillance footage from the classroom, the woman children’s teacher let some children queue up to receive punishment one by one because she was angry that they were talking during class, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355806/china-teacher-under-probe-after-using-glue-gun-scald-little-girl-resulting-blisters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355806/china-teacher-under-probe-after-using-glue-gun-scald-little-girl-resulting-blisters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang In the first of a two-part series focusing on China’s hugely important national college entrance examination, or gaokao, the SCMP examines and explains the origins of the test and how it influenced not only the nation’s modern education system but those elsewhere in the world. Each June, China’s gaokao turns the country’s classrooms into arenas of aspiration as millions of students sit an exam seen as a path to university and a better future. Its cultural ancestor is sometimes traced to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3356050/how-china-imperial-exam-leaves-historical-footprint-and-impact-gaokao-modern-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3356050/how-china-imperial-exam-leaves-historical-footprint-and-impact-gaokao-modern-education?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:18:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A 24-year-old Chinese woman keeps managing to shine on stage despite wearing a patch and a mask after she lost an eye and her left upper jaw to cancer. Han Yifei, from eastern China’s Jiangsu province, has moved many people online and garnered over 7,000 followers on a social media platform with her beautiful ballroom dancing. In videos she uploaded, she always wears an eye patch and sometimes a mask. Han lost part of her jaw and the vision in her left eye to osteosarcoma, a type of bone... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355717/china-woman-dances-eye-patch-and-mask-after-losing-partial-jaw-vision-one-eye-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355717/china-woman-dances-eye-patch-and-mask-after-losing-partial-jaw-vision-one-eye-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 06:00:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi US President Donald Trump personally urged President Xi Jinping to help end the Ukraine war, seeking to leverage Beijing’s influence over Moscow to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356025/trump-urged-xi-help-end-ukraine-war-chinas-tech-sanctions-list-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356025/trump-urged-xi-help-end-ukraine-war-chinas-tech-sanctions-list-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 04:34:05 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Chinese pancake seller in the US has announced plans to run for mayor within three years, despite past controversy over an arrest. Tang, 31, was born to a rural family in Sichuan, southwestern China, and left school after secondary education. He is the son of a security guard and a cleaner. After working in sales and the car industry, he moved to the US in 2022, with little English, first taking a job at a used-car showroom. Two years later, he settled in Los Angeles and began selling savoury... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355043/china-pancake-seller-us-plans-run-mayor-generating-buzz-despite-thorny-past?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355043/china-pancake-seller-us-plans-run-mayor-generating-buzz-despite-thorny-past?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu The Chinese motorcycle brand ZXMOTO and its founder Zhang Xue have become one of the most-mentioned topics online in April following their unprecedented victory in a world-class race. Zhang’s wife, who has been with him since she was a teenager, has also become famous. Chen Xingyi, 38, was Zhang’s junior secondary school classmate. She began dating him when they were both poor youngsters and was by his side when he quit school, became a motorcycle repair shop apprentice, and a mechanic at a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355646/wife-china-motorcycle-tycoon-becomes-loyalty-symbol-after-handwritten-account-book-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355646/wife-china-motorcycle-tycoon-becomes-loyalty-symbol-after-handwritten-account-book-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Chinese scientist behind China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System rejects the “goddess” label, asserting that research transcends gender. Xu Ying, 43, hails from Sichuan province in southwestern China, born to a maths teacher mother and an agricultural technician father. As a gifted child with a passion for physics and mathematics, Xu began primary school at the age of four, entered university at 16 to pursue communications engineering, and consistently ranked at the top of her class each... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355903/beidou-goddess-key-figure-china-gps-equivalent-satellite-system-earns-phd-26?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355903/beidou-goddess-key-figure-china-gps-equivalent-satellite-system-earns-phd-26?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:00:12 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Residents of a city in central China have come to the aid of a poor 19-year-old student who works more than 10 hours a day as a food delivery rider to earn money to cover his tuition fees. Tang Wei, from Xinhuang county in Hunan province, was admitted by a technical college in Changsha, the capital city of the province, the Changsha Evening News reported. He will kick off his college life in September. In early May, Tang left his hometown, heading to Changsha and hoping to find a temporary... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355706/chinese-man-19-lives-under-bridge-pet-dog-works-long-hours-save-tuition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355706/chinese-man-19-lives-under-bridge-pet-dog-works-long-hours-save-tuition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu When individuals are troubled by their greying hair, some may find plucking it to be the easiest solution. However, many Chinese people hesitate to do so for a specific reason. A prevalent folk belief suggests that plucking one white hair will lead to three more white strands growing in its place. Some even go as far as claiming that 10 white hairs will sprout after plucking just one. Medical experts have clarified that this notion is purely a superstition. Yang Dingquan, a trichologist at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355634/why-chinese-culture-fears-plucking-white-hair-and-traditional-remedies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355634/why-chinese-culture-fears-plucking-white-hair-and-traditional-remedies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A celebrity dog in central China was stolen and slaughtered, leaving its owner seeking justice but confronting gaps in the country’s legal protections for pets. Guo, a travel influencer from Henan province, raised Chutou, an eight-year-old Border Collie known for his intelligence, energy and gentle temperament. The dog had amassed more than 1.5 million followers on mainland social media after accompanying Guo on years of journeys across China, from snowy mountains to deserts, often guarding him... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355668/china-celebrity-dog-stolen-sold-us25-and-eaten-owner-sues-stymied-weak-pet-laws?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355668/china-celebrity-dog-stolen-sold-us25-and-eaten-owner-sues-stymied-weak-pet-laws?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A woman in China with no formal training in the arts has used 60kg of chocolate to make a 3D miniature copy of the famous painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival. A video showing the chocolate version of ancient Bianjing city released by the blogger, who uses the alias Fan Sumu, in late May has garnered about one million likes, Jimu News reported. The masterpiece was painted by Zhang Zeduan of Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), is among the best known artworks in Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355657/china-woman-uses-60kg-chocolate-craft-mini-3d-replica-ancient-painting-earns-1-million-likes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355657/china-woman-uses-60kg-chocolate-craft-mini-3d-replica-ancient-painting-earns-1-million-likes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:00:06 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak During mainland China’s recent May Day holiday, a 2,500-year-old sword went viral on Chinese social media – but not for the reason you might think. Lasting from May 1 to 5, the May Day holiday – also known as “Golden Week” – sees large numbers of domestic tourists flocking to popular travel destinations across China, including the Hubei Provincial Museum, which houses the famous Sword of Goujian. Many of them end up buying a replica of the sword in the souvenir shop. As a result, the main... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3355704/how-chinas-excalibur-east-souvenir-swords-sparked-airport-security-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3355704/how-chinas-excalibur-east-souvenir-swords-sparked-airport-security-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A young man in rural China has gained tens of thousands of online followers in two weeks by impersonating Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Yang Yang, 28, who lives in a village in Dandong in northeastern Liaoning province, has gone viral on social media for his videos showing him imitating the artificial intelligence (AI) titan. He released the clips using an account called @huangyinxun, which is how Huang’s Chinese name is pronounced in the northeastern China dialect. Yang has shared over 20 clips... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355681/terrified-chinese-man-spends-us28-look-jensen-huang-garners-large-following?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355681/terrified-chinese-man-spends-us28-look-jensen-huang-garners-large-following?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A valiant official in China has been dubbed “Mud Buddha” after a photograph emerged of him covered in sludge while he was averting disaster by evacuating residents before a catastrophic landslide. From the evening of May 17 to the early morning of May 18, a downpour hit Shanghongyan Village in Maguan county, southwestern Yunnan province. At its height, the level of precipitation reached 256mm, the People’s Daily reported. Tian Ruliang, the village director, left home three times after 10pm on... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3355149/mud-buddha-china-official-covered-sludge-during-mudslide-while-helping-villagers-evacuate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3355149/mud-buddha-china-official-covered-sludge-during-mudslide-while-helping-villagers-evacuate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A boy in eastern China who survived catastrophic burns is battling daily pain on the badminton court, determined to become a champion like his idol Lin Dan. Xuanxuan, 12, from Jinan in Shandong province, was asleep with his family when a fire tore through his parents’ small noodle shop six years ago, Qilu Evening News reported. He suffered the worst injuries, with burns covering 97 per cent of his body, while his parents and younger sister were also injured. His mother told the mainland media... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355146/china-boy-97-burns-dreams-becoming-top-badminton-player-practises-daily-despite-pain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355146/china-boy-97-burns-dreams-becoming-top-badminton-player-practises-daily-despite-pain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese PhD dropout who has become a viral influencer exposing academic misconduct is building a growing army of followers eager to reveal ethical malpractice among scientific researchers. The former PhD candidate in bioscience at the prestigious Beihang University, Geng Hongwei, dropped out in 2025, and became a full-time whistle-blower with over two million followers on an online platform. Geng attracted public attention for a video in April, in which he questioned a paper from the team of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3355170/chinese-phd-dropout-turned-whistle-blower-exposes-data-fabrication-renowned-scholars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3355170/chinese-phd-dropout-turned-whistle-blower-exposes-data-fabrication-renowned-scholars?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 10:00:05 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan The Chinese soldier who went viral for remaining completely still as the US presidential aircraft, Air Force One, taxied nearby during a recent visit to China by Donald Trump, has spoken about the rigours of his job. Liu Zhencheng, 23, who serves in the Beijing Armed Police Corps, was on duty when the US delegation touched down in Beijing. The armed police follow the rules of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), receive the same treatment as the PLA and obey the leadership of the Central Military... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355177/china-honour-guards-undergo-rigorous-training-precise-marching-standing-still-3-hours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355177/china-honour-guards-undergo-rigorous-training-precise-marching-standing-still-3-hours?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:00:05 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Tokyo bar run by Buddhist monks has become an online sensation for its unusual blend of cocktails, chanting and death-themed rituals. At the Vowz Bar in the city’s Shinjuku district, patrons can sip drinks inspired by heaven and hell, seek life advice from the monk staff and listen to sutras performed in a modern musical style. According to a Chinese visitor @kaolababyy, the menu features cocktails such as “Nirvana in the Pure Land”, “Never Ending Suffering in Hell” and “Love and Hate leading... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3355185/japan-buddhist-monk-bar-serves-drinks-inspired-heaven-and-hell-offers-beating-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3355185/japan-buddhist-monk-bar-serves-drinks-inspired-heaven-and-hell-offers-beating-service?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese woman said she was nearly killed by a fishing line while riding past a crowded bridge, sparking safety concerns online. The woman surnamed Wang, from Hangzhou, eastern China’s Zhejiang province, shared her hair-raising experience on the night of May 23. She and her friend were riding electric bikes on a bicycle lane of the Fuxing bridge in the city, when a fishing line suddenly wrapped around her throat. It happened too fast that she did not have time to stop the bike. The line kept... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355144/china-woman-nearly-dies-after-becoming-tangled-fishing-line-while-riding-bike-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355144/china-woman-nearly-dies-after-becoming-tangled-fishing-line-while-riding-bike-night?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A woman in eastern China has been left unable to sleep with her eyes shut and is constantly crying because of a bungled double eyelid operation she underwent six years ago. The woman, surnamed Wang, drew wide attention on mainland social media after she shared her legal disputes with the cosmetic clinic in late May. In June 2020, Wang went to Meixi Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, for a double eyelid surgery, which cost her 12,000 yuan (US$1,800), reported the Shanghai... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355023/sleep-eyes-open-china-womans-bungled-double-eyelid-surgery-causes-complications?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355023/sleep-eyes-open-china-womans-bungled-double-eyelid-surgery-causes-complications?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A retired American teacher is planning to travel to China in late summer for a reunion with a female farmer he assisted decades ago. In 1999, Ronald Sakolsky, then teaching English in China, was inspired by Inner Mongolian farmer Yin Yuzhen’s battle against desertification and donated US$5,000 to support her tree-planting efforts in the Maowusu Desert. This contribution enabled Yin to plant some of her earliest trees, sowing the seeds of a lasting friendship across continents. Recently, the two... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355358/us-man-asserts-if-simple-teacher-and-china-farmer-can-grow-forest-world-leaders-can-find-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3355358/us-man-asserts-if-simple-teacher-and-china-farmer-can-grow-forest-world-leaders-can-find-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Kevin McSpadden Kevin McSpadden One of the most dreaded terms in dentistry is “root canal,” but at least we get to enjoy the perks of modern medicine. Now, imagine enduring that painful process nearly 60,000 years ago. An international team of scientists believes they have found evidence that Neanderthals, the closest relatives of modern humans, deliberately drilled a hole in a lower molar tooth to remove infected tissue. The discovery represents the oldest known example of invasive dental treatment, and it occurred tens of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3355288/recent-analysis-shows-neanderthals-may-have-been-first-dentists-recorded-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3355288/recent-analysis-shows-neanderthals-may-have-been-first-dentists-recorded-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese county official who cried about her village’s flood disaster has faced sarcastic comments for wearing a pair of gold earrings. The incident took an unexpected turn when a majority of online observers showed support for her. Shimen county in central China’s Hunan province was hit by heavy rains from May 17, which triggered severe floods and landslides. According to an official report on May 22, the disaster left six people dead, 10 missing and affected over 100,000 people. The party... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3355037/china-official-mocked-wearing-gold-earrings-while-crying-about-local-flood-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3355037/china-official-mocked-wearing-gold-earrings-while-crying-about-local-flood-disaster?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Chinese police officers dug through sand with their bare hands to search for a Taiwan tourist’s lost phone, winning widespread online applause. Having successfully retrieved her phone, the woman presented her Taiwan resident travel permit in front of the camera and exclaimed “We, China is the safest country in the world”. The woman, surnamed Tsao, lost her phone around 11pm in the Singing Sand Dunes tourist site in Dunhuang, northwestern China’s Gansu province, on May 15. The Singing Sand Dunes... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354996/china-police-officers-dig-through-sand-bare-hands-search-taiwan-tourists-lost-phone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354996/china-police-officers-dig-through-sand-bare-hands-search-taiwan-tourists-lost-phone?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 06:00:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Concerns mount in China’s space sector that Musk’s Starship will be a failure There are growing doubts within China’s space sector that Starship, the world’s most powerful rocket being developed by SpaceX in the United States, will... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355241/china-doubts-musks-starship-future-ex-tsmc-chip-prodigy-returns-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355241/china-doubts-musks-starship-future-ex-tsmc-chip-prodigy-returns-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 04:34:05 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A pregnant woman in eastern China gave up her prepared operating room to save another expectant mother suffering massive bleeding. A video of the emergency “life-and-death relay” in Weifang, Shandong province, has gone viral on mainland social media. According to People’s Daily, the story unfolded at Weifang People’s Hospital, where an unnamed expectant mother was waiting in the operating room fully prepared for surgery. She had fasted for nearly two hours before the procedure while her unborn... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355008/save-her-first-china-expectant-mum-relinquishes-surgery-room-slot-bleeding-pregnant-woman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3355008/save-her-first-china-expectant-mum-relinquishes-surgery-room-slot-bleeding-pregnant-woman?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang In China, few foods are as modest yet culturally resonant as tofu. Its origins are most often traced to Liu An, the King of Huainan during the Western Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 9), a nobleman fascinated by the search for immortality. According to legend, Liu gathered alchemists on a mountain in Anhui province, central China, where they experimented with spring water, soybeans and gypsum in an attempt to create an elixir of life. What they produced instead was tofu. The story survived because... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354987/how-tofu-evolves-accidental-discovery-one-chinas-most-prized-culinary-symbols?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354987/how-tofu-evolves-accidental-discovery-one-chinas-most-prized-culinary-symbols?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan When a property agent in China went to check a flat leased by a woman who had defaulted on two months’ rent, he discovered she had disappeared leaving the room filled with rubbish and an abandoned dog. A shocking video showing the one-bedroom flat in Nanning, southwestern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in a complete mess went viral after the agent, surnamed Tang, shared it on social media on May 22, the Guizhou TV reported. There was also an Alaskan malamute in the room, barking occasionally,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354887/smells-hell-chinese-woman-disappears-owing-rent-abandons-pet-dog-filthy-flat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354887/smells-hell-chinese-woman-disappears-owing-rent-abandons-pet-dog-filthy-flat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 06:00:05 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A refund initiative launched by a famous barbecue restaurant chain in China has drawn significant attention on mainland social media, triggering a debate about a culture of valuing the feelings of customers. At the beginning of May, Very Long Ago Lamb Skewers, which has 142 directly managed outlets across the country, contacted customers who ate at 48,000 tables at 24 restaurants in February. The eatery was offering to refund them half of the bill for the mutton kebab they ate. The refund, at a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354920/china-barbecue-chain-willingly-refunds-diners-us162000-serving-not-properly-grilled-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354920/china-barbecue-chain-willingly-refunds-diners-us162000-serving-not-properly-grilled-food?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A controversial Chinese app with the allegedly offensive name “dead or alive” has been transformed into a government-backed safety tool. The app, called Sileme, or “Are you dead?”, went viral in January because of its straightforward name that challenged the traditional taboo notions about death. Its function was extremely simple. The sign-in app features a giant green button on the screen. A person only needs to touch the button every day to confirm their “alive” status. If they fail to check... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354904/controversial-china-dead-or-alive-app-transforms-valuable-personal-safety-tool?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354904/controversial-china-dead-or-alive-app-transforms-valuable-personal-safety-tool?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A feminist film which won an award at an international film festival last year has been ordered to withdraw its coming release for violating the law in China. The film Her Heart Beats in Its Cage was scheduled to be screened in mainland cinemas on May 30. But on May 21, Shanghai Film Bureau announced the release should be stopped because the film had breached the law when applying for its production and for its public release. The authority said it had recently launched an investigation after... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354870/china-film-about-woman-whose-killing-husband-framed-result-domestic-violence-banned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354870/china-film-about-woman-whose-killing-husband-framed-result-domestic-violence-banned?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 06:00:06 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese man who endured three years of intense pain while urinating finally went to the hospital and discovered he had a 1.3kg stone in his bladder. The man, 56, from southern China’s Guangdong province, surnamed Chen, recently went to the Xuwen Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, to have his bladder checked. Chen had experienced frequent and painful urination for three years. The symptoms had become so serious recently that he dared not travel far during the day and... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354862/chinese-man-suffers-painful-urination-3-years-discovers-13kg-stone-his-bladder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354862/chinese-man-suffers-painful-urination-3-years-discovers-13kg-stone-his-bladder?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A moderately educated young man in China spent 10 days and just 3,000 yuan (US$440) to make a short film using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. His efforts have won him the favour of a Hollywood director who even offered him a job. The work, called Zombie Scavenger, was released on mainland social media websites on May 9 by Liu Ziyu, 29, who lives in Xinping County in southwestern Yunnan province, the Chuncheng Evening News reported. It did not make waves in China until being... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354882/china-ex-train-driver-creates-us440-short-film-receiving-hollywood-director-praise-job-offer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354882/china-ex-train-driver-creates-us440-short-film-receiving-hollywood-director-praise-job-offer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang China’s fandom culture predates today’s pop idols and live-streaming celebrities by millennia. In ancient times, fame was cultivated in the streets, restaurants, and poetry circles, where beauty and talent transformed poets and performers into objects of public fascination. One of China’s earliest heartthrobs was Pan Yue, a writer from the Western Jin dynasty (266–316), better known by his nickname, Pan An. Celebrated in the book, A New Account of the Tales of the World, for his striking good... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354831/eating-idols-poems-inside-wild-ancient-history-chinese-fan-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354831/eating-idols-poems-inside-wild-ancient-history-chinese-fan-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 06:00:05 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A taxi driver in China has been applauded online for waiving the fare of a young boy and teaching him how to communicate when he is short of money. The video of the incident from the taxi’s surveillance camera has trended on social media after it was reported by state media CCTV, garnering more than 1.2 million likes. On the afternoon of May 17, a boy, who is about 10 years old, took a taxi alone in Zunyi, southwestern Guizhou province. While stuck in a traffic jam he became anxious and called... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354333/china-cabby-charges-teary-boy-us14-instead-full-fare-hopes-others-treat-his-kids-kindly-too?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354333/china-cabby-charges-teary-boy-us14-instead-full-fare-hopes-others-treat-his-kids-kindly-too?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang The founder of a fast-rising Chinese tech firm has become known as China’s “crazy boss” after a string of online stunts. Yu Hao, 39, from Jiangsu province in eastern China, is the founder and CEO of Dreame Technology, a smart home appliance maker best known for high-end robot vacuum cleaners. Founded in 2017, Dreame has grown rapidly in China’s crowded smart appliance sector. Public records show the company was once valued at about 45 billion yuan (US$6.6 billion) and it is reportedly aiming for... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354388/china-crazy-boss-shares-ai-images-him-womens-outfits-aims-become-worlds-richest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354388/china-crazy-boss-shares-ai-images-him-womens-outfits-aims-become-worlds-richest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A viral video of a blind woman on a tactile pavement being hit by an electric bike, which turned out to be staged, has sparked a wave of public anger in China. The video has been viewed more than 100 million times online. It has also raised questions about similar scams involving the visually impaired and fears that it could diminish public’s trust in the blind community, Shangyou News reported. In the video, which was released on May 9 by the blogger @baobaomangtu, after the rider of the e-bike... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354376/using-good-bait-blind-china-girl-detained-after-fake-hit-bike-clip-gets-100-million-views?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354376/using-good-bait-blind-china-girl-detained-after-fake-hit-bike-clip-gets-100-million-views?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 06:00:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A mother in central China has captivated mainland social media with an unconventional homework hack that has her restless son pedalling an old sewing machine while studying. According to Dazhong Daily, a primary school boy from Anyang, Henan province, struggled to stay focused during homework. He would fiddle with his eraser, shake his legs and repeatedly leave his seat. His mother then moved his grandmother’s old sewing machine into the study and let him pedal it as he wrote. The method... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354342/china-mum-makes-son-pedal-sewing-machine-during-homework-stay-focused-sparks-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354342/china-mum-makes-son-pedal-sewing-machine-during-homework-stay-focused-sparks-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Kevin McSpadden Kevin McSpadden Archaeologists in central China have directly challenged the long-held belief that humanity’s earliest ancestors reached their creative peak during warm and hospitable climates. For more than a decade, a team of researchers in Henan province has studied a 146,000-year-old animal-butchering site once inhabited by Homo juluensis, an extinct human species that lived about 300,000 years ago in eastern Asia. Their discovery of remarkably inventive tools suggests that these ancient cousins of Homo... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354567/china-scientists-argue-harsh-settings-not-warm-climates-drive-early-human-creativity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354567/china-scientists-argue-harsh-settings-not-warm-climates-drive-early-human-creativity?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A boy in central China dreamed of making his own silk quilt, prompting his parents to buy 10,000 silkworm eggs to nurture his curiosity. In May, a mother surnamed Ruan from Wuhan, Hubei province, revealed online that her family was raising silkworms to help realise her six-year-old son’s unusual dream. Ruan told the mainland outlet Chengshi Interactive that the idea came during the silkworm-rearing season. The optimal window generally runs from May to October. The family, who raise silkworms... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354232/china-boy-wants-raise-silkworms-create-silk-quilt-prompting-parents-buy-10000-seeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354232/china-boy-wants-raise-silkworms-create-silk-quilt-prompting-parents-buy-10000-seeds?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang In ancient China, women were largely denied formal education and confined to the roles of dutiful wives and mothers. Against this restrictive social order, two women pushed beyond the limits and left notable marks on medicine, astronomy and mathematics. About 1,500 years ago, during the Southern dynasties, Zhang Xiugu is believed to have made an early contribution to pathological anatomy in China. According to The History of the Southern Dynasties, Zhang lived in what is now Anhui province in... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354083/2-notable-women-ancient-china-broke-barriers-made-major-contributions-medicine-science?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354083/2-notable-women-ancient-china-broke-barriers-made-major-contributions-medicine-science?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 08:00:05 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Ancient China dreamed of future technology long before the modern age, conjuring visions of magic mirrors, ingenious machines and even lifelike wooden puppets. In the Tang dynasty (618–907) text Duyang Miscellaneous Records, a mysterious stone called the “immortal mirror” appears as a precursor to the CT scan. Found in the southwest of an unnamed land, the polished stone was said to span hundreds of kilometres. Passers-by could look into it like a mirror, but instead of reflecting their faces,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354222/china-ancient-texts-depict-magical-mirrors-akin-ct-scan-vivid-puppets-early-notion-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354222/china-ancient-texts-depict-magical-mirrors-akin-ct-scan-vivid-puppets-early-notion-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 01:00:06 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A Chinese woman who has planted trees in the deserts of Inner Mongolia for decades has contacted an American man who donated US$5,000 to her and invited him to visit a forest that came into being because of his funding. Yin Yuzhen, 60, was awarded as a National Model Worker by China’s State Council in 2000 for her long-term anti-desertification efforts. Hailing from a poor family in northwestern Shaanxi province, Yin married a man who lives in Maowusu Desert in Inner Mongolia in the 1980s. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3354182/american-donated-us5000-china-farmer-tree-planting-decades-ago-invited-view-forest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3354182/american-donated-us5000-china-farmer-tree-planting-decades-ago-invited-view-forest?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang China’s “most devoted fraudster” has returned to public attention after mainland media revisited his case of forging hospital payment slips to keep his wife alive. Liao Dan, a former factory worker in Beijing with only a secondary school education, had been living on the margins of the city with his wife, Du Jinling, and their son after their workplaces shut down. Their hardship worsened in 2007, when Du was diagnosed with severe uraemia and told she needed dialysis three times a week to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354243/china-most-devoted-fraudster-fakes-records-give-wife-free-dialysis-reignites-medical-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354243/china-most-devoted-fraudster-fakes-records-give-wife-free-dialysis-reignites-medical-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 06:00:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Substance for Putin, ‘face’ for Trump as China, Russia deepen strategic alliance Days after US President Donald Trump’s visit framed around managing risks, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3354444/leaders-xi-putin-meet-over-tea-rare-earth-find-northeast-china-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3354444/leaders-xi-putin-meet-over-tea-rare-earth-find-northeast-china-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 04:34:12 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese influencer has turned the flying sword in Chinese xianxia fantasy novels into reality by creating a specially-shaped aerial vehicle. Fan Shisan, from southwestern China’s Sichuan province, recently posted a video of himself riding a sword-shaped aerial vehicle, amassing 3.3 million views and 284,000 likes. Dressed in black and striking a cool pose, Fan looks like a knight in China’s xianxia dramas. Xianxia is a popular genre of Chinese fantasy developed from the wuxia, or martial... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354207/china-inventor-creates-sword-shaped-aerial-vehicle-bringing-flying-sword-fantasy-novels-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354207/china-inventor-creates-sword-shaped-aerial-vehicle-bringing-flying-sword-fantasy-novels-life?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 01:00:07 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A top influencer in China has announced a halt to updates of his social media account for the sake of his health, arousing significant nationwide attention. The announcement comes after the sudden deaths of a slew of online celebrities at a young age due to work pressure, the Liaoshen Evening News reported. Wang Bowen, who uses the handle @dalianlaoshiwangbowen on social media and has amassed more than 20 million followers, said in mid-May that he would stop releasing videos for an “indefinite... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354101/china-blogger-20-million-followers-takes-break-after-13-years-intense-content-creation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3354101/china-blogger-20-million-followers-takes-break-after-13-years-intense-content-creation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 10:00:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese woman developed an eight centimetre throat ulcer after eating hotpot too quickly, prompting her doctor to warn about the risks of such behaviour. The 42-year-old, surnamed Wang, from Changsha in central China’s Hunan province, was diagnosed with an oesophageal ulcer after gulping down the food. She said she was too “hungry and carried away” while chatting with friends over hotpot on a cool day in March. She did not wait for the food to cool down after taking it from the pot, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354116/china-woman-develops-8cm-throat-ulcer-after-quickly-eating-hotpot-rupturing-digestive-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3354116/china-woman-develops-8cm-throat-ulcer-after-quickly-eating-hotpot-rupturing-digestive-system?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 06:00:07 +0000