Language & Meaning
Why might “cousin” need more explanation?
English gives a big family group one convenient word. Other languages can mark relationships that “cousin” leaves hidden.
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Language & Meaning
Why count a book differently from a person?
In Mandarin, “three books” needs a little more than a number and a noun. The extra word is a clue to how things are grouped.
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Language & Meaning
Why is a million a hundred ten-thousands?
The digits are the same, but Mandarin gives a big number different stepping stones.
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Language & Meaning
Why does a date begin with the year?
A date that starts with the year can look backwards to a British reader. Turn it into a set of boxes and the order suddenly makes sense.
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Language & Meaning
Why is the full stop a tiny circle?
That small circle at the end of a Chinese sentence is doing a familiar job. Its shape tells a story about how writing fits on a page.
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Places & Regions
Where forest and history meet
Mount Wuyi in Fujian holds rich forest life and traces of human history. The two stories are easier to understand when you see them together.
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Places & Regions
Can students design a better city walk?
Shanghai students were invited to create city-walk routes. A good walk needs more than famous stops: it needs a reason to keep going.
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Everyday China
Inside Beijing Planetarium’s artificial sky
A 23-metre dome, optical star projection and digital theatres give Beijing Planetarium several ways to explain the real sky.
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Everyday China
Is a student flea market a treasure hunt?
Student flea markets in China can give books and clothes another life. A bargain is only good if you know what you are buying.
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History, Arts & Traditions
Animation before computers
Take one actual film from the studio’s history: Where Is Mama?, the 1960 ink-wash animation about tadpoles searching for their frog mother. It gives the…
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Chinese food
Roast-duck ice cream exists
A Beijing summer market played with flavours people thought they knew. Trying one is optional; asking why it exists is half the fun.
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Everyday China
How do school musicians get to Paris?
A Shanghai school wind orchestra toured Europe in 2026. The story behind the stage is practice, teamwork and finding a way to play together.
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