Everyday China
What happens when a bus joins a fandom?
A Shanghai shopping event turned a sightseeing bus into a moving fan attraction. Suddenly, a journey between places became part of the event.
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Everyday China
When a video game meets an orchestra
In Shanghai, an orchestra played the music of a video game. You did not need a controller to hear what the game was trying to make you feel.
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History, Arts & Traditions
Can an old myth walk out of a screen?
A Shanghai exhibition used huge screens and light to reimagine a creature from Chinese mythology. What changes when a story becomes a spectacle?
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Everyday China
What is a blind box hiding?
With a blind box, the mystery is part of the purchase. That can be fun, but a collection should not become a race you never meant to enter.
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History, Arts & Traditions
From Han-dynasty cat to soft toy
A cat pictured on an ancient food tray has become a soft museum souvenir. The journey from object to plush is the interesting part.
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Everyday China
Can a toy belong in a museum?
A Shanghai museum displays art toys alongside spaces for artists. It makes collecting feel a little different from a shopping trip.
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Everyday China
TV drama for an upright screen
Some Chinese dramas are filmed vertically, with episodes designed to fit the screen already in your hand.
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Places & Regions
The mudflat where birds stop for lunch
The Yellow Sea coast can look empty from a distance. For birds crossing a continent, its mud is a place to refuel.
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Language & Meaning
Online, “666” can mean brilliant
Three sixes in a Chinese comment may be applause, not a warning. Online shorthand can make a number behave like a reaction.
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Chinese food
Why is it called a crab-shell pastry if there is no crab?
A Shanghai pastry's name describes its shape and colour, not a seafood filling. That is useful to know before choosing between sesame and radish.
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Chinese food
A fried bun with a surprise inside
Some Shanghai pan-fried buns hide hot broth under a crisp base. The soup does not arrive by being poured in afterwards.
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Places & Regions
Do giant pandas enjoy snow?
A panda among snowy bamboo looks surprising if you picture it as a warm-weather animal. Its mountain home tells another story.
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