Since ’78

since-78

Why China’s Bureaucrats Are Plunging Into the Private Sector

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

Over the past four decades, the country has seen three major waves of official exodus.

Tang Yalin

Eye of the Beholder: Stories From China’s First Beauty Contest

In 1985, beauty competitions were still a risky proposition on the Chinese mainland.

An Ge

Notes From My Time Surveying China’s Gay Community in 1993

Twenty-five years ago, it was easy for Chinese to overlook the country’s community of men who have sex with men.

Pan Suiming

Opening Up the History of China’s ‘Reform Pioneers’

A recent list honoring those who contributed to China’s reform and opening-up program is a reminder that progress is rarely a straight line.

Chen Peng

The Farmer Who Changed China Forever

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

Forty years ago, Yan Hongchang broke the law to save his village from hunger. Today, his idea is national policy and Yan is a reluctant celebrity.

Ni Dandan

Better Together? Inside a Village's Embrace of Collectivization

In the post-reform period, some villages have embraced re-collectivization, but the viability of the model remains in question.

Liao Yue

A Porous Border: China’s Berlin Wall

Once a Cold War frontier, Chung Ying Street is now a tired shopping destination — and a testament to the region’s change.