Shanghai

shanghai

Bringing Back Baile

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

Wu Huiyuan 

Nostalgia in the City: Shanghai in the Booming ’90s 

Shanghai in the 1990s is the subject of much nostalgic yearning. A new photography exhibition transports viewers back to this consequential period of the city’s — and country’s — history.

Wu Dong

China’s City of Bicycles

How Shanghai became the capital of China’s two-wheeled craze.

Sixth Tone

AI to Startups, Shanghai Aims to Lead the Next Innovation Wave

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

At an annual mayor’s forum, global executives urge Shanghai to harness AI, attract talent, and drive tech innovation.

Typhoon Bebinca Slams Shanghai, Strongest Storm Since 1949

The powerful storm brought heavy rain, power outages, and travel chaos, disrupting Mid-Autumn Festival plans across the city.

Fan Yiying

As Shanghai Book Fair Turns 20, Tech and Tradition Converge

The weeklong event attracted nearly 400,000 visitors to the Shanghai Exhibition Center, showcasing over 160,000 titles from 360 publishers.

The Bird-Whistling Guardian of Shanghai’s First World Heritage Site

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

Retired bird catcher Jin Weiguo has helped collect data on countless species of migratory birds as part of the protection team at the Dongtan nature reserve.

The Paper

China’s Visa-Free Policies Spark Tourism Spike

Agreements and initiatives that allow citizens from selected countries to enter the mainland visa-free for extended periods have helped fuel a 150% increase in international visitors.

Steering Through Shanghai: A Taxi Driver’s Perspective

​​An outsider’s perspective reveals the hidden facets of Shanghai’s taxi culture.

Li Enjie

Shanghai’s Forgotten Ferries: A Commuter’s Tale

Despite modernization, Shanghai’s ferries continue to connect diverse lives across the Huangpu River.

SHer Life

Eight Decades On, an Iconic Chinese Animation Gets a 4K Makeover

The 4K restoration of “Princess Iron Fan” at the Shanghai International Film Festival underscores the film’s historical importance as Asia’s first animated feature and its pivotal role in the development of Chinese animation.

Ding Yining

The Scientist Trying to Change Sulfur’s Smelly Reputation

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

VOICES & OPINION

Drawing on years of sulfur research, chemistry professor Jiang Xuefeng specializes in making sulfur easier to handle in industrial and medical applications. Now he’s pioneering its use to tackle plastic pollution.

Wu Haiyun

In Shanghai’s Lounge Lawn, Stressed-Out Office Workers Kick Back

A 30-meter lawn sloped like a lawn chair has become a popular spot for relaxation among the city’s office workers.

How a New Play Reimagines Rural Hunan for the Modern Stage

Your questions, answered. In-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China.

Q & A

In the new stage adaptation of the iconic 1934 novel “The Border Town,” Israeli director Ruth Kanner transforms actors into narrators and the audience into participants.

Laugh in Translation: Shanghainese Comedy Stands Up to the Mainstream

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

Amid a surge of interest in local culture, young Chinese are reconnecting with their heritage through stand-up comedy in various dialects. Comedians are now drawing packed houses and even taking their acts overseas.

Zhang Zhen

Last Stop: Looking Past the Stigma Facing China’s Morticians

A long-serving mortuary technician in Shanghai explains the tough conditions he faces in the workplace and the societal prejudices that persist against his profession.

Shanghai Observer

The Man Who Accidentally Created TikTok’s Biggest Meme

Animator Yang Zikuang’s “Chinese beaver” clip became a global viral sensation this year. He’s more surprised than anyone.

Yang Caini

Jiang  Lüyue

Discovering Shanghai’s Jiangnan Culture Through Ancient Towns

A new book series aims to showcase China’s ancient Jiangnan culture through the relics, structures, and traditional customs that still endure today.

Tongji University  Press

Shanghai Bans Mandatory Use of Facial Recognition in Hotels

Local authorities say forcing guests to use face scanners during check-in will be “strictly forbidden,” as the practice represents a privacy and data security risk.

Li Xin

In China’s Array of Dialects, Emerging Writers Find a New Voice

While novels in regional dialects aren’t new in China, they have surged in popularity among young writers in recent years, particularly amid increased social media exposure.