family

Factory Reset: A New Generation Races to Save China’s Family Businesses

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

Across China, family-run factories are passing to a new generation on an unprecedented scale. Can they overcome e-commerce challenges, rising costs, and family pressures to reshape their businesses for the future?

He Qitong

What Drives China’s Helicopter Parents?

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

VOICES & OPINION

The author, a sociologist, on the real reasons for the rise of China’s ultracompetitive “chicken-blood” parents.

Li Angran

The Albino ‘Princess’ Growing Confidence in a Crowd

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

SIXTH TONE ×

The mother of a 5-year-old girl with albinism shares how cosplay and catwalks have helped her daughter combat the stigma of the condition.

White Night Workshop

Hope in Hardship: How an Illiterate Woman ‘Wrote’ Her Memoir

A survivor of human trafficking from southwestern China shares how she became an “authentic voice” in literature using her phone’s voice-to-text function.

The Paper

Lost and Found: Seeking Solace in Street View Snapshots

Netizens struggling with grief or homesickness are turning to street-level navigation apps in search of lost loved ones and former homes.

Why China’s Parents Are Bulk-Buying Recycling Waste Online

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

Chinese schools are trying to teach kids to recycle by making them collect huge volumes of plastic waste every month. The result: a thriving online trade in used milk cartons.

Li Xin

Lin Liuhan

Chinese Women Spark Fury After Locking Crying Toddler in Plane Toilet

The women said they were just trying to help the child’s grandparents “set some rules.”

In China, A New Alzheimer’s Drug Is Met With Cautious Optimism

Lecanemab was approved for use in the country earlier this year. But getting the most out of the drug will require broader reforms.

He Spent 23 Years Searching for His Daughter. Last Month, He Found Her.

After his daughter was abducted in 2001, Shi Chunxin began a relentless campaign to find her and other Chinese victims of human trafficking. Now, his efforts have finally paid off.

Fan Yiying

China’s ‘Supernanny’ Stirs Controversy With Ultra-Harsh Methods

Education influencer Zhao Juying has won a huge following by promoting tough disciplinary methods that hark back to a more conservative age.

Old Age, New Stage: On China’s TikTok, the Elderly Find a Second Act

As China grapples with a rapidly aging population, hundreds of new short video accounts have emerged detailing life in care homes. Many look to reshape perceptions and the stigma around elder care.

Ding Rui

Chinese Surnames Are Changing. Why?

Families are passing down maternal names and inventing compound surnames for their kids. Is it a sign of rising progressivism or merely patriarchy in another guise?

Xu Qi

Starved of Affection at Home, Young Chinese Seek Out ‘Digital Parents’

Many young Chinese feel unable to emotionally connect with their parents. So they’re turning to online influencers for the intimacy they crave.

Ye Zhanhang

Property to Virtual Assets, More Young Chinese Drafting Wills: Report

The report shows that the average household assets of individuals making wills have increased over the past three years, rising 18.8% between 2021 and 2023.

The Chinese ‘Auntie’ Who Hit the Road — and Never Looked Back

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

MULTIMEDIA

Liu Jingwen

He Kai

Wu Huiyuan 

Chinese Court Denies Father’s Claim to Children’s ‘Lucky Money’

Ruling on a divorce case, the court split all marital assets equally but rejected the father’s bid for money previously gifted to his children, emphasizing that such assets belong to them.

In China, a Mother and Daughter Find Connection Through Gaming

For most parents, video games are a source of tension with their children. But a mother and daughter in Sichuan province have discovered that the opposite can also be true.

AI Game Mimicking Nosy Relatives Takes China by Storm

“Why didn’t you bring your partner?”

Designated High-Speed Train Compartment for Children Excites Netizens 

Weary Chinese travelers have long complained about rowdy children on high-speed trains.

Yang Caini

Professional Declutterers in China Help Transform Houses Into Homes

“Home organizers” are helping Chinese people improve their living spaces — and their lives.