Sixth Tone

Wang Chao is a freelance writer and global news editor.

A mountain in central China has drawn online attention after posting a job advertisement for a “cloud observer” to live on its summit for one month. Located in the central Henan province, Laojun Mountain — among the top tourist attractions in China, according to the country’s official rankings — was once the spiritual retreat of Laozi, the founder of Taoism, according to folk legends.

JIANGSU, East China — “Hello, sir or madam. I’m not AI — I’m a real voice actor. Now let me show you a tongue twister …” Pausing for breath, Shen Anyu continues in a deep, resonant voice: “Ba bai biao bing ben bei po ...” He finishes and lets out a rueful smile. “How ridiculous this is.” For the fifth time in the past year, Shen was recording a video to prove he was human.

Wang Yujiao holds a Ph.D. in Asia-Pacific Studies from Waseda University. Her research focuses on overseas Chinese history, transnational migration, and Southeast Asia.

A recent Chinese review of preexisting medical data has highlighted that cancer cases in the country will continue to rise in the coming decades, driven by population aging and improved diagnosis, domestic media reported July 8. The review traces China’s national cancer burden and control efforts from the 1950s onward and draws on the latest epidemiological data.

This is the second article in a series on China's southern Chaoshan region, exploring the history, culture, and identities behind its recent resurgence in the spotlight. Read Part 1. In the Chinatowns of early 20th-century Bangkok, Chinese laborers who had just collected their wages would make their way to the qiaopiju, a private institution that handled remittances and correspondence on behalf of overseas Chinese communities.

After plunging into the deep, dark, icy water, Qin Jianping quickly fought his way to the surface. He felt disoriented but could still hear the buskers playing for tourists taking a late-night stroll along the nearby promenade. In those first few minutes, he was confident someone would soon spot him and call for help. But then the waves began slowly dragging him further from shore. It would be another six days before he reached land again.

China’s QR codes — a hallmark of daily life in the country — are increasingly being hacked by criminals, redirecting users to pornographic and other illegal websites, according to an investigation published July 7 by state broadcaster CCTV. Beijing’s municipal government introduced public QR codes in the capital in 2016 as part of “smart city management,” touting it as a way to collect feedback to help cities run more efficiently.

Xu Zhenhua is a writer focused on popular culture, subcultures, and Southeast Asia, and a member of the Tropikara writing group.

“Who’s this buff woman?” a visitor at Comicup 32 (CP32) — a popular Chinese anime convention — asked, pointing at the drawing on a banner outside one of the booths. The drawing was part of the convention’s first-ever booth dedicated to nüwu, or “female-led, no-CP” — “CP” is short for “couple” — literature. Nüwu is a niche category of web fiction that explores the personal growth and platonic relationships of female protagonists, eschewing romance or male love interests.