Archive for Category: "Featured – Society & Culture"

Redefining the Chinese Beauty Standard

Redefining the Chinese Beauty Standard

A young woman sits in the waiting area of the Shanghai East Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Clinic, flipping through Marie Claire’s China edition. She looks through page after page of skincare product advertisements, each boasting the face of a fair-skinned model, complete with doe eyes and a high nose bridge.

A Dress Bespeaks Style and Freedom

A Dress Bespeaks Style and Freedom

When a woman wears a Chinese qipao—pronounced “tee-pow”—people notice its distinctive design. A tight-fitting dress that usually falls above the knees or ankles, the close fitted neck and buttons for doing it up along one side of the body make the qipao unique. Although a dress with traditional roots, Chinese women haven’t always been permitted to wear it.

Rural Youth Set Sights Beyond the Village

Rural Youth Set Sights Beyond the Village

Like teens in the United States, 18-year-old Wu Jinxing relishes the idea of leaving home someday. Unlike even his peers elsewhere in China, however, Wu, who was born and raised in Xiejiaqiao, a rural village of 800 residents outside Hangzhou, might not have a choice if he wants to find a wife.

Students Learn English Beyond the Classroom

Students Learn English Beyond the Classroom

Wei Bairang couldn’t help but be intrigued when she was given a handout during English Corner, a weekly English conversation club at Beijing’s Renmin University: “Beware of Virgins – they increase divorce rates!”

Granny Patrols: Life After Retirement

Granny Patrols: Life After Retirement

On a quiet Thursday morning in early June, Guo Jing and Li Xiu Lan sit on small chairs outside their homes in Lian Zi Ku Hutong. Retired, they now spend their days as neighborhood public security volunteers. The community guard system, known informally today as the “Granny Patrol,” was formed in 1949.

Younger Generation Darkens A Tradition

Younger Generation Darkens A Tradition

The old saying “Yi bai zhe bai chou” (“A white complexion is powerful enough to hide several faults”) has been widely accepted in China – until recently, that is. Today, tanning salons are beginning to open and entice young men and women to darken their skin for roughly $1 a minute.

NBA’s Reach Continues to Spread in China

NBA’s Reach Continues to Spread in China

Miami Heat all star LeBron James leapt over two opponents and slammed the ball hard to the rim, securing a victory for his team in the first game of the 2011 NBA finals on June 1 at American Airlines Arena in Miami. More than 7,000 miles away, a student at a Beijing college yelled at his laptop and nearly slammed it shut.