Although China has advocated gender equality for decades, the patriarchy is still alive and well. Being a woman in today’s society is tough—during each stage of a woman’s life, she will be instructed on what decisions to make, to be a perfectly well-behaved “好好小姐” (Ms. Hao Hao).
The relationship between China’s mothers- and daughters-in-law has always been a tricky one.
International events like film festivals and fashion shows are good ways for Chinese actors and models to grab attention—the positive, and the not-so-positive.
“Yesterday an intellectual lady/ today a military general (昨天文小姐/ 今日武将军),” wrote Chairman Mao in a poem welcoming the wartime writer Ding Ling (丁玲) to the Red Army base area at Yan’an in 1936.
Lily (pseudonym) did not think twice about when a family friend’s colleague offered to drive her home after dinner. He was sober, her place was on the way, and, besides, her friend was a powerful guy. No one would want to upset him.
Chinese influence is visible all around South Korea’s capital: In Seoul’s central districts, giant banner ads from education consultancy “guaranteeing” HSK 6-level Mandarin fluency in 30 days. In the cosmetics industry hub of Myeong-dong, saleswomen pitch face masks and perfumes to Chinese tourists in tone-perfect putonghua, while Daerim-dong, home to the city’s largest concentration of immigrants of China’s Chaoxianzu (朝鲜族) ethnic Korean minority, one can sample cuisine from all over China.
Seeing Americans enjoy Sichuan spicy sauce so much, I feel proud, and also curious,” Mr. Fang, in his late 30s, told the Beijing Evening News when McDonalds’ “Special Szechuan Sauce” finally landed in China this April.
For those with an open mind toward astrology, human society seems pretty simple. As long as they know someone’s birthday, they can become experts on anyone: For example, Sagittarius is an adventurer, Pisces a dreamer or healer, and a Capricorn is a variable workaholic.
Peppa, the rambunctious star of the BBC children’s cartoon Peppa Pig, has become one of China’s most beloved animated icons since first appearing on China Central Television in 2015. But recently, Peppa’s star has risen far beyond her juvenile fan base—and may even be in danger of flaming out, so pervasive is her apparent influence on the kids (well, millennials).
Drawing from recent reportage, surveys, polls, and our own observations, The World of Chinese presents some of the most desirable types of Chinese man—plus a few stereotypes women would like to do without.