China Women

Lin Tianmiao: Making art through sickness, life and play

Chinese artist Lin Tianmiao’s ​artistic career began later in life, after she became a wife and mother. Her inspiration for artmaking comes from everyday life and objects, her experience as a daughter, wife and mother, and her ability to see the bright side amid major life and death encounters. For her, transforming the mundane into the sublime helps make “play” never end. Curator and writer Tan Hwee Koon takes us through Lin’s recent exhibition “Lin Tianmiao: There’s No Fun in It!” at the Power Station of Art (PSA) Shanghai.

Tan Hwee Koon

13 Mar 2026

China bans ‘sexual mentor’ for women — but more are popping up

A viral clip of Zhou Yuan, a Chinese “sexual mentor” for women, has shed light on a booming industry that empowers women to use their sexuality to attract men. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk takes a look at society’s and authority’s reactions to these grey-zone content.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

05 Feb 2026

[Big read] Safe, but fragile: The rise of women-only spaces in China

Women-only homestays, gyms and bookstores are booming in China, offering safety and solidarity. Yet closures and debates highlight the limits of segregated spaces and the challenges of sustaining a women-only economy. Lianhe Zaobao Associate China News Editor Chen Jing finds out more.

Chen Jing

28 Jan 2026

[Big read] Paying for pleasure: Chinese women indulge in handsome male hosts

From theme parks to mountain climbs, Chinese women are paying handsome male hosts for hugs, spins and close-up attention — indulging fantasies, seeking comfort, and turning male charm into a booming industry. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks with the men offering these services.

Lim Zhan Ting

19 Dec 2025

[Big read] China’s superwomen are winning on screen: Empowerment or illusion?

China’s newest hit dramas celebrate unstoppable heroines — generals, tycoons, and perfect all-rounders. But scholars and viewers question whether this surge in “superwomen” reflects real empowerment or just another comforting illusion. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Liu Sha speaks to viewers, academics and those in the industry to find out more.

Liu Sha

10 Dec 2025

[Big read] Love is hard to find for millions of rural Chinese men

The gender imbalance in China, especially in the rural areas, has resulted in many men not being able to find a partner. Some are still looking; others have given up and are resigned to being single. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang speaks to some of these single men about their views.

Li Kang

05 Dec 2025

[Big read] Liu Chang: The reluctant heiress who saved her father’s agriculture empire

As New Hope plunged into deep losses, Liu Chang faced a role she never sought. In rare candour, the reluctant heiress reflects on the strain of succession, the crisis that defined her and how she ultimately steadied her father’s agriculture empire, in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao’s Li Yaning.

Li Yaning

27 Nov 2025

[Video] Boys’ Love in China: From fan fiction to cultural soft power

Once a niche subculture, China’s danmei (耽美), or Boys’ Love fiction, has grown into a global phenomenon adored by millions of young women. But after a wave of crackdowns and tighter online controls, questions are rising over danmei’s future, both within China and as a vehicle of global soft power.

Yi Jina

14 Nov 2025

[Big read] Why China’s funniest women are also its most controversial

As Chinese female stand-up comedians challenge deep-rooted gender norms, critics accuse them of fuelling gender divides. But comedy is only exposing what has long festered across film, gaming, and public life. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi finds out more.

Zeng Shi

15 Sep 2025

[Big read] Marrying without love? China’s youth say yes to new marriages 

Amid Chinese women’s rising economic status and youth’s need for individual freedom, traditional forms of marriage are giving way to new arrangements such as cooperative marriages, AA marriages and two-sided marriages. Lianhe Zaobao China news correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks with couples and experts to find out the pros and cons of these modern forms of marriage.

Lim Zhan Ting

25 Aug 2025

No escape: How secret cameras haunt women’s lives in China

The persistent problem of covert filming highlights the broader challenges Chinese women face in defending their rights amid inadequate legal protections and lax platform oversight. In the face of such widespread violations, many victims are left with little recourse but to remain silent — and are instead forced to learn how to protect themselves. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk looks into the matter.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

13 Aug 2025

[Video] Dreaming with AI: Chinese women create online the life they long for

These aren’t real vlogs, but they feel real. Chinese netizens are using AI to recreate both the lives they live and the ones they long for. Though generated by machines, the emotions behind these pixels are unmistakably human, honest and more unfiltered than many real vlogs. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina looks at how everyday voices are being heard through these videos.

Yi Jina

01 Aug 2025