Culture

[Video] Could Niu Lai be China’s highest-return film ever?

Made by a mother and son with no outside investment, the low-budget Chinese animated film Niu Lai earned only US$1,000 in its first nine days before viral clips pushed its box office takings past US$4 million in just a few days. ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming explains what drove its unexpected box office success.

Lu Lingming

21 Aug 2026

[Big read] Can Tibet build an economy beyond state support?

High-altitude wine, beekeeping and conservation drones — these are just some of the businesses in Tibet generating employment and income. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu finds out more about the plateau’s thriving niche markets from the locals and academics.

Liu Liu

19 Aug 2026

[Big read] Why Hong Kong’s legendary dim sum halls are vanishing

Hong Kong youths are shunning the yum cha tradition that features large dining groups and subpar service. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing finds out how restaurants are reinventing themselves to stay relevant in the competitive market.

Tai Hing Shing

11 Aug 2026

Thai Buddhist amulets draw China’s anxious youth — and laundering networks

Thai Buddhist amulets have become a lifeline for anxious young Chinese — and an ideal vehicle for cross-border money laundering, forcing Thai authorities to crack down on the fast-growing amulet trade.

Caixin Global

07 Aug 2026

Dear You: A Chinese film revives Japan’s diasporic memory

The Chinese hit movie Dear You has struck a chord with overseas Chinese in Japan, whose own efforts to preserve their language and culture echo the film’s portrayal of diaspora life in Nanyang. Writer Foo Choo Wei finds out more.

Foo Choo Wei

28 Jul 2026

How Dear You ignited a debate over Chinese identity

The blockbuster Dear You has sparked a wider debate over Chinese identity, exposing competing ideas of culture, language and belonging across China and Southeast Asia. Academic Ja Ian Chong examines why.

Ja Ian Chong

23 Jul 2026

[Video] China made it to the World Cup, just not on the pitch

China’s men’s football team is once again absent from the World Cup, but China is visible almost everywhere else around the tournament. ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming looks at how China made it into the World Cup economy, even as its team remains off the pitch.

Lu Lingming

17 Jul 2026

Did Louis Vuitton trademark an ancient Chinese motif?

Louis Vuitton’s trademark win against Molly Tea has fuelled debate over whether modern IP law can give exclusive rights to designs many Chinese see as part of their cultural heritage. Academic Zhang Tiankan explains.

Zhang Tiankan

17 Jul 2026

[Video] ‘Bullying our ancestors’: Why Chinese netizens are boycotting LV

A seemingly ordinary trademark dispute between Louis Vuitton and Chinese milk tea chain Molly Tea has escalated into a wider debate over intellectual property and cultural ownership. As backlash builds, with many even calling for LV’s trademark to be revoked, the case has become a broader reckoning on how cultural motifs should be protected in a modern commercial world.

Yi Jina

14 Jul 2026

[Vox pop] Blood, lion dance or dialect: What makes a Chinese Singaporean?

As the movie Dear You brings the history of early Chinese migrants back into the spotlight, online conversations about Chinese identity and cultural heritage have grown louder. ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming and Yi Jina speak with Chinese Singaporeans about what Chinese identity, or “Chineseness”, means to them today.

Lu Lingming, Yi Jina

03 Jul 2026

[Big read] Too ‘cool’ to resist: China’s soft power captivates Taiwan’s youth

From TikTok trends to Chinese apps and pop culture, Beijing’s soft power is gaining traction among young Taiwanese, raising fresh questions over identity, influence and cross-strait competition. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Lai Oi Lai and journalist Zhang Guanghui find out more.

Lai Oi Lai, Zhang Guanghui

01 Jul 2026

Salt-baked chicken and tea-smoked ham: Songyang’s unforgettable flavours

A literary trip to southern Zhejiang unlocks the sensory soul of Songyang — a paradise where ancient mountain villages blend rich cultural history with unforgettable delicacies. Writer Shen Jialu uncovers the rare, centuries-old art of tea-smoked ham and more.

Shen Jialu

26 Jun 2026