Nature
Society
[Big read] From singing bowls to forest therapy: China’s 10-trillion-RMB healing economy
China’s healing economy is booming as consumers spend on emotional wellbeing, from singing bowls and forest therapy to trendy toys. But as healing becomes big business, concerns over commercialisation and misleading claims are growing. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zeng Shi finds out.
Zeng Shi
10 Sep 2026
Culture
Why city living starves the soul: I left Taipei to find the earth again
Chishang in Taitung county brought Taiwanese art historian Chiang Hsun back to the land. After decades of urban life, he rediscovers dawn, dusk and the seasons — and reflects on how reconnecting with the land might help us recover something we have lost.
Chiang Hsun
04 Sep 2026
Society
Seven minutes to disaster: How climate change exposed a Himalayan blind spot
A glacier collapse near the China-Nepal border triggered a catastrophic mudslide in just seven minutes, exposing gaps in monitoring and early warning as climate change raises the risk of extreme Himalayan disasters. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei finds out more.
Sim Tze Wei
31 Aug 2026
Politics
When Chinese mining meets weak governance in Africa — who pays?
The Lubumbashi dam collapse exposes the human and environmental toll of Chinese mining in Africa. Weak oversight leaves communities and forests at risk — a warning spotlighted at COP30. Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May unpacks the stakes.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
08 Dec 2025
Society
From Mao to livestreams: The new face of China’s collective living
Chinese vloggers who have set up communal living arrangements, or “shared homelands”, have been trending online, claiming to offer a new type of home where one eats and lives for free. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang finds out if they are sustainable and if there are any strings attached.
Li Kang
18 Sep 2025
Culture
From lion’s mane to porcinis: The wild flavours of China’s mushrooms
Stir-fried with oyster sauce; cooked in stock with ham and a mature hen; simmered in Pu’er tea broth, oyster sauce, rock sugar, cloves and other seasonings; sliced thin and blanched briefly in clear chicken broth — these are just some of the ways to enjoy the abundant variety of mushrooms found in China. Writer Shen Jialu shares the wonderful flavours of the wild one can taste from them.
Shen Jialu
22 Aug 2025
Society
The new rural dream: China’s urbanites seek greener pastures
Push factors from the hustle and bustle of cities and pull factors from the idyllic countryside are driving young urbanites to seek career opportunities in rural villages. Lianhe Zaobao news correspondent Yush Chau speaks with these “new villagers” to find out more about their motivations to pursue life outside big cities.
Yush Chau
19 Aug 2025
Culture
Chengdu, where the everyday becomes art [Eye on Sichuan series]
Chengdu is a metropolis interwoven with tradition and modernity, embodying the paradoxical yet balanced relationship between “nature” and “construction”. Sichuan academic Zhang Jinyao takes us on a walk along the picturesque ancient alleys and streets of Chengdu, exploring how the everyday has shaped the city’s life, art and architecture.
Zhang Jinyao
29 May 2025
Culture
Taiwanese art historian: What do Su Shi, Mao Zedong and Jesus have in common?
Defamed by villains, ostracised by the imperial court and repeatedly demoted to barren lands — was Song dynasty poet and essayist Su Shi’s dire fate truly dictated by the stars of Capricorn? Taiwanese art historian Chiang Hsun muses on the rumblings and trivialities in Su Shi’s life.
Chiang Hsun
17 Apr 2025
Culture
[Photos] Northern Xinjiang: A kaleidoscope of vivid colours and rich culture
A trip to northern Xinjiang in the fall is an unforgettable experience, replete with captivating scenery, lush nature, a vibrant cultural heritage and delicious cuisine. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Hedy Yang and photojournalist Ngoh Shian Bang give us a glimpse of the region’s beauty and appeal.
Hedy Yang, Ngoh Shian Bang
14 Feb 2025