Poetry and protest: That other Tiananmen incident

Poetry and protest: That other Tiananmen incident

By Rob Moore | June 4, 2020 Tiananmen 1976 Comedian Doug Stanhope once commented, in his trademark acidic fashion, that the failure of the Occupy Wall Street movement could be explained by one thing: drum circles. Bankers don’t care about drum circles. Hippies care...
The life and work of Jia Zhangke, Chinese auteur

The life and work of Jia Zhangke, Chinese auteur

By Lavinia Liang | May 28, 2020 Jia Zhangke belongs to a generation of Chinese filmmakers who became disillusioned with big-budget productions that avoid addressing China’s social problems. His movies go a long way toward rectifying that.  Jiǎ Zhāngkē 贾樟柯 is one of...
A brief history of the qipao: China’s sexiest dress

A brief history of the qipao: China’s sexiest dress

By Catherine Zauhar | May 20, 2020 Illustration by Derek Zheng The qípáo 旗袍, sometimes referred to as a cheongsam (长衫 chángshān), is a traditional garment that has recently, for better or for worse, experienced a renaissance. Trendy vintage stores now sell the same...
A Chinese scholar at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

A Chinese scholar at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

By Lee Moore | May 14, 2020 Kang Youwei and Late Qing Nationalism In the early part of the previous century, China and its people were ravenous for ideas from outside their borders. One scholar traveled the globe, only understanding his own country when he got to the...