social conflict

social-conflict

A Cigarette in an Old Mural Has China Debating a Literary Icon’s Legacy

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

An online complaint claiming the mural promotes smoking has divided opinion, drawing hundreds of comments. Officials say the image will stay unchanged.

Chen Yiru

‘It was a Trap’: In China, Non-Competes Leave Workers in Limbo

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

Though intended to protect trade secrets, non-compete agreements are being forced on even low-level employees, stifling job mobility and career growth, experts say.

Li Xin

Trainee Faked Her Way Into Elite Chinese Hospitals, 19 Punished

What began as a marital scandal spiraled into a corruption case that sparked public outcry, after a trainee with no medical background entered China’s top hospitals on falsified records and family ties.

Jiang Xinyi

China’s Latest Viral Product Is a Bunch of Hot Air

Another canned air product has gone viral in the country, reigniting debate as to whether such items are a playful novelty or a brazen scam.

A Viral Game Targeting ‘Gold Diggers’ Has China Arguing Over Gender

Praised as anti‑fraud education and slammed as sexist fantasy, ‘Revenge on Gold Diggers’ has sparked widespread debate online.

Bilibili Star Slams Cab Driver Ratings. Quickly Loses His Own.

Top influencer He Shijie built his career on likes, shares, and glowing feedback. Then he told ride-hailing drivers not to expect the same.

Two Sessions: Labor Rights, Child Safety, AI Scams Among Key Debates

Proposals on these issues have sparked widespread debate on social media, with related hashtags drawing hundreds of millions of views online.

Sixth Tone

Sanitation Job in China Sets Age Limit, Sparks ‘Curse of 35’ Fury

After a social media backlash alleging age bias, the Guangzhou subdistrict was pressured to change the age limit.

China’s ‘Comedy Queen’ Loses Yet Another Deal Over Men Jokes

Tech giant JD.com has become the latest brand to cut ties with female comedian Yang Li after facing customer backlash.

Ding Rui

Tea but No Sympathy: Top Chain Under Fire for Ad Shaming Workers

A viral ad from bubble tea chain Good Me sparked outrage after showing workers apologizing for minor mistakes. The company was forced to apologize, and the video was quickly taken down.

Courting Controversy: The Impact of ‘Fan Circles’ on Table Tennis

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

For high-profile players of China’s national sport, diehard supporters are proving to be a blessing and a curse.

Beijing Youth Daily

Big City Dreams, Small-Town Realities for China’s Rural Youth

As more rural youth return to their hometowns due to employment, family, or big city life pressure, small cities are serving as a buffer zone between their dreams and reality.

Wang Defu

Netizens Enraged by Baidu Executive’s ‘Unbearable’ Social Media Posts

PR director Qu Jing launched an aggressive social media campaign styling herself as the ultimate hard-nosed tech executive. It backfired in spectacular fashion.

Ye Zhanhang

My Mom the Janitor: How ‘Invisible’ Workers Keep Our Cities Clean

By sharing her mother’s experiences as a cleaner, a Shenzhen writer shines a light on the lives of China’s janitors and custodians.

Zhang Xiaoman

Learning Curve: Young Teachers Strive as Class Leaders

Serving as a homeroom teacher to provide educational and emotional support to dozens of students and their parents can test educators, especially those new to the job.

White Night Workshop

A Food Courier’s Pursuit of Equal Treatment

Delivery rider Liang Ningning filed a lawsuit after a Beijing residential community told him to use the “back entrance,” to highlight the everyday discrimination facing food and parcel couriers.

The Paper

Are Kids to Blame for China’s Noisy Trains?

As disputes on high-speed rail journeys over crying babies and unruly children become more common, parents and train attendants are feeling the pressure.

How a Top Modern Dance Troupe Lost Its Home

In Locked-Down Shanghai, Students Adapt to a Surreal New Normal

Schools have introduced color-coded QR codes to regulate students’ access to supermarkets and even shared bathrooms, as they try to maintain social distancing on crowded campuses.

Zhang Wanqing

China’s Instagram Wants More Male Users. It’s Using Women as Bait.

Lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu used to be a rare safe space for Chinese women online. Then, the company began marketing itself to men as a place to meet “beautiful ladies.”