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The Last Tokens

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

As Shenyang’s youth fades into memory and nostalgia, Xu Shouzhong’s arcade lives on.

For Shanghai’s Dr. House, Every Patient Is a Neighbor 

Cherry Blossom Nights

Body as Theater: A Living Art Experiment Comes to Shanghai

China’s Only Solution Yet for Climate-Ravaged Villages: ‘Move Out’

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

One of Hunan’s largest-ever relocation drives seeks to move entire villages from disaster zones. While many whose homes were destroyed have already moved, those whose homes remain intact face a difficult decision.

Rain, Ruin, Repeat: The Chinese Villages Caught in Climate Chaos

Months after the worst flooding Hunan province has seen in decades, villagers in the hardest-hit areas continue to struggle with displacement and instability. Experts warn that climate change is making such disasters more frequent and severe.

Backstage With a Cantonese Opera Troupe

Spring in Guangdong means one thing: opera.

The Motor Cities Behind China’s EV Empire

China’s push to dominate the EV market starts in factory towns deep in the countryside, where assembly lines run day and night and life is tethered to nonstop production.

Bringing Back Baile

Shanghai’s Last Accordion Craftsman Just Wants to Make Ends Meet

Shen Jian never learned how to play the instrument, but after almost 50 years spent building accordions, he’s one of the few remaining custodians of an almost forgotten musical tradition.

Race to the Top: A Teenage Driver Strives for Glory in China

Across China, a Test of Futures: The 2024 Gaokao in Photos

A selection of photos from exam sites in Shanghai and across the country.

In Shanghai’s Lounge Lawn, Stressed-Out Office Workers Kick Back

A 30-meter lawn sloped like a lawn chair has become a popular spot for relaxation among the city’s office workers.

The Artist Monkeying Around With China’s Monkey King

The Firefighter Documenting Sichuan’s Plateau Forest Fires

Firefighter Cheng Xueli was recruited to contain Sichuan’s recent forest fires in Yajiang County, documenting his colleagues as they worked at over 4,000 meters above sea level.

Collage: Shanghai in Bloom 

A selection of recent photos by Sixth Tone.

The Chinese ‘Auntie’ Who Hit the Road — and Never Looked Back

Collage: How Cities Across China Are Welcoming the Dragon 

The best art and installations celebrating the imminent arrival of the Year of the Dragon.

In a Home for the Young and Sick, Despair, Resilience, and Hope

A charity is offering free housing to families of seriously sick children. What is life like within its walls?