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Trending in China

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Trending in China
The latest news, trends and events people are talking about on China's internet, social media and elsewhere.
A Japanese ramen restaurant has faced backlash on social media after announcing a ban on Chinese customers, claiming that 90 per cent of issues with foreign diners involves people from China. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Google Map
Viral stories

Japan ramen eatery bans ‘troublesome’ China diners, charges more for English menu

Restaurant says it was forced to call police over unruly Chinese diners; social media sleuths claim real reason for ‘trouble’ is pricing policy.

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China’s crackdowns

China targets wealthy influencers with audits, fines as fiscal pressures rise

Chinese superstitions

Explainer | China folk custom beats women to boost fertility, dire results for not conceiving

Mainland China

Video | China’s bookstores are booming, but not because of the books

Bookstores that feature stunning architecture and tasteful interior design are the newest hotspot for aspiring influencers.

This picture taken on December 9, 2025 shows people visiting a bookstore in Tianjin. Towering accordion steps and a fantastical spiral staircase greet visitors to a massive bookstore in northern China’s Tianjin, where its striking interior is a bigger draw for selfie snappers than scholars. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP) / TO GO WITH CHINA-SOCIAL-BOOKS-ARCHITECTURE BY MARY YANG
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China midwife accidentally severs baby’s finger, results in reattachment surgery

Nurse admits blunder, blames newborn’s moving fingers as she cut umbilical cord; infant’s father says wife is ‘distraught’ about incident.

Year of the Horse 2026

China factory error gives toy horses’ mouths pouty curves, wins hearts, boosts sales

Sewing mistake spawns unlikely retail hit seen as fitting mascot for approaching Lunar New Year of the Horse.

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National Football League

China entrepreneur promises football players a car each, retracts offer after big win

Team members express private discontent after withdrawal of vehicle pledge; soccer association say they ‘understand’ businesswoman’s position.

An entrepreneur in China, promised each player in a local football team a car if they won a key tournament then reneged on her pledge when they did. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote
Scams and swindles

China teen makes bogus returns on cosmetics platform, profiting US$570,000 from resale

17-year-old makes 11,900 deceptive refund applications after discovering loophole; splurges ill-gotten gains on new mobile phones, friends.

Mainland China

Video | Chinese-made ‘Are You Dead’ app addresses fear of dying alone

Failing to check in for two days in a row will result in the app sending an email to the emergency contact person.

Apps

China ‘dead or alive’ app allows solo users check in daily, alerts contacts if they miss it

‘Entertaining’ phone app that flirts with taboo notion of death and cost US$140 to develop now valued at US$1.4 million.

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A viral Chinese app called “Dead or Not” helps people who live alone check in daily to confirm that they are alive. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Sohu

China girl, 12, pens essay to thank ‘second dad’, offers him US$140 after job loss

Youngster says she was left ‘shivering in the wind’ after death of father; love from uncle saved her from the darkness.

A 12-year-old Chinese girl has written a touching essay expressing gratitude to her uncle, or “second father”, following the death of her real dad. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Insurance

China woman buys US$28 ‘love insurance’, claims US$1,400 after marriage a decade later

Husband says he thought his wife had been scammed when told about policy; couple opt for cash payout over 10,000 roses.

Entrepreneurs

Profile | Zhou Qunfei: ex-security guard becomes world’s richest self-made woman entrepreneur

Woman who began life in destitution goes from factory floor to US$16 billion fortune; says success comes from ‘refusal to accept defeat’.

China nurse suspended after posting photos of boyfriend writing reports, sorting IV bags

Woman’s films partner ‘preparing drugs’ for patients to show how ‘considerate’ he is; ‘there is something wrong with her brain’, say officials.

A Chinese nurse has been suspended after she shared images of her boyfriend helping her during a night shift. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin
Crime in China

China wife shocked that ‘People’s Armed Police officer’ husband is convicted killer

‘Disgusted’ wife of fraudster introduced to her by an uncle discovers that he is serving a suspended death sentence; has child with another woman.

A Chinese woman has discovered that the husband she believed to be a People’s Armed Police officer was, in fact, a convicted murderer who had assumed a false identity. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
Chinese superstitions

Explainer | How ancient Chinese ‘borrowing longevity’ custom helps to extend lifespan

In ancient China, people believed that fate predetermined lifespan, yet they also thought life expectancy could be borrowed or exchanged.

Chinese superstitions

Explainer | China ‘hair-shaving’ ritual for newborns uses stones, coins, eggs, symbolises success

Ancient custom sometimes saw babies’ eyebrows completely shaved by a highly skilled barber; tradition believed to remove ‘misfortune, evil’.

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China’s private sector

Changing tastes: China’s new affluent consumers seek quality not extravagance

Rise of upper middle class reshapes China’s retail market, driving demand for quality goods and creating a battleground for global brands.

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The success of US retailer Sam’s Club in China is attributed to its “premium-value” offering sought by upper-middle-income consumers. Photo: Eugene Lee
Health & Fitness

China woman, 23, exercises 6 times a week, stops menstruating due to rapid weight loss

Intense workouts see woman’s female hormone levels slump to that of a 50-year-old; doctors warn her to slow down, try yoga instead.

Disability

China woman who lost limbs in crash gives disabled staff jobs based on their strengths

30-year-old who suffered 3 heart attacks, 14 rounds of surgery dresses like a ‘warrior’; is described as the ‘pride of all women’ online.

Social media

China actor rejects US$2,800 mountain-climbing companion fee, plans to change jobs

Buff, struggling performer who adheres to a strict ‘non-sexual’ service policy plans to branch out into becoming a swimming buddy.

A 35-year-old Chinese actor known for offering paid companionship on mountain walks has rejected a proposed US$2,800 fee and plans to explore paid swimming companionship in 2026. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote/QQ.com
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

Self-taught China pupil impresses peers with TCM pulse diagnosis, praised online

Classmates queue up for youngster with facial expression of ‘an experienced doctor’; tells one boy ‘your problem is spicy food’.

A secondary school pupil in China who is self-taught in Traditional Chinese Medicine has impressed his classmates with his pulse assessment skills. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/X.com
Social media

Video | Why has America’s ‘kill line’ gone viral in China?

The public debate has inevitably drawn parallels with problems faced by China’s own population.

China education

China tutoring school links civil service exam success to higher bride prices

Wedding betrothal advertisement emblazoned on public bus sparks public anger; officials order institution to stop marketing campaign.

Netflix

Profile | Ex-Taiwan model, actress Jean Wang ends abusive marriage, excels in culinary arts

Entertainment star impresses with patisserie skills; maintains film career, becomes role model for women who face domestic violence.

Taiwanese model and actress Jean Wang, who once starring alongside icons like Brigitte Lin and Joey Wong and endured an abusive marriage, has emerged as a symbol of resilience after her divorce. Photo: SCMP composite/Sohu/Facebook
Mainland China

Video | Why are women-only communities growing in China?

Economic independence and educational opportunities are enabling women to focus on their own needs, while social media has exposed many to alternative lifestyles.

Demand for single-gender spaces, including bars, gyms and co-working hubs, is rising in China as women gain economic power and prioritise peace of mind and safety.
Mental health

China ‘instant reply providers’ offer solace by responding to angry clients online

‘Good listeners’ with a high emotional quotient earn cash by listening to people’s gripes; offer to provide a ‘whole-day good mood’.

Social media

Online appeal by Chinese woman to boost granny’s funeral crowd gets 130 million views

Granddaughter of introverted grandma who had few friends offers gifts, travelling expenses to thoughtful strangers who came to ceremony.

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