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Trending in China

Trending in China
The latest news, trends and events people are talking about on China's internet, social media and elsewhere.
At 12, Wang Yu donated 10 yuan (US$1.5) to end power cuts. Today, he works for China’s State Grid, personally keeping the lights on. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com
China Three Gorges Corporation

Chinese boy who donated US$1.5 to end power cuts now works for energy company

Feeling that his first contribution was far too small for such a massive undertaking, Wang quietly made a second US$1.5 donation shortly after.

Mainland China

Real Madrid issues apology to China over Mbappe’s Mao remarks

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Chinese student inspired by farm owner lands master’s spot 6 years later

Artificial intelligence

‘Chinese can actually fly’: man pilots homemade hoverboard over mountains, river

Song believes that because he started with nothing, he has no fear of failure, making courageous forward progress his only choice.

A Chinese influencer built a Green Goblin-inspired hoverboard, successfully flying it across the Yangtze River. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Social media

Football star Kylian Mbappe faces huge China backlash over ‘unacceptable’ remark

Real Madrid star issues apology after major Chinese brands cut ties him over comment, which sparked intense social media backlash.

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Chinese cuisine

China eatery creates ‘cockroach’-topped egg tarts, sparking viral curiosity

Used in traditional Chinese medicine, certain cockroaches are believed to clear blood stasis and detoxify the body.

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Scams and swindles

AI boy avatars go viral in China, using sob stories to trick elderly out of money

With commissions up to 55%, creators using public AI prompts to make these ‘Xiaohai’ videos can pocket 2,000 to 3,000 yuan (US$300–US$450) a day.

Scammers are using viral Chinese AI boy avatars and fake sob stories to target the elderly on short-video apps. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Animals

Why China’s heritage-listed Dog-Carrying Festival honours canines as sacred lifesavers

Festival helps pass core cultural values to younger generations by honouring dogs as miraculous heroes, lifelong companions to Miao people.

Chinese neighbours go viral over 200-year land dispute dating back to Qianlong era

One observer’s take: the land must have incredible feng shui for both families to survive centuries of upheaval and still have the energy to fight.

How ancient Chinese night watchmen patrolled streets, used water clocks

Ancient water clocks were crafted from a variety of materials; those used in royal palaces were made from gold, silver, and jade.

To keep the peace and track the hours, ancient Chinese night watchmen patrolled the streets using the dripping water clock system shown above. Photo: SCMP composite/Sohu/Baidu

‘Mum, good’: Chinese woman wakes vegetative daughter-in-law after 17 years of care

Xuan feeds Xu liquid food spoonful by spoonful, taking an hour per meal, and turns her over 10 times daily to prevent bedsores.

After 17 years of devoted care by her mother-in-law, a woman who was left in a vegetative state following a car accident has remarkably regained her ability to speak and walk. Photo: Douyin
Animals

China study suggests animal sacrifice may have been part of ancient Sanxingdui rituals

New research, facilitated by cutting-edge techniques, led to one of the first examples of physical proof for ancient ritual animal slaughter.

Pets

Pet custody disputes rise in China, where pets are legally treated as property

Public sentiment argues pets are living beings with feelings, not inanimate objects like sofas or TVs, and should not be treated as mere property.

Disability

‘Running on his hands’: Chinese world record holder wows with skateboarding skills

Xie uses his wheelchair skills to travel, summiting Mount Huangshan 4 times and sharing his journeys online to inspire others with spinal injuries.

A Chinese man with a disability named Xie Junwu, widely known online as the “Wind-Breaking Knight,” has gone viral for his extraordinary wheelchair and skateboarding skills. Photo: Facebook
Cancer

China cancer patient who inspired hit film hopes to stop treatment after 35,000 pills

Driven by the cinematic impact of ‘Dying to Survive’, Chinese health authorities fast-tracked critical healthcare reforms for cancer patients.

Lu Yong, right, whose real-life story inspired the hit film “Dying to Survive”, left, helped bring the struggles of cancer patients into the spotlight. Photo: SCMP composite/Baidu/Jimu
Tesla

China urges confidence in local tech after dramatic Tesla flying-car debut

One analyst argues that the Roadster’s value lies in its ‘halo effect’: inspiring family-car buyers to want a Tesla.

Chinese influencer who survived 35-floor fall returns to social media

She says her life no longer belongs only to her, but to everyone who helped her, and vows to live it beautifully as an expression of gratitude.

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Xiaomi

China AI researcher hits Xiaomi’s top tier in 10 months, talks work-life balance

I am like a snail who does not pursue the fastest move, but my every step is clearly visible, Luo says of her character.

Within 10 months of joining Xiaomi, 31-year-old AI researcher Luo Fuli ascended to the company’s highest professional level — a success she attributes to sheer hard work. Photo: Sina
Nanjing University

China university course pushes students to call strangers to build social skills

The unique course defies the traditional Chinese ethos of keeping a low profile and living by the mantra, ‘do more, speak less’.

Mental health

China celebrities open up about mental health to build authentic connections with fans

Conversely, sceptics argue that bringing mental illness so deeply into the digital spotlight risks trivialising severe diagnoses.

Artificial intelligence

Chinese AI idol’s ‘pregnancy’ stunt sparks backlash, debate over digital boundaries

An observer notes that the moment it goes live, it commodifies a sensitive topic that should never be exploited.

An AI idol in China sparked massive online backlash after announcing a “pregnancy” and halting all public activities. Photo: SCMP Composite/Shutterstock/QQ.com
Women and gender

Seeking men’s approval? Backlash over China tennis star’s glamorous trophy photo

Backlash sparks massive debate: most fans defend tennis star, with one viral comment declaring, ‘strength and beauty are not opposites’.

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Chinese tennis star Zheng Qinwen faces online criticism after posing with her China Open trophy on the Great Wall in a white dress and high heels. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo
Weddings

No fuss, just dinner: China couple ditch wedding drama for US$11,000 guest feast

The couple’s ‘four no’s’ wedding eliminates traditional mainstays: no bride pickup, no car fleet, no MC, and no videographer.

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Chinese superstitions

Why stealing pumpkins for newlyweds is a blessing in ancient Chinese tradition

Some northern communities traditionally place a pumpkin under the wedding quilt as a blessing for future generations.

Palau

Taiwan Mandopop band member allegedly assaulted by South Korean diver underwater

Rival diver claims self-defence, alleging Song’s group intruded on their dive site, ignored warnings to leave, and struck first.

Caught on camera: Mandopop singer Devon Song survives a terrifying underwater assault in Palau after a rival guide attacks him and his instructor 25 metres deep. Photo: QQ.com

Strangers and railway staff help Chinese couple bring quintuplets home by train

Despite a previous diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that can make pregnancy challenging, the 24-year-old mother conceived naturally.

When a Xinjiang couple brought their quintuplets home from Wuhan by train, railway staff and fellow passengers pitched in to help care for the babies. Photo: QQ.com

Chinese man hosts wedding and ex’s baby banquet at same venue on same day

According to a legal expert, although Wu’s case does not legally constitute bigamy, he could still face civil liability.

Wang Yang

China tech hub’s daytime dog curfew slammed by pet owners

“Do you think this is civilised? You still believe this world is only inhabited by human beings?” one member of public questions.

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