Business & Tech6 min
DiDi and ride-hailing in China: the app that beat Uber
DiDi Chuxing, Caocao, T3, Gaode aggregators, Wuhan robotaxis: how ordering a car works in China and what the word wangyueche actually covers.
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The Kotoba Interactive journal.
Editorial features on the cultures, history and languages of Asia. Filter by culture, by topic, or search for what inspires you.
97 articles
History7 min
Acupuncture: principles, history and the state of the evidence
Meridians, points, moxibustion: where Chinese acupuncture comes from, what its founding texts say and what clinical trials have established since.
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Traditions6 min
Chinese numbers: why 4 frightens and 8 sells
The 4 that sounds like death, the 8 that sounds like wealth: how homophony governs floors, licence plates, gifts and prices in China.
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Language7 min
Chinese memes and internet slang: a survival manual
666, yyds, 躺平, 吃瓜群众: where Chinese memes come from, how to read pinyin acronyms and why numbers stand in for words.
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Pop Culture7 min
Guzhuang: why Chinese costume drama is booming
The genre has a name, and it does not mean historical drama. Regulation as the engine, online novels as the fuel, platforms as the arbiter.
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Culture6 min
Donghua: what really separates it from Japanese anime
The word, the source material, 3D, permitted themes, the markets: six concrete differences between Chinese and Japanese animation, and where to start.
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Society7 min
K-beauty, J-beauty, C-beauty: three schools of skincare compared
Routines, hero products, ingredients and business models: what really separates Korean, Japanese and Chinese cosmetics, without the marketing shortcuts.
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Food7 min
Nattō, kimchi, doubanjiang: three schools of Asian fermentation
Bacteria, moulds, salt and time: what really separates Japanese nattō, Korean kimchi and Sichuan doubanjiang, and the common ancestor that links them.
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Society8 min
Xiangqi: Chinese chess, from the river to the scandal
Rules, pieces, origins and scandals of xiangqi, Chinese chess: the river across the board, the cannon that needs a screen, and the lifetime bans of 2024.
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Pop Culture8 min
C-drama fashion: from guzhuang to the Chinese street
Chinese series costumes, the mamianqun skirt, xiuhefu wedding outfits: how the c-drama wardrobe became a very real fashion industry.
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Traditions8 min
Chang'e and the cowherd: China's four great folk legends
Ten suns, an elixir, a woman on the moon, two lovers split by the Milky Way: the stories all of China knows, and what they say about its society.
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Society8 min
Guanxi: the web of relationships that keeps China running
Renqing, mianzi, banquets, favour debts: what guanxi (关系) really covers, where the line with corruption runs, and what has changed since 2012.
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Pop Culture8 min
After Labubu: Pop Mart's next wave
Crybaby, Skullpanda, Hirono: the characters Pop Mart is pushing so it no longer depends on Labubu, the artists behind them, and what this IP portfolio reveals.
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Food9 min
Why Sichuan eats so much chilli
Chilli has only existed in China since the 16th century. How Sichuan, already famous for its taste for pungency, made it the pillar of its cuisine: migration, climate, economics.
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Traditions9 min
Qixi: China's Valentine's Day and what it used to be
On 19 August 2026, China celebrates Qixi. Astronomical origin, the cowherd and weaver girl legend, needle contests: the story of a festival that was never romantic.
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Pop Culture9 min
Bias, oshi, choeae: the favourite system inside fandoms
Bias, bias wrecker, ultimate bias, oshi, choeae, weifen: how Asian fandoms turned picking a favourite into an institution, a vocabulary and an economy.
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Culture8 min
Xianxia: the Chinese fantasy of immortals
Xianxia explained: Daoist roots, the founding 1932 serial, cultivation stages, Qidian web novels, dramas, and how it differs from wuxia and xuanhuan.
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Food9 min
Lanzhou, biangbiang, hefen: the families of Chinese noodles
Miàn or fěn, four gestures that make four families, the pulled-noodle capital of Lanzhou, the wheat of the north and the rice of the south: how to read a Chinese noodle bowl.
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Arts10 min
The Three Friends of Winter: Pine, Plum, Bamboo
Pine, bamboo, plum: the 歲寒三友, Three Friends of Winter, haunt Chinese art. Song origins, Confucian symbolism, and their spread across the Sinosphere.
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Society11 min
Macau: How a Trading Post Became the Gambling Capital
Macau (澳門) is the world's largest gambling hub, far ahead of Las Vegas. Baccarat, VIP rooms, mega-resorts: anatomy of a casino machine.
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Society12 min
Shanghai's Parent Marriage Market (相亲角)
Every weekend, Chinese parents 'sell' their single children at Shanghai's People's Park. Inside the 相亲角, its résumé sheets and its unwritten rules.
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Traditions10 min
Sexagenary cycle ganzhi: five elements, twelve animals
The sexagenary cycle ganzhi pairs ten heavenly stems with twelve earthly branches over sixty years. Oracle-bone origins, elements, animals, and time as return.
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Arts12 min
The vermilion of the torii: why Asian temples are these colours
Red that repels evil and protects wood, the gold of the Buddha, the five colours of dancheong: what the colours of Japanese, Chinese and Korean shrines actually say.
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Business & Tech13 min
Alipay, WeChat Pay: How China Abolished Cash
QR-code duopoly, technological leapfrogging, the red-envelope war and the digital yuan: the mobile payment rail that erased cash in China.
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Food11 min
Kissaten, dalgona, Luckin: how Asia turned to coffee
Tea was Asia's mother drink. In a century, the Japanese kissaten, Korean dalgona and China's Luckin have installed coffee alongside it.
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Traditions11 min
Why Vietnam has a cat where China has a rabbit
The same twelve-animal zodiac, three countries, three lists that do not match: the Vietnamese cat, the Japanese boar, and the linguistic explanation for the gap.
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History10 min
The 36 Stratagems: the handbook of Chinese cunning
The 36 Chinese stratagems (三十六计), their origins, their six categories and their famous chengyu. Military ruses turned into an art of negotiation.
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Philosophy10 min
Yin and Yang: the Chinese Philosophy of Balance
Yin and yang explained without the clichés: their roots in the Yijing, the taijitu symbol, the five phases, and their uses in medicine, feng shui and martial arts.
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Society9 min
Guochao: the pride of Chinese brands
Guochao (国潮), the national wave pushing young Chinese consumers toward local brands. Origins, figures and the backstage of a cultural shift.
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Business & Tech10 min
Chinese Livestreamers: The Live Selling That Changed Everything
Li Jiaqi, Viya, Taobao Live: inside 直播带货 (zhibo daihuo), the live selling worth nearly 5 trillion yuan across China.
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Society13 min
Singles' Day (11.11): The World's Biggest Shopping Festival
Born among single students in Nanjing, November 11 became, thanks to Alibaba, the planet's largest shopping festival. The story of China's Double 11.
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Traditions14 min
The Hungry Ghost Festival: China's Ghost Month
Gates of hell flung open, spirit money burned, meals left for wandering souls: inside Zhongyuan, China's ghost month and its rites.
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Traditions12 min
Chongyang: The Double Ninth Festival and Chinese Autumn
On the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, China celebrates Chongyang: climbing the heights, chrysanthemum wine, Wang Wei's poem, and honoring the elderly.
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Traditions13 min
Qingming: China's Tomb-Sweeping Festival of the Dead
Every spring, the Qingming festival gathers Chinese families around ancestral graves. Discover its origins, rites, foods, and living meaning today.
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Society12 min
Mianzi: The Chinese Concept of Face and Its Social Weight
Understand mianzi (面子), Chinese 'face': giving, losing, and saving face, and its ties to guanxi, renqing, and Confucianism in everyday life.
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Traditions13 min
Auspicious Dates: Picking the Right Day with the Chinese Almanac
Weddings, moving house, opening a shop: how the Chinese almanac (huangli) and the art of choosing a lucky day (zeri) still guide China's biggest decisions.
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Society7 min
Hukou: the residence system that divides China
Understanding hukou, the household registration system that decides where Chinese citizens may live, work and access public services. Origins, mechanics and reforms.
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Culture7 min
Hongbao: the art of the red envelope in China
Everything about hongbao, the red envelopes of money given at Chinese New Year and other big occasions. Traditions, amounts, etiquette and the digital turn.
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Society8 min
Shenzhen: how a fishing village became the tech capital of the world
From special economic zone to innovation megacity: Shenzhen embodies China's tech revolution. Huaqiangbei, maker culture, startups and futuristic urbanism.
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Food7 min
Naicha: how bubble tea became a generational obsession in China
From Taiwanese milk tea to the naicha phenomenon in mainland China: Heytea, Nayuki, three-hour queues and the sociology of a drink turned lifestyle.
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Traditions9 min
Hanfu: the spectacular return of traditional Chinese clothing
The hanfu movement in China: how millions of young Chinese have revived Han traditional dress, between cultural pride, social media and the fashion industry.
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Society9 min
996: the work system that is burning out China
Investigation into China's 996 system, where tech employees work from 9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week. Origins, backlash, the tang ping movement, and reforms.
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History9 min
Macau: where Portugal married China
Discover Macau, a former Portuguese trading post turned Special Administrative Region of China. Colonial architecture, Macanese cuisine, casinos and a unique cultural heritage.
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Society9 min
Guangchangwu: the Chinese grannies who make public squares dance
Discover guangchangwu, the phenomenon of collective dancing on public squares in China. Origins, controversies, social impact, and 100 million participants.
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Society9 min
The Gaokao: the exam that decides the fate of eleven million Chinese students
Everything you need to know about the Gaokao, China's national university entrance exam. History, social pressure, intensive preparation, and impact on Chinese society.
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Traditions8 min
The Dragon Boat Festival: when China paddles for Qu Yuan
History and traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 Duanwu) in China: dragon boat races, zongzi, Qu Yuan, and rituals of the fifth lunar month.
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Business & Tech12 min
WeChat: the super-app that does everything
The full history of WeChat, the Chinese super-app that redefined digital life. Messaging, mobile payment, mini-programs, social network: how one application became a social operating system.
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Arts7 min
Wushu: the Chinese martial art between combat and poetry
History of wushu and Chinese kung fu: from Shaolin to taiji quan, internal and external styles, traditional weapons and the legacy of martial arts in China.
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Food7 min
Chinese tea: a journey through the six families
Guide to Chinese tea and its six great families: green, white, yellow, oolong, red and dark. Gongfu cha, terroirs, preparation and the culture of tea in China.
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Society7 min
Beijing's hutong: in the alleyways of Chinese memory
History and life of Beijing's hutong: siheyuan architecture, neighbourhood culture, demolitions and resistance. A journey through the traditional alleyways of Beijing.
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Arts7 min
Blue and white porcelain: China's fragile treasure
History of Chinese blue and white porcelain: Jingdezhen, cobalt, Yuan and Ming dynasties, kraak ware, export to Europe and a living legacy.
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Culture7 min
The classical gardens of Suzhou: nature reinvented
Discovering the classical Chinese gardens of Suzhou: the Master of the Nets, the Humble Administrator, rocks, water, philosophy and UNESCO heritage.
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Traditions6 min
The Lantern Festival: when China lights up the night
History and traditions of the Lantern Festival (元宵节) in China: lanterns, riddles, tangyuan, dragon and lion dances, the fifteenth night of the New Year.
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Culture14 min
Donghua: The Rise of Chinese Animation Challenging Japan
A complete guide to donghua (动画): from the Wan brothers to Bilibili studios, the overlooked history of Chinese animation, its masterpieces, and its meteoric international rise.
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Culture10 min
C-drama: the Chinese genres that exist nowhere else
Xianxia, guzhuang, modern romance, thrillers: what defines a c-drama, how it differs from a k-drama, and which series to start with.
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Food6 min
Dim sum: the Cantonese art of touching the heart
Discovering dim sum and Cantonese yum cha: the origin of tea houses, the iconic bites, the ritual of the trolleys and the culture of the Chinese brunch.
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Food7 min
Chopsticks: Etiquette and Differences in Japan, Korea and China
The chopstick guide for Asia: Chinese origin, Japanese shapes, Korean metal, table manners and taboos to know in Japan, Korea and China.
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Language8 min
Hanzi: Understanding Chinese Characters and Their Logic
How hanzi, the Chinese characters, work. Origins on oracle bones, the six categories, radicals, phonetic compounds, and how many you really need to know.
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Society6 min
4 and 8 across Asia: the map of lucky and unlucky numbers
China, Japan, Korea: three languages, three sets of homophones, the same fourth floor missing from the lifts. A comparative table of the digits.
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Culture6 min
Feng shui: the Chinese art of harmonizing space and qi
History and principles of feng shui, the Chinese art of harmony: qi, yin and yang, the five elements, the luopan compass, and the line between tradition and superstition.
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Society6 min
Mahjong: The History and Rules of the Chinese Tile Game
The history of mahjong, the Chinese tile game: Qing-era origins, the 144 tiles, the worldwide craze of the 1920s, and the Chinese, Japanese and American variants.
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Traditions5 min
The Chinese kite: two thousand years in the wind
History of the Chinese kite (fengzheng): ancient invention, military uses, popular art, the capital Weifang and the symbolism of cutting the string in spring.
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History6 min
The Silk Road: the history of a network that linked two worlds
History of the Silk Road: opening under the Han, Zhang Qian's mission, the silk trade, the exchange of ideas and religions, decline and legacy.
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Traditions6 min
Chinese New Year: the Spring Festival, the world's largest celebration
Origins, legends and rituals of Chinese New Year: the Nian monster, the red envelopes, the reunion dinner, the lion dances and the Lantern Festival.
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Arts6 min
Weiqi: the Chinese game of go, the art of encircling
History and principles of weiqi (the game of go): millennia-old Chinese origins, the rule of encirclement, the scholar's art, baduk, igo and the AlphaGo shock.
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Culture7 min
Wuxia: the wandering knights of the Chinese imagination
Discovering wuxia, the world of Chinese wandering knights: the xia, the jianghu, Jin Yong, swordplay cinema and the values that animate this ancient genre.
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History6 min
The Great Wall of China: History, Myths and Truths
The history of the Great Wall of China: not a single wall but 2,000 years of fortifications, from Qin Shi Huang to the Ming, its true length and the myth of visibility from space.
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Arts5 min
Tai chi chuan: the Chinese art of slow movement
History and principles of tai chi chuan (taijiquan): Chinese internal martial art, yin-yang and qi, debated origins, Chen and Yang styles, global health practice.
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Food7 min
Chinese Tea and Gongfu Cha: The Ancient Art of Brewing
The history of Chinese tea and gongfu cha: the legend of Shennong, Lu Yu's Classic of Tea, the six great families, the Yixing teapot and the art of infusion.
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Arts5 min
The erhu: the two-stringed Chinese fiddle
History and secrets of the erhu, the Chinese two-stringed fiddle: origins of the huqin, python-skin sound box, voice-like timbre and Abing's masterpiece.
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Traditions19 min
Chinese Zodiac: The Twelve Animals and Their Legend
From twelve animals to five elements, the Chinese zodiac hides a fascinating cosmology. The great race legend, the betrayed cat, and Fruits Basket.
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Food5 min
Baijiu: the national spirit of China
History and secrets of baijiu, China's clear grain spirit: sorghum distillation, qū ferment, Moutai aromas, the culture of ganbei and the banquet, drink of diplomacy.
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Culture6 min
The qipao: history of the Chinese dress and its mandarin collar
History of the qipao (cheongsam), the iconic Chinese dress: Manchu origins, the 1920s-30s Shanghai revolution, symbolism, decline and revival.
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Society9 min
Valentine's, White Day, Black Day: Love Across East Asia
From Valentine's to White Day and Black Day, how Japan, Korea, and China reinvented love holidays. Plus: the horror game White Day.
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Arts6 min
Peking Opera: Makeup, Roles and History of Chinese Jingju
The history of Peking opera (jingju): its birth in the 18th century, the four roles, the lianpu painted faces and their colors, Mei Lanfang and the preservation of a total art.
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Society6 min
The giant panda: symbol of China and diplomatic tool
History and secrets of the giant panda: the bamboo-eating bear of Sichuan, icon of conservation, and instrument of a centuries-old Chinese diplomacy.
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Language11 min
Oppa, Senpai, Gege: Titles That Shape East Asian Society
Oppa, Noona, Hyeong, Senpai, Kohai, Gege, Jiejie: understanding the honorific titles governing social relationships in Japan, Korea, and China.
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History6 min
The Forbidden City: the imperial palace at the heart of Beijing
History of Beijing's Forbidden City: its construction under the Ming, its nine thousand rooms, its cosmic symbolism, its emperors and its rebirth as a museum.
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Food18 min
Matcha: History and Secrets of Japanese Green Tea
From the emerald powder of Zen monks to the global matcha latte, a deep dive into the history, production, and secrets of Japan's most iconic tea.
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Society10 min
Karaoke: From Japan to the World, the Art of Singing Together
History of karaoke, from its invention in Japan to noraebang culture in Korea and KTV in China. How a machine changed our evenings.
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Food18 min
Chinese Hotpot: The Bubbling Feast That Unites China
From fiery Sichuan broth to delicate Cantonese stock, Chinese hotpot is far more than a meal. Explore the history and traditions of China's ultimate communal feast.
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Language11 min
Chengyu: Four-Character Idioms That Tell the Story of China
Discover chengyu, Chinese four-character idioms born from ancient tales, fables, and literary classics. History, meaning, and daily use.
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Arts5 min
The guzheng: the thousand-year Chinese zither
History and art of the guzheng, the Chinese table zither: 21 strings, movable bridges, glissandos, over 2,000 years of music, from the guqin to today's stages.
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History6 min
The Terracotta Army: the eternal soldiers of Xi'an
History of the Terracotta Army of Xi'an: 8,000 soldiers of the first emperor Qin Shi Huang, found in 1974, guardians of a tomb never opened.
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Philosophy7 min
Taoism: Laozi, the Dao and the art of not forcing
Discovering Taoism: Laozi and the Dao De Jing, the dao, wu wei (non-action), Zhuangzi and the butterfly, philosophical and religious Taoism, against Confucianism.
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Arts11 min
Manga, manhwa, manhua: an East Asian culture glossary
Shōjo, seinen, hallyu, xianxia, webtoon: a dictionary of the terms, genres and traditions of Japan, South Korea and China, sorted by country.
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Arts6 min
Chinese paper cutting: the art of scissors and luck
History and symbols of jianzhi, Chinese paper cutting: red motifs on New Year windows, double happiness, origins after the invention of paper, listed by UNESCO.
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Culture6 min
The Chinese dragon: the serpent that brings the rain
Symbolism of the Chinese dragon (long): benevolent creature of the waters, imperial five-clawed emblem, master of rain, and why the Chinese call themselves its descendants.
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Culture7 min
Traditional Chinese medicine: qi, yin-yang and needles
Understanding traditional Chinese medicine: qi, yin and yang, the five phases, acupuncture, herbal pharmacopoeia, its founding texts and today's scientific debate.
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Culture7 min
Jade in China: the stone more precious than gold
History and symbolism of Chinese jade: nephrite and jadeite, the five Confucian virtues, bi discs and cong tubes, jade burial suits and the imperial seal.
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Society10 min
Pop Mart and Labubu: The Chinese Empire of Global Collectibles
From Wang Ning in Beijing to the worldwide Labubu craze, Pop Mart is reinventing adult collectibles with its blind boxes and becoming China's pop empire.
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Arts7 min
Chinese calligraphy: the art of the brush and the breath
History and principles of Chinese calligraphy (shufa): the four treasures of the study, the five script styles, Wang Xizhi and the link between gesture, breath and beauty.
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History7 min
Chinese silk: antiquity's best-kept secret
Sericulture, the legend of Leizu, death for exporting silkworms: how China kept the secret of silk for three thousand years.
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Food7 min
Mala: Sichuan pepper and chilli, how it actually works
Mala in two beats: the Sichuan pepper that numbs, the chilli that burns. The molecules, the signature dishes and how to dose it at home.
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Philosophy6 min
Confucius and Confucianism: the thought that shaped Asia
Who Confucius was and what Confucianism is: ren, li, filial piety, the Analects, the imperial exams and the legacy across China, Korea and Japan.
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