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Putting Translation, Maps, and Payment on My Phone Home Screen Made Street Travel Calmer
The first time I realized that a phone home screen could affect my mood while traveling was at a metro exit in Nanjing. I had just come out near the Confucius Temple area and was h
What Hooks Major Foreign Creators in Chongqing Is Never Only the Glow of Hongyadong
Over the last two years, more and more foreign travel creators have pointed their cameras toward China, and Chongqing has become one of the most repeated stops. On the surface, thi
On an Ordinary Weekday Bus Stop, I Learned That Queueing in China Is Not Just About the Shape of the Line
The first time I carefully observed queueing at a Chinese bus stop on a weekday morning was because I thought I had already chosen the right place, yet I still fell half a beat beh
Best Chinese Souvenirs to Buy
What to bring home? This guide helps you avoid mass-produced trinkets and find souvenirs with real cultural value.
The Silk Road Adventure
Many travelers think the Silk Road is just "desert plus ruins." The reality is far richer — you'll cross four provinces, three climate zones, and encounter some of China's most dra
The Question “How Many People Are Eating?” at a Deli Counter Taught Me Not to Order Only by Weight in China
The first time I tried to buy dinner from a neighborhood deli in Nanjing, I stood in front of the glass counter with almost no idea what I was doing. It was an ordinary weekday eve
How I Trained Myself into a Half-Local in China: Notes on Queues, Directions, and Table Rhythm
It was 7:40 on a Tuesday morning, and I was standing in front of the security check at a Shanghai metro station, phone in my left hand, backpack on one shoulder, water bottle stuck
March Peach Blossom: Finding Utopia in China
Tao Yuanming wrote a story: a fisherman followed a stream, passed through a peach blossom forest, and found an isolated village. The villagers hosted him warmly but asked him not t
September on the Grasslands: Where China's Most Beautiful Autumn Begins
In September, while Chinese cities still cling to summer's last breath, the grasslands of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang have already dressed themselves in autumn gold. This isn't the
Fuzhou’s Banyan Trees and Crossroads Showed Me How the City Moves
A Fuzhou intersection has many expressions within a single day. In the morning it carries damp mist; in the afternoon it shines under the sun; by evening it is filled with electric
Sitting Down for Gaiwan Tea in Kuanzhai Alley, Chengdu
Many people arrive at Kuanzhai Alley and immediately start walking, looking, photographing, and moving again. Yet one of Chengdu's most representative qualities often appears only
In a Hangzhou Wet Market I Learned Not to Pretend: Real Cultural Integration Often Starts by Admitting You Don't Know
At nine in the morning in Hangzhou, the air was no longer cold, but the wet market still held the dampness of early day. Water glimmered and splashed at the fish stalls. White stea
Paper-Cutting Diary
今天上午，我从旅店步行到城南一条安静的老街，去参加一堂剪纸体验课。春天的风还有一点凉，巷子里却已经挂起了红灯笼，门口晾着洗净的围裙，几家小店把刚写好的福字贴在玻璃门上。作为一个来自西班牙的旅行者，我本来只是想看看“传统手工艺展示”，没想到最后会坐在一张木桌前，握着一把小剪刀，紧张得像第一次学写字的孩子一样。/ This morning I walked fr
Opera Face-Painting Workshop: My First Time Understanding How a Face Can Speak Before the Lines
Before coming to China, I had of course seen images of Peking opera face painting. The strong reds, blacks, whites, and blues, combined with symmetrical and exaggerated designs, cr
Using Public Transportation in China
Over 40 Chinese cities have metro systems; Beijing and Shanghai each have 800+ km of lines. Fares are distance-based, starting at ¥3–4. Transit cards offer 10% discounts; Alipay/We
I Picked Up a Stone by the Hetian River and Fell Into an 8,000-Year Rabbit Hole
Three years ago I visited Hetian in Xinjiang for the first time. A local friend took me to the Yurungkash River to "pick jade." In reality, it meant flipping rocks on a riverbank —
Chinese Mahjong Culture: Rules, Etiquette & the Social Code
Your first mahjong invitation probably goes something like this:
Valentine's Day Romantic Travel Routes
Every February, many Chinese cities transform into paradise for couples.
July Cool Escapes: Where to Beat the Heat in China
Most of China in July feels like a steamer. Shanghai hits 40°C, Chongqing is nicknamed "the furnace," and Beijing is so muggy you're drenched in sweat five minutes after stepping o
In Zhengzhou, I Learned That an Unpretentious Dinner Can Let the Body Unclench
When I arrived in Zhengzhou in the evening, the sky had already shifted from pale brightness into a grayish blue. The wind outside the station was not strong, but it carried the dr
One Night Behind a Puppet Theatre: The First Time I Learned That Strings Can Have Personality
When I used to watch puppet theatre, I was always drawn first to the story unfolding in front of the stage: the entrance of characters, the rise of music, the moment a figure lifts
In the old street at dawn, I slowed down by following a bowl of hot soup
When I arrived in Chaozhou, the sky was still not fully bright. The remaining darkness hung like a sheet of fabric between arcades and old signs, and the street was broken only by
What Misleads Most at Night in Suzhou Is Not Direction but the Quiet Ease It Seems to Promise
Many first-time visitors to China find Suzhou light during the day: the bridges are low, the lanes are narrow, the water is calm, and the whole city seems to know how to keep its v
Chongqing Needs No Filter: A City That Makes Cyberpunk Feel Inadequate
My first time in Chongqing was at 11 PM. Stepping out of Jiangbei Airport into a taxi, the driver wound along elevated highways for twenty minutes while I couldn't figure out what