Chinese Culture

China travelogue, China culture, China life, Chinese culture, Travelling across China, China expat, China cities, Chinese cities, Backpacking China, China borders, Chinese Borders, China travel humour, China travel humour, travel, Asia

By Andy Smart on July 29, 2016 ( 20 Comments )

Dinner at Your Own Risk: Chengdu, Sichuan Province, SW China

So Rui shows up with her sister Xiao Xiao and after introductions they take me out to a local restaurant to sample the legendary Chengdu hot pot or ‘Huo Guo’. […]

By Andy Smart on July 22, 2016 ( 28 Comments )

WeChat Has Taken Over China: Please Stop Looking at Your Phone While I’m Talking to You

The mindlessness of mobile phone overuse is a well-worn topic these days. It is however, something that has in recent years, accelerated in China to the point of being a […]

By Andy Smart on April 24, 2016 ( 64 Comments )

Nu Qiang Ren and Shen Nu: Power Women and Leftover Woman in China

Names have been changed in this article and dialogue has been translated into English. A recent advert by the cosmetics company SK-II telling the story of China’s ‘sheng nu’ or […]

By Andy Smart on April 19, 2016 ( 53 Comments )

Beijing’s Vanishing Hutong: Last House Standing

2008: I remember it clearly like it was yesterday. The route from the apartment to Tsinghua University would take me through the warren of narrow streets, alleyways and dirt tracks […]

By Andy Smart on March 25, 2016 ( 49 Comments )

My Local Supermarket: There is No Queue!

I’ve always hoped that one day I can take a friend who’s just arrived in China to my local underground Chaoshifa supermarket just to see the look on their face. […]

By Andy Smart on March 18, 2016 ( 11 Comments )

The Silver Mountain Pagodas: Freedom & Contemplation

We all have our favourite spaces to go to when we need time to ourselves. If I get the chance I’ll always head up to the Silver Mountain pagodas. Found […]

By Andy Smart on February 8, 2016 ( 14 Comments )

5,4,3,2,1: Countdown to Chinese New Year. Guonian Hao Everyone!

It’s all happening here in China at the moment, so I’d like to wish all of my amazing readers the best of luck for 2016. I’m making some great friends […]

By Andy Smart on November 17, 2015 ( 31 Comments )

Chaonei No.81, Beyond Chinese Superstition – Beijing’s Haunted House

I hold my hands up. I’m a total geek when it comes to urban exploration and worse when it comes to the paranormal. If you can combine the two together […]

By Andy Smart on October 23, 2015 ( 7 Comments )

Oddments & Unusual Observations on the Beijing Subway

The subway is a fascinating place. A concentrated microcosm of Beijing. The amount of information your senses experience on a single subway journey across Beijing can send you into overload […]

By Andy Smart on June 20, 2014 ( 5 Comments )

Beijing Guo Shi Jade Museum

By Andy Smart on December 30, 2012 ( 33 Comments )

I Met Michael Gao. An Amazing Tale of a Blind Man: Dunhua, Jilin Province, N China

I’ll never forget my trip to Dunhua in northern China in 2008. Some things really stick in my mind. Waiting to check in, the old faithful trolley bag was once […]