As autumn graces China with its golden hues, the nation gathers to celebrate the Chongyang Festival, also known as the Double Ninth Festival. Traditionally observed on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar, this year’s festival fell on October 11. The number nine in Chinese, “jiu,” is phonetically identical to...
In China’s northeastern rust-belt provinces—Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang—pension fund shortfalls have emerged as a significant long-term challenge. These provinces, which have some of the highest ageing rates in the nation, are facing economic and financial difficulties, including a slowdown worse than the national average. The region, home to 99 million people, borders North Korea, Russia,...
The three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which started on September 15, is driving strong growth in China’s catering, tourism, and retail sectors. As families gather to celebrate the traditional festival with dinners, mooncake-sharing, and lantern appreciation, analysts predict this boost in consumer activity will have a significant impact on the economy. The holiday’s cultural significance has...
China’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, Wang Xiaoping, highlighted the need to adjust the statutory retirement age to accommodate the increasingly diverse needs of the country’s workforce. Speaking at a press conference following the top legislature’s decision to gradually raise the retirement age, Wang explained that the shift is essential for promoting the...
Hong Kong businesses operating in mainland China are adjusting to new legislation that gradually increases the retirement age, which could lead to higher manpower costs but also a more stable workforce. China’s top legislative body passed the law to extend the retirement age from 60 to 63 for male workers and from 55 to 58...
Two of Hong Kong’s major parks, Victoria Park and Tsing Yi Park, will launch spectacular lantern displays on Thursday night as part of the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival, running until next Wednesday, in celebration of the traditional Chinese festival. The lanterns will be illuminated at 6:30 pm and remain lit throughout the week, offering residents and...
Shenzhen’s skyline will soon be illuminated by a breathtaking display of drone light shows, as over 10,000 drones take flight every night from October 1 to 7. The shows will be staged across five key locations in the city, promising to captivate both residents and visitors alike. In a move to add an international flair,...
Hong Kong is set to celebrate this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival with a groundbreaking drone show and an expanded traditional dragon dance, aiming to boost tourism and offer a fresh take on the city’s festive traditions. The city’s first seasonal drone show will illuminate Wan Chai’s waterfront on September 17, featuring thousands of drones adorned with...
In a surprising turn of events, Zhuang Yanfang, a former kindergarten director in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, now leads elderly residents in patriotic songs, a stark contrast to the children’s songs she once sang with toddlers. At 56, Zhuang made the tough decision to close her kindergarten, Beiyuan No.1, and transform it into a nursing home...
A new cultural trend is sweeping through Chinese social media, capturing the hearts and imaginations of netizens across the country. Dubbed “small-town literature,” this phenomenon is rooted in nostalgic photography that evokes the essence of life in China’s smaller cities and counties. The trend, which taps into feelings of loneliness and longing, has sparked widespread...