South China Morning Post - Society

A street food vendor in central China received widespread acclaim after discreetly slipping 100 yuan (US$15) into a takeaway order for a family whose child was undergoing chemotherapy. On August 17, Wang Xianhuang, an egg pancake vendor in Hefei, Anhui province, noticed a heartfelt note attached to a food delivery order that read, “For a child undergoing chemotherapy. Please do ...

A woman from central China undertook a fasting regimen for half a month and lost 20kg, but ultimately suffered from a serious brain disorder from which she may never fully recover. The 31-year-old woman from Henan province, who wishes to remain anonymous, was recently reported by local media to have developed walking difficulties and memory deterioration after consuming nothing ...

The Chinese podcaster Zhongshu, who garnered widespread international acclaim for her recent interview with filmmaker Christopher Nolan, is now facing allegations of paraphrasing and plagiarism in her podcasts and published works. The interview between Zhongshu and Nolan concerning The Odyssey, released on July 31, quickly went viral and was celebrated as “smart,” “the most inte...

Three boys from southeastern China offered 10.5 yuan (US$1.5) to a convenience store owner on the brink of closing, igniting a wave of public support. Five years after borrowing money to establish his convenience store in Guangzhou, Chen decided to shut down the shop as business continued to decline. On August 12, three primary school boys visited the store, as they often did, t...

A growing number of non-programmers across China are developing their own AI tools, primarily motivated by concerns about falling behind as technology reshapes work and daily life. The anxiety surrounding this shift is almost palpable. AI courses and side-hustle tutorials have flooded mainland social media as employers increasingly expect their workers to develop AI literacy. Si...