Do Chinese Women Enjoy More Freedom & Power Than Other Countries? In the eyes of the western media, the Communist experience in China is presumed to be irredeemably bad. This picture is complicated when it comes to the position of women in Chinese society. Communism broke down the traditional strictures on women, freeing them to advance in many professions. Though the picture is mixed, for example women are under-represented in the upper tiers of government, there’s little question that women in China are far ahead of their peers in Japan and Korea.

Whilst travel companies typically extol monuments of the past, China’s attractiveness as a destination extends to its impact on our children’s future. For the past few months we have been looking into the folds and contours of China’s evolving landscape. Previously we looked at the revolution in smart phone apps and payment systems, at leapfrogging technologies in retail and at the development of Artificial Intelligence.

The Year of the Rooster Chinese New Year, also referred to as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival, is the biggest and most important holiday in China. In terms of significance in Chinese culture the Lunar New Year is comparable to combining Thanksgiving and Christmas together. We have assembled some traditions and facts behind one of the world’s largest celebrations to provide a better understanding of this holiday. We have also put together some useful travel tips should you wish to experience this festival first hand.    » Read more »

Ever wished you could capture images of local life on your travels like these? It may take years to become a professional photographer but you can snap life in the hutongs of Beijing in just an afternoon, especially if you have a great local guide…   Father and son play a game of Chinese chess   Someone like Matthew Kelly, for example,  » Read more »

Taijiquan or taichi, a form of Chinese kung fu, is the embodiment of the Chinese philosophical belief that heaven is round. Practitioners of the martial art of taichi use round, circular movements of the arms and body to create the energy that is needed to defeat their opponents.  Dr. Hao, a taichi expert with a PhD in Traditional Chinese Sports, guides us through some basic taichi movements in the article ‘Taijiquan Movements and the Thought of Circle in Chinese Culture’.  » Read more »