Archive - RealTime Mandarin

#259: Woman in rural Henan takes her own life to avoid marriage

The huge pressures of "marriage nagging"

Jan 17 • Andrew Methven

23:34

258: China’s latest internet slang phrase, what it means, and why it’s important

And how it offers a glimpse into how young people in China are feeling about life

Jan 10 • Andrew Methven

21:21

#257: Retired museum director accused of stealing national treasures

Nanjing Museum in the spotlight for systematic theft and corruption

Jan 3 • Andrew Methven

23:22

December 2025

Special Feature: China’s 10 Most Impactful Digital Stories of 2025

A sinologist’s guide to the viral moments and bigger stories that defined the Chinese internet this year.

Dec 31, 2025 • Manya Koetse

#256: Our Favourite Phrases of 2025

Year in review in 12 phrases

Dec 27, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:37

#255: China’s official top phrases of 2025

Picking the best words from three end-of-year lists

Dec 20, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:58

#254: China’s top high school is in decline

The "Hengshui model" is broken

Dec 13, 2025 • Andrew Methven

24:21

#253: In the aftermath of the Hong Kong fire

Arrests made over gross negligence

Dec 6, 2025 • Andrew Methven

21:24

November 2025

#252: Chery Auto’s marketing blunder

A failed publicity stunt highlights problems with quality and stiff competition among automakers

Nov 29, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:07

#251: China's Double 11 shopping festival loses its shine

The decline of Singles Day reveals nostalgia for past years

Nov 22, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:49

#250: EV maker unveils life-like humanoid robot

XPENG's IRON makes a controversial debut

Nov 15, 2025 • Andrew Methven

23:02

#249: Xiaomi's self-inflicted PR flop

Consumers are no longer buying Xiaomi "small print" marketing tactics

Nov 8, 2025 • Andrew Methven

26:05

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