Featured Article
Full Moons, Mooncakes, and Lanterns in Every Color: The Mid-Autumn Festival—In Pictures (September 24, 2026, The Guardian)
The mid-autumn festival, also known as the moon festival, is a celebration of harvest and family in Chinese culture—a time to gather with relatives and friends under a full moon. During the festival, people eat mooncakes—a rich round pastry that symbolizes wholeness—and display lanterns: beacons that light the path towards prosperity and good luck. It is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, when the moon is believed to be at its fullest and brightest, coinciding with the harvest in the middle of autumn.
Government / Politics / Foreign Affairs
How China Is Seeking to Transform the Meaning of Great Power (September 26, 2026, South China Morning Post)
As China has emerged as a peer competitor to the United States in many areas, an increasingly familiar question is whether it has become a superpower. The question, however, may rest on a definition of power that belongs to another era.
Trump-Xi Summit: What Wasn’t Said Might Matter the Most (September 28, 2026, BBC)
On Monday, China released more information of what was agreed at the talks between Xi Jinping and Donald Tump last week, shedding light on a handful of concrete outcomes. But there were no joint statements and few major breakthroughs. Instead, both governments issued separate accounts of the meeting—perhaps a sign that despite the White House tours and promise of warmer ties, Washington and Beijing remain wary of each other. Here are four things we now know—and still don’t—about what transpired at the talks.
What Actually Happened at the Xi-Trump Summit (October 1, 2026, ChinaFile)
The meeting advanced new mechanisms on trade and investment, and launched the US-China bilateral dialogue on artificial intelligence, while leaving many of the relationship’s most difficult questions—from Taiwan to technology competition—unresolved. We asked experts to assess what the summit actually changed, what remains unsettled, and what to watch next.
Religion
Doing Theology from Many Centers (September 22, 2026, ChinaSource)
What does it mean to do theology as a person of mixed linguistic, cultural, and geographic heritage who honors both tradition and context? This question animates our exploration of “Sinophone Theologies” as a potential framework for engaging the plurality of experiences that make up the Sinophone world.
Yantai: How to Pray (September 24, 2026, China Partnership)
How can we pray for Yantai churches? Pray for encouragement and vitality among church leaders; for a new generation of Christians to be raised; for believers struggling with persecution; and for solid teaching that roots Christians in the faith.
Reframing the Mission—Part 4: Doing Good (September 25, 2026, ChinaSource)
Works of mercy and joyful proclamation are the fruit of a redeemed relationship with God and with others. We do these things not for the purpose of finishing a task or somehow completing God’s program on earth, but because of our intimate relationship to Christ, who “does only what he sees the Father doing” (John 5:19). As we “do all that I have commanded” and become imitators of Christ in word and deed, our works will be to his glory.
The Pressures of Ordinary Faith (September 28, 2026, ChinaSource)
Prompted in part by Sam Ren’s recent article, “The Displaced Minority,” these brief vignettes offer glimpses of ordinary Christian life in Mainland China that often remain unseen. They are drawn from long-term observation, pastoral conversations, and trusted relationships. Details have been changed and, in some cases, combined to protect those involved. They are not meant to represent the whole church in China, nor do they offer easy conclusions. Instead, they invite readers to see some of the pressures, compromises, questions, and quiet perseverance that shape the everyday lives of many Chinese Christians.
When Fear Sets the Table (September 29, 2026, ChinaSource)
Within Taiwanese folk religion, Ghost Month makes practical sense. If wandering spirits can interfere with ordinary life, then a table of offerings appears to answer an immediate need. Christians need not mock that fear, nor should we participate in rituals intended to appease it. Instead, we can take the question seriously enough to answer it with Christ. Ultimately, the conversation must lead to the cross. But for the conversation to start, it may need to begin at their table.
Yantai: Scripture for the City (September 29, 2026, China Partnership)
This idea of a city on a hill suits Yantai in two ways. One is its geography—Yantai is exactly a lighthouse set on a hill. The other is the way the gospel flowed outward from it, because the gospel essentially entered the interior through this place. Yantai carried a great deal of that. In its own day it was not hidden, and God used it. But, with the changes of these past years that we have been discussing—including the aging of the whole city and this loss of talent—I also think that it is a test of endurance and perseverance for those serving as ministers.
Society / Life
Young People in China Are Fangirling Over a Professor Who Gets their Anxiety (September 26, 2026, BBC)
“A star sent from the heavens,” is how Zihan Han describes the man she’s become a huge fan of recently, a man who young Chinese people call an “idol”. Except this is no pop singer or movie star, but a 54-year old anthropologist. Professor Biao Xiang has become an unlikely guide for an increasingly disillusioned generation. And it’s because of what he talks about: anxiety and how to navigate it.
Shanghai Legoland: The Genius Behind Making Parents Sweat (September 26, 2026, Chinaskinny)
Every parent who has taken their kid to a theme park will know how exhausting theme parks can be for caregivers, through queues, heat and repeated requests to buy things. Shanghai Legoland has added another, more direct addition to tire parents out: making them power the rides!
Economics / Trade / Business
China’s Economic Security Offensive: How the PRC Pursues Dominance in Industry, Trade and Technology (September 23, 2026, MERICS)
Economic security is understood as the ability to protect and sustain national economic stability and growth by building resilience against external and internal threats. The term has been adopted by party leaders since the 1990s and has been discussed by Chinese experts over decades.
Podcast—China’s Economy Is Broken (September 28, 2026, ChinaTalk)
After the global financial crisis, China added a third of global GDP to its bank assets in just eight years…the largest single-country credit expansion in at least a century. Today, investment is contracting, growth is less than a percent, and the financial system that fueled China’s growth is now the thing holding it back. Logan Wright, partner at Rhodium Group and my former boss, joins ChinaTalk to discuss his new book, Broken China: How the Economic Miracle Shattered and What It Means for the World.
Episode 12 | Entrapped by E-Commerce (September 28, 2026, Made In China Journal)
Life before e-commerce can feel like a foreign country. For the ‘Chinamaxxing’ crowd, fresh meals and fancy gadgets delivered to your doorstep almost instantly, at astonishingly low prices, are among the country’s top draws. Yet these conveniences come with hidden costs, and China’s path to becoming an e-commerce giant has been far from certain.
History / Culture
Full Moons, Mooncakes, and Lanterns in Every Color: The Mid-Autumn Festival—In Pictures (September 24, 2026, The Guardian)
The mid-autumn festival, also known as the moon festival, is a celebration of harvest and family in Chinese culture—a time to gather with relatives and friends under a full moon. During the festival, people eat mooncakes—a rich round pastry that symbolises wholeness—and display lanterns: beacons that light the path towards prosperity and good luck. It is held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar, when the moon is believed to be at its fullest and brightest, coinciding with the harvest in the middle of autumn.
Why Am I Obsessed with China’s Ancient Golden Age? I Took my Daughter on a Trip to Find Out (September 29, 2026, The Guardian)
My story involves a specific, passionate reconnection with my own heritage. I wanted to return to China after a long absence. The last time I was there had been a decade before, along with my then three-month-old child, Moon. My desire to go back was in part for her, now 11 years old. So she and I set off on a journey back to the cultural womb from which I had emerged and had left behind. I had to explain the Chinese past not only to the child, but to myself.
A Dying Tradition? The Haunting Beauty of China’s ‘Day of the Dead’ (September 29, 2026, Sixth Tone)
By 8 p.m. on August 26, the great banyan tree at the center of Boshi Village is already surrounded by offerings. Bowls filled with fresh fruit, roasted meat, and other snacks are stacked rows deep among the tree’s gnarled roots. The air hangs thick with candle and incense smoke. Locals have laid out the smorgasbord of treats as part of the Shigu festival, a series of rituals predominantly held in southern China each year that is often likened to Mexico’s Day of the Dead.
Travel / Food
Dim Sum and Spicy Szechuan in Hong Kong (December 5, 2023, PBS Food)
Embark on an international culinary expedition with Phil Rosenthal, creator of the TV hit Everybody Loves Raymond, and one of Hollywood’s funniest producers.Ride along with Phil as he steps out of his comfort zone in this Pacific metropolis and gateway to Asia. He tries hot pot and a classic dish of century-old eggs, and even seeks medical aid in the form of unusual tea.
Discover 4 Ways to Enjoy Night Tours in Chinese Ancient Towns (August 20, 2026, Our China Story)
Ancient towns are usually explored by day, when visitors linger over stone bridges, old houses and winding lanes. But after dark, they take on an entirely different character. As night-time tourism gathers pace, historic towns are using their rivers, landscapes and heritage buildings as stages for lights, fireworks, folk parades, and Chinese-style performances. From waterside fireworks to traditional dress and glowing fish-lantern processions, here are four ways to see ancient towns in a new light.
Chinese Village to Spend Millions on NPCs to Boost Tourism (September 29, 2026, Sixth Tone)
A northern Chinese village has announced it will spend 30 million yuan ($4.5 million) to recruit 100 character performers—known in China as NPCs, or non-playable characters— to interact with tourists. Successful hires will receive a range of salaries, with the highest reportedly reaching 10 million yuan a year.
Science / Technology
“I am Sorry, I Cannot Answer that” : How China’s AI Chatbots Protect the Ruling Party (September 23, 2026, The Christian Science Monitor)
As Chinese leader Xi Jinping prepares to discuss artificial intelligence safeguards with US President Donald Trump this week, Mr. Xi has made one thing clear. For Beijing, the risk posed by AI is political, because it has the potential to challenge the Chinese Communist Party’s grip on power. To counter that threat, Mr. Xi is determined to see the party harness AI to strengthen its rule at home and spread positive narratives about China globally.
Brian Tse on How China Plans to Keep AI Safe (subscription required) (September 24, 2026, The Wire China)
The Concordia AI founder explains how Beijing is looking to regulate and pace AI’s development while making sure it keeps up in the global race, and talks about the prospects of the US and China working together on AI safety.
Education
A Debate Is Raging in China Over English Education (September 23, 2026, The Diplomat)
In the heated public discussions in China over English education, those calling to downgrade or abandon English in Chinese schools are using an ancient saying: 刻舟求剑 (ke zhou qiu jian), literally “notching the boat to find a sword.” Less literally, the phrase describes a foolish approach to solving problems that fails to account for changing circumstances.
China’s Kids Rank Near the Top in Global School Tests (September 24, 2026, The Economist)
Many parents have heard of pisa, the Programme for International Student Assessment, which tests 15-year-olds worldwide on maths, reading and science. The 2025 results, released this month, were a disappointment for many countries. But the 12,385 mainland Chinese who sat the tests made their parents proud. They scored better than any other contingent in maths and science and came second only to Singaporeans in reading.
Arts / Entertainment / Media
Scripting the Source (September 24, 2026, China Media Project)
In recent years, the way some media outlets in China conduct interviews has changed. No longer do interviews need to unfold before the camera lens. Rather, their basic framework can often be set before the recording ever begins. At some television stations and for documentary-style feature segments, interviewees receive talking points before taping and some are even required to recite lines prepared for them. The interview, in other words, is no longer something generated on the spot. It is a programmed output.
Language / Language Learning
How to Stop Translating in Your Head and Start Thinking in Chinese (September 28, 2026, Hacking Chinese)
Being able to speak and listen without translating is not the Holy Grail of language learning; it’s something you probably already do. If someone says 你好 (nǐ hǎo), “hello”, do you really need to translate that before it makes sense to you? And if you want to thank someone in Chinese, do you first think “thank you”, and only then 谢谢/謝謝 (xiè xie), “thank you”? Your goal is to extend this ability so it covers more and more of what you want to produce or understand. This is not easy, of course, but the fact that you already have this ability for parts of the language means that it can be done!
Pray for China
October 2 (Pray For China: A Walk Through History)
On October 2, 1871, pioneer student evangelist Ding Limei (丁立美牧师) was born in rural Shandong. Soon after finishing seminary, the young preacher’s faith was severely tested: during the Boxer Uprising in 1900, he was arrested and beaten 5 times with 40 stripes during his 40 days in jail. He emerged with a determination to preach the gospel in every province, and fulfilled that vow during his 15 years with the YMCA’s China Student Volunteers for Evangelism. In 1923, Pastor Ding’s focus shifted from evangelism to theological education, and the remainder of his ministry was primarily as a professor at seminaries in Shandong and Tianjin. Pray for the Loving Heavenly Father to be glorified as the believers in Shandong and Tianjin are trained in his Word and manifest his grace. If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 1 Timothy 4:6
From Deep Thinking to Deep Prayer (July 21, 2026, ChinaSource)
Prayer 2026: Off the Beaten Path (January 1, 2026, China Partnership)
Operation World (April 21, 2025, ChinaSource)
Pray for China (prayforchina.us)
Prayer Walking as a Rhythm of Life (May 30, 2025, ChinaSource)