Blogging the Slow-Motion Revolution

An Interview with China’s Huang Qi

Huang Qi is best known in China as the creator of the country’s first human rights website, Liusi Tianwang, or “June 4 Heavenly Web.” A collection of reports and photos, as well as the occasional first-person account of abuse, the site is updated several times a day. It documents some of the hundreds of protests continually taking place in China, many related to government land seizures.

Lil Buck Goes to China

An Interview with Filmmaker Ole Schell

In November 2011, The Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations, headed by Orville Schell, hosted the inaugural U.S.-China Forum on the Arts and Culture.

Schell's son, Ole, a filmmaker, tagged along with his video camera and captured the first trip abroad—and the first overseas performances—by Charles “Lil Buck” Riley.

Rich, Poor and Chinese—Does Anyone Trust Beijing to Bust the Corrupt?

A ChinaFile Conversation

Andrew Nathan:

The new Chinese leadership under Xi Jinping seems to be making some bold opening moves with its attacks on corruption and the announcement on February 5 of plans to reduce the polarization of incomes.  Does this mean Xi is leading China in new directions?  I think not.  The reforms are continuations of priorities long pursued by the Hu/Wen regime.

Snakes On a Lane

Beneath the creepy exterior lies a misunderstood goddess. What pops up in your mind when it comes to the concept of snake? Cold-blooded, dangerous, sly, or even a symbol of evil? It seems that all words related to it are negative. And even though we are only two days away from the Year of the Snake, many people are still unaware of the diverse, not-so-negative cultural significance of the snake in Chinese folklore.

Revenge of the Call-in Show

Curious what happened to Sinica last week? Well ... as it turns out, our call-in show from two weeks ago wasn’t exactly pleased with how quickly we managed to replace it, and took out its anger on the laptop we use to record new shows, smashing the hard drive into such a state of disrepair that it required immediate attention from the geniuses at our local Apple Store, who—we feel compelled to point out—were not in fact genius enough to save the actual data.