The World of Chinese Celebrates 100 Issues on Aug 31

If you've ever been inside Wangfujing Foreign Languages Bookstore, Spring Whispers, CITIC Books' Qihao, or other spots around Beijing, chances are you've come across a magazine done up with an impressively illustrated cover, some interesting title stories -- from the history of Chinese liquor to issues with contemporary Chinese living to the future of AI in China -- and a particularly stand out name: The World of Chinese.

In the years since its inception, the magazine has turned from a language-learning publication to something far greater -- one of the best sources for a look at historical and contemporary China (as well as a great way to still learn a little handy Chinese while you're reading).

Come tomorrow (Aug 31), The World of Chinese (TWOC for short) will be celebrating the launch of its 100th issue, and they've got a big happening at Aotu Space in Beixinqiao to celebrate. On the eve of the festivities, we spoke with managing editor Sam Davies and co-managing editor Liu Jue to find out more about what it's taken to reach this milestone and what's in store for the future of TWOC.

So TWOC has changed quite a bit since its first to its 100th issue, how does it feel to have come this far?
TWOC started as a language-learning magazine back in 2006, before evolving into an online and in-print publication producing original reporting on contemporary Chinese society and culture.

Over 17 years, we have had many brilliant writers, editors, designers, and photographers help us provide our readers with a unique insight into grassroots issues in China. They’ve helped us become one of the only English-language platforms that produces in-depth, human-centered reporting on China — content that is more important than ever these days. Recently we’ve also diversified into videos, podcasts, various social media content, documentaries, and more.

What’s in store for readers in your 100th issue? Any new things on the way?
Reporting on China typically focuses on the biggest cities like Beijing and Shanghai, or the remotest rural areas — but these stories often barely scratch the surface of Chinese complex society. So, for our 100th issue, we shine the spotlight on China’s small towns and lower-tier cities, from Hefei to Zhengzhou, Qingdao to Zhaoqing, where most of the urban population live and some of the richest human stories lie.

Our cover story starts in Yiwu, where over 10,000 foreign residents have created vibrant communities that contribute to the city’s unique cultural and economic vigor. Then, we talk to young business owners and hobbyists promoting vintage clothing and lifestyles outside of metropolises like Shanghai. Finally, a small-town feminist tells us about the unique challenges women face in these areas, where conservative family values remain strong.

That’s just our cover story though, the magazine is 130 pages of content! Inside we investigate: deadly weight loss camps; homeless sleepers; a mural artist in Quanzhou, a surprisingly famous noodle dish in Hunan; a community with strong faiths in the Yunnan mountains; explain how to deal with PR disasters in Chinese; and much more.

It’s also a special commemorative issue of the magazine which includes a photo story that looks back at 17 years of TWOC with one photo from every year since 2006. Readers will see how much China has changed since then and how TWOC has documented those rapid changes.

What brought you both into TWOC and what’ve you taken away from working at this publication?
Sam: We aim to bring our readers closer to China’s grassroots, and in the process of doing that, our writers also become more knowledgeable about Chinese society. I’ve learned so much about Chinese society, culture, and history through my time at TWOC, and have had the freedom to explore extremely diverse topics in a lot of depth. TWOC has let me investigate so many topics, from farmers dealing with flooding across rural China to UFO hunters who believe aliens have visited the country, from the rise of facial recognition technology to efforts to ensure China’s food security. It’s been the best way to understand more about China and its rapidly changing society.

Liu Jue: I joined when TWOC was doing its 36th issue and now get to celebrate its 100th! I still remember my first feature story on Chinese overseas students, being a newly returned overseas student myself. It has been incredibly fulfilling to add to the knowledge of contemporary China among English speakers, and have a voice in how China’s story is shaped and told as a member of the culture and community myself, along with many other young Chinese and international writers with unique experience and insights. I encourage and welcome aspiring storytellers to join our community, whether as readers or by writing for us — we need more voices and diverse perspectives in this field. Hit us up with a pitch if you have stories to tell or insights to share about contemporary China!

What are your future plans for the magazine moving past the 100th issue?  
We’re really excited to take TWOC in new digital directions with more video, audio, and social media content. We have explainer video series and short documentaries on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and elsewhere. We have a growing network of podcasts including the award-winning Middle Earth podcast, hosted by Aladin Farré, on China’s cultural industry, and a new video podcast on China trends. We’re also holding more offline events than ever with our monthly free storytelling get-together and lectures at universities in Beijing and beyond. And we’re producing more of our award-winning content for our website (theworldofchinese.com) and WeChat account (TheWorldofChinese 汉语世界).

We’ve updated the style of our paper magazine to give it a fresher, cleaner look that we’ll keep refining. We’ve also made it longer, so now readers get more of our great content.

What can readers expect for the 100th Issue celebration at Aotu Space?
It’ll be an evening of memories, sharing, and fun! Expect some surprise gifts, a lucky draw, and stories told by our team, friends, and fans that have made TWOC what it is today. And don’t worry; we’ll provide canapes, exceptional cocktails by Beijing’s own ROC brand, and other drinks, as well as one of the best DJs in town. Tickets are available beforehand or on the door. But best to buy ahead of time as tickets are selling fast!

The World of Chinese 100th Issue Launch is happening on Thursday, Aug 31, from 7pm onwards at Aotu Space. Tickets are RMB 100 per person. You can reserve a spot by scanning the QR code in the poster.

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Images courtesy of The World of Chinese