Crossing the River by Feeling the Stones

Crossing the River by Feeling the Stones offers insights into China's economic development, contrasting rural and urban dynamics, and the implications of national policies on local communities. It explores tourism, demographic challenges, and the blend of traditional and modern life across various regions.

Economic Development Urban vs Rural Dynamics Tourism Demographic Challenges National Policies Traditional vs Modern Life Local Community Impacts

How To Understand the Provinces, Prefectures, Counties and Towns of China (Part 1)

412 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23

🌐 International China Geography

China's administrative structure includes province-level, prefecture-level, and county-level units.
Prefecture-level units in China include prefecture-level cities, autonomous prefectures, and traditional prefectures.
County-level units encompass districts, county-level cities, and counties, with varying urbanization levels.

China Taxi Cab Chronicles 1: Mr. Yang the Family Man

373 implied HN points • 24 Nov 23

🎭️ Culture Society Economics Lifestyle Family Real Estate

Mr. Yang prioritizes saving for his daughter's future and taking care of his parents, even after buying a house.
Yang and his wife sacrifice current consumption to save for long-term goals, like their daughter's education.
His consumption habits have changed with age and responsibilities, focusing on family needs over personal desires.

Ruili: The most locked-down city in China

235 implied HN points • 21 May 23

🌐 International China Pandemic Lockdowns Recovery Culture

Ruili, China's most locked-down city, faced extensive lockdowns due to border cases from Myanmar.
Ruili's economy heavily relies on the jade industry, but the extensive lockdowns impacted businesses and caused many to leave.
Despite challenges, some locals like Xu show resilience and adaptability, with hopes for Ruili's recovery post-pandemic.

The perfect weekend getaway: Escaping Shanghai to cool, green Moganshan

216 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23

🏝 Travel Destinations Local culture Community Development

Moganshan is a peaceful weekend getaway just a few hours from Shanghai.
The local villager, Mr. Lang, has a successful guesthouse and a rich history of the area.
The area's potential success shows that you don't need top-tier scenery to attract tourists; sometimes being good enough and close to a city can be sufficient.

When Mainstream Success Trumps Scholarly Integrity: The Frustrating Case of Frank Dikötter

137 implied HN points • 18 May 23

🎭️ Culture History Academic Book Reviews Historiography

Frank Dikötter's works have faced lukewarm feedback from academic peers in Chinese history.
Despite popular success, Dikötter's writing style tends to rely on shocking anecdotes rather than thorough analysis.
Scholarly reviewers have criticized Dikötter for bias, lack of rigor, and ignoring contrary evidence.

Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Life is a Highway: The Long and Winding Road to Poverty Alleviation

1 HN point • 04 May 23

🌍 World Politics Infrastructure Poverty China Economics Transportation

Improving rural roads is crucial for poverty alleviation in China.
Highway construction plays a significant role in connecting remote areas and enabling economic growth.
Investing in highways for rural areas can stimulate tourism, create job opportunities, and enhance economic activities.