Artists stage a performance during the 2026 Sziget Festival in Budapest, Hungary, Aug. 10, 2026. The event officially opened to the public on Tuesday on Budapest's Obuda Island, bringing together music, arts and cultural programs from Hungary and abroad. Running until Aug. 15, this year's festival provided around 12 themed districts offering music, contemporary arts, circus performances, sports, family and community programs.

When the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards, one of China's three major film awards, concluded in Beijing on Tuesday, AI emerged as one of the event's new participants, alongside the stars on the red carpet and filmmakers receiving honors.

Christopher Nolan's new film has attracted considerable attention from audiences and critics around the world. Particularly interesting is its reception in China, where the Beijing premiere provided the occasion for a conversation between Nolan and the Chinese political philosopher Zhong Shu.

Chinese archaeologists have pieced together ancient oracle bone fragments to decipher what they say is the earliest written record of a meteor shower, dating back more than 3,000 years and shedding light on astronomical observation in the Shang Dynasty (c.1600BC-1046BC), roughly the Late Bronze Age in the West in which Homer's Odyssey was rooted.

Just after six each morning, 63-year-old Chen Zhongyi unlatches the wooden door of a pigeon loft outside his home in Beijing's Lanman Hutong. Within seconds, more than 20 homing pigeons burst into the sky, circling above the grey-tiled roofs before fanning out across the city. "That's when I feel happiest in the day," Chen said, his gaze following the birds as they fade from view.

For 17-year-old Han Ni Oo, a student at Myat Taw Win International School in Yangon, watching a Chinese space documentary was more than a film experience. It gave her a new sense of belief that one day, Myanmar could reach space. After watching "SHENZHOU 13," China's first space documentary, at the opening ceremony of the "Weekly Cinema, Shared Stories" Film Exhibition at the National Theater in Yangon on Sunday, Han Ni said she was inspired by China's achievements in space exploration.

As China's summer movie season enters its final month, a sharp divide is emerging at the box office: A handful of highly anticipated films are drawing strong audience interest, while other titles have opted for release delays or full withdrawals amid fierce market competition.

Chinese pianist Ju Xiaofu has released his debut album Mist Without on Deutsche Grammophon, one of classical music's most respected labels. The recording, which came out in July, marks an important moment for a new generation of ­Chinese artists.

The monumental full length reportage Ballet of Commerce: The Epic of Guangdong's Foreign Trade by famous writer He Jianming is set to make its debut at the Southern China Book Fair from August 27 to 31 in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province.

On Saturday Beijing time, the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award ceremony was held in Canada. Eighty-year-old Chinese picture book artist Cai Gao attended the event in person to receive the medal and certificate, becoming the first Chinese illustrator to win this honor in the award's 60-year history.

Speaking to the Global Times, Mexican poet Manuel Becerra said that he felt it was a form of poetic justice that a delivery rider had recently won one of China's highest literary awards.

A promotion video featuring Chinese virtual actress generated by artificial intelligence (AI) for colored contact lenses has been removed from her short video account after drawing backlash over the credibility of a virtual character claiming real-world comfort of a product.

Books, meanwhile, have been an important gateway through which Liu has come to understand the world of games.

Despite outdoor temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Australian tourist Roy Rostand was enjoying hotpot at a restaurant without air conditioning, apparently feeling no discomfort from the summer heat. The answer to his comfort lies in the restaurant's unlikely location. This hotpot restaurant, named Underground City, is hidden inside a former air-raid shelter, one of the city's distinctive spaces offering natural coolness.

The 5th China-Brazil film festival held its awarding ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. As part of the events held during the 2026 China-Brazil Cultural Year, the film festival will run from the 3rd to the 25th of this month, screening 19 films from China and Brazil.

A virtual AI actress has gathered massive followers and stirred widespread heated debate on Chinese social media - unlike conventional celebrities, this breakout star is entirely artificially generated.

Beijing has been designated as the UNESCO-UIA (International Union of Architects) World Capital of Architecture 2029, UNESCO announced on Wednesday. "Beijing was selected for its exceptional ability to bring together one of the world's richest architectural heritages with a forward-looking vision of sustainable urban development. Its historic urban fabric, successful regeneration projects and vibrant architectural culture demonstrate how heritage, innovation and community life can reinforce one another in shaping resilient and livable cities," says UNESCO in a press release.

A large number of new-generation commercial rockets developed in Beijing are moving closer to maiden flights, scheduled as early as within this year, as private aerospace companies accelerate their efforts to achieve reusable launch capabilities and build low-cost, high-frequency space transportation systems, the Beijing Daily reported Thursday.

A criminal case involving information leaks related to miHoYo, the developer of Genshin Impact, has reached its first-instance verdict. Two Bilibili (Chinese video-sharing platform) users were found guilty of copyright infringement and were sentenced to one year and two months and one year in prison, respectively, both with probation. It is the first criminal game leak case under a new judicial interpretation issued by China's top judicial authorities, according to miHoYo.

Beijing has been designated as the UNESCO-UIA (International Union of Architects) World Capital of Architecture 2029, UNESCO announced in a press release on Wednesday.

Models dressed in traditional ethnic costumes walk amid a rice field during a fashion show at Qietuo Village in Yuexi County of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 4, 2026. Sixty models from across the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture on Tuesday showcased traditional ethnic costumes and fashion creations here.

A cooperation agreement on archaeological research into Hongshan culture is signed during the 2026 Conference on Hongshan Culture in Chaoyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Aug. 5, 2026. Themed on "Hongshan Culture: A Dialogue Between Eras and Civilizations," the 2026 Conference on Hongshan Culture kicked off here on Wednesday.

As The Odyssey dominates global headlines and director Christopher Nolan navigates a string of promotional interviews across Hollywood and Europe, a compact 17-minute ­viral interview between the acclaimed filmmaker and young Chinese scholar Zhong Shu during the film's Beijing press tour has sparked frantic global sharing and heated public debate, leaving countless overseas observers questioning why mainstream Western reporters can no longer deliver thoughtful, in-depth cultural dialogues.

Xihaigu takes its name from three counties in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region: Xiji, Haiyuan, and Guyuan, areas long considered among China's harshest environments. Yet today, this land has produced a large community of writers, and literature has become as vital as a staple crop for local people. This two-part series focuses on regional writers and their achievements. Expanding from individual stories to the broader landscape, this second installment looks beyond Xihaigu, heading south to explore how a "spiritual harvest" of literature has flourished in places like Zhaotong in Southwest China's Yunnan Province.

I first watched the movie All Wishes Come True on a sweltering evening in Beijing, the kind of night when the city's heat presses against the windows and the air-conditioning struggles.

The total area of the West Lake scenic area in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, is set to be expanded, with several historical and cultural sites brought under its protection. And more public open spaces are set to be created around the lake, allowing residents and visitors to better experience its cultural charm, according to a new development blueprint for the scenic area.

Wanting to move but being unable to is the plight of patients with lower-limb mobility impairments. Today, a homegrown cutting-edge technology is working to solve this problem. Recently, at the high-end equipment exhibition area of the Anhui Innovation Pavilion in Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui Province, a brain-computer interface (BCI) rehabilitation exoskeleton robot attracted significant online attention.

A 22-year-old woman wanted by police was caught while riding the subway to a concert by the Chinese boy band Teens in Times (TNT) in Shanghai, according to the Shanghai Public Security Bureau's official social media account on Wednesday. Shanghai metro police captured the fugitive through an early-warning system and targeted security measures, police said.

Chinese director Guo Fan recently revealed in an interview with CCTV News that the script for the third installment of The Wandering Earth trilogy is still being revised despite two and a half years of polishing since "China's technological development has been advancing too rapidly."

Chinese archaeologists have discovered seven pits made of fired earth at the Niuheliang archaeological site in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, with their arrangement closely resembling the Big Dipper, providing new clues to the astronomical knowledge and social development of people living there 5,800 years ago years ago, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday.

As this year's Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) enters the knockout stage after three days of competition in Hangzhou of East China's Zhejiang Province, attention beyond the race for the championship has also risen.

Visitors to the Mogao Grottoes often find themselves lost in reverie before the exquisite murals and delicate sculptures, swept away by centuries of Buddhist art and history.

This summer, inbound tourism in China continues to boom. More foreign tourists are coming to the country, moving from surface-level sightseeing to deeper experiences. Amid the trend, many local culture and tourism departments have recently announced decisions to better manage the scenic spots and protect their brands and service quality. A group of tourist sites, including a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) section of the Great Wall in Zhangye, Northwest China's Gansu Province, and a historic architectural complex in ­Shizuishan, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, have had their 3A quality ratings revoked.

For 23-year-old South Korean tourist Xuanxuan (her nickname), her trip to Shanghai would not have been complete without dressing up in traditional Chinese clothing and taking photos at one of the city's most iconic landmarks, Yuyuan Garden.

Temperatures have been climbing across China in recent days, from north to south and from east to west, with red and orange heat warnings issued one after another, according to the National Meteorological Center. The summer heat is not only being felt by people. At Yongle Palace in Ruicheng county, North China's Shanxi Province, first built during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), conservation specialist Bai Yongqin keeps a close watch on a different set of numbers - tiny shifts in temperature and humidity that could quietly affect the centuries-old murals and ancient structures he has spent decades protecting.

Nearly 6,800 meters beneath the surface of the southeastern Indian Ocean, numerous whale remains lie scattered across the seafloor, part of a vast underwater graveyard stretching some 1,200 kilometers across the Diamantina zone. More than 10 million whale remains may have accumulated there over millions of years.

Six of the world's top 10 men's singles tennis players have confirmed their participation in this year's China Open, according to the organizers.

Laughter and cheers rippled through a packed cinema in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, on Saturday as scenes from the vibrant Chinese comedy-drama "One and Only" unfolded on the big screen.

On the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), a multi-episode documentary, jointly produced by the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission and other departments, has been gaining widespread attention. As of Sunday, the documentary, which focuses on the development of military branches such as the PLA Army, Navy and Air Force, has unveiled extensive real footage from live exercises. Military affairs experts emphasized that the PLA's operational combat capabilities and proficiency in securing victory have been continuously strengthened. The series of exercise and training visuals presented in the documentary vividly illustrate the PLA's holistic advancement and significant progress across all domains.

An integrated film, television and cultural tourism development plan for six medium-length science fiction works by renowned Chinese sci-fi writer Liu Cixin was recently announced at the 2026 ChinaJoy, a major digital entertainment expo in Shanghai. The six works will be developed through two major tracks - theatrical films and offline cultural tourism experiences, according to The Paper.

A new wave of grassroots literary creation is flourishing across China, as ordinary workers, rural residents and frontline practitioners start writing to record real life, express spiritual aspirations and depict the evolving times. As a representative figure of China's emerging mass literary creators, Henan-born worker-poet Hu Liushuai, known as his pen name Xiaohai, has blended decades of migrant labor experiences with literary creation.

Shanghai recently has launched a special campaign targeting against cyberbullying and toxic fan culture, vowing to crack down on accounts that use AI to spread rumors, engage in malicious doxxing, or organize online feuds and incite harassment, according to the Cyberspace Administration of Shanghai Municipality.

China's online literature industry continued to grow in both scale and global influence in 2025, with the total number of online literary works exceeding 33 million and the overseas readership reaching about 250 million, according to a report released on Thursday.

Even against the red-brick backdrop of Taoxichuan cultural and creative district in Jingdezhen, Brazilian artist Viviane Diehl stands out with her striking red hair. For the 62-year-old visual artist, her presence in this ancient porcelain capital in east China's Jiangxi Province is the realization of a long-time dream. "When I started to learn about porcelain, I knew I needed to go to China," Diehl told Xinhua.

Archaeologists have identified residue of a 2,300-year-old grain-based alcoholic drink from the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC) in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, offering new insights into ancient Chinese brewing technology.

A fully AI-generated costume drama is reportedly the first of its kind to air on a Chinese satellite TV channel, sparking widespread online attention and discussion.

A fully AI-generated costume drama is reportedly the first of its kind to air on a Chinese satellite TV channel, sparking widespread online attention and discussion.

Christopher Nolan touched down in Beijing on Thursday with an all-star cast and crew that included Matt Damon and Charlize Theron for the premiere of his new epic The Odyssey at the China National Film Museum. The event hosted the venue's first exclusive red-carpet ceremony for a commercial film, matching the premium standard set by the premiere of Avatar.

China's silk-making tradition, long regarded as one of the defining symbols of Chinese civilization, reached Central Asia far earlier than previously believed, according to new archaeological evidence discovered by the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, which shows that domesticated silkworms and mulberry-based sericulture had spread westward about 4,000 years ago.

The 2026 China Online Literature Forum was held on Thursday in East China's Anhui Province. The 2025 China Online Literature Blue Book released at the event shows that, by the end of 2025, Chinese online literature had exported more than 130,000 works to overseas markets. And China's platforms now have about 250 million registered users abroad, with 40 million new users added in 2025 alone. Active international readers cover more than 200 countries and regions worldwide.

Following the widespread popularity of Pursuit of Jade at home and abroad, Chinese actor Zhang Linghe's latest drama Overdo is reaching international audiences. The new series offers overseas viewers another opportunity to discover Chinese stories through drama.

What if cabbage, mushrooms and rice could become fashion? A 28-year-old farmer turned rural ingredients into art and opportunity in Suizhou, Hubei Province.

A multinational research team comprising Chinese, French, and Dutch scholars has demonstrated that porcupine behavior constitutes a crucial factor in the formation and accumulation of cave fossils in karst caves of southern China and mainland Southeast Asia through a combination of fossil observation and zoological experiments.

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in China staged an orchestral concert performance in Beijing on July 24, titled "A Musical Tapestry of the Archipelago." The Trinity Youth Symphony Orchestra (TRUST), a non-profit Jakarta-based youth community orchestra, played the Chinese household melody "Mo Li Hua," or Jasmine flower, among nine other pieces. Vice Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to China, Dr. Irene M. Han said in her welcome remarks that through music, the concert is aimed to bring a small piece of Indonesian traditional and contemporary culture to Beijing.

People scramble for live fish in a river during the Naoyu Festival in a village in Liuzhou, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on July 29, 2026. The festival is a traditional folk custom during which people battle to catch fish, which represent hopes for a good harvest.

The Embassy of the Republic of Peru in China hosted a reception to celebrate the 205th anniversary of Peru's independence in Beijing on July 24, where Carlos Vasquez, Peruvian ambassador to China, stressed that Peru looks forward to deepening long-term bilateral cooperation during APEC 2026 in China.

Chinese researchers have uncovered new evidence showing that humans occupied the western Qinghai-­Xizang Plateau during the Early Holocene (about 11,700 to 8,200 years ago), with a stone tool assemblage from the Kali site offering fresh insights into how prehistoric people adapted to one of the world's most challenging environments, according to the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Imagine you have built a thriving career and have a devoted partner who has stayed faithfully by your side for years. Just as you are poised to embark on a brand new chapter of life, a life-threatening spinal tumor forces you to undergo two major surgeries and remain paralyzed for three years with no curative treatment available. Faced with the rest of your life, how would you then choose to move forward? For Wang Ning, 33, wallowing in self pity or resigning himself to fate was never an option. Instead, he built a brain-controlled wheelchair. As he lifted his hands from the wheelchair's control panel, the device glided forward. He had built it in just 48 hours through self study and with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

Demand for AI-assisted video editors in China has surged 179 percent year-on-year in June, state broadcaster CCTV has reported, a hiring boom that industry insiders said signals a permanent restructuring of the world's largest film and television market, which is being driven by Chinese AI video models that have taken a commanding global lead.

How did one of China's most challenging regions become a cradle for acclaimed writers? Chinese writer Ji Dongliang's Lu Xun Literature Prize win once again puts Xihaigu literature on the map — showing how stories of hardship, hope, and resilience from the rural Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region are inspiring new voices and redefining Chinese literature.

Beijing Tian'anmen Square flower display chief designer finds his aspirations in books, transforming what he has learned into a way of expression.

Afghanistan has restored and preserved nearly 2,000 historical artifacts and monuments over the past year as part of a concerted effort to protect and promote the country's rich cultural heritage, government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced on Tuesday.

China's web novels, micro dramas and video games -- collectively dubbed the "new trio" of China's cultural exports -- are now a fully integrated IP development ecosystem, according to scholars and industry insiders at a public dialogue during the just-concluded 34th National Book Expo.

China has unveiled its first national regulations governing state-owned cultural relic data, launching a tiered opening mechanism that unlocks standardized, secure digital heritage resources to power global cultural communication and domestic cultural IPs like the blockbuster video game Black Myth: Wukong, officials confirmed at a press conference on Tuesday. The regulations, issued by the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA), allow commercial entities to access high-quality, non-classified digital data of ancient relics, grottoes and museum collections - provided they negotiate terms and fees with relic management bodies.

The Shenzhen Natural History Museum opened on Tuesday, marking the launch of the largest comprehensive natural history museum in South China, with more than 7,400 authentic specimens and exhibits showcasing the evolution of the Earth, life and local ecosystems.

International artists from countries including UK, Germany, Italy, Russia and Colombia, went to the cities of Xinzhou, Datong and Shuozhou in North China's #Shanxi Province, experiencing firsthand the millennia-old #craftsmanship embodied in the ancient architecture and offering their perspectives on bringing China's traditional #heritage to a broader international audience.

On Monday, a series of cultural institutions along the Beijing Central Axis held new exhibitions and events to celebrate the second anniversary of its successful inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A dinosaur museum in Zigong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, is set to open on Tuesday after a major upgrade, offering visitors a "real-life Jurassic Park" experience with interactive displays, restored dinosaur scenes and newly unveiled fossil specimens.

US blockbuster Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to hit movie screens in the Chinese mainland on Wednesday, two days before the North American market, further intensifying one of China's most competitive summer movie seasons.

The Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, a World Heritage Natural Site, have secured a new expansion after the UNESCO World Heritage Committee approved a boundary adjustment at its 48th session in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday, officially incorporating the Changshan Islands component of Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, into the site, according to a press release issued by China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Monday.

A landmark exhibition showcasing nearly 1,000 precious cultural relics from China's Five Dynasties and Ten States period (907-979) will open to the public at the Zhejiang Provin-cial Museum on Tuesday, capitalizing on the massive popularity of the hit historical drama Swords Into Plowshares, which sparked a nationwide cultural and tourism frenzy, accord-ing to a press release that the museum sent to the Global Times on Monday.

At the 34th National Book Expo in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, three unlikely authors took center stage: food delivery rider Wang Jibing, market vendor Chen Hui and steamed bun seller Zhao Weihong. They gathered to discuss their writing journeys, offering readers a vivid glimpse into the emergence of what China now calls "New Popular Literature and Art."

Keigo Higashino, the celebrated Japanese novelist whose bestselling works captivated millions of readers in China and spawn numerous film and television adaptations across Asia, died of colorectal cancer on July 23 at the age of 68, Japanese media reported on Monday.

The production team of Chinese sci-fi film The Decisive Moment issued an official statement via its Weibo account on Sunday night, announcing its withdrawal from theatrical release, merely two days after the movie hit cinemas nationwide on July 25.

Under the scorching sun, ancient people sought relief from the heat by enjoying the lush shade in the mountains or frolicking in the water with friends. Those with a more refined taste, like the Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Wei Zhuang, would “move their reading couch by the water.” Isn't reading a wonderful way to spend the summer? As the sweltering season of summer arrives, so does the latest installment of the Global Times' “Four Seasons Reading List: The Charm of Summer.” We hope readers can find some shelter in the pages of these books during their leisure time. —Editor

The Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea, becoming China's 61st World Heritage site. Together with silk and tea, porcelain completes the triad of iconic ancient Chinese trade commodities that shaped millennia of cross-border commerce and civilizational exchange. But what defines this sprawling porcelain heritage site? How did the small city earn global UNESCO recognition? As an age-old "porcelain capital," Jingdezhen has long attracted global artists to head there to live, study and create. What do these international ceramic practitioners think of the milestone inscription, and why has Jingdezhen's porcelain craft retained continuous innovation and strong vitality for over a millennium? The Global Times interviewed heritage experts, national master craftsmen and foreign artists based in Jingdezhen to unpack the story behind the world heritage title.

A viral claim that Louis Vuitton sued a Xiamen residential project over decorative floral patterns has been dismissed by a local court, which said that the lawsuit actually concerns the alleged sale of counterfeit Louis Vuitton products.

Chinese animated film Three Kingdoms: The Beginning will be pulled from theaters and re-released at a later date after struggling to find an audience in one of China's most competitive summer movie seasons, its producers announced Saturday night.

On a weekend afternoon, Miyuru de Silva, a Sri Lankan student in Tianjin, browsed the shelves of blind-box toys at a Pop Mart store with her friends. After opening one of the boxes, she promptly shared a photo on social media. Within minutes, friends back in Sri Lanka were asking where they could buy one or whether she could bring one home on her next trip.

In the exhibition hall of Nanjing Yunjin Brocade Museum, a giant wooden loom, which is 5.6 meters long, 1.4 meters wide, and 4 meters high, is extremely eye-catching. It needs the cooperation of two skilled craftsmen to operate the loom, with one sitting high on the top to lift the threads, while the other sitting below to weave the patterns. With rich and dazzling sheen, the fabric produced is as beautiful as rosy clouds. Mainly produced in Nanjing, it is called Nanjing Yunjin, which is one of the four famous brocades in China, along with Songjin, Shujin, and Zhuangjin.

The Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea, on Saturday, becoming China's 61st World Heritage site.

South Korea on Thursday formally returned a pair of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) stone lion statues to China, fulfilling a decades-old wish of Korean collector Jeon Hyeong-pil and marking a new chapter in cultural heritage cooperation between the two countries, China's National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) said Thursday.

On Thursday, the topic "AI-generated actors have pores and skin imperfections, while real actors are being smoothed" began trending on China's X-like platform Sina Weibo, sparking discussion over the "sense of realism" surrounding AI actors in short dramas. Some netizens found it ironic that AI-generated actors are now being given visible pores and skin imperfections to appear more human.

A newly formed joint archaeological team from the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the Silpakorn University in Thailand recently carried out archaeological surveys and excavations in southern and central Thailand, achieving promising initial results. The team uncovered new bead ornaments such as glass beads and agate pendants at two sites. ­Similar artifacts have been discovered in various regions in both China and Thailand, making these finds important physical evidence for trade and cultural exchanges along the Maritime Silk Road.

China has set its sights on deepening international exchanges and cooperation in sports while increasing its influence in global sports governance, according to a blueprint issued by the General Administration of Sport (GAS) on Wednesday.

Nestled in the middle of the Yangtze River, Bailizhou town in Yichang city, Central China's Hubei Province, is a vast river island fringed by 74 kilometers of continuous dykes. Locals simply call it "The Island."

In Wu Yang's workshop, a small pastry shaped like a traditional Chinese lion rests beside his other creations. With delicate layers forming the lion's mane and facial details, the piece reflects the craftsmanship behind what has made Wu, a Chinese pastry artist known online as the "poet of pastries," widely recognized.

This might be the scene you never would have expected to see in a milk tea shop: A delivery rider climbed onto a platform, held up a poster featuring five animated male characters and then called out each character's name and distinguishing features to fellow couriers, warning them not to mix up the merchandise. According to staff, the store was producing several thousand cups of milk tea throughout the day. Similar scenes have unfolded at the brand's outlets across China, all triggered by a collaboration with Love and Deepspace, one of China's most popular otome games, whose loyal players rush to collect limited-edition merchandise featuring their favorite virtual companions.

In the height of summer, the grasslands of Xinghe county in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region stretch vast and clear beneath the bright sky. At the tri-provincial border of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, and Hebei provinces, the vast plains of Xinghe are scattered with Great Wall relics spanning the Warring States Period (475BC-221BC), the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220), and the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Layer upon layer of rammed earth stands in silent succession, worn by more than two millennia of wind and rain.

Picture this: You are feeling down, and when going to a hospital for help, your doctor hands you a special prescription that says, "Go stroll through a museum." Who says museums are just about silent relics and school field trips? On Tuesday, the Shanghai Natural History Museum launched China's first "Museum Healing Alliance," bringing together doctors, curators, and artists - all on a mission to support mental wellness through cultural experiences.

Open Douyin, China's version of TikTok, and you may find yourself watching scenes once reserved for theater halls unfold on your smartphone screen. Dancers from the acclaimed Chinese dance drama The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting strike elegant poses, musicians from the China National Traditional Orchestra breathe new life into classical melodies, and thousands of viewers respond in real time through comments and virtual applause.

After donating her father's book and military academy diploma to the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing on Wednesday, Liu Yaojiang told the Global Times that she was deeply moved to have found a permanent home for these historical relics and hoped that her late father, who fought in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), would know that the Long March spirit is being carried forward by future generations.

The Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in China staged a reception on July 17 in Beijing to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the Triumph of the Sandinista People's Revolution. Nicaragua's Ambassador to China, Ramiro José Cruz Flores, said in his speech that Nicaragua understands that no national development project can be built in isolation. "The great challenges of our time require strategic partners, sincere cooperation, and a shared vision for the future. In this regard, the People's Republic of China has become one of Nicaragua's most important partners," he said.

For years, China has been widely recognized as one of the world's most active hosts of international sporting events. Increasingly, however, its involvement is expanding beyond merely providing venues and organizing competitions.

The Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in China hosted a photo exhibition themed “Dynamic Development of Uzbekistan” at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) secretariat in Beijing on July 21. Saidkamol Agzamkhodjaev, minister-counselor of the Uzbek Embassy in China, said that China and Uzbekistan have witnessed steady growth in bilateral relations, broadly encompassing key areas.

The Embassy of the Republic of Colombia in China hosted a National Day reception on July 17 in Beijing to celebrate the 216th anniversary of Independence Day of the Republic of Colombia. Sergio Fausto Cabrera Cárdenas, ambassador of Colombia to China, told the Global Times that Colombia's signing of the cooperation plan for the joint construction of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has opened up new opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation.

Audiences criticized the sequence for its unnatural visual details, rigid character outlines, disjointed lighting and flat backdrops, which combined to create an "artificial, plastic-like aesthetic."

It was a Saturday night. A comedian in a black T-shirt and denim shorts commanded the stage at Shanghai's West Bund Theater, microphone in hand, one arm raised high as laughter rolled through the audience. As the punchline landed, laughter rippled through the crowd.

Skipping traditional sightseeing, a growing number of overseas travelers are flocking to Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, for a new kind of travel experience, one that offers a glimpse into the technologies shaping humanity's future.

Did you know ancient Chinese rare books regularly get a gentle "sunbath" so they may be better preserved? As the summer heat sweeps across China, this centuries-old tradition is returning to libraries and cultural institutions nationwide. Celebrated on the sixth day of the sixth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, the Shaishu Festival, or Book Sunbathing Festival, is revived every year. Led by the National Library of China, dozens of provincial libraries and ancient book repositories open their most precious collections to open-air sunlight.