ANCIENT HISTORY

The Surprisingly Ancient Origins of Christmas in China

From Christians in the Tang dynasty to all-night parties in early 1900s Shanghai, the Western holiday has a longer history in China than most people think

TRAVEL

Explicit Carving in Yunnan’s Mountains Confuses Scholars

A mysterious and unique carving of female genitalia in a Buddhist grotto has served as a place of worship for centuries

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE
TRADITIONAL CULTURE

The Enduring Chinese Roots of Central Asia’s Dungan People

Discover how faith and family have held the Dungan communities of Central Asia together for centuries

TRAVEL

A Fusion Mosque in the Hinterlands

A Silk Road legacy lies in the Hebei wilderness

LIVING IN CHINA

The Families Torn Apart by Eastern Lightning

Also known as “Church of Almighty God,” the forbidden religious group keeps attracting members, despite prosecution.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE
TRADITIONAL CULTURE

A New Way of Dao

In a temple in the clouds, the ancient Daoist religion tries adapting to the 21st century

ARTS, TRADITIONAL CULTURE

[Video] TWOC Ep. 2: The Art of Painting & Calligraphy

TWOC’s new show discusses Thangka culture and whether Chinese painting should remain “pure”

TRADITIONAL CULTURE

Soul Searching

In his masterful book, Ian Johnson goes in search of Chinese spiritualism—and finds it everywhere

TRADITIONAL CULTURE

Burning In the New Year

Lighting incense at Lingyin Temple for an auspicious year ahead