LIFE LIFE AI opens new creative doors, raises new concerns across China's screen industry China publishes world's first comprehensive dictionary of ancient bamboo and silk manuscripts China has unveiled the world's first comprehensive reference dictionary for the study of ancient bamboo and silk manuscripts, a discipline that has grown from early 20th-century archaeological discoveries into an international field spanning archaeology, history, law and paleography. Experts said this publication has closed a century-old academic gap in systematic ... Chinese film uses a kitchen to crush Hollywood's war myth In the days after Once Upon a Time in the Middle East opened across China, a striking chorus of overseas voices began to surface online. Moviegoers from South Africa, Iran, Thailand and elsewhere hailed the film as a rare departure from Hollywood's war stories, praising its decision to place US ... MORE China's short-drama platform begins to curb AI's 'one-face-fits-all' problem After binge-watching several AI short dramas on Chinese short-video platforms, viewers may find themselves wondering whether they have accidentally stumbled into the same show again. By Lu Wenao | 2026/8/17 17:41:43 Opening the show A performer takes part in a horse stunt show during the opening ceremony of the Nadam Fair in the Jalaid Banner, Hinggan League, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on August 16, 2026. The event features equestrian performances, singing, dancing, traditional music and folk displays. By VCG | 2026/8/16 22:32:40 Short drama productions, AI are bringing new life to rural Chinese villages From forgotten traditional buildings to short drama filming sets, some Chinese villages such as Yuanqiao village in Henan Province is thriving as short drama crews turn villagers into on-screen actors and bring more jobs as well as higher income to rural areas. Discover how acting, tradition, and modern storytelling are transforming China's ancient villages and what the rise of #AI dramas means for their future. By Ji Yuqiao | 2026/8/16 21:03:46 'Odyssey' packs IMAX theaters as fans eager for better screens Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated The Odyssey officially opened in China on Friday, quickly becoming one of the hottest tickets of the summer movie season, with moviegoers scrambling for premium IMAX screenings and some even traveling to other cities for better viewing experiences with better screens. By Li Hang | 2026/8/16 19:56:09 China turns ancient TCM wisdom into high-tech personalized skincare A skin scan can assess dozens of facial indicators and generate a personalized skincare plan within minutes, with store staff then making small-batch adjustments from ordinary registered cosmetics. This practice is gaining ground as China expands its pilot program for personalized cosmetic services. By Jiang Li | 2026/8/16 19:21:26 Low-budget 'Niu Lai' emerges as a surprise hit with its 'disaster-level' animation, grabbing millions in China as curiosity rivals Nolan's 'The Odyssey' While Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and a string of high-profile domestic and international releases compete for audiences in China's fiercely contested summer movie season, an obscure animated film has emerged as one of the period's most unexpected box-office stories. By Li Hang | 2026/8/16 11:44:27 Teams increase 138% as World Humanoid Robot Games expands scale and influence The upcoming 2nd World Humanoid Robot Games to be held in Beijing will see robot players stay at the “Robot Home,” as the organizing committee innovatively established on-site support centers that meet the needs for pre-competition training and power recharging – similar to athletes' village for human competitors, according to media reports. By Zhang Weilan and Li Xuanmin | 2026/8/16 11:33:48 Chinese animated hit "All Wishes Come True" makes North American premiere Chinese animated fantasy-comedy "All Wishes Come True" held its North American premiere Thursday night in Los Angeles, ahead of its theatrical release across the United States and Canada on Friday. By Xinhua | 2026/8/15 9:37:00 A clown, an apple, and 6 million likes: Chinese acrobatics finds a new generation At an amusement park in Beijing, a young female clown tossed an apple into the air several times, catching it each time and taking bites out of it along the way. The seemingly simple routine delighted visitors, many of whom pulled out their phones to film it. Videos of the act have garnered more than 6 million likes on Douyin, China's version of TikTok. By Jiang Li | 2026/8/12 23:21:58 Chinese real estate entrepreneur wins Korean literary award, 'atypical writer' turns Everest experiences into literature A Chinese real estate entrepreneur who has summited Everest three times has won a major literary award in SouthKorea for a novel that turns his mountaineering and business experiences into a story about human life, time and a changing China. By Jiang Li | 2026/8/14 19:35:29 Finding joy in later life "Can someone my age still become an actress?" Standing backstage at a microfilm shoot, 55-year-old Wu Shaohua smiled at the camera and said she had never imagined that she would fulfill her "actor dream" in her lifetime. Wu's unexpected debut was made possible by a short drama experience program launched by Hengdian World Studios, one of China's largest film and television production bases, in Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang Province. Designed for ordinary visitors rather than professional actors, the program allows tourists to put on costumes, choose scripts, step in front of cameras and receive a professionally edited short video as a "souvenir." By Sun Langchen | 2026/8/13 23:14:20 Deep respect for study and fair access to education give grassroots youth chance to rise When Li Yanbin's 18-year-old daughter Li Yutong was admitted to Peking University's Chinese language and literature program through this year's gaokao, the national college entrance exam, her village in Jieyang, South China's Guangdong Province threw open the heavy middle gate of its ancestral hall - an entrance ordinarily locked and reserved for only the most momentous clan events - and welcomed her with pounding drums, leaping lions and a ceremony. By Ji Yuqiao and Chen Xi | 2026/8/13 21:47:24 Out-of-work Chinese actors turn to theme parks as immersive characters after AI squeezes short-drama jobs As China's once-thriving live-action short drama industry looses speed due to the weight of AI-generated content and shrinking investment, a growing number of young actors who once starred in micro-dramas are moving to a different kind of stage: playing roles at cultural tourist attractions. By Chen Xi | 2026/8/13 19:45:33 Chinese anti-war film casts US as invader, outperforms Hollywood, through a human, kitchen-centered view of Middle East conflict Years after tackling social issues in the breakout hit film Dying to Survive, Chinese director Wen Muye returns with Once Upon a Time in the Middle East. The film opened nationwide in China on Tuesday, and, including advanced screenings, crossed 200 million yuan ($29.6 million) at the box office on its first day. By Xu Liuliu and Niu Xiaoman | 2026/8/13 0:23:38 Rare dragon-phoenix clay relics found in 4,300-year-old tomb in Inner Mongolia Chinese archaeologists have discovered the earliest known pairing of dragon and phoenix clay sculptures in northern China, unearthed from a 4,300-year-old tomb in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, offering fresh insight into the ritual beliefs of the Longshan culture (3000 to 1900 BC), the Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday. By Chen Xi | 2026/8/13 0:18:55 Beyond books Visitors browse books and take part in activities at the 2026 Shanghai Book Fair at the Shanghai Exhibition Center in Shanghai on August 12, 2026. The book fair, which runs through August 18, features a record 1,420 reading-related activities, up 12.1 percent from the previous edition, the organizers said. By IC | 2026/8/13 0:10:59 Restoration brings endangered egrets to China's Yellow Sea coast At 5 am, Wang Piyu, deputy director of the Changhai County Natural Resources Affairs Service Center, sets out by patrol boat for Fantuozi Island, a core breeding site for Chinese egrets in the Changshan Archipelago, Northeast China's Liaoning Province. The island has no permanent residents. By Li Hang | 2026/8/12 21:34:22 Economist explores human stories behind development Zhou Jiang, a researcher at the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, has a favorite book: White Deer Tableland or Bai Lu Yuan by renowned writer Chen Zhongshi. By Wu Jie | 2026/8/12 21:10:29 2026 Sziget Festival held in Budapest, Hungary 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. By Xinhua | 2026/8/12 11:43:27 Guo Lanying, China's 'People's Artist' and voice of 'My Motherland,' passes away at 97 Guo Lanying, a celebrated Chinese opera performer, vocalist and recipient of the national honorary title "People's Artist," passed away due to illness in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday at the age of 97, the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre announced on Wednesday early morning via its official WeChat account. By Global Times | 2026/8/12 10:09:17 AI-generated films enter China's mainstream awards through new AIGC unit 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. By Li Hang | 2026/8/11 23:29:33 Multiple Chinese universities raise gaokao score requirements for arts admissions Even during summer break, changes to the admissions policy at the Communication University of China (CUC) have sparked heated discussions among students, with the reform becoming a hot topic on campus and on social media. By Jiang Li | 2026/8/11 21:04:02 Nolan's Odysseus is no Homeric hero, but a guilt-ridden modern who accidentally speaks Confucian: Greek scholar 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. By Stelios Virvidakis | 2026/8/11 19:21:09 China's ancient oracle bones reveal earliest written record of meteor shower 3,000 years ago 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. By Chen Xi | 2026/8/11 16:16:03 In a Beijing hutong, old roots hold firm amid renewal 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. By Xinhua | 2026/8/11 14:28:58 Asia-Pacific Community: Chinese space documentary inspires Myanmar students 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…