Yan Xiaonan once sold furry toys at a market but the woman described as a “pit bull” is now charging towards a historic all-Chinese UFC title fight.
Peter Stebbings
How China’s 1981 Women’s Volleyballers ‘Inspired a Billion’
On November 16, 1981, millions of people across China crowded around radios and televisions with flickering signals for a women’s volleyball match whose significance went far beyond sport.
Tear-Jerker Chinese Film ‘Hi Mom’ Proves Massive Box-Office Success
Audiences are cramming into Chinese cinemas to watch a sentimental comedy that has rapidly become one of the most popular films of all time in the country and marks a triumphant debut for its female director.
US-Born Chinese ‘Frog Princess’ Could Reign over Beijing 2022
Born in California and representing the United States before switching to China, teenager Eileen Gu looks destined to be one of the faces of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
How Shanghai Saved Thousands of Jews from the Holocaust
As an infant Kurt Wick escaped almost certain death in a Nazi concentration camp by taking refuge in Shanghai, a little-known sanctuary for thousands of Jews fleeing the Holocaust.
Yan Bingtao: China Snooker Prodigy Whose Family Risked it All
Yan Bingtao has risen from a poor working-class background and playing to support his cancer-stricken mother to become China’s latest sporting prodigy.
Female Bodybuilder with One Leg Captures Hearts in China
Tears fill Gui Yuna’s eyes as she describes losing her right leg in a road accident aged seven and school bullies kicking away her crutch to make her fall.
Inspired by Mao, Wuhan River Swimmers ‘Reborn’ after Virus Lockdown
Standing beside a large picture of Mao Zedong, Shen Peihua recalls the moment she resumed her daily swim in the Yangtze River in Wuhan after the Chinese city’s long coronavirus lockdown.
Beating the Odds, Wuhan Horse Racing Gallops Beyond Virus
Blue cushions are up for grabs as masked spectators cheer horses galloping to the finish in Wuhan, ground zero for the pandemic but also a major centre for racing in China.
Can-Do Attitude: Wuhan Virus Lockdown Captured in Craft Beer
When the coronavirus emerged in Wuhan and the Chinese city went into a strict 76-day lockdown, Wang Fan resolved to commemorate the turbulent period in the way he knew best — through beer.
Inspired Teixeira Drags Jiangsu to First Chinese Super League Title
Brazilian forward Alex Teixeira starred as Jiangsu Suning won their first Chinese Super League title with a 2-1 victory over Fabio Cannavaro’s 10-man Guangzhou Evergrande on Thursday.
Millions Online, 6,000 Live See Koreans Win Top eSports Title
More than 6,000 mostly young spectators watched at a Shanghai stadium and millions tuned in online to see Damwon Gaming win the League of Legends world championship on Saturday.
First Down, but not out: Chinese Parents Save American Football Team
Luck ran out on Hangzhou Clovers American Football Club when, after the worst of the coronavirus outbreak in China, the owners allegedly made off with the money.
ESports to Stage World Championship in Shanghai
ESports has bucked a grim trend to stage a world championship in Shanghai, even as numerous international sports tournaments across the globe are wiped out by the coronavirus.
Chinese Swimmer Goes from Olympic Podium to River Police
Jiang Haiqi starred alongside the controversial Sun Yang in winning a historic relay swimming bronze medal for China at the London 2012 Olympics.
‘Hardcore Grandma’ Aging Fitness Buff Becomes TikTok Sensation
Chen Jifang hits the gym for at least two hours every day and has the physique to prove it. At nearly 70, she’s being held up as a shining example as China orders its vast population to get fit and lose the bulge.
Chinese Golfer, 17, Dreams Big After ‘Astonishing’ Start
Yin Ruoning. Remember the name because the 17-year-old Chinese golfer has won three tournaments in a row since turning professional and she wants to become world number one.
London-Born Nico Yennaris: The First Naturalized Soccer Player for China
In March 2015, London-born Nico Yennaris played for Wycombe Wanderers in the fourth tier of English football in front of 2,362 people.
The Practice of ‘Drunken Boxers’ in China Lives On
Liu Xuliang lunges menacingly as if spoiling for a fight after too many drinks. But he is in fact stone-cold sober and an expert in an ancient Chinese martial art known as drunken boxing.
Meet ‘The Assassin’: One of China’s Most Feared MMA Fighters
Before becoming one of China’s most feared MMA fighters, Song Kenan worked as a welder for the country’s rapidly developing high-speed railway. He has no wish to return to assembling trains.