Selfie: Recent Episodes
China Plus
Capturing images of people across China, exploring its ever-changing lifestyles, and feeling the heartbeat of its villages, towns, and cities. -- This is “Selfie”, giving you real life stories in China.
Since the beginning of 2020, the covid-19 pandemic has brought dramatic changes to the lives of Chinese people. Some lost their jobs, while others found new business opportunities out of the crisis.
Data from the Commerce Ministry shows that there were over 4 million live streaming shows during the first quarter of 2020. Over 100 mayors and village officials joined the trend to sell local agricultural products. As China continues its work of poverty alleviation, the question is how to guarantee a sustainable development for rural areas after they've been lifted out of poverty?
As China seems to have contained the spread of coronavirus successfully, deputies of the ongoing National People’s Congress session have been discussing measures including faster responses, better resource distribution, and long-term prevention measures that ensure China will be fully prepared for public health crises in future.
The docudrama My Stolen Life was adapted from a real-life story. As some tragedies began, they would never end. Most cases of missing children end with parents spending years, or the rest of their lives looking for their lost child. A mother in southwest China found her son after three years of searching across the nation, but she never knew her troubles were far from over.
As the world is hit by the coronavirus, small cities can be especially vulnerable in terms of crisis management. Check out this story about how a highly responsive information sharing system helps a small city in Hubei province, that was once out of medical supplies, finally manage the fight against the epidemic.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in January of this year, medical staff in China has been fighting like warriors, while the public has also joined the fight against the epidemic in different ways. Let’s have a panoramic glimpse of what this has been like.
Being a teacher in China's under-developed areas is widely seen as noble and respectful. It is more so if one chose to work in the rural areas of the country's far west Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in her youthful years. Written and produced by Lu Chang. Zhang Wan voices the story.
Yongku Unity Village is in south Xinjiang's Kuqa County, since the 1960s, its multi-ethnic population has included the Han people, Uyghurs, Hui, and Kazaks, who all live together in this village. Over the decades, they've worked together, held long-lasting friendships, and even built families with each other.
The story tells how cow breeding has helped engender multi-ethnic friendships in Xinjiang.
Written and produced by Lu Chang. Yang Yong voices the story.
Many people believe that human beings are shaped by the environment around them. The blue sky, white clouds, high mountains and wide horizons, such boundless vistas of nature could just as well have an influence over people's lives in Xinjiang.
Maybe it's this landscape that has nurtured people from different ethnic groups in Yongku village to be unpretentious, passionate, bold and unconstrained. Perhaps that's also the reason why romantic love stories happen here, despite cultural differences.
This episode is written and produced by Lu Chang. Yang Yong voices the story
In many parts of China’s underdeveloped rural areas, education has been facing challenges due to poverty and a lack of awareness of its importance. And this used to be the situation in Yongku, a small village located in China’s far west Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where school was nonexistent before the 1960s. But later, the local educational environment was changed by a group of migrant workers, in addition to generations of local people who have been making efforts to create a better life through education over the past few decades.
A young beauty meets the love of her life while asleep. Hear how that worked out on this edition of Selfie.
Well-educated young Chinese have launched various startups or farms to make agricultural innovations or apply the newest technologies. As they transform the agriculture sector, their presence and activities have brought new dynamics to life in the countryside, attracting urban residents back for sightseeing or recreation.
A widespread greeting in China during the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is "Wishing you have fish every year"; which means wishing you the best of luck and prosperity every year，as the Chinese character of “fish” is homophonic to the character of “abundance”. Good wishes have become reality in Jilin Province's Chagan Lake, in China's northeast. Millions of tourists have seen the catch from the local winter fishing season, and have been impressed by the "walls of fish" on the frozen lake. In 2008, a single net yielded 168 thousand kilograms of fish, breaking the Guinness World Record. But how can one natural lake yield so much fish? Let's see if Lake Chagan will give up some of its secrets.
Yang Baosen was one of the most famous Peking Opera masters of the last century who developed a singing technique that still bears his name－Yang Pai, or Yang style. This year marks the 110th birthday of Yang Baosen. But why was Yang considered to be the Van Gogh of Peking Opera?
To feed 20 percent of the world’s population with only seven percent of the world’s arable land is certainly a challenge. But that’s what China has been working on for the last 70 years. With a population of 1.4 billion, China faces a tremendous task: how to feed so many mouths? We explored a remote place called Qixing Farm in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province to find the answer.
Tea or coffee, which one do you prefer? Here in a traditionally tea-drinking country, a growing number of people are pouring coffee into their cups. The rather exotic and middle-class beverage has witnessed double digit growth in demand over recent years along with China's opening-up to the outside world and improvement in people's living standards. In some big cities, going out to drink coffee have even become a daily routine and lifestyle for mostly young people. But all these development was unimaginable some four decades ago when poverty and a rejection of a seemingly Western lifestyle allowed no place for the beverage in ordinary Chinese daily life. So how did Chinese people develop a taste for coffee?
Non-profit organizations and young college graduates in China are joining hands to bring quality education to students living in underdeveloped regions.
Continue to join Manling to hear stories from our guest Joy Chen, who is well known in China for becoming the deputy mayor of Los Angeles at the age of 31 and for her 2012 book “Do Not Marry Before Age 30”.
Let's follow Manling to hear stories from Joy Chen, who is well known in China for becoming the deputy mayor of Los Angeles at the age of 31 and for her 2012 book “Do Not Marry Before Age 30”.
The number 127 was a signpost in the career of the former investment banker turned NGO founder Chung To. He’s now the head of the Chi Heng Foundation, the NGO he established in Hong Kong in 1998 with a mere 100 Hong Kong dollars. His decision was driven more by instinct than logic: He had an impulse to help people whose lives were turned upside down by the raging AIDS epidemic. This instinct grew stronger and stronger until, in 2001, he left the world of finance and invested everything he had – money, time, and care – into running Chi Heng. The following year, Chi Heng would rescue its first group of AIDS orphans, 127 in all.
The number 127 was a signpost in the career of the former investment banker turned NGO founder Chung To. He’s now the head of the Chi Heng Foundation, the NGO he established in Hong Kong in 1998 with a mere 100 Hong Kong dollars. His decision was driven more by instinct than logic: He had an impulse to help people whose lives were turned upside down by the raging AIDS epidemic. This instinct grew stronger and stronger until, in 2001, he left the world of finance and invested everything he had – money, time, and care – into running Chi Heng. The following year, Chi Heng would rescue its first group of AIDS orphans, 127 in all.
Tens of thousands of small wholesalers and vendors have contributed to a prosperous produce market in southern Beijing called Xinfadi—one of the largest of its kind in China.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Li Huanzhi, a towering figure among Chinese classical composers of the twentieth century as the composer of the orchestral score for China’s National Anthem. In this episode, we’ll continue to review Li's musical career, while enjoying a concert put on to commemorate him by the China National Traditional Orchestra (CNTO).
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Li Huanzhi, a towering figure among Chinese classical composers of the twentieth century as the composer of the orchestral score for China’s National Anthem. In the following two episodes, we’ll review Li's musical career, while enjoying a concert put on to commemorate him by the China National Traditional Orchestra (CNTO).
Since August 2017, the Sanya city government has stepped up its efforts to protect mangrove trees—nicknamed “forests at sea” after a central government environmental inspection tour.
In the first part of today's Selfie, we hear from China Plus's reporter who recently spoke with Tibetan college student Dekyi Dolma about the medical service in her hometown in Tuoding Town in the Diqing Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. In the second part of the program, we follow local doctor Longchen Tsodo from Tuoding Town to see how elderly villager Tashi Lhamo recovered from breast cancer.
“Remember who you are, respect the balance of the circle of life and respect all creatures.” Disney’s movie The Lion King tells a story about the true meaning of responsibility and bravery. Like the lion Simba, a real-life “Lion King” in northern China’s Inner Mongolia has assumed the responsibility for greening his hometown, and practices bravery with his fellow townsmen. These indigenous people have been fighting desertification for more than 30 years, from generation to generation, like relay runners. All of them say they want to make their hometown more livable and more beautiful, but are they able to fulfill their dream? Let’s discover what the Kubuqi desert is like today.
“Animals are not moving objects!” This is the strongest message Manling received from Grace Ge Gabriel, a through and through animal conservationist who has been leading the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) office in China since she founded it in 1997, fighting battles at the forefront of wildlife protection.
“Animals are not moving objects!” This is the strongest message Manling received from Grace Ge Gabriel, a through and through animal conservationist who has been leading the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) office in China since she founded it in 1997, fighting battles at the forefront of wildlife protection.
A traditional genre of art called "hair embroidery" is being promoted in Suzhou, a city famous for its rich cultural heritage and delicate traditional craftsmanship.
Part 1: Thirty six medical professionals from across China volunteered to help out at a health center in the Diqing Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, in July this year. They had one mission in mind- to help local people who had difficulties getting access to medical services. Part 2: Voluntary doctors from Beijing and Wuhan visit local primary schools in Deqin to help check if any children from high altitude area need treatment.
China has more than seventy thousand forest policemen, accounting for one-thirtieth of the country's total number of policemen. In the depths of mountains and endless stretches of forest, what kind of death traps are hidden? Feng Jun is deputy chief of the Forest Police Bureau in Wuxi County in Chongqing municipality. Let's hear the story of a day in the life of Feng Jun and his colleagues.
David Lai is a young blind pianist whose talent has won domestic and international acclaim. The 23-year-old has a sunny personality, an easy-going attitude, and speaks fluent English. We invite you to listen to his inspiring life story.
David Lai is a young blind pianist whose talent has won domestic and international acclaim. The 23-year-old has a sunny personality, an easy-going attitude, and speaks fluent English. We invite you to listen to his inspiring life story.
Suzhou has been a pioneering region in China's market-oriented economic reform and growth since the 1980s. Though the city is now best known for its manufacturing industry and cultural and tourist attractions, it still retains a key part of its agricultural heritage in the northwest suburb. The area, called Wangting, is home to sprawling paddy fields, stretching far and wide. But the scene before our eyes shatters our impressions of traditional rice farming, which usually involves farmers using cattle pulling a plough to till a small plot of land.
For many people, the mention of the Tibet Autonomous Region will evoke images of famous scenic spots like Mount Chomolungma and Lake Namtso. But Tibet, which is on the world's highest and largest plateau region, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has a wide range of scenery, from mountains to valleys, glaciers to the Gobi Desert. But while this might well add to the region's glamour in tourists' eyes, the harsh environment undoubtedly poses severe challenges to local people's lives. China Plus's Wang Lei tells you stories about people's struggle for a better life through sand control and central heating and oxygen supply projects.
Often called a backbone of the Chinese economy, the migrant workers have faced great difficulties. But their dreams and yearning for a better life have been driving them to forge ahead, while new policies are being put in place to support them.
Tu’er Ye is a clay sculpture with a rabbit-shaped face and human body, which was traditionally worshiped by children on the Mid-Autumn Festival when families admired the moon in their courtyards. Thanks to the cultural heritage protector, it has been introduced to larger audiences domestically and in the wider world.
Many people in Beijing prefer public transport when traveling, especially during peak periods. Among a variety of options, public buses have become one of the most popular means for commuters since it is economical, convenient and eco-friendly. As a giant public bus service provider, the Beijing Public Transport Corporation constantly improves traveling experiences of passengers by offering a series of custom-made services, in addition to adopting advanced technology. Let’s find out more about the efforts that the company has made to achieve today's success.
Shi Dongying is a music producer and established a children’s band called Stone and Children. He has added his expertise to a comprehensive training system for youngsters once he realized that young people regularly lost their singing voices after puberty. Let’s find out more about how his training system helps children and adolescents develop singing skills without hurting their vocal chords.
Manling talks with Zoon Ahmed Khan, a Pakistani researcher based in Beijing. As well as studying the Belt and Road Initiative program at Tsinghua University, she also works as the moderator for an online program called Belt and Road Initiative: Face to Face.
In the last episode, Zoon shared stories about the connections between her family and China, which planted the seeds of curiosity in her mind and finally led her to Beijing. In this episode, she shares more China stories with us.
Manling talks with Zoon Ahmed Khan, a researcher of the Belt and Road Initiative program at China’s Tsinghua University. The Pakistani lady now based in Beijing also works as the moderator for an online video program called Belt and Road Initiative: Face to Face. Their conversation started from her Chinese name and her hometown, Lahore, the second largest city in Pakistan.
Yongku Unity Village is in south Xinjiang's Kuqa County, since the 1960s, its multi-ethnic population has included the Han people, Uyghurs, Hui, and Kazaks, who all live together in this village. Over the decades, they've worked together, held long-lasting friendships, and even built families with each other.
In this episode, we take you to this village in far west China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and hear local villagers' stories.
Written and produced by Lu Chang. Yang Yong voices the stories.
The ‘School Music Group’ in one Beijing elementary school is about to turn the idea of a stereotypical school band on its head.
Peking Opera, also known as the national opera of China, is a form of Chinese opera that combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. Originating in the Qing Dynasty in the mid-nineteenth century, it has become one of the most influential and representative of all operas in China. Yet this art is struggling to maintain its enchantment in modern society, as younger generations are exposed to many other forms of entertainment. To tackle this situation, a group of professionals is trying to revive the time-honored art by adding new elements into it. What chemistry it has produced? Has it gained recognition of the fans nationwide?
May 4th is the National Youth Day of China. It originates from the May 4th Movement in 1919, in which many young intellectuals protested against imperialists during the Second World War, and appealed for patriotism and democracy. As we reach a hundred years from that time, how does the young generation of China understand the core spirit? How do they practice this spirit in their daily life?
The Yangtze finless porpoise, also known as the river dolphin, is an extremely endangered species under the highest level of national protection in China. The mammals, which mainly live in the Yangtze River, are facing grave threats to their habitats because of water pollution and other destructive human activities. Today there are just some 1,000 of them left alive in the world. After quite a bit of soul searching, the provinces along the Yangtze River are finally waking up to the imminent threat of extinction of the species and are working to save the river dolphin.
Gender equality in science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM, is a global issue. Women empowerment in science and technology has gained widespread attention in China in recent years, as more and more Chinese women have stepped into STEM fields, and already been successful in them. So what do those Chinese women say about their gender, identity and the challenges in this field? How have the Chinese authorities and industry insiders made efforts to close the gender gap?
What does giving birth feel like in China? Chinese people usually compare the experience of labor to fighting their way through the doors of hell - Women in China usually suffered for hours, even for a couple of days, in labor, with little pain relief being offered, although pain-free labor has long been widely used in other countries. A pilot programme to make epidurals- a localized anesthetic more widely available across China has been launched by the health authorities at the end of 2018. How much applause for the idea has been won? How is it going? What challenges it still faces before being widely implemented?