Chinese Blogs

Since the internet first became a social norm in the late 1990’s, people around the world have not been shy in coming forward and speaking their mind on every topic imaginable to an audience of billions.

Internet blogging is one of the world’s latest crazes, and millions of people log on every day to either read or write the latest blog. A blog can be described as an online internet journal, where the owner can log on and leave entries about their personal experiences, thoughts, views or interests. Readers often also have the chance to comment on these blogs, and many obtain a huge following from people around the world.

The Chinese have certainly not been left behind with this craze, and a large proportion of the world’s popular blog sites have originated in this huge, powerful country.

To try and list all of the internet blogs originating in China would be impossible, and very tedious! So we have scoured the internet to bring you a selection of some of the best, and sometimes most quirky blogs from China.

Obviously many Chinese blogs are not in English, but a surprising amount of them are. This is probably so that they can get their views out to the world-wide community. Also, many of the blogs from China that are in English are written by non-Chinese native English speakers who are living in China, who are sharing their travel or life experiences whilst over there. It’s a great way for travelers and expatriates to keep in contact with their family and friends abroad.

One interesting blog that is worth a look is Wangjianshuo.com. The blog is written by an English speaking native Chinese engineer, who gives an interesting insight into the society and culture of modern day China. He speaks of how he progressed from just being a low-paid engineer right through to becoming the head of Baixing.com, a classifieds website owned by eBay.com. He lives in Shanghai, and the blog is aimed at giving advice to foreigners who are looking at relocating to China. As English is his second language, the writing style is very simple English, which makes his blog popular with other non-native English speakers from around the world such as from Russia, India and the Middle East.

For those of you that are fashion conscious, and want to keep abreast of all the latest fashions in China’s capital of Beijing, stylites.net is the place to go. It has been recognized by H&M Magazine as one of the top 5 street blogs in the world. The blog has photos of people in the street and what fashions they are wearing with comments written below. The blog has been going for the last two years and has been a worldwide success ever since. Stylites is owned and run by photographer Nels Fryes.

Another blog worth a read, is RedBox Review. Written by owner and founder of the Red Box Studio art gallery in Beijing, Katherine Don, RedBox Review is a blog about Chinese contemporary art. There are original articles, event listings, gallery reviews, and commentaries. She also writes about some of the hottest topics surrounding contemporary Chinese art today.

IfGoGo.com is a blog written by Chinese nationals in English (which makes it unique as most English-Chinese blogs are written by foreigners living in China). It has blogs written by various Chinese citizens and gives a great perspective on current events and life in modern day China. It is aimed at people born between the 1980’s and 1990’s.

For photography lovers who also have a passion for travel, it might be a good idea to read Expatriate Games, a blog written by a guy named Michael who describes himself as: “An American experiencing mid-life in China”. He focuses on developing his photography and Photoshop skills. As well as being interesting to read about his travels and cultural differences between the USA and China, he has some great photos that successfully give an insight into China’s contemporary culture.

We couldn’t leave without mentioning one of the most successful English Chinese blogs in cyberspace - 56minus1. In only six months it has escalated into a world wide blogging sensation. His style is very simple, and he doesn’t really talk about anything overly important or groundbreaking, but his authenticity and personal expression is what makes it a success. He lives in Shanghai, and just speaks about the things he observes going on around him. He covers areas such as music, culture, design, the youth, and media.

So take a look around the blogosphere and see what you can find. There is sure to be something that will tickle you fancy. But be warned, blogs can be very addictive, and you may find yourself stuck there for several hours! Other than that, happy blogging!