Hate it or love it, China is a global superpower, and in order to understand its complexities, one must look not just at the headlines but also at everyday life, where nuanced societal trends and traditions quietly unfold.
So we put together a list of pictures that capture the many faces of this Asian nation, offering a glimpse into its urban environments, rural areas, and of course people.
Continue scrolling to check out the images but remember — there is always more to a country than what meets the eye
This post may include affiliate links.
Beijing Subway Allows Riders To Pay With Plastic Bottles, A Good Way To Re-Cycle Them
And don’t you know how high the altitude of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is? Many people will suffer from altitude sickness when they go there, and waste gasoline and manpower transporting garbage to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau? Are garbage treatment plants in cities built to serve as toilets?
Load More Replies...Words Of Wisdom From The Local Police (China)
China is the largest of all Asian countries. Occupying nearly the entire East Asian landmass, it covers approximately one-fourteenth of the land area of Earth, and it is almost as big as the whole of Europe.
China is also one of the most populous countries in the world, rivaled only by India, which, according to United Nations estimates, surpassed it in population in 2023.
Crescent Moon Bridge In Guangzhou, China
The bridge isn't that unique but it was a great idea to run the lights. Points deducted for whoever ran that horrible conduit or pipe run
I've seen brand new apprentices run emt better than that
Load More Replies...I lived there for 5 years. Walked over those. Really are picturesque.
Very beautiful to see with the colours of sunset in the background...
This Coffee Is Served With A Cloud Of "Cotton Candy", The Coffee Vapor Rises To Dissolve The "Cotton Candy" And The Cloud Begins To Rain With Sugar Over The Coffee. Coffee "Mellow" In Shanghai, China
I want it, and I don't even take sugar in mine
Load More Replies...Not much actually, maybe just a teaspoon of sugar, after all we all know marshmallows are fluffy
Load More Replies...This Chinese Dragon Is Made Out Of Fine China
Wow! Gorgeous, but I can't imagine how fragile this must be as a piece of art.
It looks well encased in string ties, I can only hope it also has a strong clear laminate coating over every piece of china
Load More Replies...I have my doubts about how 'fine' it is but that is a cool looking dragon. I want to imagine it is associated with a china factory. That would be cool advertising outside of their business.
'Fine' refers to the quality of the clay, not the finished product.
Load More Replies...With more than 4,000 years of recorded history, China is one of the few countries that have flourished economically and culturally in the earliest stages of world civilization.
Despite the political and social upheavals that frequently have ravaged the country, China is unique among nations in its longevity as a politico-cultural unit.
Much of China’s cultural development has been accomplished with relatively little outside influence, the introduction of Buddhism from India being a major exception. Even when such foreign powers as the Manchu penetrated the country, these groups soon became largely absorbed into the fabric of the Chinese culture.
There Is A Mall In China That Offers "Husband Storage" Where Wives Can Leave Their Husband While They Shop
Ok this may be the "woke" (joking) part of me but this feels like its just playing into the s****y stereotype men are like children and when are not w8th their wives they need to be babysat by a screen. And can women not dislike shopping? Im not wording this as well as i would like to because i have literally just woken up
Wife here... would gladly be stored there while my husband wenr shopping
The kids watching the guy in the booth at the right be like: "I can't believe he missed that shot!" "What an amateur!" "Hey, mister! Can we show you how it's done?"
I think it was the Incheon Korea airport where I saw some similar booths being installed. Less glass - just a decent sized window in the door. Basically a mini-office / cubicle you could pay to use to have some quiet/privacy. Having only one window probably makes them more sound proof.
This is China, because it is surrounded by Chinese characters, and Korean characters are completely different
Load More Replies...Hahaha that's a good idea, that way they can't go off to the bar or casino, just stick them in the clear cube with a games box and leave a drink and snacks then go enjoy your shopping trip with friends...
Fluorite Found In The Jiangxi Province Of China
My Once-In-A-Lifetime Photo Of A Foggy Road On Mount Lushan, China
I Took A Picture Of A Girl Playing The Guzheng In Chengdu, Sichuan, China
China has been a socialist country since 1949, and, for nearly all of that time, the government has played the top role in the economy.
In the industrial sector, for instance, the state long owned outright nearly all of the firms producing China's manufacturing output, and even though the proportion of overall industrial capacity controlled by the government has gradually declined, heavy industries have remained largely state-owned.
That’s Not What I Meant, And You Know It
Let me explain, "年年有余" means that the ancient Chinese people hope to have surplus money and food every year, expressing people's hope for a prosperous life. "年年有鱼" is the hope of kittens, and there are fish every year. Eat, the two Chinese characters "余" and "鱼" have the same pronunciation in China, and they made a homophonic joke
The writing is a pun. The left says, "Every year has surplus," which is a common saying for wishing good luck at New Year's. The right is pronounced the same way but says, "Every year has fish."
"every year has extra (stuff), Every year have fish" Translated ( it rymes BTW)
Exercise Bikes At A McDonald's In China. The Bikes Generate Electricity As Part Of The Chain's "Upcycle For Good" Initiative And Can Be Used To Charge Your Phone
This is such a good idea. If you're going to eat fast food might as well get a workout in.
They had these at a McDonald's near where I was living in Arizona. Once they started to break down, the restaurant manager realized that McDonald's hadn't hired a mechanic to fix them, and the paperwork to contract out the work wasn't worth it.
Ingenuity and initiative. 👌🏼 Why are American so dumb? Oh, that's right, it's a capitalistic country. UGH! Yep I'm American, only by figure of being born here...
I Felt Quite Lost In China, But Fortunately I Found This Sign
Maybe you need to read it in a very calm, reassuring tone. You are here now, everything will be fine?
Load More Replies...In Shanghai, China Has Autonomous KFC Cars That Roam Around And Allow You To Buy Food Without Human Interaction
Since Tesla's HQ is in Texas, can we expect something like this, but with BBQ?
In the urban sectors, the government sets the prices for key commodities, determines the level and general distribution of investment funds, prescribes output targets for major enterprises and branches, allocates energy resources, sets wage levels and employment targets, runs the wholesale and retail networks, and controls financial policy and the banking system. The foreign trade system became a government monopoly in the early 1950s. In the countryside from the mid-1950s, the government has prescribed cropping patterns, set the level of prices, and fixed output targets for all major crops.
The Traffic Lights In China Are Shaped Like Pandas
I Took A Picture Of A Manhole In China
Japan has a city where the manholes are all different Pokemon characters.
Wow, that is cool! Do you know the name of the city?
Load More Replies...Manhole covers in Rome Italy have "SPQR" on them. It is the first letters of the phrase, "The Senate and the People of Rome". The phrase dates back to ancient Rome.
A Curved Escalator In China
Got stuck on the escalator because you were wearing a long skirt or sandals? Oh, man, if you don't follow the rules on how to use the machine, all the escalators in the world can get you stuck.
Load More Replies...This Handwritten Note I Received With A $13 Product From China
By the early 21st century, the system was changing, as the role of the central government in managing the economy was reduced and the role of both private initiative and market forces increased. Nevertheless, the government has continued to play a dominant role in the urban economy, and its policies on such issues as agricultural procurement still exerted a major influence on performance in the rural sector.
I Live In China And The Barcode On My Bottle Of Coke Has Chopsticks Pulling Up The Barcode Like Noodles
I Got To Chill With This Little Guy For 5 Bucks While I Was An Exchange Student In China
It's a red panda. There are zoos that will have a few that are tame so you can pay money for pictures. That money goes toward protecting their habitat, as they're only about 10,000 in the wild, you stupid nitwit.
Load More Replies...Need more context; if it was in a rescue centre and couldn't be rewilded, it's still not ideal to handle them but it's better than if it's option 2 which would be some arsehole is offering red panda hugs to tourists for money. NEVER pay a street vendor who offers you the chance to hold an exotic animal as you're just perpetuating the cruelty
Except it's likely captive bred and it's parents captive bred and it would not survive in the wild, not to mention much of its habitat has been lost to urbanisation and many endangered species only guarantee of survival is through captive breeding programs.
Load More Replies...It looks like it's quite well fed so I think it's fine, anyhow zoos do the same thing
Some Buses In Guangzhou Have Vending Machines With Water, Umbrellas On Rainy Days And Tissue
They also have umbrella vending machines on some buses in the UK?
Load More Replies...I have been enchanted with the vending machines in Japan so it’s lovely to see it in China too!!
This McDonald's In Lijiang, China, Has To Confirm To The Local Building Style
Such control over the economy requires an army of bureaucrats and a highly complicated chain of command, so the Chinese Communist Party reserves the right to make broad decisions on economic priorities and policies, and the government apparatus headed by the State Council assumes the major burden of running the economy. The State Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance also are concerned with the functioning of virtually the entire economy.
Well, I’m Convinced
Chinese people usually only eat crayfish at night and fat intestine chicken at noon. This restaurant looks empty because it’s not yet open.
Load More Replies...Visiting China And Found These Stones That Look Like Pork Belly
This Building In Shanghai
My Girlfriend's In China, She Sent Me Photo Of Girl Wearing Mickey Mouse Shirt, But Something's Not Quite Right
Sewer Rat is right for this famous company that owns a theme park in Florida
According to Amnesty International, China's national security continues to be used as a pretext to prevent the exercise of rights including freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. Both on- and offline discussion of many topics are subject to strict censorship. Human rights defenders are among those subjected to arbitrary detention and unfair trials. The human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region remains grave and there's no accountability for grave human rights violations committed against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in the region. UN experts raise new concerns that government policies and programs are contributing to the destruction of the language and culture of ethnic groups, including Tibetans.
Beijing Has The Coolest Traffic Control Room
Ec city has its own dedicated control room like this photo at Nasa?
Load More Replies...In Beijing, The Markings For Blind People Can Exist Purely To Guide Them Around A Manhole, As Stepping On One Is Seen As Very Bad Luck Here
Make sense considering that the man hole could be open when sewer cleaning in progress
Manhole. A man hole is something completely different 😉
Load More Replies...Great for the blind but not so great for wheelchair users and buggies. I'm only aware of this because my Mum was in a wheelchair for a while and they use similar paving at pedestrian crossings in the UK. I don't know what the solution is.
These Shirts I Found While Shopping In China
You can pinpoint the exact moment the writer started smelling toast.
Very Long Escalator At The Subway Station In Chongqing, China
It is difficult to tell the total length to compare, but I rode on something like this at the Seattle airport coming from international arrivals to get back over to the baggage claim / customs areas. I don't know exactly how high but you had a pretty good view from the top. It went up at least four stories high I think.
It's not an escalator... it's a people mover. It's lateral. The building is wonky.
Nope. The moderately steep one at one of Melbourne's ( Australia ) underground stations gives me the horrors. I couldn't handle this one !
Reminds me of riding the central line on the London underground... practically a vertical descent and the train is so fast you can actually have your ears go pop like they do when taking off or landing in an aeroplane ✈️ 😀
The Chinese city of Chongqing is a mountain city. The building where this escalator is located may be on the top of the mountain. We climbed the mountain by escalator.
Load More Replies...Furthermore, women’s rights activists are subjected to harassment, intimidation, arbitrary detention, and unfair trials. Civic space in Hong Kong has become ever more curtailed as the authorities maintain wide-ranging bans on peaceful protests and imprison pro-democracy activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and others on national security-related charges. They also seek out the arrest of opposition activists who are fleeing overseas.
This Airplane Themed Restaurant In China
Ugh why would you pursue more time in airplane seating without going anywhere
I hv been to economy ones in India. I was invited for a kids party there, hated it.
Load More Replies...A Mural Combined With Physical Pieces In China
Dude Brought His Own Chair To The Subway In China
Amazing And Rare Smoky Quartz Covered In Spessartine From China!
Bamboo Being Used For Scaffolding In China
The Chinese hove been doing this for thousands of years. I would assume they have figured out how to do it safely.
They used to use bamboo scaffolding in the Gulf, because metal rusted in the salt air
Load More Replies...It's as safe as metal and it's environmentally friendly, they retire the bamboo after 1-2 uses
I couldn't believe this on my 1st visit to HK many years ago, but apparently in works.
They have quite a number of earth tremors in Hong Hong and these hand-tied bamboo scaffolding structures are safer than steel because they are more flexible.
Properly engineered, this should work as long as it's not necessary for the platforms to support any really heavy loads.
Cosmetics Shop In China
So I Went To China
Guangzhou Subway Station
Looks like the "Great Ship" Admiral Zheng He captained oh his many voyages to South East Asia and beyond.
The size of those 'Great ships' was amazing - European ships would have fit in the hold
Load More Replies...Buying A Watermelon In China
Alternative is people sneezing and or coughing into watermelon you may purchase.
Load More Replies...Stairs That Count Calories Lost In A Beijing Restaurant
Yes, which is why it's best to slide down the banister on the way down to avoid them.
Load More Replies...I don't like this, life isn't about counting every calorie you eat. Go have that chocolate muffin every once in a while and stay safe out there
This isn't about eating it's about understanding that healthy life is a healthy balance, that if you want to eat chocolate muffins and be healthy you need to be active. *Edited to say I did not down vote you. Down votes are for people saying offensive and rude things, not having a little difference of opinion.*
Load More Replies...Banks In Hong Kong Are Allowed To Print Their Own Money. There Are 8 Distinct Currency Designs Currently In Circulation (5 Depicted)
Correction: *Three* Hong Kong banks are licensed to do this by PBoC. The banks are identified on the banknotes in the picture.
Hong Kong and China have different currency, they do not have the same exchange rate.
This Restaurant In China Serves ‘A Chicken Sunbathing On The Beach’
I say if you eat meat, you should be able to look it in the eyes, err, face as this carcass appears to no longer have eyes. People do forget when talking about how Chinese people eat everything that China had some very serious famines in recent history, so, yes, starving people will eat the chickens head, and deep fried starfish, and scorpions...
I mean the idea ia funny but couldn't stand that head staring at me while I ate pieces of it's body!
In China, chicken heads are a delicacy. I could never eat one though.
Load More Replies...I've heard people complain about fish with the head left on. What would they make of this?
Janissary, A lot of asians eat things with the head on. I've had a fair bit of both fish and roast pig in the Philippines. I have not personally tried it but one time my half brother and my dad had a business dinner at a very fancy Chinese restaurant (in the eastern US) and one of the dishes they served was dove heads. or pigeon heads - I forget - but a plate full of bird heads. It doesn't sound appealing to me but my brother said it was very tasty. Looked weird, but tasted good. Oh, and some asians like eating eyes as well even if they don't eat the whole head. I try to be open minded but eyes don't interest me.
Load More Replies...This Tiny Phone I Found In Shenzhen China
Prison phone. Somebody is in trouble and op hopefully got rid of it very fast
Don't understand why anyone would want to have something that small, it would get lost far too easily and you would have trouble dialing the numbers or texting any messages...
They Have Cucumber Flavored Lay's In China
Yeah, Lays had this flavor of chips available in regular old grocery stores in Canada last year (along with some other flavors) for Chinese new year they were good.
I've been able to find them in downtown Toronto until recently, but it's sporadic I'll keep looking, they are my favourite.
Load More Replies...You Can Buy A Thomas The Tank Engine Transformer In China
Why rip off one intellectual property when you can rip off two IPs at the same time? /J
Thomas looks like some lady just slammed her thumb against his knackers.
Some Food Takeout Place In China Delivers Food In Clay Pots
That soup is the most unappealing display of food that I've ever seen. It literally looks like a nasty toilet.
These Two Cats Living On The Great Wall Of China
Eggs Are Sold In Nets In China
The egg's cardboard packaging in Europe is more eco friendly than this plastic nets.
Chinese supermarkets also have eggs in cartons, don’t think that one photo is everything
Load More Replies...I bought eggs in Mexico by the weight and they'd pass them to you in a bag.
I Met A Tiger Puppy In China
That should be illegal given the standard rules and regulations to all types of chemicals in China. I can’t imagine the number of pets that have died from these treatments.
This Man In China Smoking A Cigar Through A Pipe
I Had A Fish In My Hotel Room In Beijing. To Keep Me Company
It is a Betta aka Siamese fighting fish. They breathe air directly. Commonly found in mud puddles in Thailand.
Load More Replies...That poor fish. "Today I stare at the unfinished rubick's cube but tomorrow I'll face the other way and stare at the plastic plant.
These fish need an absolute minimum of 3 gallon tank (ideal 5-10) to be able to survive without being tortured. This makes me sick. I have 200 gallon saltwater reef tank and it has shown me how amazingly complex the needs of fish actually are. Their mental acuity is astounding. They play with toys in their environment and recognize individual people. I have a one wrasse who even loves to be bottle fed with a baster and every time I’m doing tank maintenance the little attention hog nips until I stroke him gently. Keeping a fish in a few cups of water is monstrous.
Yup bet that animal you ate for dinner had a much better life.
Load More Replies...What animals did you eat this week and what life quality did they have? Maybe just quit your hypocrisy.
Load More Replies...In China, Urinals Can Conduct A Health Check-Up For You, For A Fee
For a fee. Be wary of the free exams. The people behind those do not have your best health in mind.
The Subways In Chong Qing, China Have Cabins With Different Temperatures
My Pringle’s From China Have A Tray For The Chips Instead Of Sticking Your Forearm Down A Tube!
Not a great idea for the environement. Just more garbage to throw away after one use...
My Friend Found A Blue Pepsi In China (Pepsi Blue Was Discontinued On 2004)
It was available in Hungary this summer. It was fun to try it once, but I didn't become a fan.
I remember how excited I was when I tried it first after all the advertising build up. That was an age when not much disappointed. So it was fun.
Load More Replies...A KFC Resturant In Zhangzhou, China
Surveillance Cameras Installed By The Government On A Beach In China, Hainan Island
That is a surprisingly clean and healthy looking beach. I guess the camera is worth it?
There is at least one very high value military base on Hainan; this could possibly be there for its security.
Load More Replies...KFC In China, 2 Deep-Fried Chicken As Patties, Pineapple And Ham?!???!??
This Circle That Appeared In The Evening Sky Over Beijing, China
Apparently it "appeared in the evening sky" because they were doing a light show.
This Restroom In Shanghai Train Station Has A Screen Showing The Available Toilet Stools
Now THAT is a smart system. Much better than bending down like a weirdo looking for feet under stalls.
Can You Believe It? Malls In China Have Evolved To A Whole New Level!
A Tokyo Subway-Themed Restaurant In China
In China They Have Women Only Parking Spaces That Are Made Bigger
Maybe she had to help an elderly person get out the door on the right?
Load More Replies...Yes, and they’re usually not wider than usual, but close to the exit, so women feels safer when walking alone at night. And then there are the Unisex parking spaces that are wider and dedicated to people with strollers
Load More Replies...For prams and strollers and for helping elderly relatives in and out of the car.
Load More Replies...Bus Stops In Suzhou
When I was in Japen I saw a temple being built. It's hard to describe the sensse of betrayal finding out not every temple is hundreds of years old.
China Has A Famous Street Food Item That Looks Like Different Colored Tide Pods
As A Food Item, Certain Large Centipedes Are Consumed In China
Usually skewered and grilled or deep fried. They are often seen in street vendors’ stalls in large cities, including Donghuamen and Wangfujing markets in Beijing. Large centipedes are steeped in alcohol to make centipede vodka.
Salted Egg Yolk And Durian Flavored Chips Found In Shanghai
Ah Durian. Tastes great, the smell... It's been banned from almost every office I've worked in
I don't understand how something can taste good but smell bad. I'm guessing it just tastes bad too.
Load More Replies...Oil Painting Mill In China
Don't find the idea bad per se, it really depends on the working conditions. Being im China, they're probably not good..
A Claw Machine Game Full Of Cigarettes At A Theme Park In Beijing
Now you can combine your gambling addiction with your smoking addiction
New Spicy Chicken Wing Oreos Here In China
Do you eat original flavor Oreos with the jalapeno jelly?
Load More Replies...Pepe Themed Play Area In China
China Never Ceases To Amaze Me
I guess I'm missing something. What is amazing about this? I see a four door sedan with some advertising on the side.
Google Lens says it's probably an MG 6 electric car. I'm not sure what's amazing about it either.
Load More Replies...for those wondering, SUPREME is a super over priced American "stuff" company. so wrapping your car in a bedazzled custom is hilarious. also there's a tiny Lamborghini decal below the mirror
Ferrari, not Lamborghini. That's for sure a prancing horse, not a bull.
Load More Replies...A Man In Shanghai Carrying A Tortoise
This Chinese Restaurant Menu That Has A Map With Landmarks That Haven't Existed For A Decade Or More
Is this not actually from the United States? BP - wake up and check the details of the junk you are posting lately.
"Uniqueness Of China" LOL. But to be fair, it's Florida, so it SEEMS like a foreign country.
Load More Replies...China is one of the greatest country of the world.If you never visited there,I advice you to have a look .Don't just be fooled by some Western medias for political reasons.That's so stupid.
Disgusting. Not the Chinese people, of course (I hope one day they are truly free - one can hope), but the brutal CCP.
Communism, oppression, widespread censorship, slave labor, child labor, ethnic genocide, religious persecution. China sure is interesting, right , BP?
Good propaganda now BP how about some other photos from China's outside of the Shanghai, Shenzhen or Hongkong. Let's see the northern part bordering with Russia or Korea or how about western part there is a province I'd not like to name. Or better yet can we have a photo shoot of all the coal power plants that would be great.
These are photos of things the RICH in China enjoy, not the poor who are factory slaves making your clothes and electronics. Wondering why BP is trying to push so much Chinese propaganda.
No photos of the Uyghurs slave laborers assembling iPhones or stitching together Nike shirts?
Let's do one now about the wonderful and unique things one can find in Iran under the mullahs - and why not - while we're at it, let's do one on the 'mysterious kingdom' of North Korea.
Ah, it’s nice to see some positive post about the country I call home. I’m from Germany and I’ve been living here since 2011. Dalian in the northeast is my second hometown. Welcome to China, I’m certain you will enjoy it here.
China is one of the greatest country of the world.If you never visited there,I advice you to have a look .Don't just be fooled by some Western medias for political reasons.That's so stupid.
Disgusting. Not the Chinese people, of course (I hope one day they are truly free - one can hope), but the brutal CCP.
Communism, oppression, widespread censorship, slave labor, child labor, ethnic genocide, religious persecution. China sure is interesting, right , BP?
Good propaganda now BP how about some other photos from China's outside of the Shanghai, Shenzhen or Hongkong. Let's see the northern part bordering with Russia or Korea or how about western part there is a province I'd not like to name. Or better yet can we have a photo shoot of all the coal power plants that would be great.
These are photos of things the RICH in China enjoy, not the poor who are factory slaves making your clothes and electronics. Wondering why BP is trying to push so much Chinese propaganda.
No photos of the Uyghurs slave laborers assembling iPhones or stitching together Nike shirts?
Let's do one now about the wonderful and unique things one can find in Iran under the mullahs - and why not - while we're at it, let's do one on the 'mysterious kingdom' of North Korea.
Ah, it’s nice to see some positive post about the country I call home. I’m from Germany and I’ve been living here since 2011. Dalian in the northeast is my second hometown. Welcome to China, I’m certain you will enjoy it here.
