ZGBriefs | March 5, 2026
The Little Town Making Nearly All of China’s Lanterns (March 3, 2026, BBC)...They are also absolutely synonymous with lunar new year celebrations…
ZGBriefs
A weekly roundup of news and analysis to help you follow key developments in China and the Chinese church.
Latest
ZGBriefs | February 26, 2026
5 Places to Experience Chinese New Year at Its Best (February 18, 2026, The World of Chinese)
ZGBriefs | February 19, 2026
5 Folk Celebrations That Ring in the New Year (February 16, 2026, The World of Chinese) The Spring Festival doesn’t wait for New Year’s Day to begin.
ZGBriefs | February 12, 2026
Imprisoned Chinese Pastor’s Daughter Vows ‘Even Repression Cannot Extinguish Faith’ (February 3, 2026, The Christian Post)
ZGBriefs I February 5, 2026
How the Horse Became the Ultimate Metaphor for Talent in China (February 3, 2026, The World of Chinese) Elevating the fabled steed to a symbol of great talent in Chinese culture and underscoring the even greater rarity of a person able to recognize eminence when they see it.
ZGBriefs | January 29, 2026
In China, AI Is No Longer Optional for Some Kids. It’s Part of the Curriculum (January 27, 2026, NPR News) Starting in the fall, every student in elementary and middle school in Beijing, and several other districts, began learning about AI.
ZGBriefs | January 22, 2026
Who Are the Churches That China Is Persecuting? (January 19, 2026, Domino Theory) On the night of December 14, over 1,000 police officers surrounded Yayang Church in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. At 3 a.m. they burst into the church “with extreme violence.”
ZGBriefs | January 15, 2026
Podcast - China’s Church Divided (January 8, 2026, Pekingology) Paul unpacks the Communist Party's views on religion, how the Catholic Church navigated the turbulent politics of 1980s China, and why the Vatican has renewed a controversial deal with Beijing.
ZGBriefs | January 8, 2026
From Icy to an Ice Icon: How Harbin Became a Winter Wonderland (January 2, 2026, The World of Chinese) When much of China retreats indoors during the winter, the northeastern city of Harbin does just the opposite.
ZGBriefs | January 1, 2026
From Hakka Tulous to Blue Ocean Views: A Glimpse into 2025 Church Dedications Across China (December 28, 2025, China Christian Daily) For the Christian community in China, the year 2025 saw a diverse array of new church dedications.
ZGBriefs | December 24, 2025
From 'Ping Guo' to Peace: How a Pun Created a Christmas Custom (December 22, 2025, China Christian Daily) For Christians and churches worldwide, Christmas is a season of celebration and a crucial time for evangelism. While methods vary globally—from cantatas to charity drives—churches in China have adopted a unique medium to share the gospel: the "Peace Apple."
ZGBriefs | December 18, 2025
The Chinese Christian Behind 2,000 Hymns (December 11, 2025, Christianity Today) Lü’s vocation as a hymn writer might seem surprising, as she never received any formal music training and learned how to write Chinese characters from a dictionary while shepherding sheep in a field.