China · how everyday habits formed
Every habit in China has a date.
Ancient-sounding habits, twentieth-century origins. Every piece traces one everyday habit in China back to the policy, product, or price that put it there — with dates, not folklore.
Where to start
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Food 中国味 Why meals are ordered, shared, and timed the way they are. -
Wellness 养生 The everyday rules around the body, and how they started. -
Buys 好物 The everyday objects people actually keep, and why. -
Culture 文化 Festivals, holidays, and the rules that come with them. -
CityLife 城市 Habits that formed recently — payment, delivery, group fitness. -
Language 语言 The phrases people actually say, and what they assume. - Start here How to read the site, and where to begin.
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Why these habits look older than they are
Most of what gets called ancient custom in China was set in the twentieth century. Here is the pattern behind it.
Read the explainer