Tea Leaf Nation is an e-magazine founded in 2011. We aspire to be a must-read source for China experts of all stripes–journalists, diplomats, academics, analysts–while remaining fun and accessible to casual China watchers. Our founding team, based in China and the United States, scours Chinese social media every day to spot trends, gauge sentiment, and carry major news stories one level deeper.
Latest posts by Tea Leaf Nation
For Chinese, Violence in the Middle East Sparks Debate on Democracy, Stability
The crackdown Egypt reminds Chinese people of the Tiananmen Crackdown 24 years ago. Some make use of the violence as a warning to advocators for democracy and social changes in China.
Which Flavor of China's Wildly Popular WeChat Will You Get?
Tencent offers two versions of WeChat, a "sanitized" one for mainland Chinese and an uncensored one for international users, yet some Chinese language accounts registered from overseas also encounter censorship.
Watermelon Vendor's Death Triggers Backlash Against China's Urban Management Officers
The Linwu urban management authorities intended to cover up the death of a watermelon vendor, Deng Zhengjia, with huge compensation. Chinese netizens wanted the truth.
Obama Graduation Speech Sparks Debate In China: What Is Citizenship?
Last week, a speech by U.S. President Barack Obama on the value of engaged citizenship made waves in Chinese social media.
With China's Hottest Social Network in Danger, Netizens Cry: Hands Off!
Weixin, a free mobile communications app with about 300 million total users has grown rapidly domestically and internationally since 2010. Recently the Chinese government suggests Tencent, the operator of Weixin, to charge a fee. Will such move kill the golden goose?
Is the ‘China Dream’ Really a ‘Strong Military Dream’ ?
The concept of the "China Dream" is being promoted by a number of state-controlled media organizations, including China Central Television which recently invited Chinese micro-bloggers to join the conversation.
Interactive Maps of China’s Most and Least Polluted Places
Beijing recently experienced its worst day of air quality on record. Since then, reporting on China’s “airpocalypse” has been accompanied by what seems like a monochromatic slideshow of the country’s iconic cities all smothered in thick smog.
