Food & Culture

Working From Chengdu: Why Remote Workers Are Ditching Bali for China's Next-Gen Cities

Southeast Asia has long ruled the digital nomad conversation, but a new wave of remote workers is quietly setting up shop in Chinese cities you might not have on your radar. From Chengdu's jaw-dropping affordability to Hangzhou's tech-forward infrastructure, China's second and third-tier cities are making a serious case for your next long-term base. Here's what's actually drawing people in — and what to realistically expect.

Oct 3, 2026

Xiaolongbao Is Having a Moment — And It's About Way More Than Soup Dumplings

Walk into almost any trendy neighborhood in Shanghai, Chengdu, or Beijing right now and you'll find a line snaking out the door of some artisanal dumpling shop where the menu lists broth origins and fold counts like a craft brewery lists IBUs. Xiaolongbao — those delicate soup-filled dumplings most Americans know vaguely from dim sum — have become the unlikely center of a full-blown culinary movement reshaping how young Chinese urbanites think about traditional food. Here's why that matters, and

Oct 3, 2026