Economists forecast big slowdown

The national economy will slow in the coming five years, with an expected average annual growth rate of 8 percent, said a senior official on Wednesday.

Technology to rein in pet-borne disease

City officials plan to implant RFID chips in 2 million pet dogs as part of a tracing system that would prevent epidemics and ownership disputes, Zhao Genwu, director of the Municipal Bureau of Agriculture, said at a working session of the municipal congress.

Wangfujing installs nation’s first gold vending machine

A new gold vending machine gives consumers the opportunity to easily safeguard their cash amid rising prices and global financial insecurity.

French lovers bike continents to collect dreams

Anne Salaun and Benjamin Stoll recently finished a half-year journey from France to Beijing on a tandem bicycle. Their trek, part of a “bike to school” project, will be made into a documentary.

September 30, 2011

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September 30 – October 6

This exhibition presents more than 150 pieces by 30 Chinese designers and groups who return to their cultural roots and “design for the sake of design.” The designers in the exhibition have created a traditional garden filled with their work, such as furniture, accessories and daily items.

Fed up parents discover home schooling

Education in a Chinese public school is a path with few options. Students and their families have little freedom to determine what they will learn.

Avoiding the holiday crush while still having fun

National Day holiday is a time for travel, and you can expect Beijing’s tourist sites to be packed with out-of-towners. For those who live in the city, Beijing Today would like to recommend these alternative places – from ancient villages to mountains – that will be less crowded but equally fun.

A death rattle from the countryside

Director Guo Hengqi follows urbanization as it extends its tentacles into the remote mountain villages of Pingyao, Shanxi Province.

Bringing alive the sounds of traditional Brazil

Brazilian culture isn’t just about soccer, carnivals and samba. To really know it, you have to learn about the Brazilian fife – a bamboo flute-like traditional instrument also called the pife.