Local comedy troupe banned for lack of diplomas

In spite of Beijing’s plans to transform itself into a national cultural and artistic powerhouse, grassroots groups and individual performers are being denied access to performance spaces by district-level government.

Cricket fights lead to cultural revival

The shouts come from a group of middle-aged men who have gathered in a downtown luxury suite. Using a piece of straw, they poke and prod at a pair of crickets hoping to start a fierce battle.

Residents don masks to battle bad air

Sales of face masks surged more than tenfold this week as smog choked the capital’s residents. Heavy air fell over Beijing on Sunday, when visibility dropped to 500 meters in some areas.

City pledges to retain residents after renovation

While past efforts to repair the aging hutong saw communities broken up in favor of commercial interests and residents evicted to the outskits of the capital, officials pledged in their recent draft that this time it will be different.

December 9, 2011

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December 2, 2011

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