Crossing the River by Feeling the Stones

Swapping Urban Uncertainty for Auspicious Apples in a Corner of Rural Shanxi

Linfen's rural Ji County has a lot going for it

Nov 17 • 

David Fishman

25

4

Off the Beaten Track: How is Life in China's "Most Median City"?

A deep dive on-the-ground exploration of Linfen City, Shanxi province

Nov 9 • 

David Fishman

108

21

15

October 2025

A Photo/Video Essay: Driving National Road G214 North to Deqin County in Tibetan Yunnan

My journey through some of northern Yunnan’s most remote regions continues.

Oct 30 • 

David Fishman

21

1

1

Digging for the Deeper Story in Yunnan's "Tibet Disneyland"

I’ve recently returned from an 11-day trip around northern Yunnan, flying into Lijiang and doing a big loop north to Shangri-la, north to Dêqên County…

Oct 21 • 

David Fishman

24

2

3

September 2025

What's The Weirdest Way to Say "River" in China?

Concerning a Rectification of (River) Names

Sep 18 • 

David Fishman

46

25

3

Ordos City - The World's Most Famous "Ghost City" (That Isn't)

As soon as I knew I was going to be visiting Ordos City, Inner Mongolia in July 2025, I knew I was going to have to write an essay about “ghost cities…

Sep 10 • 

David Fishman

67

7

7

August 2025

Maintaining Tibetan Language and Identity in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan

This essay continues retracing my October 2024 travels through western China’s Gansu and Sichuan provinces.

Aug 31 • 

David Fishman

30

1

Gansu Travelogue 4: Leaving Gansu for Sichuan (Over the Hills and Far Away)

En route to Jiuzhaigou...

Aug 26 • 

David Fishman

26

2

1

Gansu Travelogue 3: Temples, Horses, and more Temples in Tibetan Gansu

This is Part 3 of my Gansu-Sichuan travel series, retracing my 11-day trip in September 2024 traveling overland from Lanzhou, Gansu to Chengdu, Sichuan.

Aug 13 • 

David Fishman

27

July 2025

Gansu Travelogue 2: Off the Beaten Track in Linxia City

My vist time visiting the "Little Mecca" of China

Jul 21 • 

David Fishman

37

7

4

Gansu Travelogue 1: Tracing Back the Vicious Yellow River

My first meeting with China's mother river in Gansu

Jul 7 • 

David Fishman

39

1

June 2025

Understanding Chinese City Tiers 2/2: Who's The Best? What's "Average?"

Actually we can learn a lot from Yicai's annual rankings of Chinese city tiers...

Jun 24 • 

David Fishman

32

11

1