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Outsourcing filial piety

by Verena Nowotny

Qingming, the Chinese Tomb Sweeping Festival, takes place on April 5 this year. However, many are too busy or simply cannot afford to visit the graves of their ancestors. Now online businesses offer a solution: rent a professional tomb sweeper who will clean the grave, offer respect and flowers as Mia Li describes in an article in the New York Times. Whether this really helps to keep traditions alive - I doubt it...

Saving old traditions

by Verena Nowotny

China is on the move: about 250 million people are supposed to become urban citizens by 2025 according to the plans of the Chinese government. This massive change has a huge impact on the way people live, how traditions can be kept and passed on. Learn more about the various facets of urbanization with this video of the New York Times.