Life isn't picture perfect

A photo studio in the UK caused a stir recently when parents criticized a service in which it offers to use Photoshop tools to remove marks and blemishes from their child's annual school portrait.

'Diplomat’ musicians must ensure Chinese works are modern to appeal to people

If music is a universal language, then musicians are perhaps the best diplomats in the world.

Tour de force: Dylan and the literary idiot wind

Oh, the anger of the fusty at the announcement of Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize! What an outcry from the academy — not the Swedish one, mind you, but that of the world church of literaturology.

The wisdom of less is more

Westacott's philosophically informed polemic argues that if we rise above our material individualism, we will be better off, both as a society and as an individual.

Tiger writing: A tale of cultures and the interdependent self

"With globalization in full swing, many people feared the Chinese would be one day more like the Americans, in the way they live and dream. But I don't think so."

Undeserving winners by any reasonable standards

Acting awards are supposed to go to those who have demonstrated excellence in acting.

China's mind-boggling culinary expanse

We talk about Chinese food in the West as if it's a single, unified cuisine, but anyone who has visited China knows that's not the case.

Why Hollywood divorce got Chinese people talking

Actress Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt on Monday. The divorce has the Chinese social media buzzing.

Slaves to humor

In 2010, Guo Degang and Cao Yunjin had a fallout. It took them six years to hang out the dirty laundry in public.

Box-office stumble of world's 2nd largest film market

Why is it that this summer holiday, traditionally the high season for cinemas, has seen poor ticket takings?