Topic: Sichuan Province

As Japan marks tsunami anniversary, a fresh spirit of volunteerism

One year after Japan's earthquake and subsequent tsunami disaster, some 1 million people have taken the time to volunteer in the disaster zone, bolstering a trend that began in earnest with the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

In China, reporting on Tibetan and Uighur unrest is nearly impossible

Western China - home to a Muslim Uighur minority and ethnic Tibetans - has been rocked by violence in recent months. Chinese authorities are keeping reporters out of the area.

Rare visit to remote region highlights China's clampdown on Tibet

Conversations with ethnic Tibetans suggest that China's authoritarian policies designed to tamp down disorder are causing unrest and self immolations.

Deng Fei goes beyond journalism to right wrongs in China

Once a top investigative reporter in China, Deng Fei now writes a popular microblog that moves readers to action.

As Tibetan New Year approaches, China tightens grip

A senior Chinese official has ordered tighter security in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and on main roads following deadly protests in Tibetan-inhabited Sichuan province.

Chinese police fire into crowd of Tibetan protesters, say witnesses

But Chinese authorities said that overseas advocacy groups were twisting the truth about what happened with Tibetan protesters Monday in order to undermine the government.

Self-immolation as protest tactic rises in Tibet, Middle East

Political suicides by fire rise among many Tibetans and Arabs as their situations grow desperate. But such a tactic often fails to ignite protest, and itself raises questions.

Giant pandas, on loan from China, now living in Scotland

A pair of giant pandas was loaned to a Scottish zoo by the Chinese government. The pandas arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday.

China's crackdown grows as Tibetan self-immolations increase

The string of 10 recent Tibetan self-immolations – six monks, three former monks, and a nun – is unprecedented in modern Tibetan history. 

China and 'uncommon' acts of goodness

A video of strangers ignoring an injured toddler stirs China to debate its level of empathy toward strangers. The solution? More models of altruism.

In China, toddler left for dead sparks heated debate about society's moral health

The case of a toddler run over twice and left in the road to die has sparked a morality debate in China about the legal and ethical shortcomings in a China focused on economic progress.

Love in China

A new book by dissident writer Liao Yiwu chronicles the rise of Christianity in China, where even the Communist Party wants to adopt Christian values.

China: Ethnic minority music finds an advocate

Laurent Jeanneau roams the ethnic minority villages of China recording the 'unofficial' music.

Back to school: How China is trying to 'liven up' the first day of classes

Back to school in China, as around the world, is rarely something that kids look forward to. Some schools in China are trying to shake up the first day by bringing in celebrities or ancient traditions.

A 'moral' spring in India and China

Corruption, along with a strong public reaction to it, is driving the leaders of the world's two biggest countries to shape up. The moral awakening to the need for honesty in governance cannot be reversed.

Indian monastery aids Tibetan monks facing crackdown

The Kirti Monastery in Dharamsala, an Indian hill town home to thousands of exiled Tibetans, has become a crisis center for the turmoil at its sister monastery under lockdown in Sichuan, China.

In China, a baby breaks the language barrier

In a Shanghai lane, motherhood connects an old Chinese woman and an American expat.

Ai Weiwei released on probation under 'depressing' conditions

Ai Weiwei has been released from detention after 2-1/2 months in an unknown location. Conditions of his probation prevent him from speaking about his ordeal, forcing him to avoid the press.

Kung Fu Panda 2: Hollywood works harder to win Chinese audiences

Kung Fu Panda 2, which opened May 27 in China, includes references that will be familiar to Chinese audiences – part of a broader Hollywood effort to flourish in the booming market.

Kung Fu Panda 2: How real life informs a fantasy

Controversial Three Gorges dam has problems, admits China

The world's largest hydroelectric project was designed to tame the flood-prone Yangtze River and to generate clean energy. But the water is becoming polluted, and regular landslides are making life near the dam dangerous.

Ai Weiwei: Can an artist change society?

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's provocative work spotlights human rights and pushes government boundaries.

Five famous jailed dissidents in China: Ai Weiwei to Liu Xiaobo

Chinese authorities have cracked down on dissent in hopes of preventing a popular uprising in China like those that have erupted in the Middle East. Sweeping arrests of prominent dissidents have been part of the campaign and have earned the Chinese government widespread internal and international criticism. Who are some of these activists being put behind bars?