The April issue of That's Beijing is out now – paper-and-ink-form citywide, digital pdf form right here or in your browser here. Editor-in-Chief Oscar Holland introduces the magazine:
Having begun my Beijing journalism career riding Line 2 in a loop for a day, it was with a sense of nostalgia that I embarked on China’s longest domestic train journey. It was, by comparison, a breeze. Don’t let the term ‘hard sleeper’ fool you – the beds on this carriage are as soft as any in China. (In other words: not very. But you’re probably used to that by now.)
So, what began as a three-day feat of endurance became something of a holiday. There are few better ways to see a country than through the window of a slow train. And there are few better ways to meet new people than being thrown in a packed train carriage full of them.
Some tips for fellow masochistic train enthusiasts: 1) if you’re going to travel in the north of China, go in summer, unless you like the color brown, 2) be prepared to answer a lot of personal questions delivered in a wide range of difficult-to-understand regional accents, 3) don’t assume that the body can exist on instant noodles alone, and most importantly, 4) bring earplugs, wet wipes and your own supply of toilet paper.
Find out how I stumble through these challenges in this month’s cover story, from page 40. Predictable spoiler: it’s as much about the people I meet along the way as the train itself.
Elsewhere in the magazine:
Skye Thomas Gidge discusses China’s place in the global VR revolution (page 10);
Dominic Ngai meets the photographer mapping the stars from Yunnan (page 20);
Dominique Wong reviews Zhang Lijia’s debut novel, Lotus (page 38),
And Noelle Mateer shows you how to find Beijing’s best ‘hidden’ bars (page 54) before bringing you her characteristically astute round-up of Beijing’s latest restaurant and bar openings.
Oscar Holland
Editor-in-Chief
Win A Pair of Flights to Thailand!
Grab a April 2017 copy of That's to get started. Turn to the inside front cover of That's Beijing to win a pair of return flights to the Thai island of Phuket - and its dramatic karst islands and sandy white beaches - with the new That's AR app. Standing for Augmented Reality, the app allows users to scan the magazine to see interactive digital content such as video, audio, images and visualized 3D models leaping off the page and coming to life. Hurry as the competition closes April 30. Download it now by clicking here.
Download the April 2017 issue of That's Beijing here, or view it in your browser with Issuu here (VPN required).
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