Following the Yuan

How fire tests China’s consciousness

From Urumqi fire to Hong Kong fire, how human tragedies test consciousness of the people, society, and systems behind them.

Nov 29 • 

Yaling Jiang

42

5

9

🔫 Pop Mart's slip-ups during rapid expansion, and 12 other consumer market updates | Following the Yuan

Brands mentioned: JD.com, Tmall, INS Land, Starbucks, Pop Mart, Mardi, ADERERROR, Anta, Rapha, Crispi, Li-Ning, Didi, Douyin

Nov 14 • 

Yaling Jiang

 and 

Rongrong Zhuge

13

4

2

The Emotional Toll of China’s Housing Market Slide ⬇️ | Following the Yuan

As housing prices go down, many feel that their sacrifices and compromises made for work and mortgage during the high-growth era have been in vain.

Nov 10 • 

Rongrong Zhuge

 and 

Yaling Jiang

17

9

2

October 2025

[OOO] How Beijing's Friendship Store preserves a piece of Chinese retail history by reinventing itself 🛍️ | Following the Yuan

As a historic mall that first sold Coca Cola in the 70s, Beijing’s Friendship Store hasn't been able to keep pace with the fast-moving Chinese market…

Oct 29 • 

Rachel

14

2

3

🌐 First AI-driven Double 11, and 11 other consumer market updates | Following the Yuan

Brands mentioned in this issue: KFC, Meituan, Mixue, Apple, Haidilao, Yuan Programming, Arc’teryx, Pas Normal Studios.

Oct 22 • 

Yaling Jiang

14

3

Why anti-involution feels anti-Chinese? ⚙️ | Following the Yuan

China's overcapacity at the macro level and insecurity at the micro level are cultural, historical, and structural.

Oct 14 • 

Yaling Jiang

33

8

⚠️ Three deadly sins of the Chinese consumer market: big narratives, copycatting trends, state subsidies | Following the Yuan

Their perils stand out even more in a downturn market environment.

Oct 3 • 

Yaling Jiang

14

2

September 2025

A research proposal: Will the Cai Guo-Qiang fireworks controversy hurt Arc’teryx’s sales? 🎆 | Following the Yuan

Let's get to the point.

Sep 25 • 

Yaling Jiang

11

2

🗣 China's great pre-made food debate, and 12 other consumer market updates | Following the Yuan

Brands mentioned in this issue: PopMart, Kuaishou, Starbucks, Diageo, Haidilao, Chagee, AMI, HongShan (Sequoia China), H&M, Alibaba, Amap, Douyin Life…

Sep 15 • 

Yaling Jiang

 and 

Rongrong Zhuge

15

2

Why do consumers think foreign brands are selling their China businesses? ⚔️ | Following the Yuan

Starbucks, Häagen-Dazs and Pandora VS the likes of Mixue, Pop Mart and Laopu Gold

Sep 7 • 

Rongrong Zhuge

 and 

Yaling Jiang

20

5

August 2025

What one talks about when one talks about chuhai | Following the Yuan

While there’s an overlap between export and chuhai, the latter is much more complex, involving not just sales but also investment, manufacturing…

Aug 26 • 

Yaling Jiang

25

6

8

Seeking quality in economic slowdown, China consumer news digest #66 | Following the Yuan

A push and pull between quantity and quality in China's consumer market

Aug 19 • 

Yaling Jiang

15

1