Archive - Following the Yuan

✨ A field Guide to China's AI Consumer Goods Part 2 | Following the Yuan

AI (sex) companionship, AI pet translator, AI tarot sticker

Jul 30 • Rongrong Zhuge, Following the Yuan, and Yaling Jiang

✨ A field Guide to China's AI Consumer Goods Part 1 | Following the Yuan

on AI glasses, AI emotion pendant, AI lamp, AI fragrance device, exoskeletons and their market potential

Jul 26 • Following the Yuan, Yaling Jiang, and Rongrong Zhuge

#77: Molly Tea's LV fine backfires, Shein nears HK IPO, Luckin and Duolingo's babies, Chef Fei to enter the U.S. | Following the Yuan

LV's courtroom victory over Molly Tea has turned into a PR defeat, as Chinese consumers and state media question who owns traditional Chinese patterns.

Jul 15 • Following the Yuan

China's new gig economy: Pretending to see a Rolex exhibition | Following the Yuan

As brands chase traffic KPIs in the slowed economy, a new gig economy has emerged to manufacture attention — one paid attendee at a time.

Jul 6 • Yaling Jiang

June 2026

“We are just keeping the business running for China Tobacco’s sake”: when state monopoly meets consumption downgrade

A Chinese tobacco shop owner offers a rare window into China’s state tobacco monopoly as oversupply and shrinking demand reshape the industry.

Jun 24 • Following the Yuan

#76: Lululemon China events flop, Häagen-Dazs shops sold to Chinese brand, Seesaw files for bankruptcy, Sinopec opens pet salons | Following…

Two of Lululemon China's biggest recent events have drawn controversy as the company grapples with slowing sales growth.

Jun 19 • Following the Yuan

Too big to cancel? The curious comeback of Cai Xukun | Following the Yuan

On China’s ‘traffic star' phenomenon and high tolerance around morally compromised male celebrities

Jun 11 • Yaling Jiang

May 2026

Is Lying Flat a Foreign Plot? 🛌 | Following the Yuan

A recently published piece from China's Ministry of State Security revived the conversations and debates about 'lying flat' among the youth.

May 21 • Rongrong Zhuge

#75: Devil Wears Prada II underperforms, Xinhua enters GEO, Labubu fridge goes viral, Samsung exits China | Following the Yuan

Is the backlash against Miu Miu and Saint Laurent fair?

May 14

April 2026

When crowds are back but money doesn’t follow 🤔| Following the Yuan

Has China's consumption gone back to 'normal'?

Apr 30 • Following the Yuan

Navigating mainland China's regional archetypes | Following the Yuan

Chinese people have taken genuine pleasure in learning about and debating regional archetypes and stereotypes. Here are 6 of them.

Apr 24

#74: AI short drama, Patagonia’s “earth tax” backlash, “drink-for-you” on demand, Lay's potato resto 🥔 | Following the Yuan

Brands mentioned in this issue: Master Kong, BOSS Zhipin, Meituan, MUSINSA, Didi, Tencent, Lay’s, RedNote, Foxconn, Apple, Patagonia, ZXMOTO.

Apr 16 • Rongrong Zhuge

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