Chen Wei
“My grandmother bows to the ancestors, my father lights incense at the temple, and I consider myself an atheist. We all do the same thing on Qingming Festival — sweep the graves and remember. That is not religion. That is love.”
Meet Chen Wei. He's 22, studying environmental engineering, and he grew up inside China's fast forward — his grandmother lived through the Cultural Revolution, his father built the new economy, and he grew up with the internet. At the family table, three generations argue happily about politics, the weather, and his marriage prospects. He practises calligraphy, not out of duty but because it quiets his mind, and he loves the numbing kind of Sichuan hot pot, still taking visitors to the hole-in-the-wall his family has eaten at for 30 years. On weekends he cleans up rivers — carried by the Daoist idea of harmony with nature his grandmother taught him, even though he wouldn't call himself Daoist.
- Studies
- Environmental engineering
- Generations
- Three under one roof
- Practice
- Calligraphy for calm
- Food
- Sichuan hot pot — the numbing kind
“Chinese culture is ancient but static — it hasn't changed in thousands of years.”
Chinese culture is one of the world's most dynamic and continuously evolving civilizations. Modern China blends millennia of tradition with cutting-edge technology. Young Chinese people are creating new art forms, reviving traditional clothing (hanfu movement), and reinterpreting ancient philosophy for modern life. Chinese cuisine alone has eight major regional traditions, each with thousands of dishes — and new ones are created daily. China today is a conversation between 5,000 years of history and the future.
SourceChina's traditional 'Eight Great Cuisines' (八大菜系) classification; the Hanfu revival movement (c. 2003–present).
When you think of China, do you picture ancient traditions frozen in time?
That's a common view. But Chen Wei's story shows us that Chinese culture is alive, evolving, and full of young people reimagining tradition. The past and future are in constant conversation.
Good. Now ask yourself: what other cultures do you see as 'ancient' rather than 'living'? What evolution are you not seeing?
Chen Wei practices calligraphy not for tradition but for peace of mind. What is one practice in your life that others might see as old-fashioned but that you find genuinely nourishing for your soul?
You do not need to answer. Notice what feels familiar, what remains unfamiliar, and where your own experience differs.
Understanding does not require agreement. Sometimes paying closer attention is enough for today.
Spend 10 minutes in nature today
Step outside. No phone. Just be present with whatever is growing, moving, or living around you. Environmental harmony starts not with policy but with attention.
Note an act of kindness — today’s or your own. This stays on your device only; nothing is uploaded or counted publicly.