Editor’s Letter

What do spicy hot pot， public exercise equipment， and barbecue restaurants have in common？ They have all risen to viral internet fame in China and attracted hordes of tourists to previously unknown destinations. In this issue， our cover story delves into this viral tourism trend and its impact on travelers and local communities.

In Zibo， Shandong province， we investigate how a once obscure city keeps attracting visitors one year after its barbecue restaurants blew up online. Many other places are desperate for similar internet fame to boost economic growth， with local officials taking to social media to promote their towns. We explore these （sometimes cringe-worthy） efforts. However， not everyone is so enthusiastic about China’s travel fads. We also speak to “reverse” travelers who vacation in remote locations to avoid crowds—but still rely on social media for recommendations.

Tourism isn’t the only viral trend of 2024. In this magazine， we also ask what the AI-enabled digital “resurrection” of the deceased means for people’s relationship to death; investigate what it’s like to work in China’s booming micro-drama industry; report on debates surrounding rising demand for prenuptial agreements; and take a trip to Caoxian， a county ironically labeled the “center of the universe” by netizens.

China’s internet is a curious space. Strictly regulated and crowded with over 1 billion users， it can make the most mundane things， like a piece of exercise equipment in Chengdu， Sichuan province， quickly go viral and start drawing crowds.

However， with the increased spread of information comes the risk of misinformation， necessitating more robust vetting and fact-checking. Despite being a small team， we take the time to fact-check all our content—everything we publish online and in our quarterly print magazine. We hope you enjoy reading it.

Roman Kierst