Double bassist plucks at history of city's jazz scene

When Martin Fleischer arrived in Beijing to work as a consular officer at the German Embassy in May 1987, he did not have anticipate the impact he would make on the capital's jazz scene.

Pioneering saxophonist, 50, still hitting the right note

After a manic introduction, Liu Yuan said he would be happy to respond to questions about turning 50 and his leading role in the Beijing jazz scene. That is, once he finished praying.

What's on

Stage

Private fantasies, creative vulnerability

British artist presents cultures in photographs

For China's madame maestro, life is an enduring symphony

Zheng Xiaoying is unstoppable.

Investment bank tabloid

When I worked at an investment bank the first thing my boss taught me was the importance of discretion.

End cigar gifts' cultural chokehold

For millions of Chinese people, Spring Festival presents are the stuff of memories, mere ashes.

Moving ideas on a nation set on migration

On Too many worries to count

Quotation of the day

Shakespeare, with an improvised twist

Shakespeare Revelries, a Beijing actors group, improvises the world's most famous plays

Status changes whip crowd into hysterical laughter

"Judge thy neighbor," rather than "love thy neighbor," was the theme of a bilingual workshop on a recent Wednesday evening.

Bilingual Improv Manual full of helpful tips

English and Chinese speakers, who want to know the tenets of improvisational theater, now have the perfect opportunity, thanks to the collaborative efforts of Guillaume Decarreau and Xiaolu Liu, actors with Beijing Improv Comedy.