Like many of his peers born in the 1960s, Li Chen was a fan of Chinese picture books in his childhood.
It was a year that saw Hollywood not show any blockbuster movies in China, a slumping box office on the mainland, more money flowing from China into the movie capital of the world, and rising concern over a stronger backlash from Washington toward that investing as Donald Trump moves into the White House with his anti-China sentiments.
After watching Zhang Yimou's film The Great Wall last week, Gu Meng was impressed by the army of Tao Tie monsters from Chinese mythology. However, he complained that the Tao Tie in Zhang's film were not "Chinese" monsters.
A contemporary jewelry design and art show opened last week in Beijing, presenting jewelry pieces as wearable artworks, from a ring featuring a flying airplane to a necklace that mimics wind chimes.
What does it take to earn a Michelin star - or three? "Exceptional cooking", the 2017 Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macao says succinctly, then adding: "When awarding one, two or three Michelin stars, there are a number of factors we consider: the quality and compatibility of the ingredients, the technical skill and flair that goes into the preparation, the clarity and combination of flavors, the value for money, and above all, the taste.
The Chinese like to feature whole steamed fish on the menu of their New Year's feasts. Said to signify togetherness, abundance and long life, it's a dish with symbolism that is as important as taste. Indeed, you're supposed to leave the bones, head and tail intact, a way to help ensure that the new year will be a winner from beginning to end.
Beijing's posh Langham hotel has found much to love in the humble ham-burger, elevating the every-man sandwich into a series of gourmet treats. Settle for the double-cheese beef burger (with avocado) if you like, but give the whole list a good look first: there's the grilled duck burger, grilled salmon & prawn burger, the Japanese snap-per burger (with wasabi mayo and fruit salsa), the Indian tandoori chicken burger and the vegetarian smoked tofu burger. All 138 yuan except the tofu burger (it's 128 yuan); all include a 500ml imported draft beer, which chef Raymond Chen rates as the ultimate burger pairing.
When London South Bank University's vice-chancellor David Phoenix brought an unconventional two-page-long partnership agreement back from his trip to China, his legal team was concerned.
China's movie industry this year may not have seen the enviable growth rate of the recent past, but the past 12 months are seen by many as a good year for quality offerings - and for diversity as well. Not in the Hollywood sense, but in the kind of fare seen on the nation's big screens. Here are the top picks by China Daily's film critic Raymond Zhou.
Star Wars will return to Chinese screens in the first weekend of 2017, but the big question for the world's second-largest market may still be: How much further can the new space opera go on its expedition to collect Chinese hearts?
Carrie Fisher - a daughter of Hollywood royalty who gained fame as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars and turned her struggles with addiction and mental illness into wickedly funny books, a hit film and a one-woman stage show - died on Tuesday after falling ill aboard a flight last week. She was 60.
When Gao Mantang visited Prague, he was stunned to see tens of thousands of graves of Jewish victims who died during the Holocaust.