Gushi (approximately pronounced GOO-sss) shines the spotlight on digital publications in China that feature extended essays or narratives drawn from the general public. Selections focus on daily life and everyday struggles, away from the hard news headlines and celebrity newsmakers.

Each issue features an authorized translation of a recent piece from these platforms, prefaced by a short introduction. My current sources are (WeChat ID in parantheses): The Livings (thelivings), The Story Plan (quanmingushi), We Are People with Stories (wmsygsdr) and Story FM (story_fm).

Gushi—the Chinese phrase for story—is a free newsletter published at least quarterly by Hong Kong translator and editor Min Lee, who has focused on Chinese non-fiction since mid-2018, when he started contributing to Chinarrative.

Educated in his hometown and the U.S., Min completed degrees in political science, journalism and anthropology.

His other translation credits include the young adult novel Ashlynn’s Dreams and the webnovel Superstars of Tomorrow. He’s also a fan of Chinese author Chi Zijian, for whom he prepared this manuscript. His previous editing work includes the e-books Wishing Well: Voices from Foreign Domestic Workers in Hong Kong and Beyond and Our Lives, Our Space.

Prior to freelancing, Min was a reporter for nine years, covering politics, sports and entertainment in the Chinese-speaking world and elsewhere for an English-language wire service. He currently resides in Kunming with his wife and can be reached at gushi20215@gmail.com.

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Portraits and snapshots from a vast nation

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I'm a freelance Chinese/English translator and English editor from Hong Kong.