China is an education powerhouse. The countrys universities produced nearly 12 million graduates last year， while 18 million teachers in public schools prepared students for exams.

But changes are afoot in this giant education sector. This issues cover story delves into new trends and strains impacting teachers， students， and universities.

We investigate teachers increasing workload which burdens them with more meetings， paperwork， and interaction with parents. Many are burned out. Students also face pressures， but those in liberal arts may have it worse than their STEM peers who enjoy better employment prospects. We report on the prejudice against liberal art majors within Chinese society. Furthermore， we examine a new boom in night schools where young urban professionals are pursuing hobbies after work. Is the rise of evening classes sustainable？

Elsewhere in this issue， we debut two new columns. The first， Play Points， is devoted to video games. Here， well explore how the gaming industry shapes society and adapts to new trends in the country that boasts the worlds largest gaming population. Our inaugural piece examines the tribulations faced by Chinas indie game developers. A second new column provides fresh Chinese language learning content， featuring useful phrases related to this issues articles.

In our regular features， we report on a contentious trend for female-only spaces and investigate the Blue Sky Rescue Team， Chinas largest volunteer rescue organization. We also explore the giant works of Shuare Shizhu as he attempts to avoid the trappings of the art world， trace the legacy of legendary writer Sanmao in Gran Canaria， and take a deep dive intolatiao， one of Chinas favorite snacks. Find this and more， inside.

Sam Davies

Managing Editor