What Makes China’s Legal Exam the Toughest in the Nation?
The evolution of China’s bar exam, the remarkable comeback of an attempted-murder survivor, and the rise of a mildly toxic plant as the country’s latest snack craze
Hello TWOC readers!
Kim Kardashian’s latest legal drama, All’s Fair, has drawn intense public scrutiny, much like the celebrity herself, and captured widespread attention, both criticism and fascination. The irony is hard to miss: Kim, who recently failed the California bar exam, is now portraying a high-powered divorce lawyer on screen.
China’s own bar exam season has also just wrapped up, with nearly a million candidates awaiting results later this month. But unlike in the US, the exam has become more than a test of professional skills—it’s also a national spectacle, sparking discussions about law, justice, and social mobility.
Read on to find out more!
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What Makes China’s Legal Exam the Toughest in the Nation?
With a record number of people taking the Chinese bar exam this year, attention has turned once again to the country’s toughest exam—and to how it has evolved from selecting imperial officials to fostering public legal awareness today. Read more
Wang Nuannuan, Attempted Murder Survivor, and Her Extraordinary Path to Rebirth
Widely known as the “pregnant woman pushed off a cliff in Thailand,” Wang was recently granted a divorce from her attacker after a prolonged legal battle. Her story is one of unimaginable trauma and extraordinary resilience. Read more
The Magic of Konjac: What’s Behind China’s Obsession with the Toxic Plant
A poisonous ancient plant, konjac has become the country’s favorite crunchy, stimulating snack—and a global sensation for its healthy yet addictive bite. Read more
What We’re Watching
They Left City Jobs to Bring China’s Dying Villages Back to Life | Mini-doc
Rapid urbanization has left many villages hollowed out in China. By 2024, young people made up less than 20 percent of the rural population.
However, since 2017, a reversal has begun: a wave of youth has returned, bringing fresh ideas back home. Some embraced traditional rural life, while others saw opportunities in cultural tourism.
We traveled to Youtian village in Songyang—known as “the last hidden gem of Jiangnan”—to meet two of these pioneers and explore their new lives in the countryside. Read more
Where We’re Traveling
A Tiny Rural Community’s Grand Effort to Welcome the Ancestral God | Photo Story
Despite having only six households left, the “parading of the god” ceremony in Fujian’s Weixiang village continues each year, alive with color, techno music, and unwavering faith. Read more
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