ZGBriefs by Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs.
Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN), and Chinese Culture and Communication at Wheaton College (IL) and Taylor University (IN).
Joann has a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN), and an MA in teaching from the University of St. Thomas (MN).
She is the author of Survival Chinese Lessons and The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China.
Her personal blog, Outside-In can be found at joannpittman.com, where she writes on China, Minnesota, traveling, and issues related to "living well where you don't belong."
You can find her on Twitter @jkpittman.com and on Facebook at @authorjoannpittman.
She makes her home in New Brighton, Minnesota.
ZGBriefs | September 12, 2019
Held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most important Chinese festivals. On this day, people reunite with their families and eat mooncakes.
ZGBriefs | September 5, 2019
Love from the Margins: Lessons from 4 Pastors in China (August 29, 2019, The Gospel Coalition)
The power of perseverance comes from the Holy Spirit, not from social position or privilege.
ZGBriefs | August 29, 2019
How Basketball Became China’s Most Beloved Sport (August 27, 2019, Radii China)
Here’s a look at how the country became so enamored with a game that has only been around for a little over a century.
ZGBriefs | August 22, 2019
U.S. Recycling Industry Is Struggling To Figure Out A Future Without China (August 20, 2019, NPR)
Last year, China put the kibosh on imports of the world's waste. A huge market for plastic waste had just dried up. Where was it all going to go now?
ZGBriefs | August 15, 2019
I don’t’: why China’s millennials are saying no to marriage (August 10, 2019, South China Morning Post) Ran’s thinking is typical among Chinese born after 1990. She is part of a generation who are in no rush to tie the knot in large part as a result of huge social and economic changes that have overturned tradition for China’s millennials.
ZGBriefs | August 8, 2019
An Illustrated Guide to Chinese Dumplings (July 25, 2019, Radii China)
From soup to rice, here's a handy guide to the most popular types of Chinese dumplings
ZGBriefs | August 1, 2019
Redeeming China’s sweatshops: Christianity and migrant factory workers in Shenzhen (July 31, 2019, Asia Dialogue)
The culture of Christianity, such as fellowships, Bible study classes, choir and Christmas celebrations, is increasingly popular among rural migrant workers…
ZGBriefs | July 25, 2019
How China is slowly expanding its power in Africa, one TV set at a time (July 24, 2019, CNN)
Xi's dream was to upgrade huge swathes of Africa to modern, digital satellite TV networks, […] so long, in fact, that a TV channel from Beijing could be beamed to African homes.
ZGBriefs | July 18, 2019
China’s “5,000 Years of History”: Fact or Fiction? July 14, 2019, Radii China)
The recent elevation of the 5,300-year-old site of Liangzhu to UNESCO World Heritage status revives an old debate about modern China's historical narrative.
ZGBriefs | July 11, 2019
Summer Censorship: Weibo Launches “Project Sky Blue” (July 6, 2019, What’s on Weibo)
Earlier this week, the administration of Sina Weibo announced a special summer holiday crackdown on “vulgar content.”