Psychological illnesses have long been stigmatized in Chinese society. Those affected often avoid seeking help from specialists or feel ashamed to speak about their struggles. Yet in recent years — especially since the pandemic and accompanying lockdowns — there has been a growing interest in mental well-being and psychoanalysis as a discipline within China. Li Qinyun, a Chinese psychotherapist practicing in the U.S., responds to this growing interest with her first essay collection, Expressions of the Mind. Drawing from years of study and practice, she shares anecdotes and reflections as both a provider and recipient of professional help. A Buddhist, first-generation immigrant and mother of two, Li draws meaningful connections between her multiple identities. How does one initiate deep communication in a second language? How can one bridge the divides of culture, gender, race and religion? Written with candor and generosity, Li’s book is timely fare for readers in China still recovering from experiences that are difficult to express.

Spring Will Never Fall is an elegy for a fictional family’s slow unraveling. It begins with the decline in health of Xiumei, a 75-year-old widowed mother of two sons and a daughter. As she approaches the final stage of her life, none of her family members — except for her granddaughter Jiayue — offer the love and care she so deeply needs. At the center of this dysfunctional family lie memories of past abuse inflicted on Xiumei and her children by her late husband. The novel filters trips, gatherings and hospital visits through Jiayue’s eyes as she quietly measures her life against that of her overachieving cousin Jiayuan (who, as it turns out, is leading a double life). The author of two short story collections and a novel, Liao Jing is known for her ability to build tension in domestic scenes and her controlled yet supple prose. This well-paced, quietly observant family tale cements her as one of the finest storytellers of her generation.

The second part of a two-volume interview collection, following Gender: Female (性别: 女), this work offers insight into the zeitgeist of contemporary Chinese society and how young women navigate their place within it. The collection features selected transcripts from one of the most popular Mandarin Chinese podcasts, Stochastic Volatility (随机波动), itself a reincarnation of an earlier podcast that was banned by authorities. Founded in 2019 by three women with news backgrounds, the podcast featured in-depth interviews with impactful voices across diverse fields, such as the painter Chen Danqing and the scholar David Der-wei Wang. The podcast responds to pressing social and cultural phenomena — from reflections on the post-pandemic “new normal” to challenges faced by female stand-up comedians — driving conversations around gender equality, civic responsibility, work and parenting. Now published in book form for the first time, these hand-picked dialogues offer a vivid snapshot of the intellectuals shaping China’s public discourse.

We meet the hero of this speculative novel, Shen Yuming, at the lowest point of his life. A DNF (did not finish) in a high-profile marathon leaves him with a severe knee injury and deep depression. Just as he begins to recover, his wife and son are killed in an accident. To help him cope with suicidal thoughts, his best friend offers him an experimental drug that can activate “temporal entanglement” once certain conditions are met, allowing the user to travel through time. Through running, Shen discovers he can re-experience his past — where his wife and son are still alive — with a sensory clarity indistinguishable from the present. Desperate to linger in those moments and eventually replace his former self, he keeps running, only to find this illusory world haunted by nightmares and uncertainty. Drawing on physics, psychology and religion, Orpheus’ Marathon, the second book from sci-fi editor Xia Sang, is a brilliantly imagined novel about the pain of loss, trauma and rebirth.

Historically, Chinese mountaineering followed a Soviet-style expedition model: large support teams and Party-state financial backing. Over the past 20 years, however, a new generation of independent alpine-style climbers has emerged. Inspired by international climbing philosophies, they form smaller teams, carry minimal gear, and aim for fast, self-sufficient ascents. According to Higher than Mountains, there are only a few hundred climbers in China engaged in this dangerous outdoor sport. In their pursuit of the mountains, many have given up college degrees, lucrative careers, and the possibility of a conventional life. What have they gained? What first drew them to the mountains? Through interviews with trailblazers in the field, and first-hand reporting from climbing expeditions, Song Mingwei pieces together a compelling portrait of China’s growing alpine mountaineering scene and situates it within a changing Chinese society, from the 2008 Beijing Olympics to the rise of social media. A captivating read for anyone fascinated by the risks mountaineers are willing to take to transcend themselves. ∎