That's Guangzhou

01/10/2025

✨ Lingnan Xintiandi Rebrands with Heritage Now Festival Launch ✨

Foshan’s iconic cultural landmark has a new name — Lingnan Xintiandi — and an exciting new vision: “Bring Places to Life.”

To mark the rebrand, the Heritage Now Festival (新焺游园·烟火岭南) debuts on Sept 28, running for two months across the Lingnan Xintiandi community. This is the first time that the XINTIANDI cultural IP, which focuses on revitalizing traditional Chinese festivals, has arrived in the Greater Bay Area.

🌟 Festival Highlights:
* Lanterns: Artistic installations by Alan Chan (HK), Lampo Leong (Macau), Song Santu (Mainland), Adalberto Lonardi (Italy), and Foshan’s own Lantern Pulse exhibition.
* Banquet: An outdoor long-table feast by Cordis Hotel Foshan, serving seasonal Cantonese dishes.
* Market: 40+ creative stalls at XIAO Market with local crafts and lifestyle finds.
* Workshops: Hands-on weekends in November — paper-cutting, lantern-making, Shiwan ceramics, Song brocade.
* Performances: Cantonese opera and live shows enriching the festive streets.
More than a festival, Lingnan Xintiandi is reshaping itself as an urban retreat community, blending Lingnan heritage architecture with modern lifestyle and cultural programming.

Dates: Sept 28 – late Nov, 2025
📍Lingnan Xintiandi, Foshan
👉 Follow for updates and plan your visit to experience heritage reimagined for a new generation.

01/09/2025

40 Years of Garden Elegance, Growing with Guangzhou

Facebook Post
Celebrating 40 Years of Garden Elegance
Since opening in 1985, the Guangzhou Garden Hotel has been more than just a place to stay — it’s been the city’s living room. Weddings, reunions, big conferences, and everyday moments… they’ve all found a home here.
With its Lingnan gardens, award-winning restaurants, and China’s first hospitality museum, the Garden Hotel has always blended heritage with innovation.
Now, for its 40th birthday, the hotel introduces the Garden Club — a new lifestyle space with saunas and plunge pools, a meditation room, a Pilates studio, a whisky bar, and even a contemporary art gallery.
Four decades on, the Garden Hotel continues to grow with Guangzhou — proud of the past, but always looking ahead. 💫

The LN Garden Hotel Guangzhou Celebrates 40 Years as a City Landmark

21/08/2025

🎬 Blink – A Family’s Journey to Capture Light Before It Fades
When three of their four children were diagnosed with a rare condition that will steal their sight, Edith Lemay and Sébastien Pelletier refused to let the world fade away.
Instead, they packed their bags and, together with their kids, set off to see 24 countries — from camel rides in Egypt to Himalayan sunrises — filling their children’s visual memories with beauty before it’s gone.
This deeply moving National Geographic documentary blends breathtaking travel with raw, intimate family moments, reminding us to treasure every sight, every day.

📅 In Chinese mainland cinemas August 16.

✨ Let their journey open your eyes.

Heartfelt documentary capturing love, loss, and precious visual memories

13/08/2025

Beijing to Host 1st World Humanoid Robot Games
Get ready for a futuristic showdown!
From August 14-17, humanoid robots will go head-to-head at the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games across Beijing’s iconic Olympic venues, including the Bird’s Nest and Ice Ribbon.

💡 Highlights:
• 30+ international teams from the US, Brazil, Germany, Portugal & more
• Track-and-field events: 100m, 1500m, long jump & relay
• Soccer matches: 2v2, 3v3 & 5v5
• Free gymnastics & synchronized robot dancing
• Real-world scenario challenges in healthcare & hospitality
• Peripheral robot sports like badminton & table tennis

🎟️ Tickets available on the ‘Chaopiaosaiyan’ mini-program, Damai, Maoyan, Ticket Planet & more.
Bonus: All ticket holders enjoy exclusive citywide discounts to Olympic sightseeing attractions and shopping districts.

From athletic feats to comedic tumbles, this is one robot uprising you’ll actually want to witness.

See them jump, dance... and sort medicine?!

11/08/2025

🍜China's Food Delivery War Heats Up with Ghost Kitchen Boom🚀

Ghost kitchens—also called cloud kitchens—are on the rise as Meituan and JD.com pour billions into reshaping the food delivery industry.

Here’s what’s happening:

Centralized Kitchens: Massive facilities where dozens of restaurants cook under one roof.

Delivery-Only Menus: No dining rooms, no waiters—just pure online orders.

Lower Costs, Smarter Menus: With no front-of-house overhead, operators can adapt to trends fast.

Tech Meets Trust: Meituan will even live-stream kitchen operations to reassure customers.

📊 The numbers are staggering:

Meituan: 10 centralized kitchens today, 1,200 more planned in 3 years.

JD.com: RMB 1 billion investment to launch 10,000 7Fresh Kitchens nationwide.

From Beijing to Hangzhou, ghost kitchens are quickly reshaping how we eat, giving platforms more control over supply chains—and our cravings.

Would you order from a ghost kitchen? Or do you still prefer the vibe of a real restaurant?
https://www.thatsmags.com/china/post/39394/ghost-kitchens-on-the-rise-meituan-jd-com-s-delivery-war

One kitchen to rule them all

31/07/2025

Shaolin Scandal Shakes China: 'CEO Monk' Under Criminal Investigation

A major scandal is unfolding at one of China's most iconic temples. On July 27, the Shaolin Temple confirmed that its abbot, Shi Yongxin, is under investigation for serious criminal and religious violations, including embezzlement and illicit relationships.

Once dubbed the ‘CEO Monk’ for commercializing Shaolin's brand, Shi now faces accusations of turning the temple into a personal empire. Allegations include misuse of temple funds, fathering illegitimate children, and breaching Buddhist discipline.

The Buddhist Association of China has revoked his jie die—a monk’s formal religious certificate—effectively stripping him of his monastic status. This marks a rare and symbolic fall from grace in modern Chinese Buddhism.

This isn't Shi’s first brush with controversy. Similar accusations surfaced in 2015 but were denied and never officially acted upon. This time, however, the investigation is officially confirmed and already moving fast.

Shi Yongxin, whose secular name is Liu Yingcheng, has not issued a public response. Stay tuned to ThatsGBA for the latest on this unfolding case.

Check out the link below for the full story!

Embezzlement, extramarital affairs, and illegitimate children

29/07/2025

Shekou Launches China’s First Visa-Free Cruise Transit Zone

Good news for cruise travelers: Shekou Cruise Homeport in Shenzhen has just introduced China’s first international visa-free sea transit zone, allowing same-day cruise passengers to skip the visa hassle—as long as you stay within the terminal and depart within 24 hours.

This new policy is especially useful for travelers coming from Hong Kong, Macao, or overseas, heading to a third country by cruise.

Key benefits:
· Border clearance steps cut from 8 to 4
· Waiting time reduced from over 2 hours to just 30 minutes
· Shorter walking distance and a new lounge area for added comfort

While it’s not part of Shenzhen’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy, this is another step toward turning the city into a more international cruise hub.

Planning a cruise out of Shekou? This policy might be your ticket to smoother, faster boarding.

📌 Applies only if you remain in the terminal and board your ship within 24 hours.

🔗 Full details at the link below.

Smooth new option for those heading out by sea

25/07/2025

Up Above It All: Guangzhou’s Best Rooftops & Patios

Looking for the best rooftops and open-air spots in town? We’ve rounded up Guangzhou’s most unforgettable skyline escapes—from swanky sky bars to breezy terraces with killer cocktails.

🍝 Mercato – Italian elegance with skyline aperitivos
🥩 Morton’s Grille – Steaks, cocktails, and sleek city views
🍳 The Happy Monk Lumina – Michelin brunch & social vibes
🍺 Goat Panyu – Craft beers, burgers & sports under the stars
🎯 CAGES Guangzhou – Rooftop playground with games & beer crust pizzas
🌇 SKYLINE 63 – 360° views from the 63rd floor
🍹 JoJo’s Riverside – Pearl River sunsets & lively vibes
🥃 Bar 5 at LN Hotel 5 – Nostalgia meets mixology on the river
🎨 Enlightening – Rooftop art, music & cultural fusion
🎷 The Roof Bar at Park Hyatt – Latin jazz & skyline indulgence
🍯 LIGHT – Honey-inspired cocktails & live jazz with a view

Whether you’re planning date night, Sunday brunch, or a rooftop party with friends, these are the venues where the drinks are cold, the views are endless, and the vibes are always on point.

👉 Tap the link for the full list and plan your next sky-high escape!

Views, brews, vibes—elevated.

23/07/2025

Didi Drivers, Daily Poems & Digital Art – Meet Dom Armstrong, China’s Funniest Poet-in-Transit

What started as a hilariously relatable poem about Didi drivers has turned into a viral sensation—shared across WeChat and beyond.

We tracked down the man behind the words: Dom Armstrong, a British teacher-turned-poet based in Ningbo. From crafting verse about angry taxi horns to writing 100 poems in 100 days, Dom's take on daily life in China is sharp, heartfelt, and delightfully absurd.

🚗 From malfunctioning printers to dying houseplants as jilted lovers
🧠 From surrealist roots to digital art and voiceover poetry
🖋️ A proud member of Inkwell, Asia’s largest creative writing collective
📚 Plans in the works for a full poetry collection on China’s quirks

What drives him to write daily? “Sometimes it’s poetic Sudoku. Sometimes it’s just a malfunctioning AC repair guy.”

Read the full interview and ride along on a journey of humor, heart, and literary chaos.

👇 Who else has experienced Didi Driver Stockholm Syndrome? Sound off in the comments.

The comic verse of Dom Armstrong

22/07/2025

Didi Drivers, Daily Poems & Digital Art – Meet Dom Armstrong, China’s Funniest Poet-in-Transit

What started as a hilariously relatable poem about Didi drivers has turned into a viral sensation—shared across WeChat and beyond.

We tracked down the man behind the words: Dom Armstrong, a British teacher-turned-poet based in Ningbo. From crafting verse about angry taxi horns to writing 100 poems in 100 days, Dom's take on daily life in China is sharp, heartfelt, and delightfully absurd.

🚗 From malfunctioning printers to dying houseplants as jilted lovers
🧠 From surrealist roots to digital art and voiceover poetry
🖋️ A proud member of Inkwell, Asia’s largest creative writing collective
📚 Plans in the works for a full poetry collection on China’s quirks

What drives him to write daily? “Sometimes it’s poetic Sudoku. Sometimes it’s just a malfunctioning AC repair guy.”
https://www.thatsmags.com/guangzhou/post/39299/we-caught-up-with-didi-driver-stockholm-syndrome-poet

Read the full interview and ride along on a journey of humor, heart, and literary chaos.

👇 Who else has experienced Didi Driver Stockholm Syndrome? Sound off in the comments.

The comic verse of Dom Armstrong

21/07/2025

A forgotten kingdom rises again—China’s Xixia Imperial Tombs in Ningxia have officially joined the UNESCO World Heritage list, becoming the nation’s 60th site to receive the honor.

Spanning 40 square kilometers at the foot of the Helan Mountains, this necropolis reveals a lost Tangut civilization that ruled parts of northwest China for nearly 200 years.

🏛️ What makes it special?

• Nine imperial tombs and 271 satellite tombs filled with cultural hybridity—Han, Tibetan, and nomadic influences all in one.
• Fusion architecture blending Tang-Song symmetry with earth pagodas and stele pavilions.
• Rich Silk Road finds: coins, Central Asian beads, Song-era silk, and more.
• Standout relics: Glazed roof guardians, a 188kg gilt bronze bull, and a rare bilingual warrior carving.
Want to see it up close? A special exhibition is now showing in Shanghai (through September 14), with over 120 artifacts and immersive VR tomb experiences.

👉 The story of Xixia is a story of cultural fusion—long before globalization.

📲 Follow That’s for more on China’s newest World Heritage site.
https://www.thatsmags.com/guangzhou/post/39305/from-sand-to-spotlight-xixia-tombs-joins-unesco-list

02/07/2025

What did people eat in a Canton tea house a hundred years ago?

Season 5 of the acclaimed ‘Rediscovery’ culinary project by China Hotel, Guangzhou and the Guangzhou Museum answers that question—recreating long-lost Cantonese dishes inspired by tea house menus from the early 20th century.

🍲 Over 30 vintage recipes were reinterpreted by a team of chefs and historians, resulting in 8 beautifully crafted dishes that blend authenticity with modern tastes:
• Chicken & Watermelon Soup – steamed in a hollowed melon for hours
• Shrimp-Skin Dumplings in Supreme Broth – featuring nearly lost wrapper techniques
• Crispy Fish Maw with Sichuan Pepper, Scallion-Scented Qilin Egg, and more

More than just a meal, ‘Rediscovery’ is a cultural reawakening—honoring Guangdong’s culinary heritage through food, storytelling, and design.
📍 Available now at China Hotel, Guangzhou
🎁 Explore new cultural merchandise this season
📖 Learn more in the link below
https://www.thatsmags.com/china/post/39239/rediscovery-season-5-recreates-forgotten-cantonese-dishes