Unsavory Elements

Westerners are flocking to China in increasing numbers to chase their dreams even as Chinese emigrants seek their own dreams abroad. Life as an outsider in China has many sides to it - weird, fascinating and appalling, or sometimes all together. We asked foreigners who live or have lived in China to tell us a story of their experiences and these 28 contributions resulted. It's all about living, learning and loving in a land unlike any other in the world. Original stories by Dan Washburn, Jonathan Watts, Simon Winchester, Nury Vittachi, Michael Meyer, Matt Muller, Alan Paul, Matthew Polly, Derek Sandhaus, Jonathan Campbell, Tom Carter, Mark Kitto, Pete Spurrier, Graham Earnshaw, Deborah Fallows, Susie Gordon and others.