According to new demographic statistics released yesterday, 3.48 million of Shanghai's 14.2 million permanent residents are over the age of 60. At 24.5% of the city's population, Shanghai's elderly community is significantly larger than the 13.7% national average, causing concern for the future. more ›

We've all heard the expression "the old gives way to the new," but in China, quite the opposite is taking place with a fast-dwindling number of young people and an elderly population that continues to rise. Experts cite increased life expectancy and low birth rates as principal factors in the phenomenon. more ›

Gaga + Old Chinese folks + Macarena = Thank you, internet. more ›

Two elderly gentlemen whose ages add up to 168 have been nabbed in Keelung, Taiwan for stealing. They have been known to strike in crowded lifts where people least expect to be robbed. The older, more experienced, 91-year-old thief was recently apprehended along with his 77-year-old accomplice by fellow lift passengers when he attempted to leave after having successfully stolen a man's wallet. Over the years, he has been caught for stealing for more than 10 times, but his brushes with the law seem to have done nothing to his stealing habit. Watch him do his thing in the video below. more ›

Two recent incidents of seniors accused of pretending to fall, then extorting money from the Good Samaritans that come by to help them up, shine as prime examples of why many Chinese people shy away from lending a helping hand to people in need that they meet on the streets. more ›

Last month, a 77-year-old woman by the name of Zhuang Jinghui stripped off all her clothes and went kneeling on the steps of the district courthouse, kowtowing to the powers that be to investigate her case. more ›

This Tuesday, the Ministry of Health issued a document entitled "Technical Guidelines on Intervention When An Old Person Has Fallen Down". The set of guidelines carries no legal weight, but as its name suggests, is a list of pointers that the general public should be aware of when they encounter an elderly stranger on the ground who appears to be in need of help. The guidelines, while ostensibly meant to be an encouragement to please help people in need, was seen to have the opposite effect because of the following tip: "Do not rush to help, but manage according to the situation¹." This guideline elicited gasps of disbelief around China, because while people may hate to admit it out loud, there is the unspoken agreement that over-eagerness to assist has never really been a Chinese trait. more ›

An investigative report by Henan Television uncovering the abuse at an old folks home in Zhengzhou has shocked people in the provincial capital and sparked a nationwide outrage. more ›

The 1950s and rock n' roll are coming back to Shanghai with the city's first Sock Hop party. Brian Offenther, better known as DJ B.O., has teamed up with local volunteer group BEAN and organized a night of oldies music and costumes to raise money for the elderly in Shanghai. more ›

CNN's Stan Grant visits an old woman in Beijing who has been abandoned by her family and says she has lost all her will to live anymore. Heartrending, and a sign of things to come in a rapidly ageing China:
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• A blog has some beautiful portraits of the various ethnic groups that make their home in China. Above, the Va group, which are mostly found in Yunnan Province. [Wenxuecity]
• James Fallows rounds up reactions and experiences with the alleged age ban for foreign teachers (no people over 60 allowed!) [The Atlantic]
• Has Super Girl winner Li Yuchun really become a god? It seems like at least one university's students are in fact burning incense to her to try to raise their luck. [Go Chengdoo]

More photos on the Shanghaiist Contribute page. To see your photos on our Contribute page, use Flickr and tag your photos “shanghaiist”. Or you can email your photos to photos@shanghaiist.com and they will automatically appear on our site (and here). more ›

More photos on the Shanghaiist Contribute page. To see your photos on our Contribute page, use Flickr and tag your photos “shanghaiist”. Or you can email your photos to photos@shanghaiist.com and they will automatically appear on our site (and here). more ›