China is home to 56 ethnicities, each with their own distinct cultures and their own traditional sports. As Asia stages two Olympics in less than a year, we explore China’s traditional sports and the people who keep them alive. With annual national games in China, some of these competitions are experiencing a revival as the next generation take the torch and carry on their legacy.

Malaria is one of the biggest challenges in the world, claiming 409,000 lives in 2019 alone. But in China, the disease has been eliminated, even though it was endemic for much of the 20th century. Our Host James Chau looks at the progress over decades, and how the efforts of scientists including Tu Youyou — the first Chinese woman to win a Nobel Prize — is creating a global turnaround against malaria.

Mountain by mountain, rural Chinese locals are winning the fight against poachers. Yu Jiahua, an elderly ranger, is leading this effort in his town. And not even an earthquake can stop him. Our Nature Contributor Kyle Obermann shares his story.