China’s board game scene blends strategy, social deduction, and ancient history, from Mahjong to War of the Three Kingdoms. With millions of players and a growing café culture, these games offer a fresh take on game night that goes beyond Catan or poker.

China’s top universities both rank high globally, shape national leaders, and fiercely compete. But for Chinese students, getting in means scoring in the top 0.05% on the brutal entrance exam, making admission far tougher than it is for most international students.

Is Chinese or English more efficient to read? Studies and anecdotes offer mixed results: one suggests Chinese is faster, another says it’s the same. What do you think?