China’s Top 10 favorite websites, according to city
With China having almost a billion internet users by the end of 2016, regional differences can have a very large impact on online activity.
We looked at the highest-ranked websites viewed by the ten most populous cities in China: The evaluations are from Chinaz, a web service that lists the popularity of websites by combining information from Alexa, Baidu ratings, and Google PageRank (the takeaways are our own).
10. Jinan, Shandong Province
Top Website: http://dzwww.com/
Description: A news portal that centers around the province of Shandong
English? Yes
Takeaway: The people of Jinan like to keep up on the latest happenings in their province
9. Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
Top Website: http://www.uuu9.com/
Description: An online gaming portal that features news, reviews, and streaming services
English? No
Takeaway: The streets of Xi’an are likely empty thanks to their bustling internet gaming industry
8. Tianjin
Top Website: http://www.18183.com/
Description: A gaming portal that has all you would expect but with a heavy focus on mobile gaming
English? No
Takeaway: When visiting Tianjin, you may find that most citizens hold their phones in a landscape fashion; chronic neck pain is a problem
7. Chengdu, Sichuan Province
Top Website: http://www.66law.cn/
Description: A consultation website for those in need of legal help, where users can seek advice and representation
English? No
Takeaway: Further investigation is needed to confirm just how much of the population lives behind bars, but Chengdu seems to have many scofflaws
6. Wuhan, Hubei Province
Top Website: http://www.xuexila.com/
Description: An online resource for everything education and employment-related, with courses, guides, and news
English? No
Takeaway: Wuhan citizens are either ignorant or extremely learned—no-one seems to know
5. Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
Top Website: https://www.taobao.com/
Description: Chinese Ebay, but better
English? Yes
Takeaway: It is Jack Ma’s hometown
4. Beijing
Top Website: https://www.baidu.com/
Description: The most popular search engine in China
English? You can try
Takeaway: A city with a lot of questions and not enough answers
3. Chongqing
Top Website: http://www.gushiwen.org/
Description: A database that collects Chinese poems from the past
English? No
Takeaway: Hipsters
2. Shanghai
Top Website: http://tudou.com/
Description: A video streaming website that contain both commercial and user-generated content
English? No
Takeaway: Everyone in Shanghai is bored
1. Guangzhou, Guangdong
Top Website: http://www.163.com/
Description: One of the most popular portals in China provides almost every service users would want
English? No
Takeaway: Is AOL blocked?
Cover image from txwb.com