Have you ever wondered what it was really like to grow up in China before smartphones, before globalization fully kicked in, and before bubble tea became a global identity? Welcome — because you’re about to find out from someone who lived every second of it.
I’m Christopher Li, a kid of the 90s who grew up through exam anxiety, endless noodles, parent-teacher meetings that felt like public trials, and a whole universe of unspoken rules that every Chinese child knew…but no one ever dared to explain out loud.
In Chopsticks & Confessions, I open the door to my world and take you behind the scenes of the China outsiders rarely get to hear about — not politics, not news, not clichés — but daily life, family expectations, school culture, food traditions, and the emotional logic behind how Chinese people think, communicate, and show love.
You’ll hear confessions like:
• The terrifying day I fell from Top 3 to Number 5 in class — and why it felt like the end of the universe (for me and my parents).
• Why Chinese parent-teacher meetings are basically a silent Hunger Games.
• How losing face can make a family move to an entirely different city.
• The tragedy of kids who had to transfer schools because their parents divorced — and how shame shaped childhood in small towns.
• How school competitions, lunchtime rituals, and exam season created our own “Chinese Hogwarts.”
China is one of the most influential cultures in the world — yet one of the most misunderstood.
I created this podcast to give you:
• A human, personal perspective
• A funny but honest look at Chinese values
• A bridge to understanding the emotional logic behind our traditions
• And a way to connect with Chinese people in a deeper, more respectful, and more relatable way
Whether you’re:
🇨🇳 curious about China
💼 working with Chinese colleagues
❤️ dating someone Chinese
✈️ planning to travel or live there
🍜 or just obsessed with Chinese food
This podcast will help you understand why we are the way we are, through stories that are both entertaining and culturally eye-opening.
New Episodes Weekly
Grab your chopsticks. Grab your curiosity.
And join me for a front-row seat to the most colorful era of modern China — and the stories that shaped a generation.
Welcome to Chopsticks & Confessions.
Where culture meets comedy, and every story teaches you something real.
