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30 - 100 RMB per half-hour, or 150 - 600 for a whole day
With insomnia on the rise among China's stressed-out, phone-addicted millennials, sales of all sleep-aid products have been at an all-time high. The weirdest of the bunch, though, has to be this service: hiring someone talk to you over a video or voice call, tell you stories, play you songs and ASMR noises, and otherwise try to put you to sleep. The service is also available over WeChat and QQ groups, as well as various apps dedicated to tracking and improving the user's sleep. Some sleep-inducers on Taobao also offer their services in waking you up in the morning, or comforting you when you're down.
Depends on the content: 50 - 300 RMB all available
What's Taobao without a whiff of racist exploitation? Screenshots have periodically surfaced online showing e-merchants offering to shoot videos of "African children" (and sometimes "Indian children," or adults supposedly from an African country) shouting a birthday greeting, wedding wish, advertisement, or other customized messages in Chinese for the client. Often, the children will be standing beside a chalkboard with the same message written in Chinese characters. TWOC was unable find this exact service on Taobao, but did locate plenty of similar listings for customized videos with well-wishes shouted by muscular men, assorted foreigners, "Ukrainian beauties," and "influencers."
50 - 360 RMB
China's would-be influencers go to extreme lengths, including dangerous new forms of cosmetic surgery, to achieve the so-called "internet celebrity face (网红脸)": pointy chin, high-bridged nose, and Bambi eyes. For the faint of heart, check out the "face-slimming sling," promoted by none other than China's top e-commerce influencer Li Jiaqi, which purports to tighten and moisturize the skin and create that desired "V" shape to your lower face if you simply wear it two or more hours a day for one to two months. The "silicone face-roller" claims to achieve the same effect if you roll it over your lower jaws every day.
182.7 RMB (164.43 RMB on Singles Day) for a basic two-tiered fixture 45 cm in diameter, increasing with the size
Boost the dignity of your meeting rooms, or just your apartment, with this light fixture modeled on the famous starry ceiling in the auditorium of the Great Hall of the People, the meeting place of China's top legislature. The original was designed in the late 1950s by a team of well-known architects including Zhao Dongri and Zhang Bo.
0.1 RMB per unit
Like the " IQ Top-Up" and " A Lesson" featured in our previous lists, this seems to be the latest iteration of pointless Taobao listings that asks you to send merchants money for no tangible product in return. In this case, you simply purchase as many "units" of good luck as you feel is needed. Reviews indicate it is mostly purchased in order to meet the minimum purchase needed to qualify for free shipping or discounts on the merchant's other products...and just maybe, ace that upcoming exam too.
A Singles Day deal of 20.8 RMB for six rolls
Chinese authorities may be taking action to reduce the burden of study on primary school students by banning after school tutoring and homework assignment at the lower grades, but the pressure of entrance exams for high school and college remain just as high as ever. If you're worried that your student's grades might go down the toilet, consider a gift of toilet paper printed with study materials-such as English vocabulary, physics equations, or Tang poetry-so they don't waste a single moment of potential exam-prep time during the day.
Flying Blind: Visually Impaired Tourists Still Face Barriers
Poor accessibility still hinders visually impaired tourists in China, despite the efforts of a few volunteer groups
China’s Pet Psychics Promise to Bridge the Species Gap
Pet psychics, or “pet communicators,” are booming in China, despite little science behind their claims at being able to talk to animals
How a Rural Woman Found Solace in Poetry
After years of hardship and suicidal thoughts during her life in rural China, Han Shimei found solace in poetry
Canine Comrades: A Dog Attack Worries Pet Owners
China’s pet owners fear for their dogs after a rottweiler attack sparks a nationwide backlash
Secrets of the Steppe: A Road Trip Through China’s Northern Borderland
A journey through Inner Mongolia’s grassland reveals the enduring pulse of nomadic life including herding on horseback, hunting, living in yurts, and other traditions