心柔: For a tender heart
Currently based in Shanghai, Xinrou Shu is a freelance journalist who writes, investigates, takes photographs, and produces podcasts. She holds a B. A in Psychological Science from UC Irvine with a minor in Literary Journalism and an M.F.A in Literary Reportage from New York University.
Formerly a fashion writer at V Magazine, she now writes her bi-weekly newsletter, Peking Quack, on Substack, where she delves into China’s feminism, digital and youth culture, and technology. Her work has appeared in various award-winning publications, including South China Morning Post, Rest of World, Sixth Tone, The China Project, RADII, Salon, and more.
A regular contributor to the cover story of SCMP Magazine, she loves exploring human behaviors through literary journalism. Her longform “Buying Guaranteed Acceptance to Elite US Universities: The Risks and Rewards for Chinese Students” was listed as the favorite long read of 2022, and her viral feature “Swipe Right to Hire Me: How Tinder Became China’s Hottest Networking App” was reposted by global media outlets.
Outside of writing, she enjoys doodling, hunting for chic outfits, occasional modeling gigs, and being invited to podcasts to discuss the impact of AI. If you have any questions, suggestions, work opportunities or recommendations for dog food, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Xinrou Shu 舒心柔 