If you’re like me, you are probably growing tired of how most stories about China sound in the mainstream media — you know, the ones that skim the surface or neatly squeeze everything into a political frame.
We both know there’s so much more beyond those headlines.
We want to get to the real juicy bits — so we created Mandarin Unpeeled.
Here, you’ll find bite-sized explainers that unwrap how China really thinks, feels, and evolves, and how it is already impacting you — told by someone who’s lived, studied, and worked across both East and West.
I’m Kelly Yamly — a bilingual ex–brand strategist, journalist, and cultural “amphibian” who’s called Beijing, Shanghai, the UK, Australia, and North America home. After years of moving between languages, industries, and identities, I’ve learned one thing: to really understand China, you need to grow a new set of tastebuds — ones tuned to its own flavours, logic, values and contradictions.
That’s what this space is for.
Each story helps you:
🌏 See beyond the headlines — into how culture, business, and everyday life actually work, through metaphors and language you’ll instantly get.
🧭 Decode China’s contradictions — from dating and design to scent and spirituality.
🥢 Connect the dots between East and West — with insights drawn from history, lived experience, and untranslatable nuance.
🧃 Learn without the overwhelm — so you can understand China in a way that’s fresh, human, and delightfully zesty.
And if you want more zesty takes beyond Substack — come hang out here:
🎧 Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🍊 Instagram → @mandarin_unpeeled
💬 Bluesky → @mandarin-unpeeled.bsky.social
🎥 YouTube → coming soon (watch this space!)
Thanks for being here — and for wanting to understand an important and fascinating side of China that rarely makes the news.
Let’s peel back the layers together.
— Kelly Yamly