Master of none: why China is scrapping its titles

China is systematically dismantling a proliferation of unverified "master" and "king of" titles across industries, including the culinary and hospitality sectors, to curb misleading marketing and restore professional standards. New national regulations, effective August 2026, invalidate titles issued by unapproved social organizations, impacting businesses like the famous Fei Daqiu restaurant, which previously leveraged its "King of Stir-Fried Pork" designation to drive significant revenue. Beyond this regulatory shift, the discussion addresses the migration of traditional performing arts to short-form video platforms. While proponents argue that live streaming democratizes access to cultural heritage, critics contend that fragmenting complex dance dramas into brief, algorithm-driven clips dilutes their artistic integrity. These developments reflect a broader tension between leveraging digital platforms for cultural promotion and maintaining the authenticity of traditional expertise and performance.