03 AIYA MAGAZINE
Publication
10x12.5in.
2025
It moves fluidly between different Chinese dialects, English, and Chinglish, embedded in everyday conversations throughout the U.S. What makes “aiya” so compelling is its resistance to direct translation. It carries emotion without definition, at once deeply rooted in Chinese culture and intuitively understood across contexts. In its elasticity, “aiya” reflects the layered, multifaceted experience of being Chinese in America; it contains multitudes, and it echoes across cultures.
Anita Sheih, J, Shiyu Mo, Vinko Chen
With a focus on Chinese diaspora art and culture, AIYA merges the cultural and the personal, highlighting Chinese heritage, American life, and what it’s like to exist in between. This bilingual magazine weaves creative writing with reportage on topics ranging from food to design, film, fashion, and inheritance.
At its core, AIYA is an examination and celebration of being Chinese in America—equally valuing those of all generations. No matter when one’s familial lineage came to the U.S., AIYA strives to find, sometimes poke fun at, and ultimately delight in the common ground we share.
Ultimately, AIYA magazine explores the ever-evolving intersection of Chinese heritage and American life—revealing moments of connection and intersection, and celebrating new ways of being.