In mountainous Wenzhou “the emperor is far away” and the freest of markets reign.

A painter’s dogged, doomed pursuit of the perfect $100 bill.

An American, born into privilege, became a bootleg DVD kingpin in Shanghai and then, in an unprecedented development, landed in Chinese prison.

As labels big and small attempt to gain traction in the world’s largest market, they’re learning that selling pop is never simple in the epicenter of piracy.