Terms & Conditions

Please read these Terms & Conditions carefully before creating an account or making a purchase on Tales of China (“the Service”). By ticking the acceptance checkbox at sign-in, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms.

1. The Service

Tales of China (中华故事) is an educational platform that publishes illustrated stories, interactive reading experiences, and reference content rooted in Chinese literary and cultural traditions — including idioms (成语), classical poetry, and related works. The Service is operated by Smarter Homes (UEN 53321967A), registered in Singapore (“we”, “us”, “our”).

Content is designed primarily for children aged 9–12 and their families. Nothing on the Service constitutes professional educational, academic, or linguistic advice.

2. Account Registration

You sign in using your Google account. By creating an account you confirm that you are at least 18 years old, or that you are a parent or legal guardian creating the account on behalf of a child. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

We collect your email address (via Google OAuth) solely to communicate service updates, purchase receipts, and, if applicable, notice of service changes or discontinuation. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

3. Purchases and Access

Book purchase (USD 7.99 per title). A one-time payment grants you access to that title for as long as the Service remains in operation. This is a licence to access the content on our platform, not a transfer of ownership of the underlying intellectual property.

Weekly session pass (USD 2.99 per title). A time-limited access pass granting seven (7) days of access to a single title, including agentic and API-based consumption where such features are enabled.

All prices are in US dollars and are exclusive of any taxes or duties that may apply in your jurisdiction. Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. We do not store payment card details on our servers. Stripe’s own terms and privacy policy apply to payment processing.

4. Service Continuity and Shutdown Notice

We operate the Service on a best-efforts basis. Book purchases are not a guarantee of perpetual access. If we decide to discontinue the Service, we will provide a minimum of 30 days’ written notice to the email address associated with your account before access is terminated.

We will make reasonable efforts to provide a downloadable copy of purchased content before shutdown, but cannot guarantee this in all circumstances.

5. AI-Generated Content — Important Disclaimer

Stories, illustrations, audio narration, pinyin annotations, and avatar dialogue on the Service are produced or assisted by artificial intelligence systems. While we review content for quality and age-appropriateness, AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies, cultural imprecisions, or errors in historical fact, language, idiom usage, or poetic interpretation.

We make no warranty that any content on the Service is academically correct, linguistically authoritative, or suitable as a substitute for formal language instruction. Tales of China is a supplementary enrichment tool, not a replacement for qualified teaching.

The AI avatar feature allows children to ask questions of a fictional character. Responses are filtered for age-appropriateness but are generated automatically and may not always be accurate. Parental supervision is strongly recommended when children interact with the avatar.

6. Parental Supervision

The Service is designed for children aged 9–12 but is accessed through an adult account. We recommend that parents or guardians:

• Review content before sharing access with a child.
• Supervise avatar interactions, particularly free-form question sessions.
• Discuss story content and the meanings of idioms, poems, and other cultural works with the child to reinforce learning.

We implement content safety filters on all AI-generated responses, but no automated system is infallible. If you encounter content you believe is inappropriate, please contact us immediately.

7. Intellectual Property

All stories, illustrations, audio, and platform code are the property of Smarter Homes (UEN 53321967A) or its licensors. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any Service content without prior written permission.

Chinese idioms (成语), classical poetry, and other traditional literary works are part of the public cultural heritage and are not claimed as proprietary. Our specific presentation, translation, adaptation, and creative treatment of each work is original and protected.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service, including but not limited to reliance on content accuracy, loss of access due to service discontinuation, or outcomes of child learning based on Service content.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from these terms or your use of the Service shall not exceed the total amount you have paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

9. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time. If changes are material, we will notify you by email and require fresh acceptance at sign-in before you can continue using the Service.

10. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of Singapore. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Singapore.

11. Contact

For questions about these terms, purchases, or to report content concerns, use our contact form.