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SCMP

We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. How China changed during the Yuan dynasty, when Mongols ruled
Mongol rulers shook up Chinese society during the Yuan dynasty. For the first time in history, the whole of China was ruled not by a native Han descendant, but by a Mongol khan. The period was one of many firsts, as Silk Road trade routes thrived, paper money became common and China’s influence in Eurasia grew.
2. How actor Anthony Wong survived terrible films, ‘shut out’ by mainland China

From humble beginnings, Anthony Wong overcame adversity to become one of Hong Kong’s top actors – and a man unafraid to speak out. For over a decade now, he has been blacklisted by some in his home city and in mainland China for his support of the “umbrella movement” protests in 2014.
3. How running helped with a break-up and led to AI-backed Silk Road trek plan

When her relationship ended last year, Ria Xi did what many heartbroken twenty-somethings do: she went for a run. Beijing-born Xi then turned her heartbreak into a new career and an inspiring mission to run from Russia to Portugal, using AI as her coach.
4. As You Stood By: well-meaning domestic violence K-drama is a clumsy miss
Netflix’s As You Stood By tackles domestic violence – a worthy subject in South Korea, which continues to rank at or near the bottom of all of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s gender equality metrics, but the K-drama falters with melodrama and incoherent storytelling.
5. New Zealand artist Ant Sang on his Chinese heritage, ‘loyalty’ to Cantonese

Auckland-based award-winning illustrator and comic artist Anthony Sang, better known as Ant Sang, is a fifth-generation Chinese-New Zealander who spent a chunk of his childhood and adolescence in Hong Kong. Sang recently found a medium that helps him forge a stronger link with his Cantonese roots: T-shirts.
6. Last Samurai Standing: 1800s Japan meets Squid Game in bloody Netflix drama

The thrilling saga, featuring Junichi Okada as a warrior in a deadly race across Japan, gives a new perspective on a sadistic premise we’ve seen before.
7. For Black Eyed Peas’ Apl.de.ap, helping Filipino farms is a matter of roots

We joined the rapper/singer in his native Philippines to learn about his philanthropic work and past, ahead of the Black Eyed Peas’ Hong Kong show.


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SCMP Highlights

How Mongol rule changed China, Anthony Wong’s life amid adversity: 7 Lifestyle highlights

A statue of Kublai Khan, China’s first Mongol emperor, in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar. The Yuan dynasty brought about big changes in China, but also a big increase in the country’s influence across Eurasia. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong actor Anthony Wong at an interview with the Post in 2019. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Ria Xi shows girls “they can go out and do hard things” on her run on the Sinai Trail in Egypt, in January 2025. Photo: Jack Lawes

One of Sang’s Cantotees T-shirts. Photo: Ant Sang

Junichi Okada in a still from Last Samurai Standing. Photo: Netflix

Black Eyed Peas member Apl.de.ap at his family farm in the Philippines’ Pampanga province. The Grammy-winning musician shows us some of the work he’s doing to support coconut farmers in his homeland, and shares his story. Photo: Kylie Knott

How China’s Ming dynasty brought novels, porcelain and classic dishes to the world

The Ming dynasty was a prosperous time of culture and trade. Blue-and-white porcelain made during the Ming dynasty is prized around the world. Photo: Sam Tsang

Emperor Chenghua in a painting by an imperial court painter during China’s Ming dynasty. Photo: SCMP

The cover of the classic book The Journey to the West. Novels like this became favourites during the Ming dynasty.

Century eggs are said to have been created during the Ming dynasty. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Classic Beijing-style roast duck was developed during the late Ming dynasty. Photo: SCMP

A replica of a ship used by Ming dynasty explorer Cheng Ho, also known as Zheng He, at a park in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, in 2006. Photo: Reuters

How Movember urges men to start important conversations about mental health

Movember is here, to raise awareness of the need for men to open up about their mental wellness and that of their friends. Photo: Shutterstock

Counsellor Michael Beckham says there is still significant stigma associated with mental health issues, which can discourage men from acknowledging their struggles or seeking help. Photo: Michael Beckham

Men are often too focused on performance and what they deem success to look at their own mental wellness, says psychologist Sebastian Droesler. Photo: Sebastian Droesler  

Unlike most men, women have “face-to-face” friendships, which are built and maintained through communication, emotional connection and support. Photo: Shutterstock

A study showed that men who felt lonely were significantly more likely to suffer suicidal thoughts and psychological distress. Photo: Shutterstock

Bruce Lee’s life, philosophy and kung fu style celebrated in Hong Kong dance drama

“Kung Fu Artistry – Bruce Lee’s No Way as Way” by the Hong Kong Dance Company reframes the star’s legacy as a vibrant, ongoing artistic conversation. Photo: HKDance

Kung Fu Artistry – Bruce Lee’s No Way as Way is a fusion of martial arts, dance and jazz, reflecting the different tempos and dynamics of kung fu moves. Photo: HKDance 

Artistic director and choreographer Yang Yuntao’s primary inspiration was Bruce Lee’s handwritten letters, which showed the martial artist applying his “be water” philosophy to life’s challenges. Photo: HKDance 

How to age well: this ‘inspiring’ 93-year-old yoga teacher’s classes are packed every day

Salomon Delgado watches over his yoga class at a 24 Hour Fitness gym in Santa Monica, California. Delgado, a 93-year-old yoga instructor, reveals his secrets for healthy ageing. Photo: TNS

Salomon Delgado’s longevity tips include being a pescatarian, meditating daily, properly hydrating and making sure to move your body as much as possible every day. Photo: TNS

Delgado (third left) celebrates his 91st birthday in 2023 at a 24 Hour Fitness gym in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Instagram/24hourfitness__santamonica

Participants relax at the end of Delgado’s yoga class on October 15, 2025. Photo: TNS

Delgado concludes his yoga class. He has no plans to retire and will teach yoga until he is physically unable to do so. Photo: TNS

Delgado celebrates his 92nd birthday in 2024 with yoga enthusiasts. Photo: Instagram/24hourfitness__santamonica

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From a Chinese-New Zealander artist’s heritage to a thrilling new Samurai Netflix drama, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting


From a Chinese-New Zealander artist’s heritage to a thrilling new Samurai Netflix drama, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.


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How Mongol rule changed China, Anthony Wong’s life amid adversity: 7 Lifestyle highlights

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From a Chinese-New Zealander artist’s heritage to a thrilling new Samurai Netflix drama, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting

1. How China changed during the Yuan dynasty, when Mongols ruled

2. How actor Anthony Wong survived terrible films, ‘shut out’ by mainland China

From a Chinese-New Zealander artist’s heritage to a thrilling new Samurai Netflix drama, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting