https://www.scmp.com/rss/315587/feed After seven years of research, the Hong Kong government in 2014 released a list of 480 items of "intangible cultural heritage" that best represent the city's rich culture and historical legacy. The list comprises a variety of techniques, cultural practices, local dialects and music that make Hong Kong unique. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lisa Cam Lisa Cam The annual Hungry Ghost Festival celebration held at the Wah Fu Estate in Hong Kong’s Pok Fu Lam neighbourhood is at risk of disappearing. The celebration, which has been on hold since 2020 due to the pandemic, returned at the end of August, but there is a chance the ceremonial traditions and practices, held in Wah Fu (II) Estate’s higher blocks, will disappear during the redevelopment of the entire estate. Announced in March 2024, the multiphase project will see tenants of the low-income... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3324055/why-hungry-ghost-festival-celebration-hong-kongs-wah-fu-estate-under-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3324055/why-hungry-ghost-festival-celebration-hong-kongs-wah-fu-estate-under-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim If you live in or are visiting Hong Kong, you may have watched the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade from the fishing village’s stilt houses last week, or mastered the art of making cha kwo (steamed sticky rice dumpling). You may be heading to Sha Tin later this month to learn a paper-crafting technique, or make temple offerings at the Che Kung Festival. A plethora of such cultural experiences is being widely showcased at the moment – more than usual – because June is the inaugural Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3313314/intangible-cultural-heritage-and-hong-kong-examples-city-celebrates-inaugural-ich-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3313314/intangible-cultural-heritage-and-hong-kong-examples-city-celebrates-inaugural-ich-month?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 23:45:09 +0000 Dennis Lee Dennis Lee I have been trying to discover Hong Kong’s “hidden gems”, as seen through the eyes of a budget traveller. Out of curiosity, I downloaded and explored mobile apps such as Meituan and RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu), to see what a local might be missing out on. Some of the recommended spots seem debatable, including the alleyways between Tai Wai’s village houses that have been dubbed “Little Kyoto”, an ordinary street sign on the corner of New Praya in Kennedy Town and the Hong Kong Cemetery... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3311998/forget-tourist-fads-lets-better-preserve-promote-hong-kong-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3311998/forget-tourist-fads-lets-better-preserve-promote-hong-kong-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Bamboo pole noodles, dragon boat races and cheongsam-making are expected to be included in a new annual initiative to celebrate Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage and enhance the city’s appeal to tourists. The Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Month will debut in June, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department revealed on Friday in its preview for activities in the coming year. “It’s a very popular trend, many young people are interested in finding out more about history. The same goes for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3303399/hong-kongs-intangible-cultural-heritage-be-celebrated-new-annual-initiative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3303399/hong-kongs-intangible-cultural-heritage-be-celebrated-new-annual-initiative?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:41:58 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Heritage advisers have given the green light for Hong Kong’s first maternity hospital for Chinese residents and a 130-year-old temple to be declared monuments. The Antiquities Advisory Board discussed on Thursday the Antiquities and Monuments Office’s proposal to upgrade the heritage status of the Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital’s main building in Sai Ying Pun and Sheung Wan’s Kwong Fook Tsz temple. The city’s heritage grading system has three tiers, with grade one sitting just under monument... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3302287/hong-kong-heritage-advisers-back-listing-temple-former-hospital-monuments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3302287/hong-kong-heritage-advisers-back-listing-temple-former-hospital-monuments?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 13:25:01 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak A former village school that is a testament to pre-metropolitan Hong Kong is about to be demolished, but architecture scholars and heritage conservation enthusiasts are unwilling to let it go without a fight. Built in 1952 in Cha Kwo Ling, between Lam Tin and Yau Tong in East Kowloon, the Sze Shan Public School building – with its curved structures and long horizontal lines – is one of Hong Kong’s few examples of buildings in the Streamline Moderne architectural style, inspired by automation and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3300880/really-unique-former-hong-kong-village-school-should-be-spared-demolition-pair-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3300880/really-unique-former-hong-kong-village-school-should-be-spared-demolition-pair-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 03:15:08 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Even before Azerbaijan welcomed delegates to Cop29, the annual global meeting to discuss and adopt actions to address climate change, concerns were raised of a conflict of interest. Could... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3286671/conflict-interest-should-have-ruled-out-azerbaijan-cop29-host?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3286671/conflict-interest-should-have-ruled-out-azerbaijan-cop29-host?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Nov 2024 03:30:08 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s first discovery of dinosaur fossils has challenged traditional beliefs that finding the remains of ancient organisms is difficult in a small city with a history of volcanic activity and complex geology, according to experts. They said these geological characteristics and resource-constrained palaeontological efforts could have been behind a lack of discoveries, but expected that more dinosaur fossils might be unearthed in the northeastern part of the city. The Post spoke with three... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283629/discovery-dinosaur-fossils-hong-kong-challenge-long-held-geological-beliefs-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3283629/discovery-dinosaur-fossils-hong-kong-challenge-long-held-geological-beliefs-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Oct 2024 05:13:41 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim A highlight of Hong Kong’s celebrations for the Mid-Autumn Festival – also known as the Moon or Mooncake Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month – is the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance. The dance involves no ordinary dragon. This one is 67 metres (220 feet) long, is made of bamboo and straw, comes festooned with more than 10,000 burning incense sticks, and is handled by 300 performers. A fire dragon also dances every year at Pok Fu Lam Village. These performances are much more... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3278345/why-hong-kongs-fire-dragon-dances-part-mid-autumn-festival-celebrations-are-so-vital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3278345/why-hong-kongs-fire-dragon-dances-part-mid-autumn-festival-celebrations-are-so-vital?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Sep 2024 00:15:12 +0000 Every Sunday, when I walk through the covered walkways of Central, I feel as though I’ve stepped into a parallel universe. Past Exchange Square, in the same spots occupied by cigarette-smoking financiers on weekdays, I see middle-aged men lying face down for a cut-price massage. When I make my way down onto Des Voeux Road, where executives are seen during the week hurtling back from their mid-day workout classes, women are precariously perched on kerbside railings for the most public... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3272300/let-hong-kong-be-itself-city-where-life-always-finds-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3272300/let-hong-kong-be-itself-city-where-life-always-finds-way?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jul 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong authorities have ordered a developer to conduct an archaeological assessment of its construction project atop a former Japanese war memorial site, amid mounting concerns about preserving the location’s heritage value. Construction work is under way at decades-old, low-rise residential blocks Cameron Mansions on Magazine Gap Road, with scaffolding erected around some buildings, according to drone images taken by the Post on Thursday. Concerns about the potential demolition of the blocks... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3260644/hong-kong-orders-archaeological-review-former-japanese-war-memorial-site-amid-construction-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3260644/hong-kong-orders-archaeological-review-former-japanese-war-memorial-site-amid-construction-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Apr 2024 12:38:13 +0000 Mong Kok’s famous flower market will undergo a partial makeover as part of a large-scale project aimed at revitalising the bustling Hong Kong neighbourhood, with plans including a canal to link up the area’s public leisure spaces. The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) announced the plan on Friday to redevelop 31 buildings aged between 64 and 76 years and 33 shops at the flower market and nearby locations, such as Sai Yee Street and Fa Yuen Street. The overhaul will affect about 275 families and 20... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3255475/mong-kok-flower-market-set-partial-makeover-hong-kong-renewal-project-new-canal-link-public-leisure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3255475/mong-kok-flower-market-set-partial-makeover-hong-kong-renewal-project-new-canal-link-public-leisure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2024 04:38:52 +0000 A new exhibition marking the 20th anniversary of Cantopop diva and actress Anita Mui Yim-fong’s death has opened in Hong Kong and includes several items related to her career on show for the first time. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin officially opened the exhibition, titled “Timeless Diva: Anita Mui”, on Saturday, with the revered singer’s records, stage costumes and awards, as well as film stills, magazine covers, sketches and video footage, on display. Among the 70 exhibits is a TBS... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3246119/exhibition-mark-20th-anniversary-hong-kong-cantopop-diva-anita-muis-death-opens-heritage-museum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3246119/exhibition-mark-20th-anniversary-hong-kong-cantopop-diva-anita-muis-death-opens-heritage-museum?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Dec 2023 11:12:13 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. I recently returned from a trip to Shenzhen, and as one of the hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers who ventured north on the weekend, I couldn’t help but ponder Hong Kong’s loss in retail... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3244385/hong-kong-landlords-and-retailers-must-look-beyond-high-rent-and-innovate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3244385/hong-kong-landlords-and-retailers-must-look-beyond-high-rent-and-innovate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Dec 2023 03:30:16 +0000 The redevelopment of the iconic Choi Hung Estate is on the Housing Authority’s agenda, according to media reports, which note that the city’s major public housing provider is working on 10 redevelopment projects as part of a push to meet high demand for affordable homes. However, Choi Hung Estate has a special place in Hong Kong’s history. It is time the government reconsidered its strategy of equating redevelopment with reconstruction. The estate was built 60 years ago. Distinguished by its... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241946/instagram-famous-choi-hung-estates-fate-demands-new-approach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241946/instagram-famous-choi-hung-estates-fate-demands-new-approach?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2023 01:30:09 +0000 The much-awaited reopening of Hong Kong’s Temple Street night market could be delayed for several weeks as organisers and officials struggle to finalise renovation details such as ensuring the site has an adequate electricity supply. Under the government’s “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign, organisers had initially hoped to kick off the relaunch’s first phase, which would span up to five months, from mid-November, but said the remaining hurdles could push back the reopening until the end of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3238917/reopening-hong-kongs-temple-street-night-market-could-be-delayed-until-end-november-organisers-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3238917/reopening-hong-kongs-temple-street-night-market-could-be-delayed-until-end-november-organisers-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Oct 2023 02:00:22 +0000 Lee Hoi-wu took over her family’s decades-old restaurant business in Hong Kong in 2014, and within years, worked out the secret recipes that ensured customers would keep coming back. Ngan Lung Cafe, a Hong Kong-style restaurant, was opened in 1968 on a small street in Lei Yue Mun Fishing Village. The cha chaan teng is known for mouth-watering signature dishes such as Hong Kong-style French toast with egg white and fermented bean curd, as well as abalones steamed with sake. Feeding Hong Kong on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3237377/not-just-about-secret-recipes-traditional-hong-kong-family-run-restaurant-wins-customers-personal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3237377/not-just-about-secret-recipes-traditional-hong-kong-family-run-restaurant-wins-customers-personal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Oct 2023 03:55:02 +0000 Colourful dragon boats and accompanying rhythmic drums were seen and heard across Hong Kong on Thursday in the largest celebration of the Tuen Ng or Dragon Boat Festival since Covid-19 hit the city, but organisers said the race turnout was lower than pre-pandemic levels. Six dragon boat races were held in Stanley, Aberdeen, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Sai Kung and Tuen Mun, despite fewer competitors than in previous years. Contestants and race fans endured scorching temperatures throughout the day and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3224960/enter-dragon-hong-kong-welcomes-return-drum-beats-and-crowds-dragon-boat-festival-race-turnout-still?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3224960/enter-dragon-hong-kong-welcomes-return-drum-beats-and-crowds-dragon-boat-festival-race-turnout-still?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jun 2023 04:05:02 +0000 A tattered photo of a fish stall at Hong Kong’s Central Market from the 1950s has been restored using artificial intelligence-based software and turned into a life-size wall display at the 84-year-old building to mark the second anniversary of its reopening. The original black and white photo provided by the Hong Kong Museum of History featured two fishmongers standing behind a counter piled with chopped-up fish, the Urban Renewal Authority said. The life-size restored image, laid out on the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3220510/colourful-past-hong-kong-artists-use-ai-software-transform-1950s-photo-life-size-image-central?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3220510/colourful-past-hong-kong-artists-use-ai-software-transform-1950s-photo-life-size-image-central?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 May 2023 02:00:12 +0000 When Andrew Chui Shek-on was ordered to remove the 42-year-old neon signboard hanging over the Tai Ping Koon Restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, he could have taken it down and left the storefront barren. Instead, the fifth-generation owner of the chain of four Chinese eateries famous for its Swiss chicken wings and giant souffles replaced it with a new one. For him, the neon sign was an important part of the 163-year-old restaurant’s history. “It’s not just a sign,” Chui said. “It represents the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3217222/bright-future-hong-kongs-signboard-culture-businesses-replace-old-neon-designs-smaller-legal-ones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3217222/bright-future-hong-kongs-signboard-culture-businesses-replace-old-neon-designs-smaller-legal-ones?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Apr 2023 10:00:25 +0000 Details have emerged about government plans to adjust the law that has stopped major reclamation works in Victoria Harbour. The Protection of the Harbour Ordinance is now on track to be amended to exempt some minor waterfront improvement projects from having to undergo a “public need test”. The Development Bureau said on Tuesday that the changes were required to allow more projects to go ahead and save years of preparation time. A bureau spokeswoman said works under the faster approval mechanism... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3214639/hong-kong-harbour-law-should-not-be-watered-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3214639/hong-kong-harbour-law-should-not-be-watered-down?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Mar 2023 22:30:10 +0000 Cycling enthusiast Martin Turner has waited a long time for the Hong Kong Island waterfront to have a biking path offering views of Victoria Harbour. So he cheered when, in 2008, the government suggested building a boardwalk under Island East Corridor, the highway along the harbour’s northeastern shore at North Point. Then, nothing happened. Now the boardwalk will only be completed in stages from next year. “It’s 15 years later, and we’re still waiting,” said Turner, 61, a marketing consultant... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3213993/law-protecting-hong-kongs-victoria-harbour-be-amended-some-welcome-cutting-red-tape-others-worry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3213993/law-protecting-hong-kongs-victoria-harbour-be-amended-some-welcome-cutting-red-tape-others-worry?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Mar 2023 03:02:54 +0000 Cathay Pacific Airways has fired the first shot of Hong Kong’s much-awaited campaign to give away at least 500,000 airline tickets to boost tourism by offering 80,000 free return flights to people in Southeast Asian countries from March 1. Hong Kong’s flagship carrier on Friday said it would offer round-trip tickets to residents across Southeast Asia starting with Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines on March 1, 2 and 3 respectively, followed by Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3211367/hong-kongs-traditional-bun-scrambling-festival-cheung-chau-returns-after-3-year-hiatus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3211367/hong-kongs-traditional-bun-scrambling-festival-cheung-chau-returns-after-3-year-hiatus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Feb 2023 04:45:11 +0000 The man behind the “Save Star Ferry” campaign has vowed not to give up on Hong Kong’s sailing icon, saying the firm is keen to revamp its three piers into a cultural and entertainment hotspot that can rival the famed Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. The Star Ferry Company is also in discussion with the government on lowering its fare increases from an earlier proposed 100 per cent raise, according to general manager David Chow Cheuk-yin. Chow revealed the details amid calls from lawmakers for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3207945/hong-kongs-own-fishermans-wharf-star-ferry-boss-envisions-buoyant-future-struggling-icon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3207945/hong-kongs-own-fishermans-wharf-star-ferry-boss-envisions-buoyant-future-struggling-icon?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jan 2023 12:00:13 +0000 Inside a spartan stone cabin 800 metres (2,625ft) above sea level in Hong Kong, Mark Loasby sets his kettle on the stove to make himself a cup of coffee. He opens a window, allowing the sunlight to fill the dark, damp room. “This might be the highest private residence in the whole of Hong Kong,” said the 72-year-old communications manager with a chuckle. He owns one of the 19 century-old stone cabins that make up Lantau Mountain Camp, on the ridge between Sunset Peak, Hong Kong’s third-highest... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3205417/hong-kong-hideaway-chinese-university-conservation-team-study-lantaus-rustic-century-old-stone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3205417/hong-kong-hideaway-chinese-university-conservation-team-study-lantaus-rustic-century-old-stone?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jan 2023 10:00:22 +0000 Yeung Ming-hon, a prominent doctor and one of the last surviving volunteers who took part in the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941, died on December 24 aged 99. He was the last battle survivor still living in the city. His death occurred on the eve of the 81st anniversary of the fall of Hong Kong to invading Japanese forces during World War II. He died peacefully with family members beside him at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, where he worked for decades as a prominent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3204967/battle-hong-kong-survivor-dies-yeung-ming-hon-99-was-first-year-medical-student-when-he-was-told?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3204967/battle-hong-kong-survivor-dies-yeung-ming-hon-99-was-first-year-medical-student-when-he-was-told?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Dec 2022 11:00:20 +0000 Much ink has been spilled on Hong Kong’s role as an international cultural hub. Talk of doubling down on more infrastructure, facilities and venues is welcome – after all, there can be no systematic cultural outreach and development without the hardware. Yet as we see it, Hong Kong has a long way to go to become a truly world-class cultural hub. What is missing is “soul”, a vision to steer and support the cultivation of Hong Kong’s software and human capital for international exchange. Culture... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3202400/be-truly-world-class-cultural-hub-hong-kong-needs-much-more-just-hardware?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3202400/be-truly-world-class-cultural-hub-hong-kong-needs-much-more-just-hardware?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Dec 2022 00:15:11 +0000 A historic court building in Hong Kong will be revitalised in the next four years, with the site’s operator planning to reopen it as a centre offering universal legal education and conducting outreach efforts in the wider community. The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention on Friday expressed confidence that the centre could be financially independent three years after opening, predicting the building could draw 70,000 visitors during the first year of operations in 2026. “Over the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3202783/former-hong-kong-courthouse-become-centre-universal-legal-education-after-four-year-renovation-works?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3202783/former-hong-kong-courthouse-become-centre-universal-legal-education-after-four-year-renovation-works?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:57:28 +0000 Hong Kong’s conservation authorities will consider upgrading the heritage status of a commercial block in Tsim Sha Tsui to save it from being demolished, with the building previously serving as a base to spy on the Japanese army during the second world war. Members of the Antiquities Advisory Board will decide on Thursday whether the veranda-style shophouse at No 190 Nathan Road should be reclassified as a Grade 1 building from Grade 3, following a proposal from the Antiquities and Monuments... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3202428/fate-world-war-ii-spy-hub-hangs-balance-hong-kong-authorities-review-buildings-heritage-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3202428/fate-world-war-ii-spy-hub-hangs-balance-hong-kong-authorities-review-buildings-heritage-status?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Dec 2022 11:07:24 +0000 The 68-year-old State Theatre in North Point is just the latest historic Hong Kong building fated for a facelift. The Grade I listed building, a former cinema and local landmark, is being revamped by New World Development into what it calls a “new cultural performing arts landmark”. It comes hot on the heels of several successful recent conversion projects such as PMQ and Tai Kwun in Central, and The Mills in Tsuen Wan. First announced in 2020, the conservation project will include a captivating... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3201266/can-hong-kong-preserve-its-historic-buildings-its-too-late-nan-fung-groups-mills-new-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3201266/can-hong-kong-preserve-its-historic-buildings-its-too-late-nan-fung-groups-mills-new-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:20 +0000 Neon signs have been drawing the eye in Hong Kong for more than a century, a familiar sight in the city’s nightscape advertising everything from pharmacies and seafood restaurants to topless bars and saunas. In the past 20 years, though, most of Hong Kong’s neon signage has been removed, either for safety reasons or because of the increased popularity of cheap, more energy-efficient LEDs. One of the most well-known signs to have come down recently was that promoting the Koon Nam Wah Bridal store... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3197396/hong-kong-neon-artist-teaching-his-craft-new-generation-can-he-help-it-survive-onslaught-leds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3197396/hong-kong-neon-artist-teaching-his-craft-new-generation-can-he-help-it-survive-onslaught-leds?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Oct 2022 06:15:08 +0000 Cheung Shun-king is one of a handful of Hongkongers involved in hand-carved artisan mahjong tiles, a tradition passed down through three generations, but he might be forced to close his store and risk the demise of his unique craft. Mahjong tile-making was in 2014 listed as an intangible cultural heritage by an office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, with the mission being to safeguard and support the transmission of the technique. “Of course I don’t want to retire. I’ll be... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3195120/hand-carved-mahjong-tiles-part-hong-kong-story-plight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3195120/hand-carved-mahjong-tiles-part-hong-kong-story-plight?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Oct 2022 00:00:11 +0000 Hong Kong’s traditional tenement buildings, known as tong lau, provide a stark contrast to the city’s glitzy skyscrapers. These narrow, low rise shophouses are a welcome reminder of the past and an integral part of the urban environment. But they are under threat. Most have been demolished to make way for new developments over the years. Now, there are concerns about the future of those remaining. Conservationists are calling for more to be done to protect them. Tong lau were first developed in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192088/tong-lau-are-part-fabric-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3192088/tong-lau-are-part-fabric-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Sep 2022 02:15:21 +0000 Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used for scaffolding in construction. It’s flexible, strong and cheaper than steel and aluminium — metal alternatives that are now more commonly used in mainland China and elsewhere in Asia. In Hong Kong, skilled armies of scaffolders can erect enough bamboo to engulf a building in a day — even hours — using techniques that are thousands of years old, and have been passed down through generations. How long has bamboo... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3191778/why-hong-kong-still-uses-bamboo-scaffolding-construction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3191778/why-hong-kong-still-uses-bamboo-scaffolding-construction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Sep 2022 01:00:32 +0000 Another piece of Hong Kong’s heritage will go when the bright lights of the Tai Tung Bakery in Yuen Long are dismantled after the Mid-Autumn Festival, stirring debate on conservation of the city’s neon signage. “It’s very sad,” said Peter Tse Hing-chi, third generation owner of the traditional pastry shop which opened in 1943. “This sign grew with the business. It is historically significant – for as long as the shop has been here, the sign has also been here.” He was supposed to remove the sign... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3192075/lights-out-hong-kongs-neon-signs-tradition-losing-shine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3192075/lights-out-hong-kongs-neon-signs-tradition-losing-shine?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Sep 2022 11:30:19 +0000 Mido Cafe, one of Hong Kong’s oldest traditional cha chaan teng – cafes that serve Chinese-Western fusion food – has announced its closure in an ambiguous message posted outside its premises. The farewell note is written mostly in Chinese, and includes a photo of a shop cat perched on one of Mido Cafe’s iconic Formica tables. The brief message struck a poignant note with its opening: “Life has its share of decades, and without knowing, 72 years have passed since Mido Cafe began here. “So let’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3185804/one-hong-kongs-oldest-traditional-cha-chaan-tengs-mido-cafe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3185804/one-hong-kongs-oldest-traditional-cha-chaan-tengs-mido-cafe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:17:58 +0000 Hilton Cheong-Leen became the first Chinese chairman of Hong Kong’s Urban Council in 1981, a position that earned him his nickname during his five-year stint. Cheong-Leen, the “mayor of Hong Kong”, had been an early advocate of gradual democratic development since the 1950s and in 1970 led the first walkout in the history of the now-defunct council. Veteran journalist Gary Cheung and Oliver Chou have published a book documenting the deeds of Cheong-Leen, who died in January at the age of 99. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3184718/how-mayor-hong-kong-hilton-cheong-leen-led-push-give-common?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3184718/how-mayor-hong-kong-hilton-cheong-leen-led-push-give-common?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Jul 2022 06:51:02 +0000 Chi Kee Sawmill and Timber, one of the few remaining woodwork factories in Hong Kong, is making a last-ditch call for help to relocate its operations, after the owners received notice last week to move out to make way for a new development. The clearance deadline given by the Lands Department for the 40-year-old sawmill, located in Kwu Tung, Sheung Shui, was June 30, but 72-year-old Wong Hung-kuen and his siblings have not moved because they cannot let go of the remaining 1,000 tonnes of timber... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3184363/owners-hong-kong-sawmill-appeal-help-move-operations-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3184363/owners-hong-kong-sawmill-appeal-help-move-operations-after?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Jul 2022 13:19:59 +0000 When asked about “organic architecture”, the general public – as well as some architects – might have the false impression it involves structures built in organic shapes or resembling natural forms such as a flower, a seashell, an icicle or an animal. Frank Lloyd Wright, the master of organic architecture in the last century, saw it as a phenomenon in which the native character of the built structure seamlessly integrated with the environment and surrounding context. Architecture did not impose... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3182531/how-hong-kongs-redevelopment-projects-can-be-showcases-organic-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3182531/how-hong-kongs-redevelopment-projects-can-be-showcases-organic-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jun 2022 00:15:13 +0000 Conserving built heritage in Hong Kong is easier said than done, as shown in the challenges in revitalising listed buildings and monuments. Awareness and resources have been on the rise in recent years, but the trial-and-error approach means setbacks are also inevitable. Even when individual projects have sound ideas, there is no guarantee for sustainable operation. A case in point is the historic mansion King Yin Lei. The privately owned 85-year-old complex, a rare surviving example of Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3182304/historic-buildings-deserve-sustainable-new-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3182304/historic-buildings-deserve-sustainable-new-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jun 2022 19:13:30 +0000 Recent days have seen Hong Kong suffer another blow, with the Jumbo Floating Restaurant – a long-standing icon of the city – set to leave in weeks amid mounting losses during the pandemic. Social media has been filled with discussion about the potential loss and discontent over the government’s lack of action. This is just the latest example of Hong Kong’s inability to preserve its contemporary history. Another case in point is the General Post Office building in Central, which opened in 1976.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180894/jumbo-floating-restaurant-saga-another-sign-hong-kongs-inability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180894/jumbo-floating-restaurant-saga-another-sign-hong-kongs-inability?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jun 2022 22:45:21 +0000 Heritage advisers have urged officials to work with advocates to reassess the value of a historic building in Hong Kong that is at risk of being demolished, after new information about its role in the second world war came to light. The Antiquities Advisory Board on Thursday asked for updates on the building at No 190 Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, which was used by the sons of the original owner to carry out underground intelligence work against the Japanese during the war, according to a group... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3181093/hong-kong-heritage-advisers-urge-officials-work-advocates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3181093/hong-kong-heritage-advisers-urge-officials-work-advocates?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jun 2022 14:01:34 +0000 Is the Jumbo Floating Restaurant worth saving? It is a difficult question with no simple answer. Often we rely on government departments such as the Antiquities and Monuments Office and Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB) or non-governmental organisations such as the Conservancy Association to conduct a heritage impact assessment and prepare recommendations for stakeholders to consider. However, whether intentionally dodging the matter or not, AAB member Vincent Ho Kui-yip said on a recent radio... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180719/look-beyond-dollar-signs-see-jumbo-floating-restaurants-true-value?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180719/look-beyond-dollar-signs-see-jumbo-floating-restaurants-true-value?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jun 2022 23:45:21 +0000 A historic building set to be demolished in Hong Kong was used to carry out underground intelligence work against the Japanese by the sons of the original owner during the second world war, according to a group of advocates calling for its preservation. The team, formed by experts in tourism, urban studies, architecture and history, said in a research report released on Sunday that the grade three structure in Tsim Sha Tsui, built before 1937, was the city’s only building directly related to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3180502/historic-hong-kong-building-set-be-demolished-used-spying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3180502/historic-hong-kong-building-set-be-demolished-used-spying?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jun 2022 11:46:24 +0000 The Covid-19 pandemic has inflicted many business casualties on Hong Kong, but perhaps none more iconic than the Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurants in Aberdeen’s typhoon shelter. Its immense size, imitation imperial Chinese architecture and elaborate decor made the attraction a renowned landmark and dazzling nighttime sight for decades. Coronavirus rules that have shattered the tourism industry and the high cost of keeping it afloat led to hopes that it could become part of nearby Ocean Park,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180073/jumbo-restaurant-loss-just-pity-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3180073/jumbo-restaurant-loss-just-pity-city?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jun 2022 23:00:25 +0000 A kitchen barge connected to Hong Kong’s famed Jumbo Floating Restaurant capsized on Wednesday morning – triggering calls from a group of lawmakers for the government to do more to help the struggling business before it pulls out of the city. The incident involving the 30-metre barge came barely two days after the restaurant’s operator announced it would leave Hong Kong because of a lack of funds for maintenance. Police said they received a call from a security guard at 11.52pm on Tuesday that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3179965/more-woe-hong-kongs-struggling-jumbo-floating-restaurant-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3179965/more-woe-hong-kongs-struggling-jumbo-floating-restaurant-30?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jun 2022 04:48:47 +0000 Hong Kong has been an extremely difficult place to enter for non-residents and tourists since the coronavirus pandemic began. However, in April the government began allowing non-residents to fly in, and although the floodgates have yet to open, it’s expected that the number of arrivals at Hong Kong International Airport will begin to grow soon. There’s still a seven-day hotel quarantine for all arrivals, but once that period ends there’s plenty to see for those who haven’t been back for a while... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3179226/m-and-palace-museums-ocean-parks-water-world-five-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3179226/m-and-palace-museums-ocean-parks-water-world-five-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 May 2022 00:15:12 +0000 With a smile, Tam Fung-ling recalled the day she was combing her hair at her family’s first-floor flat at Ming Wah Dai Ha, a rental housing estate in Shau Kei Wan, when a man she knew at work walked past and caught her eye. The pair, both factory workers, were instantly attracted to each other. Love blossomed, they got married and had a daughter. “After getting married, we stayed at the estate so that I could visit my parents often,” said Tam, now in her 60s and retired like her husband. “I... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3175298/old-hong-kong-rental-blocks-make-way-new-residents-memories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3175298/old-hong-kong-rental-blocks-make-way-new-residents-memories?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Apr 2022 02:00:30 +0000 Insufficient communication between Hong Kong government departments and a lack of adequate guidelines had led to a wrongful decision to demolish a century-old service reservoir two years ago, according to a review report. The Development Bureau released on Wednesday its review report on the decision-making process of the Water Supplies Department (WSD) in December 2020 to demolish Shek Kip Mei’s “Bishop Hill” reservoir, which was preserved only after a public outcry. The reservoir features... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3173308/lack-communication-between-hong-kong-government-agencies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3173308/lack-communication-between-hong-kong-government-agencies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:25:31 +0000 The ascension of the 60-year-old City Hall to Hong Kong’s first post-war monument proves there is more to heritage than just age and architectural aesthetics. It also redefines the much-lamented conservation policy that seldom takes into account the social values and public memories associated with places. The precedent is a positive step to preserve not just the built heritage, but also the heart and soul that comes with it. The unpretentious City Hall complex in Central is nothing like other... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/3171181/our-city-hall-more-just-building?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/3171181/our-city-hall-more-just-building?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Mar 2022 01:00:32 +0000