https://www.scmp.com/rss/323562/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The political convulsions that seized China in the 19th century triggered developments with ripple effects that are still being felt today. In 1842, Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain by the declining Qing dynasty, one of the terms of the Treaty of Nanking – now called Nanjing – that concluded the first opium war. Seeking escape from unrest and poverty, waves of emigrants from China’s southern coast set off for foreign lands. Some crossed the ocean to the United States; others stayed closer... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3023155/how-chinas-19th-century-crises-shaped-chinese-diaspora?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3023155/how-chinas-19th-century-crises-shaped-chinese-diaspora?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Aug 2019 06:15:09 +0000 Bukit Timah is a swish Singapore neighbourhood where an inordinate number of roads are named after the kings, queens, duchesses and dukes of the former British Empire. A blue plaque on a bungalow at 5 Kingsmead Road, however, commemorates a different kind of history. The plaque is bestowed by Singapore’s National Heritage Board, and although the round blue sign is discreet, its presence denotes a singular honour: this house is the only private residence in the country designated a historic site.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3003871/how-singapore-made-giant-chinese-art-chen-wen-hsi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/3003871/how-singapore-made-giant-chinese-art-chen-wen-hsi?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Mar 2019 07:30:05 +0000 THEY MAY BE mostly associated with lighthearted humour today, but cartoons were serious business in China in the late 19th century, as a new generation of artists responded to the turmoil of the era by reaching out to the masses with this emerging medium. As reforms and revolution took aim at imperial rule, Chinese in the diaspora also became exposed to the pointed satirical and social messages embedded in political cartoons. Publications launched by revolutionaries and émigré Chinese artists... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2173647/19th-century-chinese-cartoons-revolutionary-message-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2173647/19th-century-chinese-cartoons-revolutionary-message-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Nov 2018 06:00:45 +0000 Even ardent film buffs might be hard-pressed to identify what the following directors have in common: Mexico’s Alejandro González Iñárritu; Englishman Christopher Nolan; Canadian Paul Haggis; Germany’s Tom Tykwer; Dutchman Jan de Bont; Americans Terrence Malick and the Wachowski siblings; Hong Kong’s Ronny Yu; Taiwan-born Ang Lee; and China’s Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou. Some in this list make crowd-pleasing blockbusters. Some are renowned auteurs, with more than a few Oscars between them. As it... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2050753/assassins-creed-producer-philip-lee-says-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2050753/assassins-creed-producer-philip-lee-says-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Dec 2016 05:45:00 +0000 Modernity has always been the cornerstone of Singapore's self-perception; it is not a coincidence that the title of the national anthem translates into English as Onward Singapore. Today, the city state markets itself to the world as a forward-looking metropolis. Note the recently remoulded skyline, starring the futuristic forms of the Marina Bay Sands casino, ArtScience museum and Gardens By The Bay - million-dollar attractions that pivot on the allure of new, cutting-edge spectacles. Look a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1269357/good-old-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1269357/good-old-days?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2013 16:00:00 +0000