https://www.scmp.com/rss/326266/feed The Inkstone team brings you the latest stories from an unsurpassed network of reporters, editors, producers and video journalists. We cover news, politics, business, economics, tech, entertainment and what’s buzzing in Chinese social media. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Wang Fuchun, who garnered worldwide attention for his sensitive portraits of life on Chinese railways, died in Beijing on Saturday at the age of 79 of an undisclosed illness. Wang, who worked on the railways in the 1970s, won domestic and international awards in photography for taking pictures of people from different walks of life as they traveled across China via trains.  Covering the decades when China rose from an economic backwater to a global superpower, his work also offers an insightful... https://www.scmp.com/arts/obituary-photographer-wang-fuchun-who-took-iconic-photos-life-chinese-railways-dead-79/article/3125684?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/obituary-photographer-wang-fuchun-who-took-iconic-photos-life-chinese-railways-dead-79/article/3125684?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Mar 2021 12:36:16 +0000 Throughout one of the most difficult years in collective memory, thanks to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, Asia’s women have proved time and again that they can rise to the challenge . Women were leading figures in landing a spacecraft on Mars, fighting on the front lines of the pandemic or transcending gender roles to become a driving force for change. Let’s take a look back at some of the top stories from Inkstone and our colleagues at the South China Morning Post celebrating women... https://www.scmp.com/society/triumphs-and-tribulations-asian-women/article/3124669?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/triumphs-and-tribulations-asian-women/article/3124669?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:08:20 +0000 Nigel Ng’s dumpling drama shows no signs of going cold with the Malaysian-born ‘Uncle Roger’ star telling his online detractors that he made “zero dollars from Chinese social media” and “just wanted to make people laugh.” The British-based comedian made the comments after receiving major backlash from followers for taking down a video from his YouTube channel that featured another internet star, Mike Chen, from the Strictly Dumpling channel. Chen has been vocal in his repeated criticism of the... https://www.scmp.com/society/uncle-roger-tells-critics-unfollow-him-if-theyre-not-happy/article/3118315?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/uncle-roger-tells-critics-unfollow-him-if-theyre-not-happy/article/3118315?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jan 2021 09:35:08 +0000 Crazy Rich Asians was a global sensation for its fictional portrayal of Singapore's one-percenters.  Now, a new show on Netflix wants to follow real-life Crazy Rich Asians. Named Bling Empire, the reality show is set to premiere on the streaming service on January 15. The series shows the shenanigans of wealthy Asian-American and Asian frenemies living the high life in Los Angeles. Expect over-the-top parties, fabulous clothes, glamorous escapades and major drama. Here's a look at four key... https://www.scmp.com/society/las-crazy-rich-asians-come-new-netflix-reality-show/article/3117517?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/las-crazy-rich-asians-come-new-netflix-reality-show/article/3117517?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Jan 2021 10:01:57 +0000 French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, who died on December 29, 2020 at the age of 98, was a pioneer for Western fashion in China.  In 1979 he became the first Western fashion designer to stage a fashion show in China, soon after the country adopted its reform and opening-up policy. In 1983, he opened a Beijing outpost of his Parisian restaurant Maxim’s about 3km from Tiananmen Square. The high-end establishment is where many Beijingers had their first taste of authentic French food without... https://www.scmp.com/style/meet-man-who-brought-western-fashion-china/article/3116594?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/style/meet-man-who-brought-western-fashion-china/article/3116594?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Jan 2021 09:37:28 +0000 This 2020 compilation of viral videos from China provides a unique insight into the country, showing us a window into what made people laugh, how they changed their lives and some of the unique skills of the Chinese people. https://www.scmp.com/china/chinas-most-viral-moments-offer-window-middle-kingdom/article/3115770?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/chinas-most-viral-moments-offer-window-middle-kingdom/article/3115770?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Dec 2020 10:09:58 +0000 The year 2020 will be everyone’s to remember, no matter how much we would like to forget.  Living through a pandemic that has changed lives and the course of history, and the ripple effects will be felt for years to come.  But it also reminded us of our core humanity, be it racing to save our beloved pets, some whimsy in the form of a camel or our willingness to get outraged over minor slights.  As a holiday treat, we have selected five stories that reminded us of the complexity and audacity of... https://www.scmp.com/society/weird-wacky-and-wonderful-newsmakers-2020-greater-china/article/3115112?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/weird-wacky-and-wonderful-newsmakers-2020-greater-china/article/3115112?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Dec 2020 09:56:27 +0000 Ugly Christmas sweaters just got an upgrade for 2020, and they are made for a socially distant holiday. American home security company SimpliSafe has tackled the Christmas restrictions with a Social Distancing Sweater prototype, rigged with motion sensors that set of a “screeching” alarm and flashing lights when someone steps closer than six feet of the wearer. According to a company press release and advertisement, the sweater will help wearers say, “‘happy holidays’ and “‘back off!’” all at... https://www.scmp.com/tech/sweater-will-ensure-your-family-socially-distant-over-holidays/article/3114772?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/sweater-will-ensure-your-family-socially-distant-over-holidays/article/3114772?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Dec 2020 12:39:57 +0000 The Covid-19 pandemic has turned face masks into an essential part of life for human beings and then some. https://www.scmp.com/arts/statues-don-face-masks-during-coronavirus-pandemic/article/3085204?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/statues-don-face-masks-during-coronavirus-pandemic/article/3085204?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2020 10:42:17 +0000 Weddings, birthdays and celebrations have been canceled around the world because of the coronavirus pandemic. In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first appeared, they are finally resuming as authorities relax a strict lockdown that separated families, friends and lovers for over two months. Now the city is trying to get back to normal. One sign? The reappearance of wedding photoshoots. https://www.scmp.com/society/wedding-photoshoots-help-wuhan-find-some-normalcy/article/3081033?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/wedding-photoshoots-help-wuhan-find-some-normalcy/article/3081033?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2020 11:02:29 +0000 This article was written by Viola Zhou and originally appeared in Inkstone, a daily digest of China-focused stories. On Valentine’s Day, a 36-year-old lawyer Matt Ma in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang discovered he had been coded “red”. The colour, displayed in a payment app on his smartphone, indicated that he needed to be quarantined at home even though he had no symptoms of the dangerous coronavirus. Without a green light from the system, Ma could not travel from his ancestral... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3051907/green-yellow-red-how-big-data-dividing-public-chinas-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3051907/green-yellow-red-how-big-data-dividing-public-chinas-coronavirus?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Feb 2020 08:24:18 +0000 Streets across China are left deserted amid the spread of the coronavirus and government curbs on travel. Check out the gallery of photos taken by Reuters for the rare sight of empty streets in Beijing and Shanghai. https://www.scmp.com/society/coronavirus-scare-has-turned-chinese-cities-ghost-towns/article/3050583?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/coronavirus-scare-has-turned-chinese-cities-ghost-towns/article/3050583?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2020 11:21:46 +0000 This article was written by Qin Chen and Arman Dzidzovic, and originally appeared in Inkstone, a daily digest of six China-focused stories. When Xu Xiaodong, China’s most controversial mixed martial artist, beat former Japanese kick-boxing champion Yuichiro Nagashima in a Bangkok ring last November, he let out a few victorious screams. Then he stopped. He had just won the biggest fight of his career, but he did not want to be seen celebrating. “If I look too happy, there will be more people... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3048431/chinese-mixed-martial-arts-fighter-xu-xiaodong-rose-fame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3048431/chinese-mixed-martial-arts-fighter-xu-xiaodong-rose-fame?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Feb 2020 05:00:06 +0000 As the coronavirus spreads globally, airports and airlines are heightening their screening of passengers coming from mainland China. Airports around the world have enacted temperature screenings for passengers, and face masks at airports have become more common. Major airlines like British Airways and American Airlines have started to suspend flights to and from mainland China. https://www.scmp.com/health/airports-around-world-are-carrying-out-virus-screenings-travelers-coming-china/article/3048192?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/health/airports-around-world-are-carrying-out-virus-screenings-travelers-coming-china/article/3048192?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jan 2020 09:42:14 +0000 Every year, the northern city of Harbin puts on a festival that features structures — sometimes delicate, oftentimes gigantic and always beautiful — built entirely out of snow and ice.  This year's festival is no different. It features frozen worlds, ice dragons and even the occasional penguin parade.  Take a visual tour of the 36th Harbin Ice and Snow Festival 2020. https://www.scmp.com/society/harbin-ice-and-snow-festival-feast-eyes/article/3045948?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/harbin-ice-and-snow-festival-feast-eyes/article/3045948?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2020 09:33:11 +0000 Photographers in China visit Beijing, the mountains of Shaanxi and the city of Taiyun to build a beautiful photo gallery of winter in China. https://www.scmp.com/china/take-tour-chinas-beautiful-winter-scenery/article/3042536?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/take-tour-chinas-beautiful-winter-scenery/article/3042536?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Dec 2019 10:12:41 +0000 A three-year-old girl from northeastern China’s Liaoning province confused her parents by staring out the window for hours. The reason is truly adorable. https://www.scmp.com/china/why-little-girl-china-sits-beside-window-hours/article/3042220?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/why-little-girl-china-sits-beside-window-hours/article/3042220?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2019 09:41:09 +0000 Xuan paper, or traditional rice paper, is widely used in Chinese painting and calligraphy.  The paper has a history of more than 1,000 years. It originated from Xuancheng City in the eastern province of Anhui. The manufacturing process goes through over 100 stages, and it takes at least one year to make.  The Cao family has been making Xuan paper since the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The craft has been passed down the generations.  Check out the gallery to see how the paper is made. https://www.scmp.com/arts/making-traditional-chinese-calligraphy-xuan-paper/article/3041612?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/making-traditional-chinese-calligraphy-xuan-paper/article/3041612?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Dec 2019 09:54:26 +0000 Authorities in a southern Chinese city have suspended plans to build a crematorium following two days of clashes between riot police and residents in scenes that drew comparisons to the continuing unrest in Hong Kong. The clashes in Wenlou, which is about 60 miles north of Hong Kong, began on Thursday when hundreds of locals tried to march on the town’s government offices in protest against plans to build a crematorium on land they believed had been set aside for a park. But police intervened,... https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-city-wenlou-suspends-crematorium-plan-after-protests/article/3040183?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinese-city-wenlou-suspends-crematorium-plan-after-protests/article/3040183?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:10:10 +0000 “City of Darkness” is an exhibition exploring the long gone Walled City of Kowloon in Hong Kong as photographed by Greg Girard and Ian Lambot. Lambot and Girard set about photographing the Walled City shortly before its demolition in 1994 due to a deep fascination with the site. Nearly 30 years on from the Walled City’s demolition, this project offers a unique insight into the remarkable community, home to an estimated 50,000 people at its peak, and by far the most densely populated neighborhood... https://www.scmp.com/society/take-tour-kowloons-infamous-walled-city-city-darkness/article/3039211?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/take-tour-kowloons-infamous-walled-city-city-darkness/article/3039211?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2019 11:53:21 +0000 This article originally appeared in Inkstone, a daily digest of six China-focused stories. China’s dominant ride-hailing app, Didi Chuxing, has come under attack for closing its carpooling service to female passengers after 8pm. Over the past year, the company has been criticised for failing to protect its female customers. It suspended its UberPool-like service, Hitch, in August 2018 after the deaths of two women, which plunged the company into crisis. On Wednesday, Didi said it would relaunch... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3036783/didi-chuxing-blasted-over-curfew-women-using-relaunched-hitch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3036783/didi-chuxing-blasted-over-curfew-women-using-relaunched-hitch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2019 11:48:16 +0000 Hundreds of thousands of people in Taipei took to the streets over the weekend to support gay rights in the first pride parade in Taiwan since it became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex unions. Crowds of people waved rainbow flags and rode on flamboyant floats from City Hall for the 3.5 mile walk, whose theme this year was: “Together, make Taiwan better.” https://www.scmp.com/society/taiwan-holds-first-pride-parade-after-legalizing-gay-marriage/article/3035139?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/taiwan-holds-first-pride-parade-after-legalizing-gay-marriage/article/3035139?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Oct 2019 09:17:26 +0000 A bubble tea exhibit has opened in Singapore, where boba lovers can dive into a pit of 10,000 plastic boba.  There's also a scent wall where visitors can sniff and try out several different types of tea. https://www.scmp.com/food/last-wonton-bubble-tea-exhibition-takes-singapore/article/3033341?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/last-wonton-bubble-tea-exhibition-takes-singapore/article/3033341?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:51:20 +0000 An overpass collapsed onto busy traffic in Wuxi city in east China’s Jiangsu province on October 10. Reports say that three vehicles were trapped and three people died. https://www.scmp.com/china/overpass-collapses-busy-traffic-and-kills-three-china/article/3032469?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/overpass-collapses-busy-traffic-and-kills-three-china/article/3032469?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2019 11:06:44 +0000 Pork is a Chinese national staple. But as African swine fever has ravaged hog farms, the average price of pork has almost doubled. The government has responded by releasing pork reserves to the markets and offering subsidies to some farmers hit by the nationwide epidemic.  Some farmers, however, are still feeling the pain. https://www.scmp.com/health/pork-farmers-china-are-feeling-brunt-swine-fever-and-trade-war/article/3031408?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/health/pork-farmers-china-are-feeling-brunt-swine-fever-and-trade-war/article/3031408?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Oct 2019 11:08:18 +0000 Hong Kong’s iconic “ding ding” trams, named for the sounds they make, have trundled through the streets since 1904. The 115-year-old system is a living symbol of the city’s rich history. In these pictures from the South China Morning Post’s archives, we look at how both the trams and everything around them have changed over the decades. https://www.scmp.com/arts/look-hong-kongs-ding-ding-trams-history/article/3027101?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/look-hong-kongs-ding-ding-trams-history/article/3027101?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Sep 2019 10:04:41 +0000 Known for his showmanship, Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma sang a pop ballad at the company’s 20th-anniversary party on September 10. Alibaba owns Inkstone. The event was part of Ma’s goodbye to the company as he stepped down as executive chairman. His successor, Daniel Zhang, joined the performance. https://www.scmp.com/society/jack-ma-retires-alibaba-chairman/article/3026850?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/jack-ma-retires-alibaba-chairman/article/3026850?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Sep 2019 10:58:46 +0000 American seafood chain Red Lobster is expecting China to become its biggest overseas market.  Chief Executive Officer Kim Lopdrup said China will eventually be a larger market for the casual dining chain than Canada and Japan.  “We do have some aggressive growth plans, but it all comes down to finding the right sites with appropriate rents,” Lopdrup was quoted as saying in a report by Bloomberg.  “China is very likely to be our largest international market likely by a pretty wide margin over... https://www.scmp.com/food/american-seafood-chain-red-lobster-eyes-big-expansion-china/article/3023704?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/american-seafood-chain-red-lobster-eyes-big-expansion-china/article/3023704?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2019 10:26:22 +0000 The child modeling industry in China is thriving because of the explosion of e-commerce. Children go to modeling classes and compete for work. But in our video above, we look at the controversy over the use of child models, with critics accusing parents of exploitation and abuse. https://www.scmp.com/society/chinas-child-model-industry-faces-accusations-abuse/article/3021576?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/chinas-child-model-industry-faces-accusations-abuse/article/3021576?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2019 11:05:48 +0000 Shadow puppets flitting across screens and bringing ancient legends to life have fascinated Chinese people for some 2,000 years, but falling audiences mean troupes are having to be creative to stay on the stage. Check out our gallery, above, for more. https://www.scmp.com/arts/pulling-puppetry-out-shadows/article/3019149?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/pulling-puppetry-out-shadows/article/3019149?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2019 09:59:47 +0000 A model of President Donald Trump has made an appearance at one of China’s biggest tech expos. A kiosk at CES Asia let visitors hit the wooden head with a mallet to let out their frustrations about the trade war and more.  The Shanghai expo hosts representatives from across the tech community in China, including from Huawei and ZTE, who are also some of the biggest targets of the US-China tech war, which has given attendees many reasons to want to let off steam.  Watch the video above to see... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-people-are-bashing-donald-trump-new-stress-relieving-tool/article/3014303?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinese-people-are-bashing-donald-trump-new-stress-relieving-tool/article/3014303?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jun 2019 09:18:39 +0000 Today is the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar. That means that Chinese people all over Asia are celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwu Festival. These days, the occasion is celebrated by racing dragon boats and eating rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves called zongzi.  But the festivities had a legendary tragic origin.  This 2,000-year celebration commemorates an ancient poet and patriot, Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in a river out of grief for the state of his... https://www.scmp.com/society/all-sweat-and-smiles-hong-kongs-dragon-boat-festival-pictures/article/3013509?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/all-sweat-and-smiles-hong-kongs-dragon-boat-festival-pictures/article/3013509?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jun 2019 10:01:15 +0000 30 years ago, thousands of students and activists descended on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to protest against government corruption and demand democracy. The protests were crushed in the early hours of June 4, 1989 by Chinese tanks and troops. Hundreds, perhaps more than a thousand, civilians were killed. But today no signs of the protests or the crackdown are memorialized in the square. Browse the gallery, above, to compare photos from the protests with contemporary scenes in central Beijing. https://www.scmp.com/china/tiananmen-square-pictures-then-and-now/article/3012823?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/tiananmen-square-pictures-then-and-now/article/3012823?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2019 09:02:35 +0000 Aiming to reduce air pollution in China, Beijing has declared a war on pollution. Watch the video above to see how the anti-pollution campaign, together with an economic slowdown and a protracted trade war with the US, are affecting China’s factories. https://www.scmp.com/china/chinas-war-pollution-threatening-nations-industrial-centers/article/3012263?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/chinas-war-pollution-threatening-nations-industrial-centers/article/3012263?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 May 2019 10:54:29 +0000 Doctors in China are conducting clinical trials of deep brain stimulation to treat methamphetamine addiction, as the country outpaces Western nations to become a hub for research on the bleeding edge of science. The treatment, in which a surgical implant of electrodes is placed inside a patient’s brain, is widely used to treat motion disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Use of the procedure for psychiatric conditions including addiction is controversial due to ethical concerns... https://www.scmp.com/science/chinese-researchers-test-brain-implants-help-treat-drug-addiction/article/3009952?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/science/chinese-researchers-test-brain-implants-help-treat-drug-addiction/article/3009952?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 May 2019 08:30:08 +0000 A tattoo artist in Taiwan looks to revive the Paiwan indigenous tribe’s traditional technique of hand-tap tattooing. Once banned, first by Japanese colonizers and then by the Chinese Nationalist government, indigenous people in Taiwan are trying to bring back local tattooing traditions. Using a traditional hand-tapping method, the needles are dipped in ink and painstakingly tapped into the skin. The intricate patterns reference indigenous Taiwanese religions and beliefs. Watch the video above... https://www.scmp.com/society/revival-taiwans-traditional-tattoo-culture/article/3008978?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/revival-taiwans-traditional-tattoo-culture/article/3008978?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 May 2019 10:16:20 +0000 The People’s Bank of China has issued a new set of notes and coins. The notes have sharper colors and are better protected against counterfeiting, but will have similar designs to the old tender – former Chinese leader Mao Zedong’s portrait remains their main image. Check them out in the video above. https://www.scmp.com/business/peoples-bank-china-releases-new-set-notes-and-coins/article/3008686?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/peoples-bank-china-releases-new-set-notes-and-coins/article/3008686?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2019 08:54:40 +0000 The sun is powered by nuclear fusion, and China hopes to mimic this reaction to generate a non-polluting source of potentially limitless energy. The first step in this plan is China’s experimental fusion reactor, called the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), which is the world’s first facility to sustain the conditions needed for nuclear fusion. Fusion requires intense heat and, in November 2017, the reactor was able to sustain 212 million degrees Fahrenheit, which is six... https://www.scmp.com/science/chinas-wants-build-fusion-power-reactor-2050/article/3008385?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/science/chinas-wants-build-fusion-power-reactor-2050/article/3008385?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 May 2019 08:40:16 +0000 German photographer Michael Wolf, who spent his last 25 years in Hong Kong, died on April 24 at the age of 65. He shot scenes from Japan’s crowded subway trains in Tokyo Compression (2010) and portraits of Hong Kong’s Cantonese opera performers, but is best known for his collection on the city’s crammed urban landscapes: Architecture of Density (2009). Throughout his years in Hong Kong, Wolf was constantly excited by what others in the city might find mundane or too small to wonder at: shrines... https://www.scmp.com/arts/german-photographer-michael-wolfs-lens-hong-kong/article/3008226?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/german-photographer-michael-wolfs-lens-hong-kong/article/3008226?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2019 10:26:29 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping is a fan of Game of Thrones, and he watches a version specially made to fit in his busy schedule, according to Chinese officials. The leader surprised both his aides and guests when he brought up the HBO hit series during a meeting with foreign visitors in Beijing last week, a person at the meeting told the South China Morning Post.  “We must all make sure the world we live in does not descend into the chaotic warring seven kingdoms of Westeros,” Xi said, referring... https://www.scmp.com/politics/xi-jinping-li-keqiang-watch-and-cite-game-thrones/article/3008086?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/xi-jinping-li-keqiang-watch-and-cite-game-thrones/article/3008086?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2019 10:13:18 +0000 German camera maker Leica has struggled to contain a Chinese social media backlash over a commercial dramatizing the story behind one of the world’s most iconic photos. The video depicts the making of a photo of the “Tank Man,” an unidentified demonstrator who stood in front of a column of tanks leaving the Tiananmen Square after the Chinese government’s bloody suppression of pro-democracy protests in central Beijing in 1989. Leica sought to distance itself from the commercial, saying that it... https://www.scmp.com/china/leica-ad-causes-uproar-china-and-huawei/article/3007123?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/leica-ad-causes-uproar-china-and-huawei/article/3007123?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Apr 2019 09:54:54 +0000 The Chinese economy may be slowing, but a country’s gotta eat. China’s food and drink industry posted a record high $636 billion in revenue in 2018, according to the China Cuisine Association. And it all starts on the ground and under the sun, as Chinese farmers harvest and dry goods to make them easier to transport – and often, to concentrate the flavor. Check out our gallery, above, for a look at China’s sun-baked foodstuffs. https://www.scmp.com/food/photos-chinas-sun-dried-food-production/article/3004413?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/photos-chinas-sun-dried-food-production/article/3004413?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Apr 2019 09:34:46 +0000 Textile manufacturing was the backbone of Hong Kong’s economy in the 1950s. But as China opened up in the ’80s, the manufacturing industry returned north of the border. Hong Kong transformed itself into a financial center, and most of its factories shut down. Family-run business Nan Fung Textiles once owned the largest yarn-spinning business in the city. Now as part of a revitalization project, three of its former cotton mills will be transformed and re-opened to the public, under the name The... https://www.scmp.com/arts/hong-kong-cotton-mills-reopen-art-gallery-and-museum-mills/article/3001680?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/hong-kong-cotton-mills-reopen-art-gallery-and-museum-mills/article/3001680?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Mar 2019 10:19:06 +0000 With China’s “Two Sessions” parliamentary meetings underway, the’s world photographers are in Bejiing. And it’s not all about halls full of delegates in dark suits. Here’s a selection of the most interesting behind-the-scenes snaps from the week. Interested in in-depth analysis and news from the Two Sessions annual legislative meetings? Check out the South China Morning Post’s detailed coverage. https://www.scmp.com/china/last-wonton-photos-two-sessions/article/3001196?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/last-wonton-photos-two-sessions/article/3001196?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Mar 2019 10:03:37 +0000 The winners of the 2018 National Geographic Wheelock Hong Kong Photo Contest have been announced.  Here’s a selection of some of the best shots taken from across the city. The theme of this year's contest was “Hong Kong Story: Nature, city and people.” The contest sought to capture the ways in which urban life and nature intertwine in Hong Kong. Photographers spanned the city to capture the raw energy of this clash of people and nature, from markets to public parks. Some parts of Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/society/national-geographic-announces-hong-kong-photo-contest-winners/article/3000926?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/national-geographic-announces-hong-kong-photo-contest-winners/article/3000926?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Feb 2019 09:45:53 +0000 Pufferfish are legendary – or notorious – in Japanese cuisine.  They’re prized for their taste – and more importantly, for the fact that the toxins they contain are deadly to humans. It takes years of training for a chef to understand how to serve the fish without killing the diner. But in China, one fishery farms non-toxic blowfish, which has led to the delicacy being taken off the banned list in the country.  Now restaurants and diners in China are chowing down on the once-toxic delicacy.... https://www.scmp.com/food/china-farms-non-toxic-pufferfish/article/3000889?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/china-farms-non-toxic-pufferfish/article/3000889?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Feb 2019 09:45:29 +0000 The Monlam Great Prayer Festival starts three days after the Lunar New Year, which fell this year on February 5, and takes place over almost two weeks. It is considered the most important event of the calendar for Tibetan Buddhists. Every year thousands of visitors and worshippers gather at the Labrang Monastery in Xiahe, in China’s northwestern Gansu province. The monastery, the largest of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism, is home to China’s greatest number of monks outside of the Tibet... https://www.scmp.com/society/tibetan-buddhists-celebrate-biggest-holiday-monlam-great-prayer-festival/article/3000871?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/tibetan-buddhists-celebrate-biggest-holiday-monlam-great-prayer-festival/article/3000871?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Feb 2019 10:01:45 +0000 For the first time in 94 years, Beijing's Forbidden City opened to the public at night with a dazzling light show. The evening marked the Lantern Festival, the traditional end of the Lunar New Year celebration period. The ancient imperial palace, which is mostly comprised of buildings made of wood, has not held lantern shows in the past for fear of fire. 6,000 tickets were sold for the two-night event, in which new technology combined with old to create moving images over ancient buildings. https://www.scmp.com/china/last-wonton-chinas-palace-museum-opens-night-first-time-light-show/article/3000869?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/last-wonton-chinas-palace-museum-opens-night-first-time-light-show/article/3000869?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Feb 2019 10:01:34 +0000 Want to make your friends jealous, on the cheap? China's new "pretending to fly" challenge might be right for you. With just a laundry detergent bottle and your phone, you can fool all your friends into thinking you went to Japan. Maybe. https://www.scmp.com/china/last-wonton-chinas-new-airplane-challenge-takes/article/3000809?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/last-wonton-chinas-new-airplane-challenge-takes/article/3000809?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Feb 2019 09:26:05 +0000 Explosive demand for durian in China is being blamed for a wave of deforestation in Malaysia. Environmentalists are warning that vast sections of jungle are being cleared to make way for massive plantations of the spiky, legendarily pungent fruit. https://www.scmp.com/food/chinas-demand-durian-destroying-forests/article/3000818?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/chinas-demand-durian-destroying-forests/article/3000818?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Feb 2019 09:26:04 +0000