https://www.scmp.com/rss/326291/feed Calvin is a contributor to Inkstone. He is studying for a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Hong Kong. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com How do you farm in one of the world’s most crowded cities? You grow vegetables on the city’s high-rise rooftops.  Osbert Lam is the owner of three urban farms in the city. “Hong Kong is an ideal place for growing vegetables because we have weather suitable for vegetables all year round,” said Lam. “The pleasure is not only from [the crop’s] fresh taste but also [witnessing] the process, from seed to harvest.” Hong Kong has almost no arable land, and agriculture accounts for only 0.1% of the... https://www.scmp.com/society/how-hong-kong-rooftops-have-become-urban-farms/article/2157738?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/how-hong-kong-rooftops-have-become-urban-farms/article/2157738?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Aug 2018 08:30:30 +0000 Last week, April 18, was the third day of the third month in the Chinese lunar calendar. On this day, ethnic minority groups in south China celebrate traditional festivals. In Sandao Bay village in south China, the Zhuang and Yao minorities have got together to cook a huge feast, served on long tables. https://www.scmp.com/society/last-wonton-sandao-bay-village-long-table-banquet/article/2143198?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/last-wonton-sandao-bay-village-long-table-banquet/article/2143198?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Apr 2018 08:15:45 +0000 Every night residents of Shangri-La in southwestern Yunnan province go dancing in one of the city’s main squares. They perform the traditional Tibetan “Guozhuang” dance, a symbol of harmony and hospitality. Does the name “Shangri-La” sound familiar?  It’s the name of a mythical utopia in the novel and later movie Lost Horizon. It's also an international hotel chain. The city changed its name from Zhongdian in 2014, to promote tourism based on the mythical utopia. https://www.scmp.com/arts/last-wonton-square-dancing-shangri-la/article/2143098?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/last-wonton-square-dancing-shangri-la/article/2143098?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Apr 2018 09:00:15 +0000 Welcome to the 6th International Space-Out Competition. The event is all about chilling out and taking a moment for yourself – competetively, of course. Founded by South Korean visual artist WoopsYang in 2014, the event has spread from Seoul to Beijing, the Netherlands, Taiwan and now Hong Kong. https://www.scmp.com/sports/last-wonton-hong-kongs-space-out-competition/article/2140838?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sports/last-wonton-hong-kongs-space-out-competition/article/2140838?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Apr 2018 02:30:15 +0000 More than 50,000 inkstones are on show in Beijing this week. Inkstones – from which we take our name – are used to grind solid pigment into ink for calligraphy. They come in many forms, from the plain to the fantastically ornate. Which one do you think we are? https://www.scmp.com/arts/last-wonton-inkstone-inkstones/article/2140099?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/last-wonton-inkstone-inkstones/article/2140099?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Apr 2018 09:45:45 +0000 Welcome to the Yuet Tung china factory. It was Hong Kong’s first “Guan Cai” porcelain maker. This colorful ceramic ware often depicts scenes from Chinese mythology and legend. But it’s a dying art, as the masters are in their 70s and the younger generation doesn’t seem interested in picking up the brush. https://www.scmp.com/arts/last-wonton-yuet-tung-china-factory/article/2138592?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/arts/last-wonton-yuet-tung-china-factory/article/2138592?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Mar 2018 09:30:45 +0000 It's hard being a single woman in China – especially if you're over 30. Parents in China go to “dating markets” to look for eligible partners for their children – and their demands can be tough. 34-year-old photographer Guo Yingguang found this out the hard way, when she went to one of these markets with a hidden camera. Watch our video to see how she got on. https://www.scmp.com/society/over-30-female-and-looking-love-china-dont-bother/article/2138620?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/over-30-female-and-looking-love-china-dont-bother/article/2138620?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Mar 2018 10:00:45 +0000 Here's how to make homemade Chongqing chicken. You'll need some boneless chicken thighs, seasoning and plenty of Sichuan peppercorns and chilies. This tasty dish takes just a few minutes to throw together and stir-fry in a wok. Recipe courtesy of The Woks of Life https://www.scmp.com/society/last-wonton-making-chongqing-chicken/article/2138030?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/last-wonton-making-chongqing-chicken/article/2138030?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Mar 2018 09:45:45 +0000 Why is there a lion in our office? In Cantonese tradition, lion dances are held to bring good fortune, prosperity and luck. They mimic the actions of their big cat companions, to the beat of cymbals and drums. The best luck of all? That comes from touching the lion’s head. https://www.scmp.com/society/last-wonton-office-lion-dance/article/2137826?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/last-wonton-office-lion-dance/article/2137826?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Mar 2018 10:00:30 +0000 Why are pet fish so popular in Chinese culture? We talk to shoppers in this market in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, to find out. https://www.scmp.com/society/inside-hong-kongs-famous-goldfish-market/article/2136054?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/inside-hong-kongs-famous-goldfish-market/article/2136054?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Mar 2018 08:30:15 +0000 Well done for finishing all inkstone stories today! As a small and special thanks, we're serving up the Last Wonton: a final delicious treat. Today, we took a peek at how wontons themselves are made at Mak An Kee Noodle in the heart of Hong Kong. https://www.scmp.com/food/last-wonton-mak-kee-noodle/article/2135703?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/last-wonton-mak-kee-noodle/article/2135703?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Mar 2018 03:45:15 +0000 Trees are few and far between on Hong Kong’s cramped, chaotic streets. What greenery is left is in constant danger of being chopped down to make room for the next big construction project. Environmental activists in this city of seven million are lamenting what they say is government prioritization of concrete over greenery that makes trees an afterthought in urban planning. “Hong Kong can plan world-class streets and buildings, but not trees,” says Jim Chi-yung (above), a geology professor at... https://www.scmp.com/society/trees-fighting-survive-hong-kongs-concrete-jungle/article/2133118?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/trees-fighting-survive-hong-kongs-concrete-jungle/article/2133118?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Mar 2018 10:15:30 +0000 For a true taste of Hong Kong, you can't beat dim sum. People across southern China have been enjoying tea with steamed dumplings, buns and other classics for centuries. Some places still serve these bite-sized morsels the traditional way, from trolleys stacked high with bamboo baskets.  One Hong Kong favorite is the Lin Heung Tea House, which arrived in Hong Kong in 1918 from Guangzhou in southern China. It’s one of the few places that still does things the traditional way. Diners share tables... https://www.scmp.com/food/inside-hong-kongs-classic-dim-sum-restaurant-lin-heung-tea-house/article/2129950?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/inside-hong-kongs-classic-dim-sum-restaurant-lin-heung-tea-house/article/2129950?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jan 2018 07:30:45 +0000