https://www.scmp.com/rss/327745/feed Cantonese is a southern Chinese dialect, which is an integral part of Hong Kong’s identity and culture. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Bernice Chan Bernice Chan When the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, launched its Cantonese language programme in 2015, it was geared towards heritage speakers – second- or third-generation Chinese-Canadians who wanted to learn how to speak to their parents and grandparents in their mother tongue. By the following year, lecturer Raymond Pai, the director of the programme, observed that a third of the students were native Mandarin speakers. “Vancouver is linguistically diverse, and many students... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3346190/why-canadian-universitys-cantonese-language-course-85-cent-mandarin-speakers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3346190/why-canadian-universitys-cantonese-language-course-85-cent-mandarin-speakers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Minna Honkanen could not have anticipated the seismic events that would grip Hong Kong after she decided to try her luck there in early 2019. Two months after she arrived, unprecedented social unrest engulfed the city, followed immediately by the coronavirus pandemic, which shut borders and restricted travel for more than two years. Least of all did the Finnish national imagine she would become a luxury property agent in one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets, securing exclusive... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344931/hong-kong-luxury-real-estate-how-european-agent-won-us3045-million-penthouse-listing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344931/hong-kong-luxury-real-estate-how-european-agent-won-us3045-million-penthouse-listing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:30:16 +0000 Christopher St. Cavish Christopher St. Cavish The records are clear and complete: about 300 years ago, a Huang clan from just across the Tan River got the idea to start their own village here, tucked into one of the river’s curves with Baizu mountain at its back. Hiring a feng shui master from Jiangxi province to lay it out, they built grey brick houses in a tight grid, with dragon-back or phoenix-crest ridges, surrounded by dense bamboo groves. Acres of fruit orchards were planted outside the village and a fish pond dug in front. A few... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342496/how-taishan-learned-absorb-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3342496/how-taishan-learned-absorb-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Chang Zi Qian Chang Zi Qian If the world assumes Chinese to be a monolith, then Chinese New Year brings a curious paradox. This is the festive season that ostensibly brings all Chinese people together, yet I have found it is also when our cultural deviations are most sharply magnified. In Singapore, the celebration has always been joyous and largely predictable. Then I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and suddenly, thanks to my mainland Chinese friends, the festival took on new meaning and my festive experience began to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343511/great-lunar-new-year-divide-and-how-i-bridged-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343511/great-lunar-new-year-divide-and-how-i-bridged-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Lavender Au Lavender Au I WAS BORN in Guangzhou in 1979. In the 1980s and 90s, Guangzhou was a relatively special city in China. Many of my classmates had relatives in Hong Kong. It was more open, more connected to the outside world. People generally valued profit and were practically minded. The direct comparison with Hong Kong coupled with the continuous transmission of a kind of folk culture means that Guangdong has always had a very secular society. Even during the political movements of the 50s, 60s and 70s,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3342638/author-hu-anyan-work-writing-and-overcoming-inferiority-complex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3342638/author-hu-anyan-work-writing-and-overcoming-inferiority-complex?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam There is a famous Cantonese phrase that refers to a Lunar New Year faux pas. Loeng so jiu, which translates to “showing up with two bunches of bananas”, means visiting someone’s house empty-handed. Hosts tend to shower their guests with hospitality during the festive season, so it is good etiquette to arrive bearing gifts in return. But what to buy? If in doubt, food and drink gifts are usually a safe bet. Here is a list that will help inspire you for your next Lunar New Year gathering. 1.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343318/10-great-lunar-new-year-food-and-drink-gifts-hong-kong-year-horse-gatherings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343318/10-great-lunar-new-year-food-and-drink-gifts-hong-kong-year-horse-gatherings?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 03:15:09 +0000 William Yiu,Kelly Fung William Yiu,Kelly Fung Suri Chan Tin-wing, a first-year English major at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, found herself struggling to write her first creative short story – a 300-word assignment for the compulsory course “Introduction to Literature”. Throughout her secondary schooling at Yan Chai Hospital Law Chan Chor Si College in Kowloon Bay, only science subjects, such as maths and biology, were taught in English as the school adopted Chinese as the medium of instruction (CMI). Chan, 19, felt that she lacked... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3343539/will-allowing-more-hong-kong-schools-teach-english-be-too-testing-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3343539/will-allowing-more-hong-kong-schools-teach-english-be-too-testing-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 01:00:17 +0000 Letters Letters 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 In my extensive volunteer work as a lawyer with vulnerable families across our city, I have listened to heartbreaking accounts of hardship, crowded housing, inaccessible healthcare and the desperate search for dignified work. While their struggles are complex, I have arrived at a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3340963/vulnerable-families-hong-kong-simply-must-master-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3340963/vulnerable-families-hong-kong-simply-must-master-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 03:30:11 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Horses played crucial roles in ancient China – in the military, transport and agriculture. People of different social classes interacted with and observed the animals, drawing inspiration for the arts, literature and mythology. Over time, the horse became the subject of many idioms. Here are seven of the most popular horse-related expressions in Chinese, how to pronounce them in Cantonese and the stories behind them. 龍馬精神 Lung ma jing sun Meaning “the spirit of dragons and horses”, this idiom is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3339975/7-popular-chinese-horse-idioms-you-trot-out-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3339975/7-popular-chinese-horse-idioms-you-trot-out-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:15:07 +0000 Syrena Jin Syrena Jin From auspicious horse-themed phrases and couplets to whether your luck is in, check out our Year of the Horse 2026 series to discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year is approaching, which means China will soon be abuzz with auspicious New Year greetings. From north to south, east to west, people will exchange warm wishes for health, prosperity and happiness in the year ahead. In Hong Kong, kung hei fat choi is perhaps the most common New Year greeting, but... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3339556/chinese-lunar-new-year-greetings-mandarin-cantonese-shanghainese-and-hokkien-dialects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3339556/chinese-lunar-new-year-greetings-mandarin-cantonese-shanghainese-and-hokkien-dialects?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:25:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung In May 1976, the wine world’s axis tilted. At a blind tasting in Paris – later immortalised as the Judgment of Paris – a panel of French judges unwittingly dismantled the myth of Gallic invincibility. The weapon of choice? A 1973 Chardonnay from Château Montelena. When the scores were tallied, this upstart Californian bottle had bested the finest white Burgundies, including a Meursault Charmes and a Bâtard-Montrachet. It was the “shot heard round the world”, a moment that transformed the Napa... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3339297/judgment-paris-winning-napa-winery-coming-dinner-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3339297/judgment-paris-winning-napa-winery-coming-dinner-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott The festive season is all about spreading cheer, so here we take a look back on some of our favourite feel-good stories of 2025. Hong Kong artist Joannah Hon, who paints local people and then reveals the art in public, made us happy with her work, and Aiden Tsang’s wholesome Instagram reels, where the eight-year-old teaches Cantonese, also put us in a good mood. American photographer Austin Bell also put a smile on our faces thanks to his project that saw him photograph, from above, all of Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3337289/7-stories-2025-made-us-feel-good-including-jimmy-o-yang-and-cantopop-djs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3337289/7-stories-2025-made-us-feel-good-including-jimmy-o-yang-and-cantopop-djs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 04:15:07 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Coinciding with the recent release of Wicked: For Good, a Hong Kong creative team has also brought Oz to life – in Cantonese. “Wicked in Canto”, a series of videos featuring songs from the global musical phenomenon performed in the city’s mother tongue, is making waves on YouTube and Instagram, with tracks dropping weekly. The project champions Hong Kong talent while highlighting the potential of international musical theatre productions performed in Cantonese. Officially leading the project’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3335174/wicked-songs-cantonese-new-online-series-champions-hong-kong-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3335174/wicked-songs-cantonese-new-online-series-champions-hong-kong-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Learning opportunities present themselves every day, most importantly when our standards and values are challenged. The growth mindset requires that we confront what we often take for granted to be the standard and to be true and fair. Life is simpler in absolutes – everything is clear, judgment is easy and there is no room for ambiguity. The problem with that, of course, is that life isn’t simple. Reality is complex, full of grey areas where nuance and context make life more interesting.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332001/simplified-chinese-tests-rigid-education-system-needs-proper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3332001/simplified-chinese-tests-rigid-education-system-needs-proper-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:30:17 +0000 Bernice Chan Bernice Chan Opening any restaurant is a huge undertaking, but launching in Somerset House, an 18th-century historic building overlooking the River Thames in London, comes with its own set of challenges. “Basically, you can barely breathe in the building without asking permission,” jokes culinary entrepreneur Amy Poon, who launched Poon’s at Somerset House on November 5. Poon says that restrictions became a problem when the builders discovered dampness in the basement just over a month before the restaurant... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3331902/london-chinese-restaurant-owner-amy-poon-keeping-things-steamy-her-new-venture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3331902/london-chinese-restaurant-owner-amy-poon-keeping-things-steamy-her-new-venture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 08:15:09 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam A new documentary film about Wong Ka-kui, the legendary frontman of Hong Kong’s most influential rock band, Beyond, has arrived – but few people in the general public are even aware of its existence. Because of You – Ka Kui is packed with never-before-seen footage and intimate revelations from those who knew Wong. Yet, it is also a flawed and incomplete portrait, conspicuously missing the voices of his own brother and bandmate. The film, one cannot help but feel, is not just a story about a rock... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3329787/why-new-documentary-beyonds-wong-ka-kui-only-tells-part-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3329787/why-new-documentary-beyonds-wong-ka-kui-only-tells-part-story?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:15:09 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au What comes to mind when you think of Lu cuisine from northern China’s Shandong province? For many, it conjures images of hearty flavours, substantial portions and perhaps dishes that are less refined than the country’s southern counterparts. But here to challenge that assumption is Wang Haoquan, the executive chef of Beijing’s Lu Shang Lu restaurant. Born in Yantai, a port city in Shandong, Wang was recently in Hong Kong for a four-hands collaboration with Tsang Chiu-king of Ming Court in Wan... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328111/what-shandong-cuisine-chinese-chefs-hong-kong-dinners-bring-out-foods-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328111/what-shandong-cuisine-chinese-chefs-hong-kong-dinners-bring-out-foods-best?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 10:11:33 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott There is something about Aiden Tsang’s Instagram reels that instantly puts you in a good mood. The eight-year-old’s videos – a combination of innocence and cuteness, delivered with a huge cheeky smile – are the perfect antidote to much of the inane content flooding social media. Born in Hong Kong, Tsang, who last year moved with his parents to the Western Australian capital of Perth, admits he is a little homesick. He misses his extended family, his school friends and the city’s food, such as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3328098/want-learn-cantonese-take-lessons-8-year-old-who-has-fan-jimmy-o-yang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3328098/want-learn-cantonese-take-lessons-8-year-old-who-has-fan-jimmy-o-yang?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Sailors from two visiting PLA naval vessels have shown their softer side by sharing their experiences touring Hong Kong during the National Day celebrations and revealing how the city’s pop culture has influenced them. Thousands of residents also headed to Stonecutters Island to board the training vessel Qi Jiguang and amphibious assault ship Yimeng Shan on Thursday, the final day they were open to members of the public able to secure one of the 11,000 tickets the People’s Liberation Army gave... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3327612/stephen-chow-films-beyond-hits-pla-sailors-share-hong-kong-affinity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3327612/stephen-chow-films-beyond-hits-pla-sailors-share-hong-kong-affinity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 07:34:34 +0000 Letters Letters 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 I refer to the letter, “Give ethnic minority pupils a better shot at integration”, (September 15). As a former Chinese teacher of ethnic minority children, I believe that the issue of student integration is extremely complicated and needs to be handled with extra care. When I was... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3327345/handle-integration-hong-kongs-ethnic-minority-children-care?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3327345/handle-integration-hong-kongs-ethnic-minority-children-care?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 03:30:09 +0000 Foong Woei Wan Foong Woei Wan My friend is a millionaire by way of owning a home in Hong Kong, the world’s least affordable housing market, but you wouldn’t guess from how personally she takes it when the winds of fortune aren’t blowing her way at the mahjong table. “What now? What on earth do you want from me? This is crazy,” she growls while wrestling 13 tiles into some kind of order, burrowing through her hair for an answer, agonising over which tile is the least risky to discard. Somehow it often falls to me, the poor... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3325833/art-winning-and-beyond-mahjong-table?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3325833/art-winning-and-beyond-mahjong-table?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan Since its launch late in 2022, the Top Talent Pass Scheme has become a central component of Hong Kong’s global competitiveness strategy. By July this year, the scheme had attracted close to 140,000 applications. Of these, around 110,000 were approved, resulting in more than 90,000 new arrivals to the city. This influx of skilled residents is a sign that Hong Kong remains a strong magnet for talent. However, as former chief executive Leung Chun-ying and other commentators have warned, the real... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324217/hong-kongs-top-talent-scheme-succeeds-if-people-are-really-staying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3324217/hong-kongs-top-talent-scheme-succeeds-if-people-are-really-staying?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Briskly walking down an office corridor at the Hong Kong police headquarters, a blond-haired uniformed officer energetically greets passing colleagues with a jovial “Wei hing dai!”, meaning “Hey, brother!” in Cantonese. His office displays a kaleidoscopic collection of memorial coins and medals from law enforcement agencies worldwide, alongside a wall covered with pictures showing myriad police units, from frontline operations to the secretive VIP protection unit. The officer was Assistant... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3323767/beat-hong-kongs-highest-ranking-colonial-era-expatriate-officer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3323767/beat-hong-kongs-highest-ranking-colonial-era-expatriate-officer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Aug 2025 01:00:19 +0000 Bernice Chan Bernice Chan Suyin Looui has a faint memory of visiting Oxbow Restaurant as a child. The diner was opened by her grandfather, Louie Ser Dour, in the Canadian town of Oxbow in southeast Saskatchewan, and served dishes such as chop suey and chow mein. But it was not until decades later that she thought about the restaurant again. The London-based creative producer and director was on maternity leave after having her first child and became interested in learning more about her roots. She decided that she wanted... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3320446/chinese-canadian-families-and-their-restaurants-get-their-stories-told-sons-daughters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3320446/chinese-canadian-families-and-their-restaurants-get-their-stories-told-sons-daughters?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui The second local re-run of The Impossible Trial, a home-grown Hong Kong musical, sparked a ticket-buying frenzy after its return from a sold-out tour in Shanghai and Beijing. On July 30, the official ticketing platform Popticket saw as many as 52,000 users joining the virtual queue. They were going after the 8,000 tickets released at 10am for 10 additional performances from August 31 to September 10, which sold out within hours, apart from a small number of tickets for wheelchair users. The 20... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3320362/hong-kong-musical-impossible-trials-new-run-sells-out-hours-after-mainland-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3320362/hong-kong-musical-impossible-trials-new-run-sells-out-hours-after-mainland-success?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak In Confucian philosophy, li, or “propriety”, is an ethical principle that emphasises politeness and manners as a means to cultivate social harmony and moral virtue. The importance of good behaviour also extends to the dinner table, as the ancient Chinese considered the communal act of breaking bread as an expression of social bonding. Although eating customs have evolved over time and through cultural shifts, some aspects of Chinese dining etiquette have remained the same. For many Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3319792/chinese-dining-etiquette-dos-and-donts-who-eats-first-chopstick-manners-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3319792/chinese-dining-etiquette-dos-and-donts-who-eats-first-chopstick-manners-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 04:40:55 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Most of the spouses and children of top talent, mainly from mainland China, are struggling to adapt to life in Hong Kong and are feeling unhappy, a university study has found, with researchers calling for better support services from schools and communities. Hang Seng University last week published a cross-subject study that began last December and involved 1,000 people who arrived as dependents of those admitted under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, with many coming from across the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3319744/spouses-children-top-talent-unhappy-life-hong-kong-university-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3319744/spouses-children-top-talent-unhappy-life-hong-kong-university-study?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 11:00:13 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I WAS BORN in February 1970. An Aquarian. They’re dreamers, they’re not practical, but they’re charismatic and people like them a lot. I have four siblings, so with my parents there were seven of us living in a 220 sq ft flat in Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate. It was a typical Chiu Chow family. Chiu Chow people love to have small businesses. We had a si do, a corner shop, and that was pre-supermarket days, so it was always busy. I remember the whole family had to work in that shop. My responsibility... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3318730/cabaret-star-rick-lau-his-journey-chiu-chow-corner-shop-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3318730/cabaret-star-rick-lau-his-journey-chiu-chow-corner-shop-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft In the second of a two-part series on Hong Kong’s ethnic minority groups, Connor Mycroft looks at deep-rooted problems still dragging down these communities despite improvements in education and income levels. Read part one here. Pakistani Humza Ejaz moved to Hong Kong four months ago, optimistic that he would find a good job and start a new life with his wife and newborn daughter. Equipped with a master’s degree in information technology and about eight years’ experience with multinational... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3319336/no-cantonese-no-career-can-hong-kong-do-more-help-ethnic-minority-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3319336/no-cantonese-no-career-can-hong-kong-do-more-help-ethnic-minority-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Nancy Wang Nancy Wang With over 3.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify and even more on Chinese streaming platforms, Chinese rapper Lan Lao has toppled long-reigning Mandopop king Jay Chou as the most-streamed Mandarin singer. In 2024, the 27-year-old, who also goes by Skai IsYourGod, released his second album Ba fang lai cai – or Stacks from All Sides in English – which went viral on mainland China’s TikTok-like platform Douyin. Today, his fame has spread to Hong Kong, Taiwan and other parts of Asia. Here is what... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3318960/who-lan-lao-chinese-rapper-topples-jay-chou-become-most-streamed-mandarin-singer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3318960/who-lan-lao-chinese-rapper-topples-jay-chou-become-most-streamed-mandarin-singer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Letters Letters 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 Global Islamic finance assets, projected to reach US$7.5 trillion by 2028, present a significant opportunity for Hong Kong. With its robust financial infrastructure and connectivity to mainland... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3318782/hong-kong-has-what-it-takes-be-islamic-finance-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3318782/hong-kong-has-what-it-takes-be-islamic-finance-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Kathryn Giordano Kathryn Giordano At Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College in Hong Kong, Smriti Kedia witnessed her mother burst into tears when her near-perfect results in Hong Kong’s university entrance exams came in. “It was just like a big sigh of relief,” said Kedia, who received four 5** and two 5*, the top two grades of a seven-level scale of the exams. She was among 55,000 students who received their Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) results on Wednesday. Kedia, 18, who moved to the city from India at the age of one, is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3318484/beyond-language-barriers-ethnic-minority-students-shine-hong-kong-dse-tests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3318484/beyond-language-barriers-ethnic-minority-students-shine-hong-kong-dse-tests?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:54:17 +0000 Chang Zi Qian Chang Zi Qian I’m a third-generation Singaporean Chinese born in the 1980s who grew up speaking Mandarin, English and Cantonese. My parents, proudly Chinese-educated, never gave me an English name. Among friends and family, I was always Zi Qian (“he who is modest”). But as every Singaporean schoolchild knows, a Chinese name is merely raw material for nickname creativity. For me, the memorable nicknames include Ya Qian (“Toothpick”), Zhi Qian (“Paper Thousand”) and my personal favourite, Lao Qian (“Swindler”).... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3317673/whats-singaporean-chinese-name-its-long-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3317673/whats-singaporean-chinese-name-its-long-story?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Nancy Wang Nancy Wang One of the most basic but important parts of Chinese etiquette is knowing how to greet your older relatives correctly. Ancient Chinese society placed a strong emphasis on hierarchy and respecting seniors, something that continues to be observed in contemporary Chinese culture. The practice of a verbal greeting, often combined with a hand gesture, can be traced back to a collection of ancient Confucian texts – Zhouli (The Rites of Zhou), Yili (The Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial) and Liji (The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3317832/how-greet-your-chinese-relatives-cantonese-do-you-know-your-gu-fu-your-yi-ma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3317832/how-greet-your-chinese-relatives-cantonese-do-you-know-your-gu-fu-your-yi-ma?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 09:15:06 +0000 Ambrose Li,Willa Wu Ambrose Li,Willa Wu China’s foreign ministry arm in Hong Kong has lashed out at the US for extending the city’s “national emergency” status for a year, denouncing the move as an act of hegemony and political manipulation that fully exposes its double standards and “gangster logic”. It also urged the United States on Saturday to immediately stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, and respect its sovereignty and Hong Kong’s rule of law. US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a one-year extension of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3317836/us-hong-kong-ties-strong-ever-despite-beijing-washington-friction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3317836/us-hong-kong-ties-strong-ever-despite-beijing-washington-friction?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 06:41:20 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim “Eating three hundred lychees every day, I would long live in Lingnan.” The sentiment of Song dynasty poet Su Shi towards this popular summer fruit is echoed by many across Asia today. From Hong Kong to Hanoi and Maoming to Muzaffarpur, mounds of dusty-pink lychees can be found in wet markets and on the sides of streets at this time of year. Their thin leathery skin peels easily to reveal luscious translucent-white flesh that covers a shiny seed and has a heady floral flavour. Native to southern... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3316924/where-lychees-came-and-why-chinese-culture-theyre-auspicious-symbol?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3316924/where-lychees-came-and-why-chinese-culture-theyre-auspicious-symbol?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:45:07 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Pranali Gupta did not set out to become a social media content creator. In 2019, when a friend suggested she should try it, the Hong Kong-born Indian said no, as she was “not the type of person who likes taking photos or videos of myself”. However, Gupta, who speaks fluent Cantonese, warmed to the idea of having a platform where she could help other Hongkongers understand more about her bicultural identity. “[My Cantonese friend] was like, ‘Don’t you get tired answering the same questions? You... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3316026/who-new-dellily-hong-kong-born-indian-youtuber-her-social-media-fame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3316026/who-new-dellily-hong-kong-born-indian-youtuber-her-social-media-fame?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 00:15:07 +0000 Karen Cheung Karen Cheung “I already knew they were at the door when the doorbell rang. It was an afternoon in plum rain season, lush mold blooming all around. May had always been punctual; I just hadn’t thought the person she’d joined her body with would be the same.” So goes the beguiling passage that opens Hong Kong writer Hon Lai-chu’s Mending Bodies, a 2010 novel that follows an unnamed narrator trying to decide whether she wishes for her body to be sewn to another – the shadowy city in which she lives encourages... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3314779/new-generation-translators-bringing-hong-kong-literature-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3314779/new-generation-translators-bringing-hong-kong-literature-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 09:20:27 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Hong Kong has long been a food mecca, known both for its humble milk tea and fish balls and its numerous Michelin-star restaurants. The city naturally has a reputation for Cantonese food, from dim sum and roast meats to more refined dishes made with luxurious ingredients such as fish maw and abalone. Hong Kong restaurants that serve creative interpretations of Cantonese cuisine, such as The Chairman, Bo Innovation and Wing, have long been on diners’ radars. But chefs who present unique concepts... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3313018/flavours-hong-kong-5-and-coming-chefs-redefining-cantonese-cuisine-weigh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3313018/flavours-hong-kong-5-and-coming-chefs-redefining-cantonese-cuisine-weigh?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jun 2025 04:45:08 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak In 1998, the American composer and lyricist Stephen Trask paired up with writer and actor John Cameron Mitchell to come up with a groundbreaking rock musical loosely inspired by a German babysitter and prostitute who worked in a small city in the US state of Kansas. The multi-award winning Hedwig and the Angry Inch has since toured the world, with its genderqueer protagonist winning over fans with her story of longing, trauma, departed identities and self-discovery. Born “Hansel” in communist... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3307062/hedwig-and-angry-inch-musical-comes-hong-kong-modern-cantonese-update?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3307062/hedwig-and-angry-inch-musical-comes-hong-kong-modern-cantonese-update?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:15:07 +0000 Salina Li Salina Li The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has teamed up with banks to launch a new public awareness campaign to combat rising scams that have defrauded the city’s residents to the tune of billions of dollars. The HKMA on Wednesday released the first video in the series titled “Click the Links, Fall for Scams!” The video features a “despicable banana”, a seemingly harmless character that reveals its true, greedy nature once its victims are hooked. The pronunciation of banana in Cantonese is the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3302128/hong-kong-fights-back-against-rising-scams-despicable-banana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3302128/hong-kong-fights-back-against-rising-scams-despicable-banana?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:08:57 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Seven years ago, following a long-haul flight from his home country of Belgium, Bolis Pupul landed in Hong Kong alone. Still adjusting to the humidity and time difference, he headed to To Kwa Wan, the historically low-income Kowloon neighbour­hood an unlikely choice for a first-time visitor. Despite having been part of a synth-pop band called the Hong Kong Dong for more than a decade, it was his first visit to the city. His destination: Ma Tau Wai Road, mentioned twice on his late mother’s birth... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3300322/how-belgian-musician-bolis-pupul-reconnected-his-mothers-hong-kong-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3300322/how-belgian-musician-bolis-pupul-reconnected-his-mothers-hong-kong-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 22:15:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu More than 70 Hong Kong government departments will use a locally developed ChatGPT-style artificial intelligence (AI) tool powered by DeepSeek’s data learning model, the city’s innovation chief has said. The new tool, named “HKGAI V1”, is expected to be made available to the industry and the public soon and is capable of delivering instant responses to user queries through a chatbot interface. Users can input commands to access information or generate specific content such as travel itineraries,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3300066/hong-kong-government-adopts-chatgpt-style-tool-powered-deepseek?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3300066/hong-kong-government-adopts-chatgpt-style-tool-powered-deepseek?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Feb 2025 09:15:56 +0000 Christina Pantin Christina Pantin Tôi không phải là người Việt Nam, tôi là người Mỹ gốc Malaysia. (“I’m not Vietnamese; I’m an American originally from Malaysia.”) This was the first phrase I asked my Vietnamese language instructor to teach me as I took up the bureau chief position for Reuters in Hanoi. I found it necessary to recite this often to establish my background at the outset, because to many Vietnamese, I looked Vietnamese. It occurred to me as I moved back to Hong Kong in 2019 that I might need to memorise something... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3299301/i-look-chinese-dont-speak-language-so-bad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3299301/i-look-chinese-dont-speak-language-so-bad?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Feb 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Kate Whitehead Kate Whitehead New faces of heritage series: For four artists at the forefront of their craft, a deep sense of Hong Kong’s past is fuelling their vision for the future. See our other features on Kiri T, Jive Lau and Dennis Mak Mitche Choi Wai-shan was 13 years old when she first took to the stage at the Sunbeam Theatre, Hong Kong’s historic Cantonese opera venue. Portraying a male character, she donned a tightly secured headpiece that allowed her to dramatically swing her ponytail, capturing her character’s... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3298488/cantonese-opera-star-mitche-choi-keeping-hong-kong-tradition-alive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3298488/cantonese-opera-star-mitche-choi-keeping-hong-kong-tradition-alive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:15:07 +0000 The other day, I listened in as my mother checked that my youngest nephew, the baby of the family, was on the right track of learning the finer points of Chinese-style communication. “Do you know Grandma dotes on you?” she asked in Mandarin, and he quickly answered yes. How could he not? She’s the one whose daily joy is cooking dinner for him, who worries about his mosquito bites and who would gladly walk to the ends of the neighbourhood to stock up on his beloved broccoli in the pre-festive... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3298248/why-dont-we-say-i-love-you-chinese-let-me-count-reasons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3298248/why-dont-we-say-i-love-you-chinese-let-me-count-reasons?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying With his trademark Hawaiian shirts and skills on the turntable, Cantopop DJ Pete Sabine knows full well how to captivate the crowd with surprising remixes. In one of his sets, he blended nostalgic Cantonese cartoon theme songs with the jingle from Japanese discount chain Don Don Donki. The 43-year-old Hongkonger, born to British and American parents, has a knack for gauging the audience’s mood when playing his Cantopop remixes for hours with seamless transitions. “Mee & Gee is something I play... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293380/how-hong-kong-dj-bringing-tunes-joey-yung-eason-chan-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293380/how-hong-kong-dj-bringing-tunes-joey-yung-eason-chan-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Jan 2025 01:00:28 +0000 Hong Kong Cantonese is a uniquely complex tongue because of its unapologetically colloquial turns of phrase and liberal use of slang, with all its cultural nuances. While Hong Kong is known for being a concrete jungle, the city has ample green space, a subtropical climate and a wide array of wildlife – the last of which turns up in plenty of creative everyday sayings. As the Year of the Snake slithers hither, we examine six snake-inspired Cantonese slang words. 1. Cowardly 蛇𠺌 (seh gweh) While... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3293027/6-cantonese-snake-slang-phrases-use-lunar-new-year-about-laziness-queues-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3293027/6-cantonese-snake-slang-phrases-use-lunar-new-year-about-laziness-queues-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s highly anticipated Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development signals the government’s commitment to developing the sector. With the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority at the forefront, key stakeholders, including the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, are committed to driving the agenda forward. The blueprint aligns with the chief executive’s policy address this year. It is designed to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as one of the most prominent players... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3290346/how-hong-kong-can-take-arts-and-culture-next-level?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3290346/how-hong-kong-can-take-arts-and-culture-next-level?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao The head of Alibaba Group Holding’s entertainment business has apologised to employees for his controversial remarks dismissing a video-gaming unit’s performance and disparaging the Cantonese dialect, which went viral on Chinese social media over the weekend. Fan Luyuan, chairman and chief executive of Alibaba’s Digital Media and Entertainment Group, admitted he was “out of line” with the remarks, adding that he only wanted to “liven up the atmosphere” during a meeting with the employees of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3290026/alibaba-entertainment-group-head-apologises-belittling-video-gaming-unit-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3290026/alibaba-entertainment-group-head-apologises-belittling-video-gaming-unit-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:30:16 +0000