https://www.scmp.com/rss/328244/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com It’s considered the most expensive tea in the world. In 2002, a mere 20 grams of Da Hong Pao was auctioned off to a purchaser for $28,000, worth more than its weight in gold. For centuries, this dark oolong tea, cultivated in the mountains of Fujian Province in China, held an air of luxury. Six so-called mother trees, believed to contain the original leaves, are protected by armed guards. The highest-quality leaves reserved for “honored guests.” One story goes that Chinese premier Zhou Enlai... https://www.scmp.com/food/da-hong-pao-worlds-most-expensive-tea/article/3123090?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/da-hong-pao-worlds-most-expensive-tea/article/3123090?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:54:35 +0000 Chinese women are choosing money over marriage - and it’s all because of what’s on TV, according to a recently released study. The report released by research firm Bernstein found that as television dramas become more focused on wealth and materialism, so too have young Chinese women. Their idea of success has switched from “marrying well” to “being the architect of your own success.” In the last four decades, China has experienced an unprecedented rise in prosperity as one of the world’s... https://www.scmp.com/style/chinese-women-are-redefining-success-and-television-thank/article/3120045?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/style/chinese-women-are-redefining-success-and-television-thank/article/3120045?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Feb 2021 11:16:35 +0000 Buddhism and Hermès are unlikely bedfellows, but a former monastery in Chengdu has become a center for selfies and handbags, thanks to the brightly lit Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li mega-mall.  While the pandemic has contributed to China’s role as a future fashion leader, with cities to rival Paris and Milan, that doesn’t mean all the attention should be focused on Shanghai. Far from it, in fact. While Western luxury brands have traditionally poured all of their resources into securing the best sites in... https://www.scmp.com/style/future-fashion-may-be-tier-2-chinese-cities/article/3118302?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/style/future-fashion-may-be-tier-2-chinese-cities/article/3118302?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jan 2021 09:35:06 +0000 Of all the places to sit out the Covid-19 pandemic, few sound more appealing than a beachside villa on a tropical island.  For one family at least, that is the reality after they became stuck in Fiji on what was supposed to be a round-the-world trip of a lifetime. “We never imagined the coronavirus would spread so far and wide – or so quickly,” says Lau Hsu-yung from Hong Kong. “We soon learned it was impossible to outrun it.” In the first week of February, the family waved goodbye to their... https://www.scmp.com/society/family-stranded-paradise-dont-feel-sorry-them/article/3081400?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/family-stranded-paradise-dont-feel-sorry-them/article/3081400?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:50:29 +0000 Cured mullet roe, or bottarga, has been an international luxury for centuries. In the West, it’s commonly used as a seasoning to add a hint of ocean brine to a fine pasta or soft scrambled eggs. But in Taiwan, where it’s known as 乌鱼子 wuyuzi, bottarga is the entire dish—and can run up to $30 an ounce, though prices can fluctuate widely depending on the quality and grade. Rather than grated, a cured slab of mullet roe is soaked in Kaoliang, a liquor made from fermented sorghum, before it’s... https://www.scmp.com/food/taiwan-bottarga-luxury/article/3020241?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/taiwan-bottarga-luxury/article/3020241?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2019 09:12:55 +0000 The road to worldwide recognition for Chinese caviar maker Kaluga Queen has been a long and winding one. Started in 1998 in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province, Kaluga Queen today accounts for a third of global caviar production. But it had to overcome doubts about its products coming from a country more associated with food scandals than haute cuisine. After two decades of overseas promotion, the breakthrough came in 2018 when Lufthansa, Germany’s largest airline, struck a deal with Kaluga Queen... https://www.scmp.com/videos/inside-largest-caviar-factory-world/article/3000682?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/videos/inside-largest-caviar-factory-world/article/3000682?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jan 2019 12:41:22 +0000 Becky Li is not your average digital influencer. The journalist-turned-fashion-blogger is one of the most influential social media personalities in China. She counts more than 3 million followers on Weibo—China’s Twitter—and more than 4.5 million followers on the WeChat mobile app. Naturally, this means she wields a huge influence over the shopping behavior of her followers. Last year, she sold 100 Mini Cooper Countryman cars in just five minutes on WeChat. The campaign gave her followers... https://www.scmp.com/culture/what-influencer-doing-over-7-million-followers-social-media/article/2158122?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/what-influencer-doing-over-7-million-followers-social-media/article/2158122?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Aug 2018 05:45:15 +0000