https://www.scmp.com/rss/502167/feed Goldthread is a culture publication exploring trends and human interest stories in China. More stories on goldthread2.com. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Goldthread Goldthread Just 10 years ago, Yim Tin Tsai was one of the many islands in Hong Kong that had been left by the villagers who once lived there. Houses were rotting, with trees growing through walls and ceilings. It was a sad sight, says Colin Chan, 57, who grew up in the old-fashioned village outside Sai Kung. When he became the village head in 1999, he decided he wanted to bring Yim Tin Tsai back to life. Read about the US fighter pilot saved by Chinese guerillas during WWII Today, the island has a museum... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3133742/man-rebuilding-hakka-village-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3133742/man-rebuilding-hakka-village-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 May 2021 05:10:03 +0000 Just 10 years ago, Yim Tin Tsai was one of many deserted islands in Hong Kong, abandoned by the villagers who once lived there, with houses left to rot and trees growing through walls and ceilings. It was a sad sight, says Colin Chan, 57, who grew up in the quaint village outside Sai Kung, a small town in the northern reaches of Hong Kong. When he became the village head in 1999, he began an effort to revive Yim Tin Tsai and bring it back to life. Today, the island is home to a working salt... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3132058/sai-kungs-yim-tin-tsai-learn-about-hakka-culture-and-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3132058/sai-kungs-yim-tin-tsai-learn-about-hakka-culture-and-how?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 May 2021 07:20:54 +0000 For 15 years, Wang Shilong has been making and selling ciba, a traditional Chinese cake made from pressed sticky rice, in Dafang, a remote town in southwestern China. His cakes are popular among locals, who call him for deliveries even when the store is closed. He is busier than ever when Lunar New Year approaches. Ciba is eaten across southern China, where it’s a ritual to serve it during big celebrations like the new year. Its chewy, sticky texture is said to represent the closeness and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3131363/ciba-chewy-sticky-chinese-rice-cake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3131363/ciba-chewy-sticky-chinese-rice-cake?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Apr 2021 03:47:30 +0000 Walk through night markets in China and Southeast Asia, and you’ll smell the unmistakable fragrance of tea eggs. They’re usually sold on the street, scooped up straight from vats of simmering broth. Also known as marbled eggs, tea eggs are characterised by dark-brown lines that cross the albumen like a cobweb – an effect caused by cracks in the egg shell. The eggs are often eaten on their own as a quick snack and enjoyed for their savoury, soy sauce flavour, with hints of tea. In China, they’re... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3131080/how-chinese-tea-eggs-get-their-unique-colour-and-taste?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3131080/how-chinese-tea-eggs-get-their-unique-colour-and-taste?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Apr 2021 07:11:37 +0000 Tie-dye might invoke images of the 1960s, hippies, and Woodstock, but what about the Bai people of southwestern China? For more than 1,500 years, this ethnic group in Yunnan province has been dyeing their clothes blue using the leaves of a plant locally called banlangen (板蓝根). In the West, it is more commonly known as woad, or Asp of Jerusalem. The story goes that Bai farmers discovered the plant’s dyeing capabilities when their clothes were stained blue by its leaves. “Then they figured out... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127419/banlangen-chinese-medicine-also-used-tie-dye?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3127419/banlangen-chinese-medicine-also-used-tie-dye?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Mar 2021 07:30:12 +0000 Over the past decade, a millennial fascinated with rare books has painstakingly restored dozens of frayed, rotten and torn manuscripts – all by hand. Lian Chengchun, 32, is one of a dwindling number of people who make a living by fixing ancient Chinese books. China classifies antique books as those printed before 1912. According to one report, there are an estimated 50 million in China, and only about 20 million have been preserved, creating a daunting task for antique book fixers like... https://www.scmp.com/society/daunting-task-repairing-antique-chinese-texts/article/3126606?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/daunting-task-repairing-antique-chinese-texts/article/3126606?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:54:22 +0000 Lian Chengchun has a unique job: fixing ancient Chinese books. For the past decade, the 32-year-old antique book fixer has painstakingly restored dozens of frayed, rotted, and torn manuscripts – all by hand. China classifies antique books as those printed before 1912. According to one report, there are an estimated 50 million in China, and only about 20 million have been preserved, creating a daunting task for antique book fixers like Lian. Many books have been damaged over time by man-made... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126443/delicate-and-dying-art-fixing-ancient-chinese-books-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3126443/delicate-and-dying-art-fixing-ancient-chinese-books-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:54:40 +0000 Tibet has one of the harshest climates in the world. The air is cold and dry, while the high elevation leaves people exposed to strong sunlight. To cope, Tibetans have for generations been using yak milk and butter to protect their skin. The hearty yak has been indispensable to people living on the Tibetan Plateau, where inhospitable conditions mean few animals can survive. Yak wool is used to make clothes, blankets, and tents, while the milk and butter are part of people’s daily... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125838/few-have-seen-how-tibetan-yak-milk-soap-made-heres-rare-look?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3125838/few-have-seen-how-tibetan-yak-milk-soap-made-heres-rare-look?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Mar 2021 03:30:15 +0000 Rolex, Breguet, Patek Philippe — they are some of the biggest names in luxury watches. But there are also many independent makers whose designs rival those of the big brands, both in quality and price. Independent watchmakers stand in contrast to the big companies that make up a majority of the market. They more or less make the watches themselves, injecting their own personalities into designs. Most spend months working on just one piece, a culmination of skill, passion, and patience. Lin... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3124824/how-shenzhen-watchmaker-taught-himself-make-us80000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3124824/how-shenzhen-watchmaker-taught-himself-make-us80000?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Mar 2021 07:00:09 +0000 In northern China, there is a type of pancake three times the size of your face. Guobing is a wheat product made with fermented dough. It’s a speciality of Shandong Province, where people have been eating it as a snack for more than 100 years. The name literally means “pot biscuit” because it resembles the mouth of a giant pot. One guobing can stretch up to 38cm in diameter and weigh over 2.5kg. Slicing a guobing will reveal a plethora of layers that are formed by stacking sheets of dough on top... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3124427/guobing-giant-chinese-pancake-three-times-size-your-face?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3124427/guobing-giant-chinese-pancake-three-times-size-your-face?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Mar 2021 07:37:39 +0000 In the city of Zhenjiang in eastern China, shops cook noodles with an unusual feature: a small wooden lid floating in the water. Known fittingly as pot-lid noodles, or guogaimian, the dish has been around for 300 years. Locals take pride in the unconventional cooking method. The lid, typically made of fir, dances on the surface of the water while the noodles cook underneath. “If there’s too much water and it starts boiling, it might overflow,” says Zhou Heluan, who leads a local association... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3123920/best-way-cook-soup-noodles-chefs-chinese-city-swear-pot-lid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3123920/best-way-cook-soup-noodles-chefs-chinese-city-swear-pot-lid?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Mar 2021 09:25:04 +0000 Huang Jia, 64, does not need to go to the gym to stay fit. His job is a workout in itself. For the past 40 years, Huang has been making misua, a thin, wheat-based noodle from Fujian province in eastern China. He is a one-man band, turning more than 45kg (100 pounds) of dough into noodles every day by hand. It’s an arduous process. Misua is made by stretching dough to over 30 metres (100 feet). That is why some people consider it the longest noodle in China. It’s often eaten on birthdays as a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3122603/making-fujian-misua-chinas-longest-noodle-intense-workout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3122603/making-fujian-misua-chinas-longest-noodle-intense-workout?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Feb 2021 04:31:33 +0000 In a nondescript storefront on a busy street in Hong Kong, a long line of hungry office workers begins to form each evening.  Yue Lai Lao Zhu Snacks is home to what many believe is the world’s best siu mai, a steamed dumpling made with pork, shrimp, mushrooms and, sometimes, fish paste. The hole-in-the-wall in Tuen Mun, a suburban neighborhood in the northwestern reaches of Hong Kong, has gained a cult following in recent years, especially among food-obsessed commuters who want a quick bite on... https://www.scmp.com/food/how-hong-kongs-quintessential-street-snack-has-gained-cult-following/article/3122343?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/how-hong-kongs-quintessential-street-snack-has-gained-cult-following/article/3122343?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Feb 2021 10:29:04 +0000 It’s 4pm on a breezy winter day in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern China. A line of eager diners has formed outside a small eatery on Kaiyuan Road, a major thoroughfare famous for its street food. The shop, Liangshan Food Stall, does not open until 5pm, but there are already people waiting outside. They’ve come to try the owner’s speciality: sweet and sour pork. But this is not just any sweet and sour pork. Liangshan’s version is legendary for its textural contrast – crispy on the outside... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3122054/how-sweet-and-sour-pork-gave-former-convict-china-second?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3122054/how-sweet-and-sour-pork-gave-former-convict-china-second?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Feb 2021 04:30:10 +0000 Hong Kong’s street food scene comes alive after dark. As the sun sets, workers stream out of offices and flock to the city’s holes-in-the-wall for a quick bite. In Tuen Mun, a suburban neighbourhood in the northwestern reaches of Hong Kong, a line forms outside Yue Lai Lao Zhu Snacks, a nondescript storefront on a busy street. Most of the people are commuters stopping by on their way home from work. They’ve come to grab a box of the store’s speciality: siu mai, a steamed dumpling made with pork,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3121918/origins-siu-mai-how-iconic-dim-sum-staple-came-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3121918/origins-siu-mai-how-iconic-dim-sum-staple-came-be?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Feb 2021 03:50:15 +0000 In China, asking for someone’s birth date can yield confusing answers, especially among the older generation. That is because many people have two birth dates: one according to the Gregorian calendar and one according to the traditional Chinese calendar. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is used in most parts of the world, the Chinese calendar bases its dates off the moon’s movement around the Earth, combined with the Earth’s movement around the sun. The Gregorian calendar tracks only the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3121451/chinese-calendar-why-people-china-might-say-they-have-two?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3121451/chinese-calendar-why-people-china-might-say-they-have-two?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Feb 2021 03:45:12 +0000 There might be something fishy about the story of how oyster omelets helped the Chinese win a war, but there’s no denying the eternal pull of the humble mollusk. A street food staple in Taiwan and the Chinese coastal city of Xiamen, legend has it that a Chinese general named Koxinga created the snack to save his troops from starvation. It was 1661 and China was defending Taiwan from the Dutch, whose battle tactics were to limit the Chinese army’s food supply by hiding rice. Desperate for food,... https://www.scmp.com/society/aw-shucks-how-oyster-omelettes-won-war/article/3120505?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/aw-shucks-how-oyster-omelettes-won-war/article/3120505?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Feb 2021 09:52:22 +0000 The year is 1661. A Chinese general named Koxinga is sent to Taiwan to fend off the Dutch, who have taken over the island. In an effort to limit the food supply, the Dutch hid rice from the Chinese army. Desperate for food, Koxinga finds oysters on the beach, coats them in sweet potato starch, and deep-fries them for his men. The army is saved from hunger and later wins the war against the Dutch. It’s a fanciful origin story, one that may be more myth than reality, but one thing is without a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3120331/how-oyster-omelettes-helped-chinese-win-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3120331/how-oyster-omelettes-helped-chinese-win-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Feb 2021 05:08:03 +0000 Many people might be familiar with the erhu, a two-stringed Chinese fiddle that sits on the lap. Fewer might know the Tibetan variation, called the xianzi, or piwang. Like the erhu, the xianzi consists of a long wooden neck and two strings, which are played with a bow. A sound box, usually made with animal skin, sits on the bottom to amplify the sound, which tends to be louder and more high-pitched than that produced by the erhu. There are few written records of the xianzi’s history, though a... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/3120037/xianzi-dying-art-making-tibetan-fiddles-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/3120037/xianzi-dying-art-making-tibetan-fiddles-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Feb 2021 06:16:14 +0000 Years ago, when Taiwanese couple Chou Pei-yi and Huang Teng-wei were vacationing in Thailand, some fellow travellers asked them about Taiwan’s iconic foods. They were stumped. The question had been nagging at them. They had just taken a cooking class and wanted to set up something similar in Taiwan. “We started listing out some famous night market snacks,” Huang says, “like beef noodle soup, braised pork over rice, soup dumplings and bubble tea.” But none of the dishes really resonated with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3119276/kueh-quintessentially-taiwanese-rice-cake-thats-no-less?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3119276/kueh-quintessentially-taiwanese-rice-cake-thats-no-less?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jan 2021 07:23:02 +0000 Zhu Ning, a founding member of China’s earliest punk band, remembers the uncomfortable looks he received the first time he shaved his head bald. “We were on our way to band practice,” he recalls, “and along the way, a lot of people would get on the bus and then promptly get off. At the back of the bus, an old lady pointed at my head.” This was the 1990s, when punk rock had just arrived in China. Zhu was young, in his 20s, and rebellious. He knew his sense of style was unorthodox, but he was... https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/3114791/wuhan-calling-how-citys-punk-rock-scene-changed-chinas-youth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/music/article/3114791/wuhan-calling-how-citys-punk-rock-scene-changed-chinas-youth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:10:33 +0000 In The Big Short, the 2015 film about the days leading up to the subprime mortgage crisis, a Deutsche Bank executive played by Ryan Gosling is in a meeting with potential clients. To prove his point, he casually points to his quant — “my math specialist” — and asks people in the room if they notice anything different about him. The punchline: He’s Asian. The stereotype that Asians, particularly Chinese people, are good at maths is so pervasive that one-time Democratic presidential candidate... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3103081/why-are-chinese-students-so-good-maths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3103081/why-are-chinese-students-so-good-maths?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2020 20:26:19 +0000 In China, there is a type of noodle so thin that it can pierce the eye of a needle. They’re called gold thread noodles, or jinsimian, and they’re a speciality of Sichuan province in southwestern China, where the dish is reserved for special occasions. Why are they called gold thread noodles? “Because after kneading the dough, the colour is gold and when you roll it out, it looks like gold foil,” explains Yang Yongfu, who has been making the noodles for over 24 years. Only a handful of chefs... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3101665/special-gold-chinese-noodle-thats-thin-thread?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3101665/special-gold-chinese-noodle-thats-thin-thread?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2020 06:08:51 +0000 Shao Yifei still remembers the first time she introduced her fiancé to her parents. Almost immediately, they asked three questions: “What does he do for a living, how much does he make and how much property does he own?” From anecdotes about Chinese immigrant parents’ thriftiness to reports of Chinese tourists buying out luxury stores in Europe, the stereotype of Chinese people loving money is pervasive. It was the main punchline of a Netflix comedy special by Daily Show comedian Ronny... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3093559/why-chinese-people-dont-find-talking-about-money-taboo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3093559/why-chinese-people-dont-find-talking-about-money-taboo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jul 2020 09:30:13 +0000 The first time I rode the rails in China, I was caught off guard by the water dispenser. Instead of the usual options for hot, cold and room temperature water, the machine on the train had only one button – for boiling hot water. That meant if you didn’t want to buy bottled water from the wandering food carts, the only option was to fill up a canteen with scalding water. But everyone happily did it. Young, old, male, female, train staff, train passengers – people made their way to the hot water... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3085202/why-do-chinese-people-love-drinking-hot-water?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3085202/why-do-chinese-people-love-drinking-hot-water?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2020 05:45:14 +0000 For more than 80 years, a small family-run shop in New York’s Chinatown attracted a loyal following for its fresh, handmade tofu and sweet spongy rice cakes. So when Fong Inn Too closed in 2017 due to rising rents and falling demand, the family’s youngest son, Paul Eng, was determined to keep it going. There was just one problem — he didn’t know to make anything they sold. None of them were written down, and the old shop had used makeshift measuring tools: recycled milk cans, plastic buckets... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3084372/fong-ons-paul-eng-man-selling-cantonese-rice-cakes-hipsters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3084372/fong-ons-paul-eng-man-selling-cantonese-rice-cakes-hipsters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2020 08:19:17 +0000 Found in cafes across Taiwan, papaya milk is like the wayward cousin to its more famous counterpart, bubble tea. Topped with a slight froth, this creamy, mildly sweet drink is a refreshing treat. While those who relish the floral fragrance of papaya would love the combination, others might find it pungent and intolerable. In Taiwan, papaya milk has long been a staple, its origins tied to the island’s geographic location as well as agricultural and industrial development in the 1970s. Taiwanese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3084009/what-taiwanese-papaya-milk-bubble-teas-quirky-sidekick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3084009/what-taiwanese-papaya-milk-bubble-teas-quirky-sidekick?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2020 09:45:19 +0000 Hong Kong is a jungle of concrete and steel. But look closely, and you’ll see an organic material that weaves itself through the cracks, up the walls, completely engulfing entire structures. That material is bamboo, and Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where it is still widely used as a building material, primarily for scaffolding and seasonal Cantonese opera theatres. Bamboo has a long history in Chinese culture. It’s been used to make paper, musical instruments, furniture and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3081739/hong-kongs-bamboo-scaffolding-dangerous-and-difficult-work-so-why-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3081739/hong-kongs-bamboo-scaffolding-dangerous-and-difficult-work-so-why-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2020 09:33:20 +0000 Northern Chinese cuisine is comfort food at its finest — salty, greasy and hearty. Think fluffy wheat buns stuffed with ground pork, and handmade noodles drenched with thick bean sauce. It’s also big on offal — liver, lung and intestines, mixed in salty stews of soy sauce and vinegar. But how did this region develop such a delicious palate? Northern China’s food has been shaped by its harsh winters, where the temperature can drop as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. A cold climate means heavy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3079989/why-does-northern-china-eat-so-many-buns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3079989/why-does-northern-china-eat-so-many-buns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2020 06:22:13 +0000 In three short years, a young woman in rural China became an internet sensation, with over 11 million followers worldwide. The video that made her famous? An instructional piece on how to cook hamburgers for her grandparents in the countryside. “My grandparents and relatives have spent their entire lives in the countryside,” says Dianxi Xiaoge, a vlogger whose videos of life in rural China have a devoted following online. “I really wanted to take them to the city to try hamburgers because in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3076902/she-moved-back-her-chinese-village-take-care-her-ailing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3076902/she-moved-back-her-chinese-village-take-care-her-ailing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2020 07:27:47 +0000 You probably know the Chinese city of Wuhan as ground zero of the coronavirus outbreak that spread across the world. But before all this came to pass, food lovers waking up in Wuhan would count their blessings. Flanked by China’s two great rivers — the Han and Yangtze — the city is the capital of Hubei province. The region’s food is one of the 10 primary schools of Chinese cuisine, and among Wuhan’s greatest contributions is its breakfast. If the Chinese saying for passing the holidays is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3076163/hot-dry-noodles-iconic-wuhan-breakfast-staple-and-mistake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3076163/hot-dry-noodles-iconic-wuhan-breakfast-staple-and-mistake?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2020 10:25:22 +0000 On Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, it’s hard to miss the lithe, tan young man confidently strutting down dirt roads in his village like they’re his own personal catwalk. In one video, he’s wearing an intricate dress made from colourful tarp. In another, he has an air-conditioner slung around his shoulder like a messenger bag. Since May 2018, Lu Kaigang, who goes by Liuxianren online, has been dazzling viewers with his surprisingly fashionable pieces made from all manner of household objects –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3047773/meet-lu-kaigang-chinese-village-supermodel-and-internet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3047773/meet-lu-kaigang-chinese-village-supermodel-and-internet?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2020 07:41:21 +0000 A few months ago, I noticed that a portly Chinese man in shades kept popping up on my Twitter feed. Everyone seemed to be sharing his videos, where he chugs beer and other liquor in minutes with macho bravado. In the first video I saw, he was downing an unholy mix of beer, Pepsi, a high-alcohol spirit called baijiu and a raw egg in less than a minute. He goes by the name Hebei Pangzai, which roughly translates to “Hebei fat guy”. Despite joining Twitter only in August 2019, he has more than... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3046189/behind-hebei-pangzai-chinese-stunt-drinker-turned-twitter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3046189/behind-hebei-pangzai-chinese-stunt-drinker-turned-twitter?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2020 10:45:08 +0000 China’s resort island province of Hainan may not be the most obvious choice for surfing enthusiasts, but professional surfers clearly knew that the wave was coming.  Among them was Monica Guo, one of China’s first – and now most popular – international surfers.  Ten years ago, Guo packed her bags in Yangshuo, in a mountainous area of the country, and headed to Hong Kong before she settled in the southernmost point of Hainan to pursue the sport full-time.  "The waters in Houhai Bay are shallow... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/travel-leisure/topics/hello-hainan/article/3043472/why-chinese-hawaii-hainan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/travel-leisure/topics/hello-hainan/article/3043472/why-chinese-hawaii-hainan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2019 04:54:57 +0000 Napa cabbage is one of the most recognisable vegetables in Asian cooking. You can find it fermented as kimchi in South Korea, wrapped around larb in Thailand and served in warm broth in southern China. The cabbage is the result of centuries of natural cross-breeding between two popular vegetables: the small green bok choy of southern China and the turnip of northern China. It made its way to Korea in the 13th century, Southeast Asia in the 15th century, and finally to Japan in the 19th... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3040593/chinese-cabbage-or-napa-cabbage-one-most-recognisable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3040593/chinese-cabbage-or-napa-cabbage-one-most-recognisable?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2019 12:15:04 +0000 The first time I peeled a freshly picked taro, my entire arm immediately broke out in a rash. The starchy sweet tuber, with a taste akin to yam, contains quite a bit of calcium oxalate, a nasty skin irritant for some people but a defence mechanism for many plants in the same family as taro. The trick is to treat it as a hazardous bio-product — wear gloves while peeling it and never serve it raw. Cook it with just the right amount of heat, and you get a cornucopia of tasty dishes. Its potato-like... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3040212/taro-starchy-sweet-tuber-thats-delicious-versatile-and-has?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3040212/taro-starchy-sweet-tuber-thats-delicious-versatile-and-has?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:15:10 +0000 Bitter melon is a polarising plant. Some people love it, others abhor its bitter flavour. Despite the name, the taste is actually not too overwhelming. In Chinese cuisine, bitter melon is sometimes called a “gentleman’s vegetable” because it doesn’t impart its bitterness on other ingredients when cooked. You’ll often find it stir-fried with fermented black beans or gently tossed with salted duck eggs. Its bitter taste is lent by compounds called cucurbitacins, substances that can be found in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3039121/chinese-bitter-melon-why-polarising-gentlemans-vegetable-just?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3039121/chinese-bitter-melon-why-polarising-gentlemans-vegetable-just?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2019 11:20:07 +0000 If you grew up in Asia – or have had some exposure to its food – you’ve most definitely encountered the Chinese water spinach, sometimes called morning glory. A long, crunchy vegetable with a hollow stem, it’s usually served as a side dish, draped with a blanket of minced garlic, water, a pinch of salt and a touch of umami (usually from MSG). In Southeast Asia, where the vegetable is most prevalent, the simple garlic and water slurry is elevated with chilli, shrimp paste and fermented bean... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3037540/chinese-water-spinach-or-kangkong-eaten-widely-across-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3037540/chinese-water-spinach-or-kangkong-eaten-widely-across-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2019 10:45:10 +0000 “I want people to know that traditional Chinese landscapes, still-life paintings and portraits can also be tattoos,” says Beijing-based tattoo artist Chen Jie. Although still largely taboo, tattoos have become increasingly popular in China. While styles from abroad such as old school and new school — characterised by hard lines and bold colours — were once the trend, a distinctly Chinese aesthetic, inspired by traditional watercolour paintings, is gaining ground. Chen is one of many tattoo... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3033907/chinese-tattoo-artist-turning-traditional-watercolour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3033907/chinese-tattoo-artist-turning-traditional-watercolour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2019 11:15:08 +0000 In recent years, New York’s Chinese-food scene has evolved with incredible speed and diversity. Long gone are the days of chop suey and egg foo young. Now, the discerning diner can choose between Yunnan rice noodles and Sichuan dry pot, a stir-fried version of the venerated spicy hotpot. Food trucks deliver jianbing with toppings adjusted for the American palate, noodle purveyors slow-cook broth to exacting standards and hotpot chains from mainland China are opening outlets in the suburbs. For... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3032985/chinese-food-doesnt-have-be-cheap-says-chef-selling-us30-fish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3032985/chinese-food-doesnt-have-be-cheap-says-chef-selling-us30-fish?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Oct 2019 12:15:08 +0000 In Hong Kong, milk tea is a ubiquitous beverage that’s found on nearly every block. The city is estimated to drink around 2.5 million cups of milk tea a year — that’s 8.5 Olympic-sized pools of the brown beverage. While milk in tea is nothing new, Hong Kong’s rendition is particularly unique. It’s a mixture of tea from heavily oxidised blended black tea leaves and evaporated milk, at a general ratio of 70 to 30. The tea is boiled and strained through a cloth filter multiple times, a process... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3030313/hong-kongs-milk-tea-how-it-went-beverage-inherited-another?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3030313/hong-kongs-milk-tea-how-it-went-beverage-inherited-another?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Sep 2019 09:10:03 +0000 Macau, a city on the southern coast of China, is best known today for its casinos, but until 20 years ago, it was a colony governed by the Portuguese. During this period of colonial rule, which lasted more than 400 years, many Portuguese traders married Chinese women, and their children developed their own distinct culture, food and language. Aida de Jesus is a child of that heritage. As a young girl in Macau, she grew up hearing Portuguese in the alleyways and speaking Patua, a creole language,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3028095/patua-macaus-dying-language-and-103-year-old-macanese-woman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3028095/patua-macaus-dying-language-and-103-year-old-macanese-woman?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2019 09:34:48 +0000 Andrea Cherng, the chief marketing officer of Panda Express, spends a lot of time thinking about how mainstream America perceives Chinese food. For many Americans, the fast-food chain is their first taste of Chinese food. And while yes, Cherng gets paid to shape the rhetoric around Panda Restaurant Group, which owns Panda Express, there’s a deeper, more sentimental cause behind her drive. Cherng is the daughter of Andrew and Peggy Cherng, the founders of Panda Express. She has personally... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3027473/story-american-chinese-chain-panda-express-chinese-food-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3027473/story-american-chinese-chain-panda-express-chinese-food-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2019 10:45:11 +0000 On screen, Li Ziqi’s life seems to defy the rules of reality. The Chinese internet celebrity is famous for her videos in which she performs the work of a farmer with the grace of a fairy. Her fans on social media platforms, both in China and internationally, including YouTube and Weibo, number more than 58 million. In one video, she picks flowers on horseback in a red cape, evoking the image of Red Riding Hood. In another, she builds a bamboo furniture set using traditional Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3027602/behind-scenes-li-ziqi-mysterious-chinese-internet-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3027602/behind-scenes-li-ziqi-mysterious-chinese-internet-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2019 06:31:36 +0000