https://www.scmp.com/rss/502437/feed Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Erica Fong gave up clean air and closet space to live in the concrete jungle of Hong Kong. Formerly the head of digital content for luxury lifestyle publications, Hong Kong Tatler and Lifestyle Asia, she now writes about wellness, people, travel and culture for a variety of publications. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Erica Fong Erica Fong From the classroom to the parent-teacher meeting, when it comes to achievement, one question persists: is a child’s potential written in their genes, or can it be boosted by education? The debate around nature versus nurture is especially pertinent in the context of Hong Kong’s high-stakes academic milieu – one in which students may find themselves on a predetermined track in science or the arts, regardless of their own preferences or natural talents. Experts agree that a child’s potential is... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3345153/nature-versus-nurture-unlocking-potential-hong-kongs-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3345153/nature-versus-nurture-unlocking-potential-hong-kongs-children?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:56:50 +0000 Erica Fong Erica Fong Long before public and private school systems existed, the world’s first classrooms were almost all faith-based – from European monasteries in the Middle Ages to schools that integrated religion with secular learning throughout the Reformation and Enlightenment. Today, faith-based schools – be they Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim or otherwise – continue to offer rigorous academics alongside moral and spiritual instruction, laying a foundation for learning that nurtures both... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3333661/does-faith-based-education-really-contribute-academic-excellence-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3333661/does-faith-based-education-really-contribute-academic-excellence-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 10:00:25 +0000 Erica Fong Erica Fong Maths on Monday, taekwondo on Tuesday, piano lessons on Wednesday, creative writing on Thursday and swimming on Saturday. No, this isn’t a schedule of activities offered at your local community centre, but a typical week of extracurriculars for a student in Hong Kong on top of their regular academic curriculum, usually planned by a so-called “tiger parent” or “helicopter parent”. Used to describe parents who are too strict, protective and intensely involved in their children’s lives – with an... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3304727/are-hong-kongs-tiger-parents-harming-their-childrens-futures-pushing-them-too-hard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3304727/are-hong-kongs-tiger-parents-harming-their-childrens-futures-pushing-them-too-hard?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Apr 2025 22:15:08 +0000 Art Basel showcases art in many forms, from sculpture, painting, mixed media and photography, to performance, video and installation. And while many of these art forms have existed for centuries, film and video are still relatively new. Korean-American artist Nam June Paik is credited with producing the world’s first video artwork in 1965, the year he used a Sony Portapak (a portable, videotape analogue recorder) to film Pope Paul VI processing through New York. The footage was later shown at a... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3303811/catch-ghosts-and-cyborgs-years-art-basel-hong-kong-screenings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3303811/catch-ghosts-and-cyborgs-years-art-basel-hong-kong-screenings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:30:09 +0000 March is Arts Month in Hong Kong, the city drawing in the global art crowd with its most important art fairs of the year. But as we all know, art is not confined to just gallery walls and exhibition halls. From Art Basel Hong Kong’s public programme to satellite installations across the city, there are plenty of other art-related events that are, best of all, freely accessible to the public. Here are just a few of the highlights. Art Basel public programme View this post on... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3303816/beyond-art-basel-hong-kong-free-events-m-tai-kwun-hkcec-and-eaton-hk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3303816/beyond-art-basel-hong-kong-free-events-m-tai-kwun-hkcec-and-eaton-hk?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 22:15:10 +0000 Students across East Asia are typically seen as diligent, smart and high-achieving, as Pisa scores show, but they also face overwhelming pressure to perform from parents, educational systems and society at large, and this can have impacts on their health. A recent study in Hong Kong found that more than 90 per cent of students were getting less than the 60 minutes of exercise per day recommended by the World Health Organization. “This is due, in part, to the heavy emphasis parents place on their... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3303649/hong-kong-schools-are-striving-healthier-balance-promoting-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3303649/hong-kong-schools-are-striving-healthier-balance-promoting-exercise?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 10:00:52 +0000 Erica Fong Erica Fong Traditionally, academic performance has been the key indicator of success for students in Asia, leading many young learners to put physical education (PE) – and consequently, their health – on the back burner in favour of a more studious and sedentary lifestyle in front of textbooks or computers. However, things may now be changing for students in Hong Kong, especially for those with an aptitude for sport. Just two months ago, the Education Bureau (EDB) proposed a revised grading mechanism... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3295814/why-physical-education-taking-hong-kong-schools-linsanity-paris-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3295814/why-physical-education-taking-hong-kong-schools-linsanity-paris-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jan 2025 22:15:07 +0000 Hong Kong is well known for its densely packed population, but one place that may be less crammed than usual next year is kindergarten. Due to long-declining birth rates, figures suggest that the territory’s kindergartens expect to face a significant enrolment dip in 2025, after a record low birth rate in 2022. Only 32,500 newborns were recorded that year compared to 33,200 babies in 2023 – the second lowest number on record since data became available in 1960. According to Felix Yan Ho-on,... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3293311/why-international-kindergartens-are-bucking-wider-trend-school-closures-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3293311/why-international-kindergartens-are-bucking-wider-trend-school-closures-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jan 2025 09:08:39 +0000 It’s hard to imagine life today without digital technology, from the internet and smartphones, to social media and artificial intelligence (AI). From the ways we get information to the ways we communicate, the digital revolution has made life easier, faster and more convenient. However, in the world of education, there is still one area that has remained stubbornly traditional. For the longest time, exams have been paper-based and administered in dedicated exam centres. Usually taking place at... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3285546/cambridge-international-education-announces-all-exams-be-digital-june-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3285546/cambridge-international-education-announces-all-exams-be-digital-june-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2024 23:15:11 +0000 Some students are book smart, while others are street smart. And then, there are the students who have it all, as proven by the Hong Kong Outstanding Students Awards (HKOSAs). Created by the Lion & Globe Educational Trust and organised by the Youth Arch Foundation since 2010, the awards recognise secondary school students in Hong Kong with “high moral standards for their academic, extracurricular and community service achievements”. Since their inception in 1985 – initially as the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3258003/shooting-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3258003/shooting-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2024 03:00:14 +0000 It’s that time of year again when gourmands get excited – no, not over pecans and all things pumpkin spice, but over the ever-elusive white truffle. Known as “white gold” and “diamonds of the culinary world”, and only available between October and December, the arrival of white truffles in fine dining restaurants serves as an annual reminder that autumn is upon us. And among all the different kinds of truffles that exist, the Italian Alba white truffle is the rarest of them all, and can be even... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3236140/why-hong-kong-loves-white-truffle-so-much-and-why-theyre-so-expensive-truffle-king-umberto-bombana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3236140/why-hong-kong-loves-white-truffle-so-much-and-why-theyre-so-expensive-truffle-king-umberto-bombana?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Sep 2023 04:30:14 +0000 Read more of SCMP’s Good Schools Guide Choosing a school in Hong Kong can be a dizzying decision, but considering the different curriculums offered can help narrow it down. From preschool to pre-university, here are the different curriculum options available in Hong Kong international schools and how to decide on what’s best for your child: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Ages: 0-5 years Developed in the UK, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a statutory framework that sets the standards... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3218270/hong-kong-international-schools-ultimate-curricula-guide-famed-ib-programme-uk-national-curriculum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3218270/hong-kong-international-schools-ultimate-curricula-guide-famed-ib-programme-uk-national-curriculum?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Apr 2023 03:00:15 +0000 With Hong Kong open to the world again, foodies from across the globe have been flocking back to the city to sate their appetite for Hong Kong cuisine. So, it seems only fitting that this year’s recipient of the Best Chef award for 100 Top Tables, South China Morning Post’s annual fine dining guide, is none other than Silas Li, who is redefining exactly what that means at Hong Kong Cuisine 1983. Having worked for 20 years as a private chef to Hong Kong’s elite, Li joined forces with Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/100-top-tables/article/3215347/how-silas-li-transforming-chinese-cooking-best-chef-award-winner-100-top-tables-2023-blends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/100-top-tables/article/3215347/how-silas-li-transforming-chinese-cooking-best-chef-award-winner-100-top-tables-2023-blends?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2023 03:36:01 +0000 Waffle lovers in Hong Kong are truly spoiled. From the ubiquitous egg waffle to Belgian waffles and croffles – croissant-waffle hybrids – the waffle craze shows no sign of slowing. After all, who doesn’t love these piping hot, crispy vessels for all things sweet or savoury? International Waffle Day is celebrated on March 25, and to mark it we take a look at the history of waffles in Hong Kong – specifically chequered waffles, or gaak zai beng to call them by their Cantonese name. Not to be... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3214656/secret-great-hong-kong-chequered-waffles-and-9-best-places-eat-them-slathered-peanut-butter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3214656/secret-great-hong-kong-chequered-waffles-and-9-best-places-eat-them-slathered-peanut-butter?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Mar 2023 23:15:09 +0000 Erica Fong Erica Fong Blockchain and bitcoin might go hand in hand, but what do blockchain and art have to do with each other? As it turns out, quite a lot actually. From verifying the authenticity and provenance of works, to spurring new forms of digital art through non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain technology is having a huge impact on the art scene. Put simply, blockchain is a secure and transparent electronic ledger that is digitally distributed, decentralised, open source and public. Each block in a chain... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3213612/4-ways-art-world-needs-blockchain-nfts-spurred-explosion-digital-art-christies-and-sothebys-make?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3213612/4-ways-art-world-needs-blockchain-nfts-spurred-explosion-digital-art-christies-and-sothebys-make?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Mar 2023 02:00:09 +0000 Boxing – or as it was once known, pugilism or prizefighting – is one of the oldest sports in the world, but it remains one of the most popular to this day. Just look at the global success of Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather, to Asia’s own Manny Pacquiao – all of whom are household names. Remember, the sport has surely inspired more movies in Hollywood than any other (think Rocky, Raging Bull and Million Dollar Baby). “Boxing is a very passionate sport,” says Jay Lau, Hong Kong boxing promoter,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3048844/conor-mcgregor-manny-pacquiao-and-even-muhammad-ali-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3048844/conor-mcgregor-manny-pacquiao-and-even-muhammad-ali-how?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2020 12:00:09 +0000 Hong Kong is glorious in the winter with clear skies, cooler temperatures and plenty of sunshine, so why would anyone choose to work out in a gym when they can easily do so outdoors? The benefits of exercising outdoors include getting a dose of Vitamin D from the sun, which can help improve mental health and sleep quality, breathing in fresh air (depending on where you are) to reduce stress levels, and changing the environment to make your workouts less boring than hamster-wheeling it on the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3044076/no-gym-no-problem-8-ways-exercise-outdoors-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3044076/no-gym-no-problem-8-ways-exercise-outdoors-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jan 2020 07:00:13 +0000 When it comes to Chinese martial arts, everyone’s heard of Ip Man and Bruce Lee, but what about their female counterparts? While a little less spotlight may be thrown on them, several female martial arts masters have emerged over the years that can stand blow-for-blow alongside their male counterparts. From swordsmanship to tai chi and animal-style kung fu, meet these five incredible women who mastered martial arts as completely as anyone. Yuenü Known as the best swordsman – or shall we say,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3042544/forget-bruce-lee-and-ip-man-mulan-and-4-more-female-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3042544/forget-bruce-lee-and-ip-man-mulan-and-4-more-female-chinese?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Dec 2019 06:00:10 +0000 Many martial arts forms are believed to have originated in the East, but the West has its fair share of combat sports that are more or less just as lethal. Using a mix of original and borrowed techniques from other martial arts forms – from hand-to-hand combat to grappling on the ground – find out which Western martial arts form is best for you: 1. Boxing What is it? One of the oldest sports known to humankind, boxing is a combat sport where two people fight hand-to-hand in a boxing ring for... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3040248/are-you-conor-mcgregor-or-manny-pacquiao-sylvester-stallone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3040248/are-you-conor-mcgregor-or-manny-pacquiao-sylvester-stallone?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2019 10:24:11 +0000 Whether you want to fight off a stranger in a dark alley, karate chop some firewood or do a flying kick as your next party trick, learning martial arts can be beneficial in more ways than one. Defined as a variety of systems of training for combat or self-defence, many of which originated in Asia, martial arts are not just a great way to get fit – there are also numerous mental and spiritual benefits including mental clarity, self-discipline and confidence. Why Hong Kong star Juju Chan gets a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3039193/bruce-lees-kung-fu-madonnas-karate-or-taekwondo-barack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3039193/bruce-lees-kung-fu-madonnas-karate-or-taekwondo-barack?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2019 02:00:13 +0000 One of the best things about travelling is getting to know the locals, including all the cute and cuddly creatures you meet along the way. But before planning the ultimate wildlife encounter, it’s important to know how to do so responsibly. Many animal tourism experiences in Asia inadvertently contribute to animal cruelty, such as elephant rides, tiger selfies and touching marine life, which can destroy underwater ecosystems. However, getting close to wildlife does not always have to come at the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3038183/7-ethical-animal-experiences-china-and-southeast-asia-where?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3038183/7-ethical-animal-experiences-china-and-southeast-asia-where?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2019 06:00:16 +0000 When it comes to hitting the gym, there’s no shortage of excuses – it’s “too far, too crowded, too intimidating” and of course, you’re always “too tired”. Whether you’re a fitness fanatic or a couch potato, there are days when you just don’t want to leave the house. We get it. So, why not bring the gym to you? With so many fitness apps on the market, it’s easier than ever to get your sweat on at home. Say hello to five fitness apps that can help you stay on track sans gym, with little to no... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3037948/want-abs-kayla-itsines-or-stamina-serena-williams-these-top?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3037948/want-abs-kayla-itsines-or-stamina-serena-williams-these-top?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2019 02:00:16 +0000 It’s a strange thing to live with someone (or something, if you prefer) for years and never know what it’s thinking (other than “feed me”). And cats, especially, are weird. Unlike dogs – who “smile”, wag their tails and bark to communicate – they’re pretty much impossible to read, which is why I enlisted the help of an animal communicator in an attempt to better understand my furry companions. The Institute of Scientific Animal Communication was founded by an MIT graduate with a master’s degree... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3037723/can-cats-and-dogs-talk-animal-communicator-speaks-our?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3037723/can-cats-and-dogs-talk-animal-communicator-speaks-our?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2019 05:00:10 +0000 Halloween is a great excuse to dress up in costumes and eat loads of candy, but beyond all the trick-or-treating and spooky (read: sexy) parties, there are many age-old traditions and superstitions about ghosts, spirits and other creepy creatures. In the West, common Halloween symbols include jack-o’-lanterns (carved pumpkins), witches, black cats and vampires, but most of these have different meanings in the East. Below, we break down five of the most common Halloween superstitions – and how... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3033155/how-kill-chinese-vampire-and-why-bagua-mirrors-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3033155/how-kill-chinese-vampire-and-why-bagua-mirrors-not?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2019 02:00:13 +0000