https://www.scmp.com/rss/509836/feed Latest news and updates on all things Cantonese, including its slang terms and the culture and customs of the millions of people who speak the southern Chinese dialect in Hong Kong, Guangdong and around the world. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Angela Hui Angela Hui Imagine this: a thick slab of golden-brown toast, topped with a perfect knob of butter melting slowly into the middle, finished with a drizzle of sticky golden syrup. For many Hong Kong diners, this variation on French toast is a familiar sight and a staple on menus across many of the city’s cha chaan teng. But don’t expect Cantoast Bakery in London to follow the mould. “A lot of the time, I get questions from customers,” says Haydon Wong, chef-owner of the pop-up bakery, which specialises in an... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349463/how-chinese-takeaway-kid-brought-hong-kong-style-french-toast-london-twist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3349463/how-chinese-takeaway-kid-brought-hong-kong-style-french-toast-london-twist?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Joyce Yip Joyce Yip Architect Charles Lai Chun-wai still had not finished his pork chop rice – a signature dish at For Kee in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan neighbourhood – when product designer Kay Chan Wan-ki lifted his melamine plate to read the inscription at the bottom. She shrieked when she saw the words she had been desperately seeking: “Made in Hong Kong”. Melamine tableware was a hallmark of cha chaan tengs – Hong Kong-style cafes like For Kee – in the 1970s, sought after for its ceramic-like appearance, low cost,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346969/hong-kongs-cha-chaan-teng-history-designs-and-legacy-celebrated-new-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346969/hong-kongs-cha-chaan-teng-history-designs-and-legacy-celebrated-new-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A mysterious and ancient tradition in China involves practitioners who try to predict the future and communicate with the spirit world via a ritual known as rice divination, or mun mai, in the south of the country. Its origins can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) and a belief that all things in nature followed patterns and cycles, which are closely connected to human fortune and misfortune. The term “rice divination” comes from the main component used in the practice, 1,080... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3336054/why-chinese-ask-rice-divination-ritual-involves-using-1080-round-grains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3336054/why-chinese-ask-rice-divination-ritual-involves-using-1080-round-grains?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:00:08 +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 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim Mulling over this week’s column, I polled my multigenerational family in our group chat, which includes three Gen Zs, asking if I should write about the 6-7 meme. The options I gave were: Slay! So skibidi! On a scale of one to 10, that’s a 6-7 … Bruh! Old news! In the lifespan of TikTok, this is rather ancient news. Tweens and teens – not only those in the US, but also in Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and anywhere youths access social media – have been chorusing “SIX SE-ven” maybe 6 or 7... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3331917/gen-alpha-slang-6-7-takes-over-world-and-it-holds-more-meaning-you-think?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3331917/gen-alpha-slang-6-7-takes-over-world-and-it-holds-more-meaning-you-think?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 11:15:13 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft For many foreigners who come to Hong Kong for work, one of the appeals of the city is its widespread use of English, meaning that many never feel compelled to learn the local Cantonese language. But 29-year-old Australian Jonas Groom has made a splash on social media, where he posts videos of his Cantonese language learning journey, with some of his clips garnering hundreds of thousands of views. Groom, who moved to Hong Kong a little over a year ago and works as a strategy consultant, said he... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328607/australian-hong-kong-wins-locals-over-efforts-learn-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328607/australian-hong-kong-wins-locals-over-efforts-learn-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 01:00:21 +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 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Thousands of people lined the narrow streets of Hong Kong’s Tai Hang neighbourhood in Causeway Bay on Sunday night to witness the annual fire dragon dance, with spectators calling the performance “unique” and “stunning”. Troupe members began the procession on Wun Sha Street at around 8.25pm, hoisting up the fire dragon straw frame adorned with more than 10,000 burning incense sticks as drums, gongs and cymbals were struck. Spectators cheered and hurried to snap photos as the 67-metre (200 foot)... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3327931/unique-and-stunning-hong-kongs-fire-dragon-dance-draws-thousands-tai-hang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3327931/unique-and-stunning-hong-kongs-fire-dragon-dance-draws-thousands-tai-hang?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 14:22:54 +0000 Mabel Lui Mabel Lui Walk into Potluck Club, a restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown in New York, and you will be greeted by a waiter at what looks like an old-fashioned phone booth with a pagoda-style roof. As you head to your table, you will walk past a display featuring scenes from popular Hong Kong films like In the Mood for Love (2000) and Kung Fu Hustle (2004). You will also see a vending machine filled with the kinds of items that can be found in a Cantonese home – think haw flakes, Pei Pa Koa, Vitasoy drinks... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3327221/how-potluck-club-reinvents-cantonese-cuisine-manhattans-chinatown-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3327221/how-potluck-club-reinvents-cantonese-cuisine-manhattans-chinatown-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Several planned concerts in mainland China by Hong Kong Cantopop idol William So Wing-hong have been cancelled following a public backlash over his past drug involvement, reigniting debate around whether artists convicted of drug offences are allowed to re-enter the spotlight. The incident drew strong criticism from Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, which argued that it was not enough to just cancel the concerts – those responsible for approving the event had to be held legally... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3326110/china-cancels-idol-william-sos-concerts-over-past-drug-arrest-says-its-not-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3326110/china-cancels-idol-william-sos-concerts-over-past-drug-arrest-says-its-not-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 06:28:42 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Forming a circle in front of a temple in Yuen Long, a group of Hongkongers makes sweeping, dance-like movements before smashing ceramic tiles on the ground with wooden swords under the guidance of their coach. They are learning to perform the solemn ritual of “breaking hell’s gate”, a traditional funeral practice that is typically performed by Taoist priests and long considered taboo by many. Thursday’s workshop was part of a three-day “soul deliverance” ceremony at Tin Hau Temple in Yuen Long’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324557/hongkongers-learn-how-break-gates-hell-hungry-ghost-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3324557/hongkongers-learn-how-break-gates-hell-hungry-ghost-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Sep 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam The annual Hungry Ghost Festival celebration held at the Wah Fu Estate in Hong Kong’s Pok Fu Lam neighbourhood is at risk of disappearing. The celebration, which has been on hold since 2020 due to the pandemic, returned at the end of August, but there is a chance the ceremonial traditions and practices, held in Wah Fu (II) Estate’s higher blocks, will disappear during the redevelopment of the entire estate. Announced in March 2024, the multiphase project will see tenants of the low-income... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3324055/why-hungry-ghost-festival-celebration-hong-kongs-wah-fu-estate-under-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3324055/why-hungry-ghost-festival-celebration-hong-kongs-wah-fu-estate-under-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Charmaine Mok Charmaine Mok When it comes to how the Chinese cook duck, most diners around the world may be familiar with two main methods: that of Peking duck, with its theatrical tableside carving, crispy skin, and traditional accoutrements of thin pancakes, hoi sin sauce and vegetables; and Cantonese roast duck, a mainstay of the classic siu mei shop, expertly chopped up and served with a sweet plum sauce. Pipa duck, which employs an altogether more unique preparation method, is not quite as well known. That may soon... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3322595/chinese-chef-singapores-new-age-cantonese-cuisine-mixes-tradition-modernity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3322595/chinese-chef-singapores-new-age-cantonese-cuisine-mixes-tradition-modernity?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 23:15:08 +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 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung The latest marquee exhibition to open at M+, Hong Kong’s museum of contemporary visual culture, is “Canton Modern: Art and Visual Culture, 1900s-1970s”, a sweeping exploration of Guangdong province’s artistic evolution and its enduring influence on Asian modernism. Debuting on June 28 and running until October 5, the show assembles more than 200 works from institutional and private collections, many of which have never before been displayed publicly, to trace the interplay between Cantonese... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315186/m-museum-showcases-20th-century-cantonese-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315186/m-museum-showcases-20th-century-cantonese-art?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 12:00:07 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim If you live in or are visiting Hong Kong, you may have watched the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade from the fishing village’s stilt houses last week, or mastered the art of making cha kwo (steamed sticky rice dumpling). You may be heading to Sha Tin later this month to learn a paper-crafting technique, or make temple offerings at the Che Kung Festival. A plethora of such cultural experiences is being widely showcased at the moment – more than usual – because June is the inaugural Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3313314/intangible-cultural-heritage-and-hong-kong-examples-city-celebrates-inaugural-ich-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3313314/intangible-cultural-heritage-and-hong-kong-examples-city-celebrates-inaugural-ich-month?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 23:45:09 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na In late March, passengers aboard an HK Express flight to Narita, Tokyo, were in for a unique plane ride. Shortly after take-off, a middle-aged Chinese woman with a bob and a red T-shirt – rather than a flight attendant – appeared at the front of the cabin. When she started making an in-flight announcement in thick, heavily accented Cantonese, there was a buzz as passengers excitedly pulled out their smartphones to start recording her spiel. This was not a regular safety briefing. In fact, this... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308861/hong-kong-noodle-chain-tam-jai-flying-high-hk-express-tie-and-beauty-products?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308861/hong-kong-noodle-chain-tam-jai-flying-high-hk-express-tie-and-beauty-products?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Mabel Lui Mabel Lui In New York’s Long Island City neighbourhood there is a nondescript, white-tiled Taiwanese restaurant named Gulp. Those not in the know might assume that the five counter seats are all there is to this little joint, but open the grey door at the rear, pull back the curtain behind it and you will find yourself in a softly lit cocktail bar imbued with warm, red tones reminiscent of Wong Kar-wai films. This is 929, a bar that pays tribute to 1980s and 1990s Cantonese and Mandarin pop culture and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308761/new-york-bar-mixes-cocktails-and-chinese-pop-give-music-life-beyond-karaoke-lounges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308761/new-york-bar-mixes-cocktails-and-chinese-pop-give-music-life-beyond-karaoke-lounges?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 11:15:08 +0000 Curation Team Curation Team Dive into the realm of Cantonese cuisine with these five PostMag articles exploring how it is captivating the world and shaping modern culinary trends. Read about the smoky secrets of wok hei, or “breath of the wok”, the global spread of XO sauce, the UK’s Cantonese food revival, the history of shrimp paste, and more. 1. Wok hei – the kung fu of Cantonese cuisine: chefs reveal secrets of ‘breath of the wok’ Discover the art of the “breath of the wok”, a hallmark of Cantonese cuisine, from... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3308189/how-cantonese-cuisine-conquered-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3308189/how-cantonese-cuisine-conquered-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:20:30 +0000 Hong Kong’s iconic Sunbeam Theatre closed permanently on March 3, 2025. The venue long considered the home of Cantonese opera in the city had operated for 52 years, employing a loyal troupe of actors, musicians and technicians. Sunbeam’s closure has raised questions about how the traditional performance art can be preserved. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3303498/sun-sets-hong-kongs-sunbeam-theatre-whats-left-cantonese-opera-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3303498/sun-sets-hong-kongs-sunbeam-theatre-whats-left-cantonese-opera-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Mar 2025 04:29:41 +0000 Dave Besseling Dave Besseling “The Urban Council will soon give Hongkong its first open-air theatre, complete with tennis courts and garden, at a cost of about $16 million. The project is earmarked for Ko Shan Road in Hunghom,” reported the South China Morning Post on June 27, 1978. “The theatre will accommodate 3,000 people. One thousand seats will be under cover and the remainder in the open. The theatre is being planned and designed by consulting architects engaged by the Government […] Work is expected to begin at the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3303168/where-once-stood-quarry-rose-hong-kongs-first-open-air-theatre-complex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3303168/where-once-stood-quarry-rose-hong-kongs-first-open-air-theatre-complex?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 22:30:08 +0000 When the Sunbeam Theatre closed its doors for good earlier this month, it received a warm send-off from Hongkongers who expressed hope it wouldn’t mean the end of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong. I hope so too. The government, at least, seems certain it would not. When Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui addressed lawmakers on December 18 regarding the Sunbeam Theatre closure and the development of Cantonese opera, she largely framed the issue as a venue problem,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3302695/why-cantonese-opera-hong-kong-needs-sunbeam-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3302695/why-cantonese-opera-hong-kong-needs-sunbeam-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong has lost a dear old friend – an iconic stage for Cantonese opera. The final curtain at the Sunbeam Theatre had always been expected, after repeated last-minute deals to save the 52-year-old “grand palace” from redevelopment over the past two decades. But when the spotlight finally went out for the last time on March 3, the loss was more than just a beloved performance venue. Conveniently located next to the railway station in North Point, the Sunbeam was the Broadway for Cantonese... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3301638/show-must-go-cantonese-opera-after-sunbeam-curtain-falls-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3301638/show-must-go-cantonese-opera-after-sunbeam-curtain-falls-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 22:15:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu An annual “villain-hitting” ritual has drawn hundreds of people to an underpass in Hong Kong, as they seek to banish bad luck or wish ill on their “enemies”, with some mainland Chinese tourists also visiting especially for the occasion. Snaking queues had formed by around midday on Wednesday at the Causeway Bay site, the traditional local home of the activity. Incense smoke filled the air around the roughly 17 stalls, with the most popular one attracting a line of more than 50 people at one... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3301186/i-know-who-id-want-hit-hongkongers-tourists-queue-curse-villains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3301186/i-know-who-id-want-hit-hongkongers-tourists-queue-curse-villains?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:46:40 +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 Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu wrapped up his recent visit to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin with a local breakfast that “warmed” his heart. He not only met Hong Kong athletes but also visited cultural and tourism spots, including the famed Central Street, to learn how Harbin, also known as China’s Ice City, built its tourism industry. Lee attributed the success of Heilongjiang, China’s northernmost province of which Harbin is the capital, to its focus on ice and snow, and lauded... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3298786/harbin-hong-kong-should-focus-what-makes-it-unique?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3298786/harbin-hong-kong-should-focus-what-makes-it-unique?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:30:07 +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 Pandas have dominated Hong Kong’s latest festival season. The excitement began in early December when giant pandas An An and Ke Ke, given to the city by Beijing, made their first public appearance at Ocean Park. A pop-up exhibition of 2,500 panda sculptures, including at the Avenue of Stars and Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park, also attracted crowds. Through Christmas and the Lunar New Year, panda fever soared as Hong Kong officials hinted at debut dates for the public to meet the giant panda twins... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3298391/panda-fever-great-hong-kong-needs-its-own-cultural-icon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3298391/panda-fever-great-hong-kong-needs-its-own-cultural-icon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li When Cantonese opera impresario and composer Edward Li Kui-ming wrote Trump on Show five years ago featuring the recently re-elected American president during his first term in office, he did not expect the ancient art form to be a hit among young Hong Kong audiences. It was for this very reason his composition has been chosen as one of the closing performances of the Sunbeam Theatre in North Point, as the institution synonymous with Cantonese opera in the city prepares to lower its curtains for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3296986/trump-show-hit-opera-young-hongkongers-rerun-eye-global-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3296986/trump-show-hit-opera-young-hongkongers-rerun-eye-global-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Feb 2025 01:00:17 +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 On my fortnightly visit to my local TamJai Yunnan Mixian (colloquially known as Tam Jai) in Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong, I peered up from my steaming bowl of 10-mild-spicy coriander and century-egg soup noodles with parboiled beef and fishcake slices, to see that every employee in the shop was female. Tam Jai, which operates 95 locations across the city, alongside another 94 under sister brand TamJai SamGor, has long been as well known for its corps of Tam Jai jeh jehs – the waitresses who make up... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3286078/hong-kongs-tam-jai-noodle-joint-waitresses-are-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3286078/hong-kongs-tam-jai-noodle-joint-waitresses-are-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Nov 2024 03:15:07 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter Hong Kong is the most competitive city in the Greater Bay Area in three of six critical industries, according to an index that compares the relative advantages of the southern Chinese region’s 11 cities. Hong Kong tops the charts for financial services, trade and logistics, as well as culture, sports and tourism, according to the inaugural GBA Industry Development Index compiled by Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) and Dah Sing Bank. The remaining three industries are innovation and technology,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3285261/hong-kong-leads-greater-bay-area-finance-logistics-and-tourism-index-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3285261/hong-kong-leads-greater-bay-area-finance-logistics-and-tourism-index-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Nov 2024 08:00:17 +0000 Take a bite out of history with our exclusive series on the delicious ingredients, dishes and techniques behind the unique taste of Hong Kong. No bowl of wonton noodles is complete without dumplings made with shrimp or pork (or both) and wrapped in a thin, wheat wrapper. A famous Hong Kong dish of Cantonese origin dating back thousands of years, one of the earliest mentions of wonton noodles in mainstream Hong Kong media was in a 1930 edition of Chinese-language newspaper Chinese Mail. Wonton... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3281498/where-eat-best-wonton-noodles-hong-kong-and-how-dumplings-reached-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3281498/where-eat-best-wonton-noodles-hong-kong-and-how-dumplings-reached-city?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Oct 2024 10:15:09 +0000 Take a bite out of history with our exclusive series on the delicious ingredients, dishes and techniques behind the unique taste of Hong Kong. A cup of silky milk tea in the morning is enjoyed by many a person in Hong Kong, often alongside a hearty cafe breakfast. According to industry data, 2.5 million cups of Hong Kong-style milk tea are drunk every day in the city. The roots of the comforting drink go back to the early part of the city’s British colonial era in the 19th century. Dr Siu... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3281022/whats-so-special-about-hong-kong-style-milk-tea-deep-dive-citys-beloved-brew?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3281022/whats-so-special-about-hong-kong-style-milk-tea-deep-dive-citys-beloved-brew?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Oct 2024 23:45:06 +0000 Hong Kong’s only private Cantonese opera theatre has entertained fans for about 52 years, but the curtains are set close for the venue after two decades of efforts to stay afloat. The premises in North Point housing the Sunbeam Theatre have been acquired by the Island Evangelical Community Church, which has told the Post it will strive to preserve the site’s historical features while turning it into a community space. The theatre won the title of “Hong Kong’s Grand Palace for Cantonese Opera” in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3277591/curtain-call-cantonese-opera-stars-hong-kongs-sunbeam-theatre-lease-set-expire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3277591/curtain-call-cantonese-opera-stars-hong-kongs-sunbeam-theatre-lease-set-expire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Sep 2024 06:30:12 +0000 So you and your beau have been dating for a while. You’ve met each other’s besties and been given the thumbs-up. The apps have been deleted and you’ve soft-launched the relationship status in an Instagram story. There’s a set of your things at their place. You went on your first holiday together and didn’t murder each other. You may even have said the L-word by now. But there’s one final hurdle that will test the compatibility of your relationship: meeting and eating with the family. Oh, and the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3268680/chinese-family-dinner-101-non-chinese-partners-heres-how-avoid-offending-laws?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3268680/chinese-family-dinner-101-non-chinese-partners-heres-how-avoid-offending-laws?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 23:45:09 +0000 Hong Kong faces a pressing need to redefine its approach to innovation and risk. To thrive amid evolving global dynamics, the city must embrace a shift away from the pervasive fear of failure that is stifling creativity and curtailing risk-taking, hindering the potential of individuals and businesses alike. In a world where betting on oneself has become the cornerstone of value creation, Hong Kong must foster a climate that encourages bold decisions and recognises the educational value of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3267251/why-hong-kong-needs-embrace-failure-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3267251/why-hong-kong-needs-embrace-failure-succeed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:30:09 +0000 Hong Kong’s tourism struggles appear to have sunk to a new low with the government telling Hongkongers to “smile more” to attract visitors – an idea that is naive, if not absurd. The slow return of tourists has been blamed on false narratives of Hong Kong in the Western media. But the reality is that far less liberal places in the region are enjoying a strong tourism recovery. Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia are making strong progress in attracting more international... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3266754/believe-it-or-not-hong-kongs-culture-and-nature-are-what-will-draw-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3266754/believe-it-or-not-hong-kongs-culture-and-nature-are-what-will-draw-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 01:30:10 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang China’s Dragon Boat Festival, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, boasts a rich history spanning over 2,000 years. Originally it was intended to commemorate Qu Yuan, a famous poet from the ancient Chu state during the Warring States period (475-221 BC), who drowned himself in a river. But the festival is also known for its broader customs, such as dragon boat races and the preparation of zong zi, a traditional rice dish wrapped in bamboo leaves. However, there are a variety of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3265703/quirky-secrets-chinas-dragon-boat-festival-revealed-why-standing-eggs-upright-matters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3265703/quirky-secrets-chinas-dragon-boat-festival-revealed-why-standing-eggs-upright-matters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jun 2024 01:00:10 +0000 It is the time of year to eat zhong or zongzi, the pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaf that are the culinary stars of the annual Dragon Boat Festival, which this year takes place on June 10. The story of zongzi stretches back to when Chinese poet, politician and patriot Qu Yuan, from the State of Chu, who lived during China’s Warring States period (475 BC to 221 BC), jumped into a river to kill himself. When efforts to save him failed, people threw rice dumplings wrapped... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3265281/dragon-boat-festival-2024-10-hong-kong-restaurants-creative-sticky-rice-dumplings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3265281/dragon-boat-festival-2024-10-hong-kong-restaurants-creative-sticky-rice-dumplings?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2024 04:45:09 +0000 I moved to Hong Kong three years ago in the middle of the pandemic to be closer to my partner. It was a move I never would have anticipated had I been on my own, or if there had been no Covid-19. Perhaps one of the few people who moved from Singapore to Hong Kong – rather than the other way around – I count myself lucky to have been employed when Cantonese (and Mandarin) was a must on job postings. Adjusting to Hong Kong was more difficult than I imagined. The first two years went by too... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3263359/how-learning-cantonese-allowed-me-fall-love-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3263359/how-learning-cantonese-allowed-me-fall-love-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 01:30:08 +0000 I was born in Hong Kong in 1967 and am the second youngest of six children, four boys and two girls. The family business was a mahjong shop and we lived above the store in Yuen Long, in the New Territories. My father sold mahjong products, the tables as well as the mahjong sets, and also rented the sets. I remember overhearing my mother tell customers that the sets were good quality because the plastic tiles were from Germany. My father was a craftsman and carved the characters on each tile and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3261292/grace-choy-enjoyed-cooking-so-much-she-opened-restaurant-wrote-award-winning-cookbook-then-left-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3261292/grace-choy-enjoyed-cooking-so-much-she-opened-restaurant-wrote-award-winning-cookbook-then-left-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 May 2024 23:15:12 +0000 After the Covid-19 pandemic, Hong Kong’s neighbours all seem to have regained their tourism vibrancy before we have. And with a stronger currency, Hong Kong’s tourism offerings have become much less appealing. We did not expect to see more outbound travellers than inbound visitors after Hong Kong reopened its borders last year. Over three days during the Easter holiday this year, for example, about 2 million residents left the city while visitor arrivals reached only 1.2 million. This net... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3260580/3-ways-hong-kong-can-easily-and-quickly-its-tourism-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3260580/3-ways-hong-kong-can-easily-and-quickly-its-tourism-game?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2024 11:30:19 +0000 Over the past year, we have become more aware of a set of official guidelines on classic Cantonese dishes jointly published by the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. This includes standards for 12 Cantonese dishes, six types of Cantonese dim sum and 14 items of Chiu Chow cuisine. The Greater Bay Area standards, which also cover areas such as food safety and hygiene, are intended to ensure the quality and authenticity of Cantonese cuisine and preserve the region’s food heritage. I... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256800/greater-bay-area-standards-are-no-recipe-saving-hong-kong-food-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3256800/greater-bay-area-standards-are-no-recipe-saving-hong-kong-food-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:30:13 +0000 A new textbook to be taught at Chinese universities cites political division in the West to justify Beijing’s ethnic integration policies, whose focus has shifted from minorities to “all ethnic groups”. The book, An Introduction to the Community for the Chinese Nation, was published in February and will soon be listed as a compulsory text at many universities, as is the case with courses on Marxism and Xi Jinping Thought. Observers say it is the most direct articulation of China’s ethnic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3255567/all-ethnic-groups-matter-new-chinese-textbook-cites-splits-west-justify-beijings-integration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3255567/all-ethnic-groups-matter-new-chinese-textbook-cites-splits-west-justify-beijings-integration?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2024 23:00:13 +0000 To prepare the perfect Cantonese-style suckling pig, start with a piglet no more than two months old and under 4kg (8.8lbs). Make sure to use 15 ingredients, including five-spice and star anise powders, sesame sauce, fermented bean curd and two types of vinegar. And when it is served, the crisp, fragrant skin must be chopped neatly into 32 slices. These instructions, and many more for everything from char siu bao barbecued pork buns to scalded prawns, Chiu Chow fish balls and egg tarts, are not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3254791/are-greater-bay-area-standards-cantonese-classic-dishes-cooking-fuss-among-hong-kong-chefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3254791/are-greater-bay-area-standards-cantonese-classic-dishes-cooking-fuss-among-hong-kong-chefs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Mar 2024 07:22:46 +0000 Jason Wordie Jason Wordie Among the healthiest and most easily digestible sources of vegetable protein, the humble soybean – known in Cantonese as daai dau (“great bean”) – has provided varied sources of taste and nutrition in China, and other parts of East Asia, for more than 2,000 years. Soybeans are produced in massive quantities all over the world, principally in Australia, Canada, the United States and – increasingly – on vast farms carved in virgin rainforest in the interior of Brazil. Most soybeans are not... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3251573/soybeans-healthy-and-full-protein-theyve-fed-china-centuries-heres-how-theyre-processed-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3251573/soybeans-healthy-and-full-protein-theyve-fed-china-centuries-heres-how-theyre-processed-their?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Feb 2024 23:45:15 +0000