https://www.scmp.com/rss/510718/feed Lyn Yang is a reporter at Goldthread. She was previously a producer at China Daily. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com People in Wuhan have a breakfast rule: Something liquid and something dry. Since the food tends to be very starchy or doughy, the way to get it all down is to pair it with a sweet wine or soup. Double yum! https://www.scmp.com/travel/would-you-eat-gooey-dessert-breakfast-city-bites-wuhan-edition-ep3/article/3216760?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/would-you-eat-gooey-dessert-breakfast-city-bites-wuhan-edition-ep3/article/3216760?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Apr 2023 04:40:30 +0000 Walk into a random breakfast shop in Wuhan, and you’ll definitely find something called doupi. It’s like an egg roll stuffed with sticky rice and crunchy bamboo shoots. And if you’re still hungry, there’s always a fried bun to grab — that’s made to Wuhan’s love for carbs. https://www.scmp.com/travel/carbs-carbs-we-tried-doupi-and-fried-buns-wuhan-city-bites-wuhan-edition-ep2/article/3215789?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/carbs-carbs-we-tried-doupi-and-fried-buns-wuhan-city-bites-wuhan-edition-ep2/article/3215789?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Apr 2023 03:07:05 +0000 If you love breakfast, Wuhan should be on your list. It’s the breakfast capital of China with over 100 types of breakfast items. One that everyone loves is hot dry noodles, and we hunt for the best one in this episode. https://www.scmp.com/travel/wuhan-chinas-breakfast-heaven-heres-why-city-bites-wuhan-edition-ep1/article/3215335?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/wuhan-chinas-breakfast-heaven-heres-why-city-bites-wuhan-edition-ep1/article/3215335?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2023 02:26:01 +0000 Hong Kong people eat fast. In Hong Kong, you’d see people grabbing a bowl of noodles and gobbling it up in less than 10 minutes. How did this street-side food become a city staple, and how do you make sure it cooks fast and still tastes good? https://www.scmp.com/travel/all-you-need-know-about-cart-noodles-city-bites-hong-kong-edition-ep6/article/3210912?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/all-you-need-know-about-cart-noodles-city-bites-hong-kong-edition-ep6/article/3210912?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Feb 2023 02:25:03 +0000 Pages intricately pressed on top of one another — welcome to the lost art of dragon scale bookbinding. The method, over 1,000 years old, was invented in China but was later overshadowed by the more conventional way of binding books. Now one artist is trying to bring it back. https://www.scmp.com/culture/dragon-scale-bookbinding-how-man-revived-ancient-chinese-art/article/3204750?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/dragon-scale-bookbinding-how-man-revived-ancient-chinese-art/article/3204750?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Dec 2022 03:19:51 +0000 Ever seen Chinese paintings made with iron? They probably come from Wuhu in China’s Anhui province, where people like Chu Jinxia helped to revive an ancient art after modern China was established.  In another video, Chu told us why she dedicated her life to this craft: https://youtu.be/dOMXb6F0X-Y https://www.scmp.com/culture/how-turn-iron-majestic-works-ink-art/article/3204748?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/how-turn-iron-majestic-works-ink-art/article/3204748?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Dec 2022 03:14:41 +0000 How does Santa feel in a city without chimneys and snow? We interviewed Hong Kong’s very own Santa Claus a.k.a. Dave, who’s learned to manoeuvre the crowded city’s buildings and quirks. So what’s it like to be the Christmas icon here? Let’s find out. https://www.scmp.com/identity/most-wanted-santa-claus-hong-kongwho-he/article/3204738?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/identity/most-wanted-santa-claus-hong-kongwho-he/article/3204738?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Dec 2022 02:15:26 +0000 Unlike other Chinese cuisines, Cantonese food is all about savoring the main ingredients themselves. So how do they cook fish and pork offals so that customers taste their freshness? We hear from two chefs from Shunde, the heart of the Pearl River Delta. https://www.scmp.com/food/why-people-fly-across-world-her-offal-congee-city-bites-shunde-edition-ep3/article/3202481?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/why-people-fly-across-world-her-offal-congee-city-bites-shunde-edition-ep3/article/3202481?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Dec 2022 02:39:58 +0000 We bet you’ve had a lot of cow and goat milk-based food. How about desserts and cheeses made with buffalo milk? Shunde’s the hidden gem where you can find all things buffalo milk.  China has one of the most diverse palates ever, thanks to the country’s many different regions and ethnicities. Shunde, a place along the Pearl River Delta, has a history of breeding buffalos, encouraging many locals to come up with buffalo milk-based products. https://www.scmp.com/food/chinas-cheese-town-city-bites-shunde-edition-ep2/article/3202478?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/chinas-cheese-town-city-bites-shunde-edition-ep2/article/3202478?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Dec 2022 02:35:03 +0000 Gao Song was just an ordinary bank worker…until he managed to charm social media users in China with his finger dances on Douyin, China’s TikTok. But what makes his videos so special? Let’s find out. https://www.scmp.com/identity/hidden-side-tough-guy-youd-never-have-guessed/article/3202283?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/identity/hidden-side-tough-guy-youd-never-have-guessed/article/3202283?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Dec 2022 10:52:20 +0000 You know those pretty cards you get with little indents on each word? Those are made with letterpress printers. Unfortunately, these machines are few and far between today.  Yam Wai-sang is the second-generation owner of Kwong Wah Printing Company in Hong Kong, part of a dying breed of printers trying to keep this art alive. https://www.scmp.com/culture/why-man-wants-keep-one-hong-kongs-last-letterpress-print-shops-alive/article/3200736?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/why-man-wants-keep-one-hong-kongs-last-letterpress-print-shops-alive/article/3200736?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Nov 2022 09:56:51 +0000 In many movies about China, you’ve probably heard a high-pitched, “deadly” sound at some point. These squawk-like sounds are made by the suona, a traditional Chinese instrument used at funerals and weddings in China. Most young folks think it's a representation of the old. But this musician shows that the once unhip instrument is actually pretty cool. https://www.scmp.com/culture/guy-charmed-3-million-ancient-chinese-horn/article/3200720?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/guy-charmed-3-million-ancient-chinese-horn/article/3200720?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Nov 2022 09:37:19 +0000 China has one of the most diverse palates ever, thanks to the country’s many different regions and ethnicities. If you want to learn about Cantonese food, Shunde’s a good place to start. This Pearl River Delta city is one of the oldest rice-growing areas in history, which resulted in plenty of traditional dishes made with the grain. In this episode, we travelled to see how this region uses rice creatively to make cakes and noodles. https://www.scmp.com/travel/turning-rice-irresistible-dessert-city-bites-shunde-edition-ep1/article/3198684?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/turning-rice-irresistible-dessert-city-bites-shunde-edition-ep1/article/3198684?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Nov 2022 04:13:44 +0000 Is it possible to turn a tiny olive pit into a storied piece of artwork? This artist from Guangzhou has been carving intricate, mini sculptures using olive pits as small as 1 inch for almost 30 years. Here’s how he does it.  Don’t miss our stories, what’s buzzing around the web, and bonus material. Sign up for the GT newsletter. https://www.scmp.com/culture/tiniest-most-vivid-details-carved-1-inch-olive-pits-artisans-e5/article/3181150?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/tiniest-most-vivid-details-carved-1-inch-olive-pits-artisans-e5/article/3181150?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jun 2022 03:09:16 +0000 You may have seen lion dances, but have you wondered how the costumes are made? The Li family based in Foshan, Guangdong, is one of China’s most renowned lion head makers that started six generations ago. Their work can be found everywhere, from the famous Palace Museum in Beijing, to “Once Upon a Time in China III” starring Jet Li. Don’t miss our stories, what’s buzzing around the web, and bonus material. Sign up for the GT newsletter! https://www.scmp.com/culture/200-year-old-shop-still-makes-best-lion-dance-heads-china-artisans-e4/article/3181147?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/200-year-old-shop-still-makes-best-lion-dance-heads-china-artisans-e4/article/3181147?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jun 2022 03:05:23 +0000 Painters in China traditionally use solid ink sticks instead of liquid ink. These ink sticks are still often made by artisans who spend more than a year collecting ash, pounding, moulding, and painting each bar by hand.  This is the third episode of our “Artisans” series, where we explore China’s rich art history and its dedicated creators. Don’t miss our stories, what’s buzzing around the web, and bonus material. Sign up for the GT newsletter! https://www.scmp.com/culture/ink-sticks-more-precious-gold-artisans-e3/article/3181134?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/ink-sticks-more-precious-gold-artisans-e3/article/3181134?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jun 2022 02:20:50 +0000 China has a long history of using inkstones for calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting. She artists in Anhui, China, make one of the most sought after inkstones in the country. Each piece can take up to two years to finish. Here’s how one family has perfected the art. This is the second episode of our “Artisans” series, where we explore China’s rich art history and its dedicated creators. https://www.scmp.com/culture/how-chinas-most-valuable-inkstones-are-made-artisans-e2/article/3180809?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/how-chinas-most-valuable-inkstones-are-made-artisans-e2/article/3180809?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jun 2022 02:29:52 +0000 Huizhou, a region in China’s Anhui province, is well-known for its beautiful sculptures. Fang Feng is an artist from the area, creating wood pieces for the past 20 years. His grandfather is a national master sculptor who introduced him to wood carving when Fang was just 16 years old. https://www.scmp.com/travel/wood-carver-makes-artwork-come-alive-artisans-e1/article/3173941?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/wood-carver-makes-artwork-come-alive-artisans-e1/article/3173941?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Apr 2022 02:54:40 +0000 Huaiyang cuisine chefs are known for their unrivaled knife skills that’s been passed down over the past 1,500 years.  Even with a normal block of tofu — they can turn it into a blossoming flower by making 3,600 cuts. And that’s not the only cool thing they can do with food. https://www.scmp.com/food/knife-skills-3600-slices-make-tofu-flower-chefs-plate-killer-skills-e2/article/3173934?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/knife-skills-3600-slices-make-tofu-flower-chefs-plate-killer-skills-e2/article/3173934?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Apr 2022 02:40:33 +0000 Making crystal clear broth is the ultimate test of a Chinese chef’s skills. It’s a technique with Sichuan roots. One of the most famous Chinese clear soup dishes is “boiled water cabbage.” It’s easy to dismiss what looks like a plain bowl of soup with a tiny piece of cabbage, until you know how many steps go towards making it. https://www.scmp.com/food/making-broth-clear-water-chefs-plate-killer-skills-e1/article/3173931?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/making-broth-clear-water-chefs-plate-killer-skills-e1/article/3173931?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Apr 2022 02:35:59 +0000 At Chagan lake, a giant freshwater lake in northeastern China, local ethnic Mongolians hunt for fish every winter using a 2,000-year-old method involving horses. It may be old-school, but the method works. Sometimes, they net over 200 ton of fish in one day. People from across China travel north just to get their hands on some of this rare catch. https://www.scmp.com/travel/people-still-catch-fish-subzero-temps-ancient-mongolians-ice-country-e3/article/3170788?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/people-still-catch-fish-subzero-temps-ancient-mongolians-ice-country-e3/article/3170788?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Mar 2022 06:23:59 +0000 Those amazing ice cities you saw in our last episode of “Ice Country”? They need hundreds of thousands of giant ice blocks every winter. To meet demand, thousands of men, who usually work as farmers or construction workers, move to China’s northeastern cities for months. Here, they become ice cutters, working 12-hour shifts in -20°C (-4°F) temperatures on frozen rivers. https://www.scmp.com/travel/working-4degf-make-750000-giant-ice-slabs-ice-country-e2/article/3170761?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/working-4degf-make-750000-giant-ice-slabs-ice-country-e2/article/3170761?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Mar 2022 03:03:04 +0000 Every winter, China’s northeastern cities bustle with activity as they prepare to host ice festivals that attract millions. To do that, tens of thousands of workers work round the clock in the frigid cold. The results are spectacular. Here’s a peek at how they accomplish the impossible. https://www.scmp.com/travel/5000-people-built-giant-glowing-ice-city-15-days-ice-country-e1/article/3170756?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/5000-people-built-giant-glowing-ice-city-15-days-ice-country-e1/article/3170756?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Mar 2022 02:56:54 +0000 You can cook fried rice with just about any ingredients, and making them with eggs is the simplest way. But taking your fried rice to another level requires some tricks.  The choice of rice can make a huge difference: Try cooking it with long-grain rice, a type of rice mostly used in southern China and Southeast Asia. It’s less sticky than short-grain rice and helps fluff up your fried rice.  Adding ingredients like shrimp gives your rice that extra umami as well. And just a splash of Shaoxing... https://www.scmp.com/food/perfect-egg-fried-rice-12-min-basic-chinese-dish/article/3169079?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/perfect-egg-fried-rice-12-min-basic-chinese-dish/article/3169079?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:53:36 +0000 Tomato and egg stir fry is a classic Chinese dish everyone can master. There are just two main ingredients — a tomato and eggs.  Today, it’s seen as one of the most iconic Chinese dishes, but the recipe is actually only 100 years old. It wasn’t until the 1900s when locals cooked with foreign produce like tomatoes.  Over the years, locals in different parts of China tweaked the recipe to suit their palate.  Northern Chinese, who are known to prefer saltier, heavier food, like their tomato and... https://www.scmp.com/food/tomato-and-egg-stir-fry-basic-chinese-dish/article/3168245?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/food/tomato-and-egg-stir-fry-basic-chinese-dish/article/3168245?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Feb 2022 10:10:29 +0000 Every winter, China’s northeastern cities bustle with activity as they prepare to host spectacular ice festivals that attract millions. One of the country’s largest is held in Changchun, Jilin, where 5,000 people are roped in to build an ice park in just 15 days. Here’s how they assemble the park’s giant frozen buildings, using ice from the river and blocks of ice stored in their ice cellar. This video is part of our series called Fly on the Wall that’s zero talking for full ASMR satisfaction. https://www.scmp.com/travel/no-talking-how-china-builds-its-mega-ice-cities/article/3166217?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/no-talking-how-china-builds-its-mega-ice-cities/article/3166217?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Feb 2022 05:20:04 +0000 LinaBell is a character created by Disney for the Chinese market. She was only introduced in September 2021, but immediately became one of the studio’s most popular figures - fans line up at Disneyland for two hours every day just to see her, and any item that has her image sells out immediately. Why do so many people in China love her? https://www.scmp.com/culture/move-over-hello-kitty-chinas-biggest-star-now-pink-disney-fox/article/3166211?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/move-over-hello-kitty-chinas-biggest-star-now-pink-disney-fox/article/3166211?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Feb 2022 04:51:08 +0000 Tsultrim Norbu is a Tibetan artist who has been creating colorful thangka paintings of Buddha and Buddhist deities for over 20 years. Unlike other artists, he specializes in using the Cloisonné technique, creating works out of gold wires and pigment ink made from Tibetan stones, giving each piece a vivid and stately look. https://www.scmp.com/travel/tibetan-artist-master-ancient-technique-cloisonne-his-vivid-buddha-paintings/article/3166204?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/tibetan-artist-master-ancient-technique-cloisonne-his-vivid-buddha-paintings/article/3166204?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Feb 2022 04:34:06 +0000 We’re in Dafen, a suburb in the Southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Here, you’ll see near-perfect replicas of the Mona Lisa, or The Starry Night. In its heyday in the 2000s, Dafen produced 60% of the world’s oil painting replicas. You’d see these hung on hotel walls all over the globe. The price of a piece? Less than $15.  “We didn’t learn painting by doing sketches,” said Zhou Yongjiu, one of the first painters who settled here. “The teacher got students to paint just one part of the painting.... https://www.scmp.com/travel/worlds-fake-van-goghs-and-basquiats-come-village/article/3159214?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/worlds-fake-van-goghs-and-basquiats-come-village/article/3159214?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Dec 2021 08:26:09 +0000 Kintsugi is an art form that uses gold to mend broken ceramics and embrace their flaws. Despite its Japanese name, its roots can be found in Chinese lacquer craft. This Chinese craftsman has been doing it for eight years, and he shows us how he repairs these items step by step. https://www.scmp.com/culture/kintsugi-using-gold-fix-broken-pottery-new-art/article/3158862?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/kintsugi-using-gold-fix-broken-pottery-new-art/article/3158862?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Dec 2021 04:05:41 +0000 China’s obesity rate has been on the rise, especially among younger people. A survey found that one in five children aged between 6 and 17 is either overweight or obese. A new industry has popped up to solve this problem — fat camps. We visited one that helps teenagers lose weight. It’s part of one of China’s largest fat camp chains called The Biggest Loser—no relation to the hit TV show. The company started 15 years ago. Today, it has 31 branches across China. This camp runs all year round,... https://www.scmp.com/culture/she-went-fat-camp-escape-being-bullied-school/article/3155788?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/she-went-fat-camp-escape-being-bullied-school/article/3155788?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Nov 2021 03:33:17 +0000 Who knew Hong Kong had the right climate to grow coffee? Since 2017, a group of coffee farmers have set up shop in Lai Chi Wo, a remote village in northeastern Hong Kong. Their aim is to bring life back to this sleepy seaside town while protecting the lush greenery that surrounds it. https://www.scmp.com/travel/only-coffee-farm-hong-kong/article/3153962?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/travel/only-coffee-farm-hong-kong/article/3153962?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Oct 2021 03:04:34 +0000 Lyn Yang Lyn Yang Balltze was just an ordinary Shiba Inu living in Hong Kong. Then, in 2017, his world exploded when a picture of him went viral. Followers started calling him Cheems, and turned him into a meme. He’s now a celebrity in his own right, with more than 400K followers on Instagram.  So what’s a life of fame like for the cute, fluffy dog and his owner? We catch up with them right here in the city and hear how they’re dealing with all the love from their fans across the world. https://www.scmp.com/culture/we-tracked-down-famous-doge-meme-dog-and-hes-real/article/3149903?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/we-tracked-down-famous-doge-meme-dog-and-hes-real/article/3149903?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Sep 2021 03:41:17 +0000 In China, the most popular electric vehicle right now is the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, a tiny, boxy car just under 10 feet long. Its low price and cutesy look has made it a hit among Chinese millennials, who have taken to personalizing their car with Hello Kitty decor and Pokemon decals. Here’s why young people in China love it so much. https://www.scmp.com/culture/little-4500-electric-car-hottest-thing-china-right-now/article/3147471?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/little-4500-electric-car-hottest-thing-china-right-now/article/3147471?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Sep 2021 08:12:19 +0000