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Chinese culture

Chinese culture
Latest news and updates on Chinese culture including the country’s traditions, food, values, history and festivals.
Janet Kung and Kwok Ka-ming are the champions again. Photo: Karma Lo
Hong Kong society

Bun king and queen scramble to victory once again at Cheung Chau festival

Kwok Ka‑ming wins the men’s crown for the 11th time while Janet Kung also successfully defends her title.

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Food and Drinks

A Vietnamese-American’s quest to make the perfect Peking duck

China’s Communist Party

Video | How a rural French town became the cradle of Chinese communism

Chinese history

The dark story of Consort Wan, 17 years older than the emperor who loved her

Wan Zhen’er became a beloved consort of Emperor Chenghua against all conventions, but records indicate a pernicious side to her tale.

Tavia Yeung (left) as Consort Wan Zhen’er in a scene from The Emperor’s Harem (2011). Wan Zhen’er rose from child servant to Emperor Chenghua’s beloved consort. Photo: Lafeng Entertainment
Lessons from China's history

Reflections | The earliest Chinese irons date back over 2,000 years. Here’s how they evolved

Long before electric irons, the Chinese had already developed sophisticated methods of pressing and smoothing garments.

Hong Kong

Origin of Hong Kong’s ‘peace buns’, Cheung Chau Bun Festival’s iconic snack

‘Ping on bao’ are both happily eaten and the focus of the festival’s famous bun scrambling competition. One baker explains how he makes them.

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Food and Drinks

The Hong Kong chefs serving up East-West fusion food without the stigma

We meet three Hong Kong restaurant pioneers who are elevating the maligned food trend by serving French and Nordic dishes with Asian accents.

Chinese liangpi noodles done in a Nordic style at Aera, in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan neighbourhood. Chef Chevalier Yau’s restaurant is one of a handful in the city that are removing the stigma from fusion food, which has been dismissed by serious chefs in recent years. Photo: Instagram/aera.hk
Art

Soft Hours: artist Juno Shen’s Song dynasty teahouse for today’s New Yorkers

An ode to slow living that dovetails with ‘Chinamaxxing’ trends, the fully functional artwork/retreat serves teas that change according to the seasons in keeping with ancient Chinese beliefs.

Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Got7’s Jackson Wang went from Hong Kong fencing prodigy to global music icon

One of the world’s most prominent Chinese singers, Jackson Wang was a star fencer before his music career exploded with K-pop boy band Got7.

Food and Drinks

The story of Snow Garden, Hong Kong restaurant loved by the rich and famous

Frequented by people such as Run Run Shaw, Jet Li’s wife Nina Li Chi and Macau’s Stanley Ho, Snow Garden continues to delight Hongkongers.

The Snow Garden Restaurant in North Point, which brought Shanghai-Huaiyang dishes usually reserved for private clubs to the general public, opened in the 1980s and served as the chain’s flagship until 2009. Photo: SCMP
Food and Drinks

A food critic’s top Hong Kong restaurants for sushi, Cantonese and Chiu Chow

Entertainment journalist Eileen Cha, who grew up on Cantonese and Hunanese food, says she has a split personality palate.

Ho Ho Chak, which means “delicious” in the Teochew dialect, is a popular Chiu Chow restaurant in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui district.
Books and literature

She rejected her Chinese heritage as a child. Now, she writes about it

Scottish-born Eliza Chan, who once dropped out of medical school, is a fantasy writer who marries Eastern myths with Western folklore.

Performing arts in Hong Kong

East meets West in melodic concert blending the suona with the organ

Organist Eric Chan will make his Hong Kong debut in a programme that marries the Western pipe organ with the suona, a Chinese woodwind.

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Style Edit

Style Edit: Hermès’ revamped Elements store is a cosmology-inspired escape

The maison’s revamped boutique in West Kowloon layers phoenix-inspired ceramics, stylish salons and curated art into a calm, fable-inspired setting.

A phoenix feather-inspired facade graces the outside of Hermès’ Elements store in West Kowloon, Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why Alex Law and Mabel Cheung’s nostalgic films are among their finest

Two of the most poignant movies by life partners Law and Cheung explore migration and memory, and star the likes of Sammo Hung and Simon Yam.

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Simon Yam (left) and Sandra Ng in a still from Echoes of the Rainbow (2010).
Chinese zodiac predictions

Is the Year of the Horse’s fourth month lucky for you? Forecasts for all signs

Feng shui master Andrew Kwan breaks down this lunar month’s prospects for all 12 Chinese zodiac signs in work, finances, romance and health.

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | How the Chinese did laundry before washing machines: ash ‘soap’, stone beatings

Before chemical detergents and modern equipment, Chinese people kept their clothes clean with little more than river water, wood and ash.

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Icons and Influencers

Couture craft meets whimsical walls in Laura Cheung’s Lala Curio

Craft traditions inform bespoke wall coverings and collectable objects for the contemporary home at the brand’s Peninsula Hong Kong showroom.

Laura Cheung, founder of Lala Curio, at its flagship store at The Peninsula, Hong Kong. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
China’s film industry

How a tiny indie movie sparked a major tourist boom in southern China

Made on a shoestring budget, the hit drama Dear You has triggered a surge of interest in the history of southern China’s Teochew diaspora.

Mainland China

Being Chinese | How to deal with this ‘very Chinese time’ in Western lives

The question is not whether outsiders are getting China or Chinese culture right, but what we choose to do with their attention.

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Video | Executive chef offers insight into Xi-Trump banquet

The state banquet menu blended Chinese cuisine and Western favourites, with a nod to the US president’s personal tastes.

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Asian diaspora

Why Chinese-Canadian Derek Kwan is so much more than a ‘token Asian’ actor

As Hallmark’s mahjong movie faces a backlash, actor Derek Kwan talks about championing authentic Asian narratives by making his own films.

Chinese-Canadian filmmaker and actor Derek Kwan on the sets of his short film 100 Days, which was filmed in a functioning Chinese restaurant in Vancouver. Kwan wants to move beyond “token Asian” supporting roles in film. Photo: Instagram/seasonsofeastvan
Horoscopes

Horoscopes: what’s your luck like in May and early June 2026, Water Snake month?

Snakes will have to work harder, Dragons can play to their strengths, and Rabbits should pay attention to health this month.

2026 Xi-Trump summit

The message China wants to send by hosting Trump at Temple of Heaven

Beijing urges US president ‘to hold the line on peaceful coexistence’ as it prepares to host him at heritage site.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | A Man and a Woman: Hong Kong-set quarantine drama is a tough watch

Neighbouring hotel guests develop a relationship over the course of their 21-day quarantine in Hong Kong in Guan Hu’s pandemic-set drama.

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Ni Ni (left) and Huang Bo in a still from A Man and A Woman.
Food and Drinks

‘Liquid yin and yang’? How Hong Kong bartenders work with Chinese chefs

Leading mixologists from Duddell’s, Vea and Mott 32 share their tips on curating ideal flavour pairings between cocktails and courses.

In Hong Kong, Duddell’s cocktails draw inspiration from the Ba Gua and are specifically designed to pair with the restaurant’s Cantonese cuisine. Photo: Handout
Wellness

Why tai chi and qigong are great for health, and English classes in Hong Kong

The Chinese ‘internal’ arts of tai chi and qigong offer a host of health benefits and are slowly becoming more accessible to English speakers.

Asia travel

Best things to do in China’s Nanjing, from food and architecture to history

Planning a weekend in Nanjing? Here’s an itinerary to consider for visiting the bustling metropolis in eastern China.

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