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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.
December is the month of the Earth Rat. Illustration: SCMP Graphics
Horoscopes

What’s your luck like in December 2025, the month of the Earth Rat?

It’s the luckiest month of the year for the Ox with the Rat being its astrological friend, while the Snake can also expect smooth sailing.

Hong Kong culture

Language Matters | The enduring legacy of bamboo, a symbol of resilience and strength in Asia

Food and Drinks

Best things to eat in Chaoshan, a food paradise in China’s Guangdong province

China consumption

Pursuit of hoppiness: how China’s cash-conscious drinkers embraced craft beers

As discerning alcohol consumers seek ‘wallet-friendly’ products, premium beers are winning out over higher-end options.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Food and Drinks

Peking duck diplomacy? How a US president’s China visit made the dish famous

Richard Nixon’s televised China trip in 1972 was the first glimpse behind the ‘bamboo curtain’ for many and their first exposure to the dish.

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Women and gender

Being Chinese | Why Chinese women like me are done being quiet and ‘appropriate’

Chinese women are praised for gentleness. Our tone must please; our anger must be graceful. But a new generation is speaking out.

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China consumption

China’s liquor capital faces long march to rebirth as ‘liquid gold’ glory wanes

In Maotai town, baijiu producers diversify offerings while expanding to markets such as Hong Kong and Southeast Asia amid a culture shift and economic challenges.

Illustration: Brian Wang
Art

Taiwan’s National Palace Museum marks 100-year history with stunning displays

The Taipei museum’s centennial exhibitions feature spectacular works spanning paintings, sculptures, pottery and more.

Food and Drinks

How Hong Kong-born chef’s Chinese kitchen knives are cutting through stigma

Chef says ‘made in China’ does not mean low quality and that his modern, affordable chef’s knives challenge ones from Japan and Germany.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Bruce Lee hit the big time and other Hong Kong cinema highlights from 1972

Amid Bruce Lee’s rise to stardom, we look at what else made Hong Kong film headlines in 1972, from a Lee challenger to a local ‘Bond Girl’.

Bruce Lee in a still from Fist of Fury. The 1972 movie cemented the martial arts actor’s superstar status in the Hong Kong cinema industry. Photo: Criterion Collection
Trending in China

Explainer | What Chinese phrase ‘wearing small shoes’ means, how it links to painful bridal shoes

Idiom stretches back to ancient times, invokes acts of revenge and humiliation, is commonly used in today’s workplace.

The Chinese phrase “wearing small shoes” describes someone who makes life difficult for others, an expression which dates back to ancient times. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
Lessons from China's history

Reflections | From slapping body parts to National Games, China’s history of exercise

Used to train soldiers long before its benefits were taught to regular folk, exercise has become a matter of national resilience in China.

Food and Drinks

TCM gets a delicious, Insta-worthy makeover in food and drink

At these gelato and cocktail places in Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur, traditional Chinese medicine is the secret ingredient for their success.

World of performing arts

San Francisco Opera’s The Monkey King is a landmark in cultural exchange

This timeless Chinese folk tale retold as an opera is a sumptuous feast for the eyes and ears that provides a showcase of Chinese culture.

The tenor Kang Wang as the Money King with members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus in Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s “The Monkey King”. The new opera premiered on November 17, 2025. (Photo: Cory Weaver/ San Francisco Opera)
Trending in China

Explainer | Why China Miao ethnic group shows love by biting each other; gentle bites mean unloving

Couple then hold engagement ceremony called ‘eating chicken’ to symbolise approval of marriage.

Among the Miao and Yao ethnic minority groups, young men and women show affection by gently biting each other’s arms. Photo: cecrpa.org.cn
Art

How one factory is keeping Hong Kong’s porcelain craft alive

Set up in 1928, Yuet Tung China Works produces guangcai porcelain used by luxury hotels in Hong Kong and royal families in Europe.

Food and Drinks

One of the fastest Michelin stars ever – Hong Kong-born chef’s restaurant

Udtryk in Copenhagen, Denmark, gained a Michelin star just 41 days after it opened. Owner and chef Edward Lee recounts his culinary journey.

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Chinese zodiac predictions

Is the Year of the Snake’s 10th 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 health, love, work and finances.

Snakes grab the attention of young visitors during the Premium Pet Supplies Expo 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on June 7, 2025. How’s your luck in the Year of the Snake’s 10th month? Feng shui master Andrew Kwan gives his predictions for all 12 Chinese zodiac animal signs. Photo: Nora Tam
Art

The enigmatic collectors’ society opening its vault of Chinese masterpieces

Hundreds of exceptional works go on show at HKMoA as a famously discreet circle of collectors marks its 65th year.

China-Japan relations

Japanese concerts cancelled in China as diplomatic row takes cultural toll

Fans of Kokia and JO1 left disappointed as diplomatic dust-up over Sanae Takaichi’s comments ripples out into the economy.

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Food and Drinks

Male vs female hairy crabs: which are tastiest? Hong Kong chefs explain

Top Hong Kong chefs point out the key differences between male and female hairy crabs, which are best for newbies and how they cook them.

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Steamed hairy crab at Ying Jee Club. The two-Michelin-star Hong Kong restaurant’s head chef, Cheung Kin-ming, is among those who help us understand the differences between female and male hairy crabs, and which might be best for first-timers. Photo: Ying Jee Club
Chinese history

Shameful period? How China’s Qing dynasty brought both wealth and humiliation

China’s final dynasty saw the arts and economy thrive under Manchu rule. But internal and external struggles corroded centuries of stability.

The Qianlong Emperor was the fifth emperor of China’s Qing dynasty, reigning from 1735-1796. Under the Manchus, China’s final dynasty was marked by flourishing arts and economic growth. But in 1912, the imperial system that had survived for centuries collapsed as the country entered the modern era.
US-China relations

Hasan Piker’s China tour draws fire after viral Tiananmen police encounter

Critics say Piker’s praise for China and on-camera run-in highlight risks for Western creators in a sensitive media environment.

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Mainland China

Video | Get a taste of the past in this Chinese restaurant

Driven by ‘emotional consumption,’ Chinese youth are finding solace in splurging on the immersive experience of travelling back to the past for a meal.

Food and Drinks

2025 or 1625? Diners at new Beijing restaurant ‘time travel’ to ancient China

Yan Wai Yan dishes up an eight-act period performance with an eight-course meal and provides hanfu clothing for those wishing to dress up.

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Artists in traditional Chinese clothing perform as customers enjoy their meals at Yan Wai Yan, a new theatrical restaurant in Beijing, China. Photo: AFP
Books and literature

China’s crackdown on same-sex love stories leaves women ‘less happy’

Despite the largest crackdown yet, danmei stories are still available in China – but they are far tamer and, some say, just not as good.

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Women near shelves of merchandise for danmei stories in a comic store in Beijing. China is cracking down on stories about men in love. Photo: AP
Focus

Why Chinese grass-roots culture may be finally taking its place in the limelight

From web literature to video games, Chinese culture is winning fans abroad, where state-sponsored soft power initiatives have fallen flat.

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Internet

Are China’s stars leading fans to be more nationalist – or the other way round?

Study out of the US and Britain looks at how nationalism flows and influences others on Chinese social media.

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