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History
The latest news, analysis and opinion on History. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Visitors bundled up against the cold to see the frost on Tai Mo Shan, where the temperature fell to minus three degrees Celsius in December 1975. Photo: SCMP Archives
From our archives

In pictures: Hong Kong’s coldest days from the 1970s to 2010s

It doesn’t happen often, but Hong Kong occasionally experiences frost and ice during cold snaps, as these images from our archives capture.

Chinese culture

World’s first Chinese rosewood cello stars in Hong Kong exhibition

Japan

Japan weighs disturbing grave of over 700 children to recover WWII relics

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Archaeology and palaeontology

Italy uncovers ancient basilica designed by the ‘father of architecture’ Vitruvius

Mayor calls archeological find in the central Italian city of Fano the ‘discovery of the century’.

Excavations in Piazza Andrea Costa from which large columns emerged, remains believed of the Basilica of Vitruvius, in Fano, Italy on Monday. Photo: EPA / Regione Marche Press Office Handout
Chinese culture

This remote Chinese minority uses horsetail hair to create beautiful embroidery

A craft passed down for thousands of years, the horsetail embroidery of China’s Shui people is deemed a local intangible cultural heritage.

Science

Chinese team restores legendary Tang dynasty ‘golden’ armour from Tibetan tomb

Tomb’s occupant confirmed to be a Tuyuhun king and the golden armour is likely to have been among his prized possessions, conservators say.

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Style Edit

Style Edit: The story behind the Louis Vuitton Monogram

Designed to defeat counterfeiters 130 years ago, the motif has become one of the most recognisable in all of fashion, seen on everyone from Audrey Hepburn to Zendaya.

The story behind the now famous Louis Vuitton Monogram that has adorned the luxury brand’s luggage for 130 years. Photo: Handout
Timepieces

Horology’s most storied addresses: watch museums, workshops and archives

These locales, from museums to brands’ own premises, are hallowed grounds for watch fans, giving them insights and a peek into timekeeping history.

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | What a Chinese hero’s fatal love of raw fish warns us about uncooked food

The recent sale of the most expensive tuna in Tokyo reflects sushi’s popularity, but an episode in Chinese history shows raw food’s dangers.

Chinese culture

7 horse-themed Chinese idioms to use during the Year of the Horse

Horses symbolise strength, speed and health in Chinese culture. Here are seven sayings based on the animal, with Cantonese pronunciations.

Horses are the subject of many Chinese idioms. Here are seven of the most popular horse-related expressions in Chinese, how to pronounce them in Cantonese and the stories behind them. Photo: Shutterstock
Ukraine war

Opinion | Why Russia is gambling on a protracted war in Ukraine

Despite a stagnating economy and mounting casualties on the battlefield, Moscow believes it can wait out Ukrainian and Western resolve.

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Ukrainian rescuers work to extinguish a fire at a heavily damaged residential building following Russian drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 9. Photo: AFP
Chinese culture

What the Chinese surname Ma, meaning ‘horse’, symbolises and how it spread

Ma is one of mainland China’s most common surnames and is interestingly even prevalent among Chinese Muslims. We look at its history.

From our archives

In Pictures: majestic sailing ships that made Hong Kong a port of call

Hong Kong waters have long attracted some of the world’s most impressive sailing boats, harking back to the days when wind power ruled the waves.

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | How ancient Chinese dental practices were often similar to those used today

From gargling with medicinal concoctions to chewing sticks, people in China addressed dental health with considerable ingenuity.

Brushing one’s teeth is a basic part of oral hygiene today. Centuries ago, Chinese people used chewing sticks, among other methods, to keep their teeth clean. Photo: Shutterstock
Legacy of war in Asia

Opinion | Amid historical tensions with Japan, Hong Kong must engage for the future

Remembering the pain of the Nanking massacre does not preclude engagement, but ensures lessons of the past strengthen our shared commitment to peace.

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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and government officials at the ceremony of the Nanking massacre memorial held at the government’s headquarters on December 13. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Rolex

Think platinum trumps gold? The Rolex Day-Date proves you wrong

Gold is more desirable than platinum in the jewellery market, and is worth more – so why is the platinum version of this watch more expensive?

Fashion

History of Chinese-style ‘frog buttons’, seen on viral Adidas jacket

Used in China for centuries, frog buttons are a key feature of a limited-edition Adidas jacket that has become a huge hit on social media.

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Obituaries

Anne Frank’s stepsister, Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, dies at 96

Schloss co-founded the Anne Frank Trust UK foundation in 1990 to pass on the memory of the Holocaust to young people and combat prejudice.

Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss, the stepsister of Anne Frank and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust UK, has died aged 96, her foundation said on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Science

As I see it | We can now watch our own genes dance

Modern biology reveals a real miracle: how broken pieces of molecules evolved into a species that became conscious of its own genetic make-up.

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US-China relations

US poet laureate Arthur Sze on slowing down to translate poetry across cultures

As the first Asian-American poet laureate, Sze reflects on Chinese cultural inheritance and poetry’s role beyond borders.

Luxury Hotels

Review | Old-world charm meets modern refinement at The Edison George Town, Penang

Set in a heritage colonial building dating back to 1906, the hotel underwent a 4-year restoration to bring it up to contemporary standards of luxury.

The Edison George Town is housed in a 1906 heritage colonial building in the heart of George Town, capital of the Malaysian island of Penang. Photo: Handout
China economy

Opinion | As history makes clear, a powerful China is not expansionist

China was an unmatched power in the Song and Ming dynasties, with greater concentrated authority. But it consolidated, rather than colonised.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
From our archives

Hong Kong swimmers braving the cold on New Year’s Day, from the 1970s to 2000s

A perennial test of courage, the city’s New Year Winter Swimming Lifesaving Championships race celebrates its 50th year in 2026.

Chinese culture

The Chinese cowboys challenging narratives of the American Old West

Whether through art or immersion in the rancher lifestyle, these Asian men are redefining what it means to be a cowboy in the American West.

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Asia travel

Travel stories from 2025 that will fuel your wanderlust for the year ahead

We recall 7 travel stories from the past year to inspire you in 2026, covering China food trips to a Hongkonger’s life-changing adventure.

Kaylie Lau outside Kalan Mosque, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Earlier this year, the Post spoke to the Hongkonger who is currently on a trip from Asia to Europe, taking no flights and carrying only one backpack. Photo: Kaylie Lau
Special Report - Jewellery

Mughal jewellery shines bright at Hong Kong Palace Museum exhibition

The Mughal dynasty’s opulent jewellery tradition continues to inspire contemporary designers and captivate collectors worldwide.

Red grid and chevron enamel heritage hoop earrings, on display at the Hong Kong Palace Museum till February 2026. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong Voices

A fifth-gen shop owner on closing the business despite his umbrella obsession

The 73-year-old owner of Sun Nga Shing Umbrella Store in Sham Shui Po recently announced that he would be closing the family business, which dates back to the Qing dynasty.

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Chinese historical myths that are accepted as fact, and why they’ve endured

Like Singapore’s ‘ejection’ from Malaysia, Chinese history contains fallacies, including ones about Sun Yat-sen and Empress Dowager Cixi.

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