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Culture

Zodiac relics from destroyed Summer Palace now in Hong Kong

SURVIVING ZODIAC HEAD STATUES from a glorious imperial garden destroyed by British and French soldiers in the Opium War in 1860 are on show at City University of Hong Kong. The Old Summer Palace, known as Yuanmingyuan (圓明園), was a huge area, covering more than 3.5 square kilometres of land in Beijing. Historians say it…

August 10, 20230Comments ByH.C. Lu

Chinese history

The emperor treated everyone harshly—except one man

IT WAS EXTRAORDINARILY RISKY to be the brother of Yinzhen (胤禛), the fourth son of Emperor Kangxi (康熙帝). Yinzhen wanted the throne really badly. A cold-blooded man, he imprisoned some of his 23 brothers and killed one who had the same mother as he did. He wanted to get rid of competition to become the…

August 3, 20230Comments ByEmily Zhou

China news Chinese history

Forbidden City cats become celebrities in their own right

CATS AT THE FORBIDDEN CITY in Beijing have become celebrities. They now regularly appear in TV programs and on social media. They also count as part of the historical tale of the complex. In ancient times, emperors and other royal family members owned cats which they pampered, just like modern cat-lovers. In the Ming…

August 1, 20230Comments ByH.C. Lu

Culture

In a village above the clouds

IN A SNOWY VILLAGE high above cloud level, two fur-clad young girls travel to a frozen mountain top lake and stand on the surface, surrounded by elders. They smash through the ice to take a ceremonial ladleful of sacred water, and then everyone sings and dances. It is the most ancient of rituals in a…

July 18, 20230Comments ByNury Vittachi

China news Chinese history

Teacher Ye refused to retire

MEET AN ACTUAL COMMUNIST PARTY MEMBER. When teacher Ye Lianping hit retirement age, he felt he was still able to contribute to society, but had been left behind by the world. So he turned part of his home into a school and re-started work as a teacher, focusing on children “left behind” by society because…

July 5, 20230Comments ByNury Vittachi

Culture

Palace Museum’s cool gifts take art to the young

ASK A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE whether they want to learn about ancient Chinese art, and they will politely reply: “No, thank you, Uncle.” Now ask them whether they want purple lipstick or the coolest smartphone case EVER and watch them suddenly become interested! Such has been the strategy of the keepers of the Palace…

July 4, 20230Comments ByH.C. Lu

Culture

How Asian Portrayal in Hollywood Has Evolved: A Movie Timeline

"ALL REPRESENTATION IS GOOD REPRESENTATION.” Really? Well, in the case of Asian portrayal in film, this feels rather untrue. Certainly, the creation of super-villain Dr. Fu Manchu, below, to display "the unemotional cruelty of the Chinese” on screen, does not inspire much confidence. Publicity still for The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) showing English…

June 29, 20230Comments ByPortia Chung

Chinese history

Visiting the thatched home of China’s great poet-sage Du Fu

Could I get mansions covering ten thousand miles, I’d house all scholars poor and make them beam with smiles. In wind and rain these mansions would stand like mountains high. Alas! Should these houses appear before my eye, Frozen in my unroofed cot, content I’d die. -- the poem “My Thatched Hut was torn apart…

June 28, 20230Comments ByEmily Zhou

Chinese history Hong Kong News

Failed rescue mission: amazing tale behind Dragon Boat Races

It started with a death in the river, the legend says. But no one could predict the scale of the repercussions - which are marked today, more than 22 centuries later, with international sports events. The original festival has deep mainland Chinese roots, but was popularized worldwide by the people of Hong Kong. The…

June 21, 20230Comments ByNury Vittachi

Chinese food

How a Chinese pancake inspired the invention of pizza

PIZZA AND PASTA: the hallmarks of the ever-popular Italian cuisine. For centuries, these two dishes have captivated taste buds around the world, prompting Italian food to rise to star status among the world’s hundreds of cuisines. Whether you grab a one-dollar slice on the streets of New York City or wait months for a seating…

June 21, 20230Comments ByPortia Chung

Culture

Zodiac relics from destroyed Summer Palace now in Hong Kong

The emperor treated everyone harshly—except one man

Forbidden City cats become celebrities in their own right

In a village above the clouds

Teacher Ye refused to retire

Palace Museum’s cool gifts take art to the young

How Asian Portrayal in Hollywood Has Evolved: A Movie Timeline

Visiting the thatched home of China’s great poet-sage Du Fu

Failed rescue mission: amazing tale behind Dragon Boat Races

How a Chinese pancake inspired the invention of pizza

Starmer meets Xi today, hopes to rebuild UK’s relationship

Treasures from 800-year-old sunken vessel exhibited in Hong Kong

At the Great Wall, I learned how the Chinese dealt with their enemies