https://www.scmp.com/rss/71/feed In-depth features, fashion, travel, interiors, food & drink, books and art en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Mid-Autumn Festival preparations begin long before the autumn moon appears. Throughout the mid- to late-20th century, gifting mooncakes was an essential gesture of goodwill and familial respect in Hong Kong. However, they were a luxury that few could afford to buy outright, and so neighbourhood bakeries offered instalment plans – known as mooncake clubs – that allowed families to deposit small monthly sums to guarantee a cherished box of the stodgy treats come festival night. Although the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367468/pictures-evolution-hong-kongs-mid-autumn-mooncake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367468/pictures-evolution-hong-kongs-mid-autumn-mooncake?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Aaina Bhargava Aaina Bhargava It might sound and look like an odd juxtaposition: chef-nun Jeong Kwan, of Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table fame, unearthing kimchi she has been fermenting for 10 weeks next to a new installation by British sculptor Antony Gormley. Yet, set in Bukhara’s 16th century Khoja Kalon Mosque, the two made perfect sense as collaborative highlights of the closing ceremony of the inaugural Bukhara Biennial, which ran from September 5 to November 23 last year. A contemporary art festival, the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367454/bukhara-biennial-spearheads-cultural-blossoming-city-well-wider-uzbekistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367454/bukhara-biennial-spearheads-cultural-blossoming-city-well-wider-uzbekistan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Jing Zhang Jing Zhang I WAS BORN in Hong Kong in 1964. My parents came from Shandong province, in mainland China, arriving illegally, later legalised – a common story for that generation. I went to the all-boys Salesian School, in Chai Wan, and was not a good student. I spent all my time messing around with friends. Then, at 17 or 18, I watched a film called Boat People (1982) and there was a character holding a camera who looked cool. Something happened in me. “I want to be that,” I thought. Not the actor – the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367439/wing-shya-photographer-wong-kar-wai-working-great-and-good-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367439/wing-shya-photographer-wong-kar-wai-working-great-and-good-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Thomas Bird Thomas Bird Travellers rolling north through Metro Manila along the Skyway are treated to an elevated perspective of the Philippine capital. The land is pancake flat but the buildings – from bric-a-brac slums to gilded high-rises – reach for the heavens. My partner and I, too, are headed higher. Our aim is simple – to escape the city heat and exchange the pervasive congestion for nights that aren’t polluted by light, and days by smog. The most obvious solution would be to take a ferry to some exotic isle –... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3367827/escape-manilas-heat-northern-luzons-pine-scented-hills-hanging-coffins-and-other-hidden-wonders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3367827/escape-manilas-heat-northern-luzons-pine-scented-hills-hanging-coffins-and-other-hidden-wonders?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au On the scenic drive east from Almaty, in Kazakhstan, along the old corridor of the A351 highway, towards the Charyn Canyon National Park, and the Xinjiang border beyond that, sits an unassuming museum run by an unlikely duo. Nurbol Baimukhanov, 50, is an independent, published researcher of shezhire – traditional Kazakh genealogies, historically memorised and passed down through generations – and an award-winning documentary producer who speaks in equal parts archaeology and mysticism. His son... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367421/ode-horse-5000-years-equine-domestication-display-new-kazakh-museum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367421/ode-horse-5000-years-equine-domestication-display-new-kazakh-museum?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini DO THIS Reptile Territory at Ocean Park Hong Kong Not a fan of soft, furry critters? What about cold-blooded, scaly ones? Ocean Park Hong Kong cut the ribbon on its new reptile sanctuary late last month, so it’s high time to meet this cohort of four-legged tenants, from the plant-loving rhinoceros iguana and the endangered Chinese crocodile lizard to the stunning panther chameleon with its colour-changing abilities, the semi-aquatic sailfin lizard with its fan-like dorsal crest, the giant... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3367419/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-september-17-26?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3367419/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-september-17-26?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Sugar Daddy Fabio Bardi, patissier extraordinaire, wants to treat us right with … confectioneries, of course. At Sugar Daddy, the Italian colazione al bar tradition – a casual, speed- and convenience-driven breakfast at a cafe, typically consisting of coffee and a cornetto – comes to life. His signature maritozzo alla panna (a brioche bun filled with whipped cream) is the star of the show, but the chef-founder also levels up the options with a tiramisu variation. Other indulgences include a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3367407/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-sugar-daddys-italian-pastries-japanese-chiuchow-fusion-fare-chiu-san?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3367407/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-sugar-daddys-italian-pastries-japanese-chiuchow-fusion-fare-chiu-san?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:06 +0000 Fionnuala McHugh Fionnuala McHugh On a recent afternoon, Paul French – British author, broadcaster, blogger but definitely not, as he always stresses, an academic – is explaining his technique. “My trick, which I suppose is reasonably successful, is to try and write Chinese history linked to a genre that lots and lots of people read, [because] there’s that many people” – his finger and thumb indicate a space so narrow you’d hardly be able to pass a sliver of paper between them – “who read books on China. And there’s this many... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367403/paul-french-lifts-veil-final-months-chinas-last-emperor-forbidden-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367403/paul-french-lifts-veil-final-months-chinas-last-emperor-forbidden-city?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:06 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Even at more than 120 years old, there are still firsts for the South China Morning Post. One of them was this month’s anticipated debut of our signature China Conference business, trade and investment forum in Astana, Kazakhstan. In honour of that milestone, and the exciting developments brewing in this fast-flourishing region, the curation for this issue includes two tales from Central Asia. Hei Kiu Au saddles up for a journey to the Great Steppe, where a father and son have raised a monument... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3367205/week-postmag-guqin-revival-odes-central-asia-and-peek-puyis-last-days-emperor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3367205/week-postmag-guqin-revival-odes-central-asia-and-peek-puyis-last-days-emperor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Beimeng Fu Beimeng Fu The global landscape for LGBTQ culture has shifted dramatically since the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) debuted in 1989. Over the past 37 years, queer art and media have stepped out of underground venues into a vibrant scene, immortalised locally by icons such as Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing. The festival’s enduring run attests to the community’s resilience, proving how the transformative power of cinema continues to push the envelope while creating a sanctuary for generations to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367192/hong-kong-film-festival-celebrates-37-years-queer-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367192/hong-kong-film-festival-celebrates-37-years-queer-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Kamala Thiagarajan Kamala Thiagarajan When civil servant Jackel Wan Chak-kui, 28, first heard a guqin being played, he was a young boy wandering through Chi Lin Nunnery, in Diamond Hill. He remembers being entranced by the instrument’s music, at once subtle and comforting. It seemed to envelop him like a warm embrace, complementing the natural beauty of the gardens, melding with stone, water, wood and stillness. Years later, as a student at Baptist University, Wan chanced upon the sound again, while scrolling through YouTube. He... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367028/hong-kong-guqin-devotees-embrace-ancient-zithers-history-philosophy-and-craft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3367028/hong-kong-guqin-devotees-embrace-ancient-zithers-history-philosophy-and-craft?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au On September 12 and 13, world leaders and ambassadors are due to gather in New Delhi for the 18th Brics Summit, with President Xi Jinping expected to be among them – his first visit to India since 2019. It is a moment of cautious optimism in a relationship that has see-sawed between tension and thaw for the better part of a decade, marked by such events as the 2017 Doklam (Donglang) stand-off and the 2020 clashes in the Galwan valley. But as politicians cook up deals and diplomacy, two chefs in... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3366728/indo-chinese-cuisine-hong-kong-delicious-dialogue-cultures-and-flavours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3366728/indo-chinese-cuisine-hong-kong-delicious-dialogue-cultures-and-flavours?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:06 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak From bustling 1960s workshops to next-generation AI labs, Hong Kong’s industrial landscape has undergone a remarkable evolution. In the mid-20th century, the city established itself as a global light-manufacturing hub, driven by crowded factory floors where textiles, plastics and consumer electronics were produced by hand. As production migrated across border to the mainland cities of the Pearl River Delta, Hong Kong pivoted towards finance and trade while keeping its inventive edge. Home-grown... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3365879/pictures-factory-floors-ai-evolution-innovation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3365879/pictures-factory-floors-ai-evolution-innovation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Jing Zhang Jing Zhang I WAS BORN in Lima, Ohio, a small city in the United States, to high-school sweethearts, in 1987. My childhood was split between the inner city and my great-grandparents’ farm: livestock, a wood-burning furnace, the whole thing. Although both my parents had been athletes, I never saw them in their prime. Instead, I watched my older sister. My parents split up when I was six or seven, and we moved to Columbus. My mum worked four jobs to support us. Money was tight, but there were constants: Bruce... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3365871/ohio-hong-kong-former-nba-player-bryant-austins-basketball-journey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3365871/ohio-hong-kong-former-nba-player-bryant-austins-basketball-journey?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Il Presidente Italian la dolce vita finds an exciting home on Duddell Street, at the Marcello Scognamiglio- and Félix de Arriaga Balanzat-led Il Presidente. Building on the runaway success of Trattoria Felino, the co-founders highlight regional favourites such as agnolotti all’ossobuco and costoletta alla Valdostana (breaded veal chop stuffed with Fontina and smoked ham). Dix Design has draped the 70-seater restaurant in sumptuous sunset tones, set against white-clothed tables, high-pile... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3365862/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-italian-eatery-il-presidente-fujian-cuisine-hotspot-quan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3365862/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-italian-eatery-il-presidente-fujian-cuisine-hotspot-quan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Marissa Carruthers Marissa Carruthers Under the cloak of darkness, runners gather in their hundreds at the entrance to the Angkor Wat temple complex, in Cambodia’s Siem Reap. They wait in groups, stretching muscles to pumping house music while a little way off, apsara dancers and traditional Khmer musicians help lift the early-morning energy. Volunteers, many of whom have been at the site since 2am, hand out bottles of water to a crowd of runners and spectators that started arriving at 3.30am, ahead of the staggered starts of the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3365857/angkor-wat-marathon-6500-runners-race-through-cambodias-ancient-khmer-empire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3365857/angkor-wat-marathon-6500-runners-race-through-cambodias-ancient-khmer-empire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Lu-Ann Ong Lu-Ann Ong Every visitor to China eventually has the same conversation. Someone asks if you have been to the Great Wall. You say, “Yes”, and they ask which bit. You realise, often for the first time, that the question is more pointed than it sounds. There is, in the end, one Great Wall: a 2,000-year building project begun by competing kingdoms before China was unified, linked and extended by the first emperor after unification, Qin Shi Huang, and rebuilt in the Ming period, from 1368 onwards, into the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3365848/have-you-been-great-wall-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3365848/have-you-been-great-wall-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Faye Bradley Faye Bradley To many, Nancy Kwan Ka-shen is the actress who rose to international stardom for her role in the 1960 film The World of Suzie Wong, based on the book of the same name, about a sex worker in Wan Chai who meets a wealthy American (played by William Holden). Kwan’s story, however, is far richer than any single role. From breaking barriers for Asian actors in Hollywood and standing her ground in an industry that was rigid and often prejudiced, to founding her own ballet studio, producing films and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3365826/nancy-kwans-enduring-legacy-six-decades-after-release-world-suzie-wong-interview?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3365826/nancy-kwans-enduring-legacy-six-decades-after-release-world-suzie-wong-interview?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Doris Lam Doris Lam If a good pint is what you’re after, Matt Richardson may have a solution. As one of the brains behind The Boar, a new British public house (where the shortened form and better-known term, “pub”, comes from) and restaurant in Central, he has been working to bring an authentic watering-hole experience to Hong Kong – even travelling to Ireland to perfect the Guinness pour in time for the establishment’s September 1 opening. “I’m going to Dublin in two weeks, just to study it,” Richardson tells me... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3366069/exclusive-boar-brings-authentic-british-pub-experience-hong-kongs-central?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3366069/exclusive-boar-brings-authentic-british-pub-experience-hong-kongs-central?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 05:55:30 +0000 P. Ramakrishnan P. Ramakrishnan A particular kind of energy settles over Hong Kong Science Park on a weekday morning: researchers, deep in conversation, cross footbridges with laptop bags slung over shoulders; engineers transport prototypes between buildings, hunting for the next set of testing conditions; the air is rich with the buzz and hum of a community that has, over a quarter of a century, grown from reclaimed land at Pak Shek Kok into the largest start-up incubation platform in the city. Hong Kong Science and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3365456/hong-kong-science-park-celebrates-25-years-innovation-and-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3365456/hong-kong-science-park-celebrates-25-years-innovation-and-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini How is a legacy defined? Of the many profound, poetic and compelling words that far more eloquent scribes have strung together to capture that notion and its palpable impact, perhaps American songwriter, actor, filmmaker and librettist Lin-Manuel Miranda summed it up best when he penned the following lines, for his hit musical Hamilton: “It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me.” Legacy is intertwined with that... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3365660/week-postmag-hong-kongs-leading-tech-hub-marks-25th-anniversary-focus-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3365660/week-postmag-hong-kongs-leading-tech-hub-marks-25th-anniversary-focus-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:00:12 +0000 PostMag Reporter PostMag Reporter DO THIS Afternoon Dim Sum Paw-ty On September 6, from 3pm to 5pm, four-legged friends can join their paw-rents at Sichuan Verandah for afternoon delights. While humans tuck into a six-course set menu, pups can enjoy a basket of gourmet “doggy dim sum”. After the meal, head to the adjoining Garden Terrace for fun and games, including a Best-Dressed Dog contest with toy prizes from Wooffoo, photo ops, an etiquette class for canine dining and a mini market. 2/F, West Tower, Hyatt Centric Victoria... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3365469/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-august-29-september-12?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3365469/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-august-29-september-12?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:18 +0000 PostMag Reporter PostMag Reporter Once a year, the Jellicle cats gather for their annual ball, and this year, Hong Kong is the stage. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical Cats is touring the world once more, making a stop in the city for the first time since 2018. With a dramatic set, dynamic choreography and fur-ocious costumes, alongside a local surprise to ground the production, this promises to be a captivating spectacle. Cats’ latest residence in Hong Kong is a testament to the show’s enduring appeal. More than... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3365465/andrew-lloyd-webbers-cats-musical-returns-hong-kong-cantonese-twist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3365465/andrew-lloyd-webbers-cats-musical-returns-hong-kong-cantonese-twist?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa In January 2025, Rahul Sharma ran his first marathon, in Mumbai, India. Months later, he learned of British ultra-endurance athlete William Goodge, who ran across Australia in 35 days, a journey of 3,800km (2,361 miles). It was all the encouragement the then 24-year-old needed to up his game. Within weeks, the Melbourne-based exercise physiologist had rallied two of his best friends and decided on a goal: he would run 566km (352 miles) from Point Pedro, the northernmost point of Sri Lanka, to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3365183/born-fly-documents-hong-kong-born-rahul-sharmas-world-record-566km-run-across-sri-lanka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3365183/born-fly-documents-hong-kong-born-rahul-sharmas-world-record-566km-run-across-sri-lanka?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Peter Neville-Hadley Peter Neville-Hadley It would be odd to visit the Netherlands without spending time in Amsterdam, the canal-laced city of slender, leaning houses in patterned brick with their toothy stepped gables, famous for its Rembrandts and Van Goghs, and for action-movie speedboat chases along its waterways and under narrow humpbacked bridges. Some visitors are attracted less by this culture than by the city’s cheerful open-mindedness; sex workers on display in windows among everyday shopping in a central red-light district... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364656/beyond-amsterdam-amersfoorts-15th-century-charm-lies-its-canals-cafes-and-tourist-free-calm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364656/beyond-amsterdam-amersfoorts-15th-century-charm-lies-its-canals-cafes-and-tourist-free-calm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Before digital screens offered instant previews, taking photographs was an exercise in patient precision. Miscalculating exposure or framing – or later in the process, mishandling rolls of film – could ruin a cherished memory. Through the 1960s and 70s, residents and visiting tourists alike rationed every shutter click, gradually shifting from classic black-and-white to vivid colour stock as film remained a costly luxury. In the 90s, compact cameras – both still and video – became the norm,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3364394/pictures-film-smartphone-how-hong-kong-has-been-photographed-through-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3364394/pictures-film-smartphone-how-hong-kong-has-been-photographed-through-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Peter Neville-Hadley Peter Neville-Hadley From Tenerife to Thessaloniki, demonstrators’ chants and roadside graffiti alike say, “Tourists go home”, although sometimes in rather stronger language. Around the world, the residents of “must-see” destinations can no longer see each other for the crowds, and increasingly view tourists less as benefactors and more as a bane. Local authorities are responding ever more robustly to their complaints. To drink alcohol in certain Amsterdam streets now attracts a fine of €95 (US$110), while in the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364773/how-be-good-tourist-guide-modern-traveller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364773/how-be-good-tourist-guide-modern-traveller?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I WAS BORN in Perth, in Western Australia, in 1945. During the second world war, my father was with the military in an administrative position and left Australia in 1940 on the first troop-ship that departed. This was the Empress of Japan, a converted Canadian Pacific liner. I have one brother, Ross, who’s two years younger. We moved to Melbourne a few years later, and my mother and I flew down on one of the first commercial passenger flights. My brother and I went to Canterbury Primary School... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364387/perth-pyramids-hong-kongs-graham-elsom-lifetime-travel-and-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364387/perth-pyramids-hong-kongs-graham-elsom-lifetime-travel-and-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Yusang In the mood for anju (drinking snacks) and sool (alcoholic beverages)? Yusang, in Prince’s Building, puts a polished twist on the beloved Korean dining tradition of gathering over shared plates and an unbridled flow of drinks, moving past casual bar bites hastily washed down with tipples to create a harmonious experience built on respecting food and drink as equally important components of a winning meal. Soju, makgeolli, fruit wines and aged spirits are paired with such dishes as... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364384/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-korean-hotspot-yusang-song-dynasty-inspired-canto-jade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364384/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-korean-hotspot-yusang-song-dynasty-inspired-canto-jade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard Pop-ups are a reflection of the times. Whether they signal society’s constant hunger for something new, a leap of faith in unconventional concepts or a fear of commitment, temporary dining experiences have become commonplace in Hong Kong. While the concept is not new, its modern iteration owes its rise to social media. In the 2010s, blogs and early Twitter users helped popularise the format by promoting events backed by celebrities and influencers, and invoking FOMO (the fear of missing out). In... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364383/brief-encounters-rise-hong-kongs-foodie-pop-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364383/brief-encounters-rise-hong-kongs-foodie-pop-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au At a farm in Kaiping, in Guangdong province, in a rural landscape punctuated by weathered diaolou watchtowers, low-rise ancestral halls and countless rows of neatly stacked earthenware jars of ageing soy sauce, a flock of Magang geese is enjoying the soulful crooning of Bobby Darin. In fact, these birds have been listening to a lot of jazz lately, not just “Beyond the Sea”. The playlist also includes Bob Acri and Richard Rodgers numbers – tunes your grandfather might have nodded along to. But... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364376/magang-geese-and-jazz-gen-z-siblings-put-modern-twist-guangdongs-culinary-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364376/magang-geese-and-jazz-gen-z-siblings-put-modern-twist-guangdongs-culinary-heritage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Thomas Bird Thomas Bird “Peking wore the green lace of spring, its thousands of willows and imperial cypresses making the Forbidden City a place of wonder and enchantment,” American journalist Edgar Snow wrote of Beijing in 1936. Ninety years later, strolling before the vermillion ramparts of the Forbidden City, it’s clear that Beijing’s mass conversion to electric vehicles has rendered the city not only cleaner than it has been of late, but also quieter – allowing Zhongshan Park to bloom much as Snow described. Snow’s... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364251/high-speed-journey-through-chinas-past-and-present?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3364251/high-speed-journey-through-chinas-past-and-present?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:11 +0000 David Ho David Ho Lights, music, 54 horses. Add a dash of spectacular acrobatics and a captivating storyline, and you’ll end up with one of the most exciting shows in town. Some might even say it’s the mane event of the season. After wowing European audiences (more than nine million of them in more than 30 cities, apparently), Cavalluna – Gate to the Otherworld arrives in Hong Kong for a run of eight performances. Held at Kai Tak Arena from September 8 to 13, it’s fitting that the city gets an equestrian... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3364051/cavallunas-equestrian-spectacular-gallops-hong-kong-september?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3364051/cavallunas-equestrian-spectacular-gallops-hong-kong-september?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Sun, sand and sea: generally, these desirables form the foundation of a stress-free getaway, if sipping mai tais on a beach lounger is your kind of thing. But with seasonal downpours and thunderstorms upon us, and typhoons inexplicably favouring weekend arrivals to interrupt our best-laid schemes, there’s not much of that peaceful idyll to be found in town, so we cast our gaze farther afield for a glimpse of holiday bliss – even if it is just from an armchair. In our dedicated autumn travel... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3364043/week-postmag-let-your-mind-wander-our-autumn-travel-edition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3364043/week-postmag-let-your-mind-wander-our-autumn-travel-edition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Aug 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini DRINK THIS Mother Pearl Home-grown boba brand Mother Pearl is expanding – but not just in terms of space. Its new flagship in the heart of Central spans two floors and also introduces a mixology component, with artisanal cocktails and mocktails, each concoction blending botanicals with luxurious spirits and other ingredients. Consider the striking Fountain of Youth, a gin-infused apricot tipple with notes of mint leaf and lime, presented in a tower reminiscent of an absinthe fountain. The... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364037/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-august-15-29?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3364037/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-august-15-29?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Cameron Dueck Cameron Dueck Dawn is still several hours away when we arrive at Ogi Port, on Sado Island’s southeast corner. The town is dark and silent as we cast our lines ashore and secure the boat. As soon as the lines are made, we fall into our bunks, exhausted after a three-day voyage north through the Sea of Japan, or East Sea. We plan to rest for 24 hours and then carry on towards Hokkaido, Japan’s main northern island, to escape the summer heat and typhoons of the country’s southern waters. After several hours of... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3363876/sado-islands-cultural-renaissance-japanese-journey-exile-artistic-haven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3363876/sado-islands-cultural-renaissance-japanese-journey-exile-artistic-haven?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:11 +0000 David Burden David Burden A reverent hush falls over the already tranquil stupas as the sky turns turquoise, orange, then deep pink – the silence amplified somehow by the herringbone clouds stretching off over dusky mountains. Orange-robed monks pad quietly to and fro while sticks of incense smoulder in huge pots, wafting scented clouds upwards and turning the warm air above the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery sweet. An entrancing mantra starts up over the PA and everyone freezes to appreciate this deeply spiritual... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3362897/three-wheeling-through-sri-lanka-family-tuk-tuk-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3362897/three-wheeling-through-sri-lanka-family-tuk-tuk-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Peta Tomlinson Peta Tomlinson Needing a designer to renovate his newly purchased, 38-year-old apartment in Central, businessman Harry Sun found the perfect fit in an unexpected place. He and interior designer Dominic Cheung, co-founder of Crimson Company, were both regulars at the same tailor’s shop – and when their paths crossed, the introduction sparked an instant connection. The two shared sensibilities that extended beyond sartorial savoir faire to a mutual appreciation for classicism with a youthful touch. Thus began a... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3362891/vintage-charm-blended-modern-elegance-timeless-hong-kong-flat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3362891/vintage-charm-blended-modern-elegance-timeless-hong-kong-flat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Kissa Castañeda Kissa Castañeda A single white ball rests on a wooden plate, looking like a quail egg and feeling almost as hard as a marble when poked with a fork. “Can you guess what it is,” asks our server, Josefina Escobar, at Hacienda Sarapampa, a family-owned estate in Peru’s Sacred Valley, the spiritual, agricultural and economic heartland of the Inca Empire (1438-1532). The estate’s farm-to-table restaurant stands in a 100-acre corn plantation close to the Urubamba river, surrounded by golden fields, mature trees and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362886/revealed-ancient-andean-secrets-behind-perus-vibrant-potato-varieties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362886/revealed-ancient-andean-secrets-behind-perus-vibrant-potato-varieties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Few rituals capture the soulful beat of Hong Kong life quite like yum cha. The city’s traditional teahouses and dim sum halls have served as vibrant communal living rooms for generations. Inside these welcoming spaces, the steam from bamboo baskets and the easy hum of morning chatter offer a gentle escape from the fast pace of urban life. While early teahouses catered primarily to working-class men, the past four to five decades have seen these spaces modernise and menus expand. Today, yum cha... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362809/pictures-50-years-hong-kongs-yum-cha-teahouse-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362809/pictures-50-years-hong-kongs-yum-cha-teahouse-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Doris Lam Doris Lam I WAS BORN in Tsan Yuk Hospital, in Sai Ying Pun, in 1967. My mum was born in Hong Kong and my dad had been in the city for a long time by then. My dad, Leung Tim, opened the cleaver store before I was born. I’ve been the store supervisor since my dad passed away 10 years ago, but he is still the boss. MY GRANDPA was a knife-maker and taught my dad the craft. My dad opened this store because knife-making was the only thing he knew how to do. He opened his first shop in Sham Shui Po’s Pei Ho... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362887/generations-craftsmanship-legacy-hong-kong-cleaver-store?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362887/generations-craftsmanship-legacy-hong-kong-cleaver-store?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung For a small city of three million people, Shaoxing stands as a giant in the global Chinese collective consciousness. After all, the name of the eastern Chinese city is emblazoned on the quintessential bottles of cooking wine that are found in Asian households and restaurants the world over, with which numerous Chinese regional cuisines – from the complex braises of Shanghai and Zhejiang (the province where Shaoxing is found) to the spicy marinades of Sichuan province and the subtle steamed... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362774/shaoxing-wine-goes-upmarket-dongqus-luxury-touch-elevates-chinese-pantry-staple?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362774/shaoxing-wine-goes-upmarket-dongqus-luxury-touch-elevates-chinese-pantry-staple?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:08 +0000 David Ho David Ho The Australian artist Catherine Jenna Hendry, best known to the world as CJ Hendry, first entered the public consciousness through social media, by sharing her hyperrealistic interpretations of luxury items on Instagram. The ink drawings gained Hendry a following of almost a million, and celebrity collectors of her works include Kanye West, Vera Wang, Floyd Mayweather and Pharrell Williams – an impressive feat for someone without formal training or gallery representation. The New York-based... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362768/cj-hendry-brings-juju-world-hong-kong-exclusive-collectibles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362768/cj-hendry-brings-juju-world-hong-kong-exclusive-collectibles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Tarte by RH It all began with a single caviar tart served at a private dinner six years ago, and has since grown exponentially, through steady demand and exquisite sweet and savoury flavours, into a bricks-and-mortar presence – that’s the remarkable story of chef Rania Hatoum’s elegant patisserie brand. At the new flagship, aside from her signature creation, an assortment of fresh-fruit tarts, a tomato burrata tart and a rich foie gras mushroom tart, there’s also an exclusive Hong Kong-style... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362759/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-caviar-temple-tarte-rh-ode-italian-coastal-cuisine-ponentino?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362759/hong-kongs-hottest-new-openings-caviar-temple-tarte-rh-ode-italian-coastal-cuisine-ponentino?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Aug 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Bernice Chan Bernice Chan “When Marco Polo went to China, you know what he did? We showed him how to make chow mein noodles, we showed him how to make wontons.” An energetic Chinese man with a high forehead and gregarious smile is standing in a studio kitchen, dishing out as many puns as he is plates of wok-fried rice for a studio audience at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), in Vancouver. From 1978 to 1995, Stephen Yan garnered legions of fans in Canada, the United States and beyond, largely thanks to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362805/wok-yans-return-hong-kong-canadian-tv-chef-stephen-yan-resurfaces-decades-after-disappearing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362805/wok-yans-return-hong-kong-canadian-tv-chef-stephen-yan-resurfaces-decades-after-disappearing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:12 +0000 David Ho David Ho These days, the idea of games might be tied to our phones or consoles. But “The Power of Play: History, Art, Technology and Impact of Games” exhibition at City University (CityU) is showcasing games as artefacts of cultural importance. The exhibition is divided into six sections, exploring what games are, challenging common misconceptions about them and tracing the evolution of play, from early civilisation through to modern technological breakthroughs, including the printing press and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362541/cityus-power-play-exhibition-explores-5000-years-games-senet-esports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362541/cityus-power-play-exhibition-explores-5000-years-games-senet-esports?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini No matter where or how far we go, there are certain constants that are our lifelong companions – the refrain of a rumbling stomach, for one, telling us, almost like clockwork, when it’s time to eat. A love of food and drink, or even just sating hunger, drives more of our decision-making than we give it credit for. Consider the schedules that are structured around meals, the trips that are planned to gastronomy-rich destinations, the reservations booked months in advance for an acclaimed... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3362528/week-postmag-hong-kong-tea-peruvian-spuds-global-food-adventure-awaits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3362528/week-postmag-hong-kong-tea-peruvian-spuds-global-food-adventure-awaits?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Aug 2026 00:00:07 +0000 David Ho David Ho EAT THIS Calle Ocho We know Hong Kong loves a good-value set menu, but sometimes, we just want to go with our whimsies. Luckily, Spanish eatery Calle Ocho has come up with a flexible five-bowls system. For just HK$328 per person, you’ll get a credit for five bowls that can be used for dishes of your choice, be it a table of tapas or a mix of mains. The patatas bravas here is a classic and the broken eggs dish sees semi-fried eggs and ham mixed atop a nest of crispy potatoes. For mains, we are... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362536/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-august-1-16?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3362536/our-cheat-sheet-best-things-do-hong-kong-august-1-16?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:09 +0000 P Ramakrishnan P Ramakrishnan At its best, Hong Kong cinema has always been about more than the box office. It’s about a city showing the world what it is – tough, funny, romantic, contradictory and alive. What Hong Kong cinema is not, however, is inclusive. It never has been. Three young men working on the margins of the industry are quietly trying to change that and, in the process, prove that the city is more colourful than its films have been letting on. They might be taking a long shot, but fortune favours the bold in... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362525/3-south-asian-actors-challenge-hong-kong-cinemas-casting-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362525/3-south-asian-actors-challenge-hong-kong-cinemas-casting-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au Ask a Hongkonger where the city’s tea story begins, and they will probably point to the British – the colonial traders who funnelled Chinese leaves through Victoria Harbour to the world. Only, they would be off by about eight centuries. Most Hongkongers today don’t know the city ever had its own tea plantations, let alone that tea had been growing here long before the British arrived in the mid-19th century. Li In, a co-founder of the Hong Kong Tea Production Institute (HKTPI) who has practised... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362422/hong-kongs-800-year-old-tea-heritage-being-rediscovered-and-rehabilitated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3362422/hong-kongs-800-year-old-tea-heritage-being-rediscovered-and-rehabilitated?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:28 +0000