Hong Kong is Haunted by Ghost Signs

Billy PottsMay 20, 2022

There’s a lot to learn from the old hand-painted signs that linger throughout the city...

CultureDesignLanguageProduct DesignTradition0 Comments1182 views 09 min read

Scottish Hong Kong: The Uncertain Future of Hong Kong’s Bagpipes

Billy PottsMay 4, 2022

Bagpipes have become a part of Hong Kong culture – but now their associations with British rule means their legacy is at risk...

ArtCultureHeritageHistoryMusicTradition0 Comments1618 views 010 min read

Hong Kong Recipes: 瀨鑊邊 – Wok Drizzle Soup, A Rare Hakka Delicacy

Ezra CheungMarch 8, 2022

Delicately fried rice noodles are the pièce de résistance in this heartwarming, aromatic Hakka dish...

CultureFoodTradition0 Comments764 views 08 min read

Forgotten Hong Kong Icon: The Luthier of Sui Fai Factory Estate

Billy PottsMarch 2, 2022

As a factory block in Fotan is slated to be redeveloped into public housing, a master Chinese luthier considers his fate...

CultureDesignPeoplePortraitsProduct DesignTradition0 Comments769 views 17 min read

Scottish Hong Kong: A Red-White-Blue Tartan Especially for Hong Kong

Billy PottsFebruary 22, 2022

Tartan has a long history and each example of the chequered patterns is loaded with meaning, including a new tartan designed just for Hong Kong...

CultureDesignFashionHistorySmall Stories & Secret StoriesTradition0 Comments2573 views 011 min read

Scottish Hong Kong: A Legacy Hidden in Plain Sight

Billy PottsJanuary 28, 2022

Scots culture has had a profound influence in Hong Kong. In this new series, we explore its impact and influence...

CultureHeritageHistoryTradition0 Comments1298 views 07 min read

What Does the Future Hold? Hong Kong’s Fortune Tellers Have the Answers

Ilaria Maria SalaJanuary 27, 2022

We visit Wong Tai Sin to understand fortune telling traditions that have descended from a web of complex influences stretching back thousands of years...

CultureHeritageHistoryInspring ItinerariesTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments661 views 08 min read

Pop Cantonese: 大掃除 – The Big Cleanup

Gabriella ZanzanainiJanuary 27, 2022

Ever wonder where some of the words we use everyday in Hong Kong lingo come from? ...

CultureLanguageTradition0 Comments688 views 03 min read

Pop Cantonese: 戴綠帽 – Wearing A Green Hat

Erica FongJanuary 13, 2022

Sporting a green hat? Don't be surprised if you're greeted with a smirk...

CultureLanguageTradition0 Comments1302 views 03 min read

The Castle Peak Dragon Kiln: A Hidden Reminder of Hong Kong’s Ceramics History

Ilaria Maria SalaDecember 8, 2021

Tuen Mun’s soil once provided the raw material for a thriving pottery industry. Now, a single disused kiln is all that is left...

CultureDesignHeritageHistoryProduct DesignTradition0 Comments636 views 06 min read

Learn About Chinese Medicine in Sheung Wan’s Unusual Herbal Garden

Ilaria Maria SalaNovember 18, 2021

Although it looks like any other sitting-out area, the rest garden in Sheung Wan's dried seafood district is full of information about the medicinal plants being sold all around....

CultureFoodInspring ItinerariesTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments620 views 05 min read

Modern Before Its Time: A Hong Kong Gallery Embraces Ming Dynasty Furniture

Billy PottsOctober 27, 2021

Once overlooked, the elegant simplicity of Ming Dynasty furniture is now highly coveted – and a Hong Kong gallery was at the front lines of its renaissance....

DesignHeritageInterior DesignInterviewsPeopleProduct DesignTradition0 Comments692 views 010 min read

Tea, Roasted to Order Over Charcoal: The Story of Ming Heung

Ilaria Maria SalaOctober 7, 2021

Ming Heung Tea Shop has been sitting in exactly the same position in Kowloon City since 1963. Chen Dak, the founder, had been in Hong Kong and in the tea business for about 10 years when the shop was established, following in the footsteps of his father, with whom he fled to Hong Kong in […]...

A Little BreakCultureFoodHeritagePortraitsTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments719 views 09 min read

When the Fire Dragon Dances Under the Full Moon: Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong

Tom BillingeSeptember 19, 2021

Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the liveliest and most cherished holidays in Hong Kong. Its history stretches back thousands of years....

CultureHeritageHistoryTraditionUncategorizedUsual Suspects & Landmarks0 Comments1579 views 18 min read

Lo Ting: The Legend of Hong Kong’s Rebellious Human-Fish Hybrid

Ilaria Maria SalaJuly 28, 2021

For centuries, a tribe of merpeople called Lo Tings have been said to inhabit Hong Kong's waters. They are increasingly becoming a symbol of the city's contentious relationship with power....

ArtCultureHeritageHistoryPerforming ArtTraditionVideo artVisual Art0 Comments2723 views 012 min read

A Broken Chinese Seal Brings History to Life

Edith TerryJune 17, 2021

Sotheby’s Asia chairman Nicolas Chow explores the iconoclastic hand of history in a unique collection of imperial Chinese seals....

CultureDesignHistorySmall Stories & Secret StoriesTradition0 Comments698 views 014 min read

Tin Hau Festival: Celebrating the Birthday of Hong Kong’s Supreme Goddess

Tom BillingeApril 29, 2021

From a Fujianese fishing village to the streets of Hong Kong: the story behind Tin Hau, Hong Kong's most popular deity. ...

Big StoriesCultureHistoryTradition0 Comments4038 views 19 min read

Telling History with Objects: The Mengdiexuan Collection

Edith TerryApril 12, 2021

An impactful new exhibition showcases China's overlooked gold treasures in a spectacular setting. ...

ArtCultureDesignHeritageHistoryInspring ItinerariesProduct DesignTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments1786 views 09 min read

What’s Essential for Chinese New Year? Peach Blossoms

Erica FongFebruary 11, 2021

The lucky nature of China’s homegrown fruit....

CultureNatureTradition0 Comments1598 views 13 min read

Keeping Hakka Culture Alive, Part II: Hats and Songs

Annemarie EvansJanuary 14, 2021

There's a link between the distinctive hats worn by Hakka women and the songs they sing in the fields – one a young enthusiast is trying to keep alive....

CultureHeritageHistoryLanguagePeopleTradition0 Comments1188 views 09 min read

Neighbourhood Guide: The Star Street Precinct, a Quietly Fashionable Enclave

Brian MokDecember 17, 2020

The stars, sun and moon align in a stylish, laid back corner just beyond the bustle of Wan Chai....

ArtBooksCultureDesignFashionFoodHistoryInspring ItinerariesSmall Stories & Secret StoriesTraditionVisual ArtWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments2357 views 022 min read

Hong Kong’s King of Commercial Calligraphy: Au Yeung Cheung of King Wah Signboard

Billy PottsOctober 22, 2020

Forced out of his bastion in the State Theatre, Hong Kong's most influential signboard calligrapher isn't giving up....

CultureDesignLanguageProduct DesignTradition0 Comments1166 views 010 min read

This Mid-Autumn, Walk Over Hot Coals for the Monkey King

Tom BillingeSeptember 30, 2020

Long overshadowed by the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Monkey King Festival is a unique slice of Chiu Chow culture that includes shamans, trances and incredible feats of endurance....

A Little BreakCultureTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments1783 views 06 min read

Video: Watch A Hong Kong Dragon Take Australia By Storm

VideoSeptember 24, 2020

A unique dragon has connected Hong Kong and Australia for more than a century. See how it comes to life. ...

CultureDesignInterviewsPeopleProduct DesignTradition0 Comments155 views 00 min read

Keeping Hakka Culture Alive, Part I: The Story of Hong Kong’s Mountain Pioneers

Annemarie EvansSeptember 15, 2020

Hakka people are an integral part of Hong Kong history and heritage, but their culture and language is at risk of being lost. ...

CultureHeritageHistoryInspring ItinerariesLanguageTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments1884 views 012 min read

The Fertility Goddess: A Visit to Hong Kong’s Golden Flower Temple

Ilaria Maria Sala and Guo TingAugust 19, 2020

An unusual temple is a must-visit destination for Chinese Valentine's Day...

CultureInspring ItinerariesTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments1930 views 07 min read

Unswerving Loyalty: Kwan Tai, Hong Kong’s God of Brotherhood

Tom BillingeAugust 4, 2020

How a warrior revered for his loyalty became one of Hong Kong's most respected deities. ...

CultureHeritageHistoryTraditionUsual Suspects & LandmarksWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments4431 views 08 min read

Video: How We Saved a Classic Hong Kong Neon Sign

Zolima CityMagJuly 23, 2020

When a renowned Happy Valley dim sum parlour closed its doors, its vintage neon sign was headed for the landfill – until Zolima CityMag stepped in....

CultureDesignHeritageHistoryProduct DesignTraditionUrbanism0 Comments1277 views 11 min read

Not Just For Triads: Hong Kong’s Unique Style of Tattoos

Billy PottsJuly 16, 2020

As tattoos finally cast off their seedy reputation, we look into the history of Hong Kong's distinctive version of skin art....

CultureDesignTradition0 Comments9095 views 012 min read

An Extraordinary Temple and a Master Builder: Hong Kong’s Lo Pan Festival

Tom BillingeJuly 2, 2020

This July, construction workers will gather at one of Hong Kong's most extraordinary temples – one of only two in the world dedicated to Lo Pan....

A Little BreakCultureHeritageHistoryTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments1269 views 08 min read

Sunset Days for a Classic Hong Kong Dim Sum Parlour

Billy PottsJune 23, 2020

After nearly three decades, a renowned tea house finally calls it quits...

A Little BreakCultureFoodTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments1891 views 010 min read

Enter the Dragon Boat: A New Spirit Hits Hong Kong Waters

Cardin ChanJune 18, 2020

On the eve of Tuen Ng, a dragon boat club considers the spiritual and cultural meaning of these quintessential Hong Kong vessels. ...

CultureHeritageHistoryTradition0 Comments1380 views 09 min read

Dragon Boats from the Past: A Festive Chapter from Gwulo’s New Book

Zolima CityMagJune 18, 2020

We present an excerpt from the latest book published by David Bellis, founder of the popular Hong Kong history website Gwulo....

CultureHeritageHistorySportTradition0 Comments800 views 06 min read

Lucky Embroidery: The Story Behind Hong Kong’s Intricate Kua Wedding Dresses

Billy PottsJune 11, 2020

Traditional brides in Hong Kong don't wear white – they wear a kua. We visit one of the last local workshops that makes these intricate gowns. ...

CultureDesignFashionTradition0 Comments3032 views 09 min read

Video: Watch How a Classic Alleyway Barbershop Survives Against the Odds

VideoMay 13, 2020

The snip of scissors and the buzz of clippers have resonated in a Wan Chai alley for more than half a century....

CulturePeoplePortraitsTradition0 Comments799 views 20 min read

Meet the Masters Behind Hong Kong’s Most Extraordinary Bamboo Theatre

Cardin ChanApril 16, 2020

Our heritage writer Cardin Chan joins a tight-knit crew of workers as they build an unusual theatre perched on the edge of a cliff on Po Toi....

ArchitectureArtCultureDesignHeritageHistoryPerforming ArtTradition0 Comments4232 views 016 min read

Video: Watch the Tofu Masters at Kung Wo Make Silky Smooth Pudding

VideoApril 2, 2020

A neighbourhood shop in Hong Kong turns bean curd into crave-worthy delights...

A Little BreakCultureFoodPeopleTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments797 views 10 min read

Video: Watch How Saam Hui Yaat Makes Classic Dim Sum

VideoMarch 5, 2020

Saam Hui Yaat has been making dim sum by hand since 1978. Watch how it's done...

CultureFoodInterviewsPeopleTradition0 Comments884 views 00 min read

Neighbourhood Guide: Shek Tong Tsui is Full of Surprises

Zabrina LoFebruary 19, 2020

Often overlooked in favour of its more popular neighbours, the hilly streets of Shek Tong Tsui are packed with historical and cultural delights...

CultureDesignFoodHistoryInspring ItinerariesProduct DesignSmall Stories & Secret StoriesTraditionWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments3500 views 024 min read

Hong Kong Numerology: Nine for Eternity

Zabrina LoFebruary 4, 2020

You don’t need nine lives, but the number nine is useful for leading a long life....

CultureLanguageTradition0 Comments278 views 04 min read