Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part XV: The Chinese YMCA’s Chicago Roots

Christopher DewolfNovember 16, 2021

A handsome brick landmark on Bridges Street is a testament to the global spread of a Christian health and wellness movement....

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistorySmall Stories & Secret Stories0 Comments933 views 08 min read

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part XIV: The Rural Decay of Yu Yuen

Christopher DewolfOctober 28, 2021

The country estate of Heung Yee Kuk founder Tsoi Po-tin has fallen into ruin, despite its remarkable history....

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistorySmall Stories & Secret Stories0 Comments2268 views 09 min read

Hong Kong’s Skyline Icons: ICC and IFC, Guarding the Harbour

Christopher DewolfOctober 21, 2021

What do the icons of Hong Kong’s skyline say about the city?...

ArchitectureDesignHistoryUrbanismUsual Suspects & Landmarks0 Comments831 views 09 min read

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part XIII: Pun Chun Yuen, a Buddhist Oasis

Christopher DewolfOctober 7, 2021

Thanks to the success of the Wing Lee Wai distillery, the Wong family built a tranquil estate that now serves as a Buddhist retreat. ...

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistory0 Comments1358 views 06 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 Comments1459 views 18 min read

How Did Hong Kong Become Addicted to Air Conditioning?

Christopher DewolfSeptember 15, 2021

Air conditioning made its debut in Hong Kong in 1931. How did it become one of the most icily air-conditioned places on earth?...

HistoryUrbanism0 Comments1723 views 011 min read

Via North Point, Part I: What Makes a Neighbourhood “Sticky”

Zolima CityMagSeptember 6, 2021

A new festival taps into North Point’s community spirit to explore how this beloved neighbourhood can be made better for its residents...

ArchitectureDesignHistoryInspring ItinerariesProduct DesignUrbanismWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments2359 views 09 min read

Why Does Hong Kong Have Its Own Team at the Olympics?

Christopher DewolfAugust 10, 2021

After Hong Kong's success at the Tokyo Olympics, it's worth looking into the particular history of how this city ended up with its own national team. ...

CultureHistorySmall Stories & Secret StoriesSport0 Comments5407 views 17 min read

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part XI: Cassels Block and Hong Kong Park

Christopher DewolfJuly 19, 2021

What is now vA!, the Visual Arts Centre, was once part of a 19th century British military barracks. How did it end up as Hong Kong Park?...

ArchitectureArtDesignHeritageHistoryVisual Art0 Comments980 views 08 min read

Michael Rogge’s Hong Kong: A 1950s Time Capsule

Christopher DewolfJune 29, 2021

After moving to Hong Kong in 1949, Dutch expat Michael Rogge spent his free time filming everything he could. Now those clips form a remarkable YouTube collection...

CinemaCultureHeritageHistoryPeoplePortraits0 Comments3432 views 111 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 Comments587 views 014 min read

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part X: Maryknoll Convent School

Christopher DewolfJune 17, 2021

How the beguiling architecture of this prestigious girls' school makes it one of Hong Kong's most exceptional educational institutions...

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistoryUsual Suspects & Landmarks0 Comments9728 views 09 min read

How Hong Kong Shaped Eileen Chang

Ilaria Maria SalaMay 6, 2021

Known around the world for Lust, Caution and other brilliant works, Eileen Chang spent most of her life in Shanghai and Los Angeles – but it was Hong Kong that made her into the writer she was....

BooksCinemaCultureHistoryPeople0 Comments2293 views 013 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 Comments3689 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 Comments1655 views 09 min read

How Epidemics Shaped Hong Kong, Part I: The “Fatal City”

Christopher DewolfApril 12, 2021

Today's Hong Kong is a reflection of the epidemics it has faced. In the first of a two-part article, we look at the legacy of the plague, malaria and the flu....

HeritageHistoryUrbanism0 Comments1632 views 011 min read

L’ÉCOLE Shares 3,000 Years of Chinese Treasures in The Art of Gold

Partner ContentMarch 30, 2021

Extraordinary gold objects from the Mengdiexuan Collection come to light in a new exhibition....

A Little BreakArtDesignHeritageHistoryInspring ItinerariesProduct DesignWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments1679 views 03 min read

The Home Nobody Knows: Vivienne Chow Explores the Soko Islands

Partner ContentMarch 12, 2021

In preparation for a project with Oi!, writer Vivienne Chow dives into her family’s history on two little-known islands on the edge of Hong Kong....

CultureHeritageHistory0 Comments2563 views 08 min read

Why Nobody Knew About the Spectacular Bishop Hill Reservoir

Christopher DewolfJanuary 22, 2021

How a quirky hill became the latest flashpoint in Hong Kong's fight to save its heritage....

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistorySmall Stories & Secret Stories0 Comments4244 views 112 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

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part IX: Kom Tong Hall, the Sun Yat-sen Museum

Christopher DewolfNovember 19, 2020

Sun Yat-sen never visited the building that houses a museum dedicated to him – but there are plenty of other reasons why this grand structure is worth a visit....

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistorySmall Stories & Secret Stories0 Comments959 views 08 min read

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part VIII: Shanghai Street Shophouses

Christopher DewolfOctober 15, 2020

Hong Kong's largest intact cluster of shophouses has been preserved and restored – but only in part. ...

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistoryInspring ItinerariesUrbanismWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments984 views 010 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 Comments1460 views 012 min read

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part VII: The Pedder Building

Christopher DewolfAugust 27, 2020

The Pedder Building is known as a hub for art galleries, but that is just the latest chapter in a long life....

ArchitectureArtDesignHistoryInspring ItinerariesUrbanismUsual Suspects & LandmarksWhere To Go, To Play, To Rest0 Comments2154 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 Comments1234 views 11 min read

Hong Kong’s Colonial Heritage, Part VI: Green Hub, the Old Tai Po Police Station

Christopher DewolfJuly 22, 2020

Britain's first colonial outpost in the New Territories has become a venue that promotes eco-friendly living....

ArchitectureDesignHeritageHistorySmall Stories & Secret Stories0 Comments1335 views 06 min read

No Friend of the Government: The Story of Hong Kong’s First Rabble-Rousing Newspaper

Christopher DewolfJuly 2, 2020

How William Tarrant turned The Friend of China into a weapon against government corruption and misdeeds....

CultureHeritageHistoryPeopleSmall Stories & Secret Stories0 Comments1411 views 09 min read