Asian Festivals

Festivals, Culture & Traditions
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Asia spans a huge variety of countries, cultures and religions. Learn more about everything from the Lunar New Year celebrated across the region and India’s Diwali to the myths and legends behind lesser known festivals.

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Health & Wellness
A yoga practitioner performs horse pose. Also known as horse face pose or vatayanasana, it is a very advanced posture in yoga that can boost hip mobility and strength. Photo: Shutterstock
Health & Wellness
What is the horse pose in yoga? Only ‘3 out of 10 students’ can do it
Horse pose, also known as horse face pose or vatayanasana, is a challenging yoga pose that boosts hip mobility, strength and concentration.
Significant uncertainty remains, as Beijing has yet to approve any H200 chip purchases. Photo: Shutterstock
Big Tech
Nvidia aims to start H200 AI chip shipments to China by mid-February: sources
The US chip designer plans to fulfil initial orders from existing stock, with shipments expected to total 40,000 to 80,000 H200 chips.
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Nvidia’s logo. Photo: Reuters / Dado Ruvic / Illustration/ / File Photo
Economy, Trade & Business
Lawmakers want US to disclose any approvals of Nvidia H200 China licences
Democrats ‌Elizabeth Warren and Gregory Meeks also asked for an assessment of the military potential of the AI chips approved for export.
Many Hongkongers traditionally celebrate the winter solstice with family dinners – similar to Thanksgiving. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong Economy
Hong Kong restaurants eye Lunar New Year boost after weak winter solstice sales
Slump in sales for traditional dinner gatherings tied to Tai Po fire tragedy, with restaurants looking to February for turnaround.
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The Year of the Fire Horse begins on February 17, 2026. Being a “double fire” year, it could mean drastic change ahead. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese Zodiac
Why the Year of the Horse 2026 could bring chaos but also great progress
With 12 animals and 5 elements, the Year of the Fire Horse comes around every 60 years and tends to bring both good fortune and bad.
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A Bosideng outlet in Shanghai. The company is China’s largest down jacket maker. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images
China Business
Rising down jacket sales offer cushion against deflation in mainland China
Bosideng and other retailers expect winter wear sales to boom for three more months, buoyed by strong demand for high-end products.
Snakes grab the attention of young visitors during the Premium Pet Supplies Expo 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on June 7, 2025. How’s your luck in the Year of the Snake’s 10th month? Feng shui master Andrew Kwan gives his predictions for all 12 Chinese zodiac animal signs. Photo: Nora Tam
Chinese Zodiac
Is the Year of the Snake’s 10th month lucky for you? Forecasts for all signs
Feng shui master Andrew Kwan breaks down this lunar month’s prospects for all 12 Chinese zodiac signs in health, love, work and finances.
November is the month of the Fire Pig. Photo: Illustration: SCMP Graphics
Leisure
What’s your luck like in November 2025, the month of the Fire Pig?
The Pig symbolises wealth in Chinese culture – it’s also a ‘double month’, meaning both good luck and bad energy are doubled.
Bidders vie for Lunar New Year fair stalls at the government office in Lai Chi Kok. Photo: May Tse
Hong Kong Economy
Higher stall prices for Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fair put pressure on vendors
Highest bid for Victoria Park food stall on first day of auction was HK$230,000, a 26 per cent increase from last year’s HK$182,000.
Chinese tourists visited the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2024. Photo: Xinhua
Southeast Asia
Can Thailand’s tourism recover from a drop in Chinese arrivals?
The kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing in Myanmar via Thailand led to Lunar New Year trip cancellations. A strong baht has also been a factor.
Women take a selfie while attending a flag-raising ceremony to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing on October 1. Photo: Xinhua
China Opinion
Opinion|After decades of struggle, women in China are rewriting their future
The quiet revolution towards upholding women’s rights in China isn’t just about slogans but involves the hard work of families, educators and policymakers.
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DeepSeek has launched an experimental version of its V3 model. Photo: AP
Big Tech
China’s DeepSeek unveils experimental version of its AI foundation model
The industry is paying close attention to DeepSeek’s new products after the start-up said it would tailor its models for Chinese-made AI chips.
Is the Year of the Snake 2025’s eighth month lucky for you? Feng Shui master Andrew Kwan gives his predictions for all 12 Chinese zodiac animal signs. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese Zodiac
Is Year of the Snake’s eighth month lucky for you? Forecasts for all signs
Feng shui master Andrew Kwan breaks down this lunar month’s prospects for love, career, health and finance for the 12 Chinese zodiac signs.
***PLEASE CLEAR THE COPYRIGHTS BEFORE REUSE*** THE MOMENT - Auspicious wedding dates
Chinese culture
Explainer|Why the Chinese calendar has ‘leap months’ and when they fall
August 22, 2025 is the last day of the Year of the Snake’s second ‘sixth month’, but why are such lunar leap months considered inauspicious?
How’s your luck in the Year of the Snake’s second sixth month? Feng shui master Andrew Kwan gives his predictions for all 12 Chinese zodiac animal signs, including why it will be a good month career-wise for Monkeys and others. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese Zodiac
Is Year of the Snake’s second sixth month lucky for you?
Feng shui master Andrew Kwan breaks down this lunar leap month’s prospects for all Chinese zodiac signs in health, love, finances and careers.
Chinese tourists and others wait to visit the Emerald Buddha Temple inside of the Grand Palace, next to a tour guide sign written in Chinese characters. Photo: EPA-EFE
Southeast Asia
Decline in Chinese tourists sees Thailand target Southeast Asia, Middle East
Thailand cut its 2025 foreign arrival forecast from 40 million to 35 million due to safety concerns for Chinese tourists after incidents like actor Wang Xing’s kidnapping.
Xiamen-Style “popiah” at Ming Pavilion in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
100 Top Tables
Dish in Focus: Xiamen-style popiah at Ming Pavilion
At Ming Pavilion, chef Jack Lam Yeung redefines Hokkien cuisine with new flavours while celebrating Fujian’s culinary heritage.
Some paddlers dressed up as popular Chinese legends Wukong and Ne Zha for the event. Photo: Eugene Lee
Society
Chinese legends, Disney characters compete in Hong Kong dragon boat races
Paddlers don dazzling array of colourful costumes for final day of Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races.
Teams compete in the Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races on Saturday. Photo: Dickson Lee
China
As dragon boating grows around the world, friendship is driving sport’s boom
Nearly 5,000 athletes from around the world descend on Hong Kong for international races in Victoria Harbour.
Data published by the Immigration Department shows that 139,585 visitors from the mainland arrived in the city on Saturday. Photo: Eugene Lee
Hong Kong Economy
2.3% rise in mainland visitors to Hong Kong on first day of Dragon Boat Festival
Mainland Chinese tourists soak up festive vibes and savour cheap eats, as some lament ‘no advantage at all’ in shopping in city.
Dragon boat paddlers race in Stanley. Photo: Nora Tam
Hong Kong Economy
High spirits as Hong Kong’s Dragon Boat Festival kicks off amid strong winds
‘We will do our best and enjoy the event,’ paddlers say, with authorities expecting 16 per cent increase in number of mainland visitors.
Heavy rain is expected in the next couple of hours. Photo: Sam Tsang
Society
Hong Kong Observatory cancels amber rainstorm warning
Forecaster issued a special weather warning of widespread heavy rain, before cancelling alert more than two hours later.
Ruen in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui East has unveiled a new menu inspired by the buzzing hawker dishes of Bangkok. Photo: Handout
100 Top Tables
Your Hong Kong weekend food guide for May 30 – June 1
Enjoy Yat Tung Heen’s zongzi, try Ruen’s new hawker-style menu, and indulge in a 7-course Black Pearl Tasting Menu at Celestial Court.
Sticky rice dumplings are a Dragon Boat Festival staple that are usually cooked by steaming. Creative Hong Kong chefs share tips on how to prepare them differently. Photo: Spring Moon
Food & Drink
Cold, or fried with XO sauce? Creative ways to serve sticky rice dumplings
Drizzled in honey, fried with a fish sauce dip. Hong Kong chefs share inventive ways to serve Dragon Boat Festival snack we usually steam.
Tangerine peel and red bean sticky rice dumplings at The Legacy House. Photo: The Legacy House
Food & Drink
Love sticky rice dumplings? 9 great places to get your fix in Hong Kong
These hotels and restaurants are offering a variety of creative savoury and sweet ‘zongzi’ ahead of the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival on May 31.
A fireworks display marks the Lunar New Year holiday in 2025. Photo: Dickson Lee
Society
Hong Kong public holiday 2026: how to get a 9-day Lunar New Year break
Government gazettes dates for public holidays next year, with residents able to enjoy longer breaks with some clear use of their annual leave.
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Opinion
Being Chinese|My food obsession has deep Chinese roots
The rationing era imprinted something on me – not just a craving for food, but a reverence. In Chinese culture, food is never just food.
Lijia Zhang
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Language Matters|What to know about intangible cultural heritage amid Hong Kong celebrations
With Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Month in full flow, a look at ICH’s five main domains and the importance of linguistic heritage.
Lisa Lim
Being Chinese|People laugh in my face when I say I’m Chinese. So what?
I don’t look Chinese. But it’s the tiny things, values and cultural touchpoints that collectively make a Chinese person Chinese.
Shea Driscoll
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Reflections|Qu Yuan, Chinese poet whose death is marked in Dragon Boat Festival
Whether or not customs of Duanwu or Tuen Ng Festival can truly be ascribed to Qu Yuan’s drowning in 278BC, his life is worthy of celebration.
Wee Kek Koon
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Editorial|Fortune stick offers Hong Kong financial advice it should not ignore
Hong Kong, which is still struggling economically, receives a Year of the Snake message to not be greedy and to live within its means.
SCMP Editorial
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My Take|There is something special about a Lunar New Year in Hong Kong
For ex-residents, this is the time to miss the city and remember past celebrations. The beginning of the Year of the Snake will be no exception.
SCMP ColumnistCliff Buddle
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Language Matters|Where English got the word ‘snake’, and ‘eating snake’ in Singapore
The root words of snake and serpent mean ‘a creeping thing’. Most snake sayings are negative, including a Singlish loan phrase from Hokkien.
Lisa Lim
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Being Chinese|My Hong Kong crash course in Chinese calculations of everything
Some autumns ago, a midlife crisis brought me to Hong Kong, where it has been inspiring how savvy people are about Chinese cosmology.
Foong Woei Wan
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Reflections|So Chinese New Year prosperity toss salad is unchristian?
A pastor has called the Chinese New Year ritual of shouting good wishes while tossing salad ingredients high in the air ‘superstitious’.
Wee Kek Koon
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Editorial|It is time to make Lunar New Year red lai see packets greener
While it is a tradition to fill red paper envelopes with freshly printed notes, mainland Chinese have shown sustainable digital options can be just as effective.
SCMP Editorial
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Being Chinese|Who’s Singaporean and stressing over Lunar New Year food abroad? Not me
Grappling with being the sole source of Singapore Chinese culture for my children, I have focused on transmitting it through food.
Dionne Thompson
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Editorial|Stub out costly Hong Kong trade in illicit cigarettes
Stepping up of enforcement action against smugglers by Hong Kong authorities to be welcomed on both health and financial grounds.
SCMP Editorial
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