https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/322754/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Sylvia Ma,Ralph Jennings Sylvia Ma,Ralph Jennings China’s National Day holiday saw travel remain broadly stable as the break – an extended length of time compared with 2025 – supported longer-distance trips, though cinema cooled sharply, offering mixed signals on efforts to revive consumer spending. Over the seven-day break, which ended on Wednesday, China recorded 2.142 billion cross-regional passenger trips, averaging 306 million a day, up 0.7 per cent year on year, according to the Ministry of Transport, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370156/chinas-national-day-holiday-sees-uptick-longer-trips-overseas-travel https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3370156/chinas-national-day-holiday-sees-uptick-longer-trips-overseas-travel Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:01:14 +0000 David Chao David Chao In the first half of this year, leisure travel within China exploded. As the summer travel season builds towards the Mid-Autumn Festival and the “golden week” that follows National Day on October 1, domestic travel has emerged as one of China’s most important, if underappreciated, drivers of consumption and growth. During the extended Chinese New Year holiday, travel and consumer spending boomed. Domestic trips jumped to 596 million and spending surpassed 803 billion yuan (US$118.13 billion),... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3360178/chinas-consumption-has-new-fast-growing-driver-local-tourists https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3360178/chinas-consumption-has-new-fast-growing-driver-local-tourists Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Amanfayun is not the celebrated Aman Group’s oldest or newest property in mainland China, but it very much feels like the hospitality brand’s spiritual home in the country. The property is located just six kilometres from Hangzhou’s West Lake, a Unesco World Heritage site. Within Amanfayun, a secluded walkway leads directly to two revered Buddhist monasteries, the Lingyin and Yongfu Temples, both over 1,600 years old. Shrouded in towering trees and bamboo groves, the property is a stunning... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3358501/chinese-tea-culture-meets-aman-luxury-amanfayun-hangzhou https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3358501/chinese-tea-culture-meets-aman-luxury-amanfayun-hangzhou Sun, 28 Jun 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Thousands of spectators and paddlers have descended on Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui promenade to cheer and compete as the 50th anniversary of the city’s annual International Dragon Boat Races gets under way. More than 220 teams comprising over 4,500 paddlers from 16 jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, Australia and Qatar, are competing in the two-day event that started on Saturday, drawing tourists and locals alike to cheer on their favourite teams as they race across Victoria Harbour. Visitors... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3358601/thousands-pack-hong-kongs-tsim-sha-tsui-promenade-annual-dragon-boat-races https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3358601/thousands-pack-hong-kongs-tsim-sha-tsui-promenade-annual-dragon-boat-races Sat, 27 Jun 2026 09:00:51 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong enjoyed a few sunny spells on the Tuen Ng Festival, just a day after the city issued its top-tier black rainstorm warning twice only hours apart, as some hiking experts warned outdoor enthusiasts to be mindful of safety hazards. The Hong Kong Observatory said that Friday, the day of this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, would see sunny intervals and hot... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/weather/hong-kong/article/3357682/sunny-spells-dragon-boat-festival-after-2-black-rainstorm-warnings-1-day https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/weather/hong-kong/article/3357682/sunny-spells-dragon-boat-festival-after-2-black-rainstorm-warnings-1-day Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:09:37 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China is expected to record a major uptick in inbound tourism over the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, with travel platforms reporting huge jumps in bookings by overseas users seeking out traditional Chinese cultural experiences. Chinese travel platform Fliggy has logged a more than 600 per cent year-on-year increase in inbound bookings for the three-day holiday, which begins on Friday. Fliggy is owned by Alibaba Group Holding, which also owns the South China Morning Post. The surge comes as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3357555/china-sees-surge-dragon-boat-tourism-foreign-interest-festival-grows https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3357555/china-sees-surge-dragon-boat-tourism-foreign-interest-festival-grows Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:00:06 +0000 Kayleigh Fung Kayleigh Fung Dragon Boat or Tuen Ng Festival falls on June 19 this year, and during the lead-up, zongzi – glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with all manner of ingredients, wrapped up in bamboo leaves – fill Hong Kong shops and kitchens. From traditional classics to new-school twists, zongzi options are becoming much more diverse. Here is a list of some of the best on offer this year, from traditional rice dumplings filled with pork and salted egg yolk to vegetarian options. 1. The Peninsula Boutique This... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3357226/7-great-places-buy-sticky-rice-dumplings-hong-kong-2026-dragon-boat-festival https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3357226/7-great-places-buy-sticky-rice-dumplings-hong-kong-2026-dragon-boat-festival Tue, 16 Jun 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Alkaline rice dumplings, a sweet treat often enjoyed with red bean paste, peanut sauce or honey, can be an acquired taste for those in Hong Kong celebrating the Tuen Ng Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival. This is because, in China, rice dumplings are sweet in the north and savoury in the south – or so the saying goes. In Hong Kong, glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with pork, salted egg yolk, mung beans and mushrooms are more common. Historical records reveal that alkaline dumplings with sweetened... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3356506/what-are-alkaline-rice-dumplings-dragon-boat-festival-sweet-treat-loved-empress https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3356506/what-are-alkaline-rice-dumplings-dragon-boat-festival-sweet-treat-loved-empress Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:45:05 +0000 Charlotte Shore Charlotte Shore Roberta Di Fazio Camilleri knows the importance of having single-gendered teams in sport – especially for women. The founder and captain of the successful all-female dragon-boat team the Renegades did not find her tribe by mistake, but by recognising what was missing in the sport. “My friends and I wanted to race competitively at Stanley. We’d met in a team that was more concerned with the social side of things than podium finishes and, over time, we’d become more ambitious,” she says. “We... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/culture/article/3355999/how-hong-kongs-all-female-renegades-dragon-boating-team-making-waves https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/culture/article/3355999/how-hong-kongs-all-female-renegades-dragon-boating-team-making-waves Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Lijia Zhang Lijia Zhang I think about food constantly, not in a passive way, but obsessively. I plan my next meal while still chewing the last bite of a repast. I always carry snacks: dried fruit or roasted nuts, just in case. When I travel abroad, I eagerly sample local cuisines and take cooking classes whenever I can. At home, I scout for new restaurants and often host dinner parties featuring my experimental dishes. Sometimes I wonder how I came to have this fixation. The answer, I suspect, lies in my childhood,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326683/my-food-obsession-has-deep-chinese-roots https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326683/my-food-obsession-has-deep-chinese-roots Sat, 18 Oct 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim If you live in or are visiting Hong Kong, you may have watched the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade from the fishing village’s stilt houses last week, or mastered the art of making cha kwo (steamed sticky rice dumpling). You may be heading to Sha Tin later this month to learn a paper-crafting technique, or make temple offerings at the Che Kung Festival. A plethora of such cultural experiences is being widely showcased at the moment – more than usual – because June is the inaugural Hong Kong... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3313314/intangible-cultural-heritage-and-hong-kong-examples-city-celebrates-inaugural-ich-month https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3313314/intangible-cultural-heritage-and-hong-kong-examples-city-celebrates-inaugural-ich-month Sun, 08 Jun 2025 23:45:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Competitors marked the final day of Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races on Sunday by donning an array of colourful costumes that included beloved characters from animated films and Chinese folklore. Hongkongers, expats and a team of visiting Canadian paddlers were among those taking part in the fancy dress competition held on the event’s second day. The races were organised by the city’s Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. Toronto’s Water Vipers dragon boat... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3313532/chinese-legends-disney-characters-compete-hong-kong-dragon-boat-race https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3313532/chinese-legends-disney-characters-compete-hong-kong-dragon-boat-race Sun, 08 Jun 2025 05:48:08 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Countries across the world are building competitive dragon boat teams capable of challenging those from China, but the biggest win comes from the friends and communities built along the way, international athletes and officials in Hong Kong said on Saturday. The Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races take place in the city this weekend, and more than 4,500 athletes from 190 teams across Hong Kong, mainland China, Europe, Asia and America will compete in a total of 80 races over two... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/china/article/3313493/dragon-boating-grows-around-world-friendship-driving-sports-boom https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/china/article/3313493/dragon-boating-grows-around-world-friendship-driving-sports-boom Sat, 07 Jun 2025 11:30:07 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Ahead of World Environment Day today, it was very disappointing to see the general lack of concern regarding waste at the Stanley dragon boat races last Saturday. Plastic Free Seas did the best we... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3312991/dragon-boat-races-and-must-have-proper-waste-management-plans https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3312991/dragon-boat-races-and-must-have-proper-waste-management-plans Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:30:07 +0000 Jiang Chuqin,Lo Hoi-ying,Oscar Liu Jiang Chuqin,Lo Hoi-ying,Oscar Liu Hong Kong has recorded a 2.3 per cent increase against last year in the number of mainland Chinese tourists arriving on the first day of the Tuen Ng Festival holiday, as some opted to avoid crowds across the border and instead experience the city’s festive vibe. Data published by the Immigration Department on Sunday showed that 139,585 visitors from the mainland arrived in the city on Saturday, the start of what is a three-day long weekend across the border. The city also recorded 574,895... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3312649/23-rise-mainland-visitors-hong-kong-first-day-dragon-boat-festival https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3312649/23-rise-mainland-visitors-hong-kong-first-day-dragon-boat-festival Sun, 01 Jun 2025 10:29:25 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong dragon boat racers were in high spirits for the Tuen Ng Festival on Saturday, despite strong winds, with tourism authorities expecting a 16 per cent increase in the number of mainland Chinese visitors compared with previous weekends. But some business operators in Stanley, where races were held in the morning, complained of lacklustre takings on the first-day of the long weekend, urging the government to better promote the spot to tourists. “The weather today is a little windy, which... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3312567/high-spirits-hong-kongs-dragon-boat-festival-kicks-amid-strong-winds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3312567/high-spirits-hong-kongs-dragon-boat-festival-kicks-amid-strong-winds Sat, 31 May 2025 04:28:32 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon This weekend many people celebrate the Duanwu Festival, also known as the Tuen Ng Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival. The festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the traditional Chinese calendar, is observed by Chinese all over the world, as well as by Japanese, Koreans, Ryukyuans (or Okinawans) and Vietnamese. The festival has long been associated with the poet Qu Yuan (342–278BC). It is because of him, the legend goes, that we row dragon boats and eat zongzi, sticky... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3312392/qu-yuan-chinese-patriot-whose-death-said-have-inspired-dragon-boat-festival-customs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3312392/qu-yuan-chinese-patriot-whose-death-said-have-inspired-dragon-boat-festival-customs Sat, 31 May 2025 00:15:07 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory cancelled the amber rainstorm warning more than two hours after it was issued on Thursday afternoon, with a trough of low pressure affecting the coast of Guangdong. The weather forecaster sent out the warning at 4.25pm on Thursday shortly after issuing a special... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3312307/hong-kong-observatory-issues-amber-rainstorm-warning https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3312307/hong-kong-observatory-issues-amber-rainstorm-warning Thu, 29 May 2025 09:24:02 +0000 Grace Brewer Grace Brewer It isn’t Dragon Boat Festival without zongzi rice dumplings, and this year Yat Tung Heen is offering a vegan version. If that’s not your thing, check out our other dining recommendations for the holiday weekend in Hong Kong. And for more fine dining, visit the 100 Top Tables Guide 2025. Friday, May 30 In celebration of Saturday’s Dragon Boat Festival, Eaton HK’s Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen is offering two rice dumpling gift sets created by chef Tam Tung. Grab a deluxe whole abalone rice... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3311982/your-hong-kong-weekend-food-guide-may-30-june-1 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3311982/your-hong-kong-weekend-food-guide-may-30-june-1 Wed, 28 May 2025 04:30:08 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam Tuen Ng Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, is one of the biggest annual celebrations in Hong Kong. It takes place on May 31 this year. As well as dragon boat races, sticky rice dumplings, or zongzi, are a big feature of the festival. Sticky rice dumplings can be sweet or savoury and sprinkled with sugar or dipped in soy sauce. But either way, they are traditionally steamed. We asked chefs in Hong Kong, and one in Macau, for creative suggestions for other ways to prepare... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311913/hong-kong-chefs-share-creative-ways-cook-sticky-rice-dumplings-dragon-boat-festival https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311913/hong-kong-chefs-share-creative-ways-cook-sticky-rice-dumplings-dragon-boat-festival Tue, 27 May 2025 04:37:36 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Each year, paddlers gather at waterways around Hong Kong to race to the sound of beating drums for the annual Dragon Boat Festival. Also called the Tuen Ng Festival, it is observed on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, this year on May 31. The festival is a time to indulge in zongzi – pyramid-shaped, bamboo-leaf-wrapped glutinous rice dumplings that can be steamed or boiled, with fillings sweet and savoury. Legend has it that 2,000 years ago, Chinese poet and patriot Qu Yuan drowned himself... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311028/9-great-places-sticky-rice-dumplings-hong-kong-2025-dragon-boat-festival-nears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311028/9-great-places-sticky-rice-dumplings-hong-kong-2025-dragon-boat-festival-nears Wed, 21 May 2025 04:45:07 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong About 4,500 athletes representing 190 teams from 12 countries are set to compete in the coming Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, following a series of pre-event activities that include a food market and a pop-up store. The event will be the largest since Covid-19 affected the city, although it remains significantly smaller than pre-pandemic editions. The Tourism Board said on Tuesday that the 2025 edition of the “Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races” would take place from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3310208/dragon-boat-competition-hong-kong-draw-4500-athletes-12-countries https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3310208/dragon-boat-competition-hong-kong-draw-4500-athletes-12-countries Tue, 13 May 2025 12:04:02 +0000 The boss of world dragon boat racing has urged Hong Kong’s government to follow the lead of the executive in his native Italy and pump more money into the sport. Hong Kong is staging the Asian Dragon Boat Championships, in which China swept the honours on Saturday. Claudio Schermi, the president of the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF), called Hong Kong “the home of dragon boating in the modern era”, but acknowledged improvements were needed at the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter venue... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/article/3282134/asian-dragon-boat-championships-world-chief-urges-hong-kong-government-invest-sport https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/article/3282134/asian-dragon-boat-championships-world-chief-urges-hong-kong-government-invest-sport Sat, 12 Oct 2024 12:36:23 +0000 Crews from across Asia drew thousands of spectators at the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races as they brought colour to the city’s harbourfront on Sunday. Large crowds flocked to Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade East for the second and final day to watch races contested by open, mixed and women’s teams. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Championship Final was won by a mainland Chinese crew, in Zhuhai’s Bo He Sports, with Macau China Dragon Boat Team finishing second and more... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/outdoor/article/3266817/international-dragon-boat-races-draw-large-crowds-hong-kong-harbourfront https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/outdoor/article/3266817/international-dragon-boat-races-draw-large-crowds-hong-kong-harbourfront Sun, 16 Jun 2024 11:08:16 +0000 Tourists and residents expecting a 10-minute fireworks display in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour on Saturday evening were left disappointed after the show was cancelled because of poor weather. The Tourism Board announced the cancellation before the 8pm start time on Saturday, shortly after the city’s weather forecaster issued the third amber rainstorm warning of the day. The warning was cancelled at 7.45pm. The pyrotechnics show, one of the celebrations planned for the Dragon Boat Festival, was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266757/hong-kong-cancels-dragon-boat-festival-fireworks-victoria-harbour-due-poor-weather https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266757/hong-kong-cancels-dragon-boat-festival-fireworks-victoria-harbour-due-poor-weather Sat, 15 Jun 2024 11:20:44 +0000 China reported growth in trips and travel spending over the three-day Dragon Boat Festival, beating last year’s holiday figures as well as those from pre-pandemic 2019, despite the nation’s prolonged spell of an uneven economic recovery. People in China made 110 million trips from Saturday through Monday, up 6.3 per cent, year on year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The travellers spent 40.35 billion yuan (US$5.56 billion), up 8.1 per cent over the same holiday last... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/economic-indicators/article/3266130/chinas-travel-spending-surges-over-dragon-boat-holiday-signals-more-stable-tourism-market https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/economic-indicators/article/3266130/chinas-travel-spending-surges-over-dragon-boat-holiday-signals-more-stable-tourism-market Tue, 11 Jun 2024 06:33:19 +0000 Hong Kong residents made more than a million trips across the border over the Dragon Boat Festival holiday – more than three times the number of visitors who travelled in the opposite direction, Immigration Department figures have shown. The grim news sparked a warning from the retail industry that major holidays were no longer guaranteed to drum up an increase in business for the city. Department statistics released on Monday showed Hongkongers made 1.3 million trips out of the city from Friday... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266080/13-million-hong-kong-cross-border-trips-over-festival-weekend-only-424840-come https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266080/13-million-hong-kong-cross-border-trips-over-festival-weekend-only-424840-come Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:30:09 +0000 Thousands of residents and tourists gathered for a drone show with a Dragon Boat Festival theme that lit up the sky above Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour on Monday evening. The city’s first drone show to mark the Tuen Ng Festival was part of the Tourism Board’s larger efforts to attract more visitors to Hong Kong. The crowds at the Wan Chai waterfront gasped and applauded as the drones took flight in formation at 8pm. The 10-minute display featured more than 1,000 drones forming the shape of a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266066/hongkongers-tourists-show-hours-ahead-tuen-ng-festival-drone-show https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266066/hongkongers-tourists-show-hours-ahead-tuen-ng-festival-drone-show Mon, 10 Jun 2024 11:25:52 +0000 Hong Kong’s dragon boat racers made a splash with residents and tourists for the Tuen Ng Festival and pulled in crowds of people to the competitions and carnivals staged across the city. Revellers on Monday ignored the occasional drop of rain and flocked to waterfronts in places such as Stanley, Tai O, Aberdeen, Sai Kung, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun and Tai Po to catch city and international events organised to mark the Dragon Boat Festival. Hong Kong had a hot day with temperatures between 26 and 32... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266004/hong-kong-dragon-boat-racers-make-splash-tuen-ng-festival-amid-carnivals-contests https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3266004/hong-kong-dragon-boat-racers-make-splash-tuen-ng-festival-amid-carnivals-contests Mon, 10 Jun 2024 04:39:21 +0000 On the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar – which this year falls on June 10 – spectators watch crews of paddlers compete in adrenaline-pumping dragon boat races. Paddlers row in unison with all their might to the frenetic beating of drums as they vie to be the first to cross the finish line. Their efforts, a highlight of the annual Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Tuen Ng Festival, are the fruit of months of practice, tears and sweat. A tradition that once paid tribute to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3265816/dragon-boat-festival-races-big-draw-hong-kong-who-builds-boats https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3265816/dragon-boat-festival-races-big-draw-hong-kong-who-builds-boats Sun, 09 Jun 2024 23:15:12 +0000 Hong Kong has prepared a spate of fun-filled activities to celebrate Tuen Ng Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival. The festival starting on Monday commemorates Qu Yuan, a poet and exiled statesman from the ancient Chu kingdom during the Warring States Period (476BC – 221BC). He drowned himself in the Miluo River in today’s Hunan province in 278BC following his state’s defeat. Yuan’s followers threw rice dumplings in the river to prevent fish from eating his corpse while also paddling... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3265930/no-plans-hong-kongs-dragon-boat-festival-post-has-you-covered https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3265930/no-plans-hong-kongs-dragon-boat-festival-post-has-you-covered Sun, 09 Jun 2024 03:00:21 +0000 Slicing their oars through the dark-green waters of a Hong Kong river, a dragon boat team of visually impaired rowers paddled in unison as their coach yelled out instructions. The Darkness Fighters are Hong Kong’s only team that pairs visually impaired people with sighted volunteers to compete in the annual Dragon Boat Festival, which will take place on Monday. Samrid Wongchan, a 62-year-old team member who is blind, said the team train, like many rowers, on the Shing Mun river, which cuts... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/other-sport/article/3265907/dragon-boat-festival-2024-hong-kongs-visually-impaired-team-challenge-impossible https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/other-sport/article/3265907/dragon-boat-festival-2024-hong-kongs-visually-impaired-team-challenge-impossible Sat, 08 Jun 2024 23:30:09 +0000 A Shenzhen-based tourist has complained about being “ripped off” by a Hong Kong taxi driver for being asked to pay HK$600 (US$77), nearly three times the usual fare, on his first day in town for the Dragon Boat Festival long weekend. The complaint on Friday came amid the government’s wider drive to crack down on cabbies’ bad behaviour. The tourist took to the Instagram-like Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu to complain about his HK$600 trip from Shenzhen Bay Immigration Control Point to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265911/mainland-chinese-tourist-accuses-hong-kong-taxi-driver-overcharging-nearly-300 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3265911/mainland-chinese-tourist-accuses-hong-kong-taxi-driver-overcharging-nearly-300 Sat, 08 Jun 2024 12:49:34 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang China’s Dragon Boat Festival, celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, boasts a rich history spanning over 2,000 years. Originally it was intended to commemorate Qu Yuan, a famous poet from the ancient Chu state during the Warring States period (475-221 BC), who drowned himself in a river. But the festival is also known for its broader customs, such as dragon boat races and the preparation of zong zi, a traditional rice dish wrapped in bamboo leaves. However, there are a variety of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3265703/quirky-secrets-chinas-dragon-boat-festival-revealed-why-standing-eggs-upright-matters https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3265703/quirky-secrets-chinas-dragon-boat-festival-revealed-why-standing-eggs-upright-matters Sat, 08 Jun 2024 01:00:10 +0000 Zongzi are sweet or savoury sticky rice dumplings that are eaten during the Chinese festival of Tuen Ng, or Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated across East and Southeast Asia. One of the most popular stories of the festival’s origins is that of Qu Yuan, an exiled poet and politician during China’s Warring States period (475-221BC). Upon hearing his state, Chu, had fallen, he committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River. Legend has it that villagers paddled out in boats to save... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3265621/zongzi-all-their-glory-dragon-boat-festival-sticky-rice-dumpling-types-around-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3265621/zongzi-all-their-glory-dragon-boat-festival-sticky-rice-dumpling-types-around-asia Fri, 07 Jun 2024 04:45:08 +0000 It is the time of year to eat zhong or zongzi, the pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaf that are the culinary stars of the annual Dragon Boat Festival, which this year takes place on June 10. The story of zongzi stretches back to when Chinese poet, politician and patriot Qu Yuan, from the State of Chu, who lived during China’s Warring States period (475 BC to 221 BC), jumped into a river to kill himself. When efforts to save him failed, people threw rice dumplings wrapped... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3265281/dragon-boat-festival-2024-10-hong-kong-restaurants-creative-sticky-rice-dumplings https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3265281/dragon-boat-festival-2024-10-hong-kong-restaurants-creative-sticky-rice-dumplings Thu, 06 Jun 2024 04:45:09 +0000 Crowds watching the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races next month will be entertained with drone and pyrotechnic shows for the first time as one of 210 mega events in the city this year, with the competition expected to attract at least 130,000 locals and tourists. The HK$17 million competition, jointly organised by the Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, will take place on June 15 and 16 in Victoria Harbour at the Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade with more than... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3263688/drone-firework-shows-set-help-hong-kong-international-dragon-boat-races-go-bang https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3263688/drone-firework-shows-set-help-hong-kong-international-dragon-boat-races-go-bang Wed, 22 May 2024 12:45:14 +0000 China has warned of flood risks near the Bei River, a southern tributary of the Pearl River, over the next 30 days as authorities prepare for emergencies and evacuation. Heavy showers, known as “dragon boat rain”, often hit southern China around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, which typically falls in mid-June. But this year, the amount of rainfall could be 20 to 50 per cent more than usual in the Pearl River area, the Ministry of Water Resources said on Monday. Due to torrential rains in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3263490/china-warns-floods-dragon-boat-rain-threatens-soak-pearl-river-region https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3263490/china-warns-floods-dragon-boat-rain-threatens-soak-pearl-river-region Tue, 21 May 2024 08:02:09 +0000 Hong Kong’s colourful festivals, from the lion dances of Lunar New Year to moon-gazing at mid-autumn, mark the passing of the seasons. I very much enjoyed them when living in the city. But there was one British festival that I missed while residing in Hong Kong. Guy Fawkes Night was a source of great excitement during my childhood in London, matched only by Christmas and my birthday. This November 5, as there is every year, there will be celebrations in Britain, with spectacular firework... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3240207/bonfire-night-hong-kong-just-wasnt-same-all-i-tried-being-back-uk-means-proper-celebration-plotter https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3240207/bonfire-night-hong-kong-just-wasnt-same-all-i-tried-being-back-uk-means-proper-celebration-plotter Sun, 05 Nov 2023 06:15:15 +0000 Contestants for the final day of Hong Kong’s International Dragon Boat Races took to the waters on Sunday in an array of colourful costumes that included pigs, mahjong tiles and characters from beloved anime shows. Hongkongers and tourists alike donned elaborate outfits for the fancy dress competition on the second leg of the two-day event organised by the city’s Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association. Seven teams from the city and mainland China joined the final race,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3225312/pigs-and-anime-spies-square-hong-kongs-international-dragon-boat-races-bid-win-fancy-dress-contest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3225312/pigs-and-anime-spies-square-hong-kongs-international-dragon-boat-races-bid-win-fancy-dress-contest Sun, 25 Jun 2023 08:32:21 +0000 Thousands of revellers and paddlers braved heat and occasional heavy rain for the International Dragon Boat Races which returned to Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour after a four-year hiatus on Saturday. The two-day event, jointly organised by the Tourism Board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, featured more than 4,000 contestants from 10 places, including Australia, Dubai, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. Residents and tourists enjoyed the adrenaline-pumping action,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3225262/thousands-paddlers-make-splash-international-dragon-boat-races-return-hong-kongs-victoria-harbour https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3225262/thousands-paddlers-make-splash-international-dragon-boat-races-return-hong-kongs-victoria-harbour Sat, 24 Jun 2023 11:38:04 +0000 In the same week Hong Kong paused to enjoy racing during its Dragon Boat Festival, the city has been shedding light on ideas about charting a course to a brighter future in the face of global volatility, geopolitical tension and other headwinds. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu was among those exploring the city’s role at the Post’s China Conference: Hong Kong 2023. At Tuesday’s event, Lee stressed the importance of the city maintaining its international status as a “value-added... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/article/3225065/post-conference-ideas-help-hong-kong-navigate-stormy-waters-ahead https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/article/3225065/post-conference-ideas-help-hong-kong-navigate-stormy-waters-ahead Thu, 22 Jun 2023 21:00:16 +0000 Colourful dragon boats and accompanying rhythmic drums were seen and heard across Hong Kong on Thursday in the largest celebration of the Tuen Ng or Dragon Boat Festival since Covid-19 hit the city, but organisers said the race turnout was lower than pre-pandemic levels. Six dragon boat races were held in Stanley, Aberdeen, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Sai Kung and Tuen Mun, despite fewer competitors than in previous years. Contestants and race fans endured scorching temperatures throughout the day and the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3224960/enter-dragon-hong-kong-welcomes-return-drum-beats-and-crowds-dragon-boat-festival-race-turnout-still https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3224960/enter-dragon-hong-kong-welcomes-return-drum-beats-and-crowds-dragon-boat-festival-race-turnout-still Thu, 22 Jun 2023 04:05:02 +0000 Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu in Mandarin Chinese and Tuen Ng in the Cantonese dialect, is celebrated every fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and in 2023 it falls on June 22. While it is best known for dragon boat races in Chinese communities, the festival is marked by different traditions in other places. We explain how the festival is celebrated in various Asian cultures. China The Dragon Boat Festival is marked by a public holiday in mainland China and Hong Kong. In Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3224685/how-5th-day-5th-lunar-month-dragon-boat-festival-china-celebrated-across-east-asia-foods-traditions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3224685/how-5th-day-5th-lunar-month-dragon-boat-festival-china-celebrated-across-east-asia-foods-traditions Wed, 21 Jun 2023 23:15:19 +0000 Football superstar Lionel Messi made a guest appearance in a live-streaming show on Alibaba Group’s Taobao Live platform on Wednesday afternoon, in the latest stop of his seventh visit to China. The Argentinian forward – flanked by Li Xuanzhuo, an e-commerce influencer, and He Wei, a football commentator with state broadcaster China Central Television – spoke briefly about his football career and experience in the country. He also wished local fans a “happy Dragon Boat Festival”, ahead of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3224081/messi-wishes-chinese-fans-happy-dragon-boat-festival-alibabas-taobao-live-show-argentina-australia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3224081/messi-wishes-chinese-fans-happy-dragon-boat-festival-alibabas-taobao-live-show-argentina-australia Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:17:43 +0000 The British Museum recently held an event to celebrate the Korean Lunar New Year, which was criticised by Chinese internet users for displaying “ignorance of history”. They also accused Korea of stealing the Chinese Lunar New Year concept. The museum removed links to the event from its website and social media channels without explanation. The Chinese critics of the museum believe the Lunar New Year celebration is exclusive to China, because in China’s education system, one rarely hears of other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/article/3207864/debate-over-chinese-new-year-versus-lunar-new-year-rooted-misplaced-patriotism https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/article/3207864/debate-over-chinese-new-year-versus-lunar-new-year-rooted-misplaced-patriotism Wed, 25 Jan 2023 19:30:08 +0000 The World Dragon Boat Racing Championships have sailed on after the international federation moved its 2023 race from Hong Kong to the more welcoming shores of Thailand. Hong Kong has been cancelled, again. The government had barely rescued the 25th Hong Kong marathon, which organisers had said they were cancelling but is now rescheduled for February. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu came out to say his government would do its best to support the event and others like it, because it was in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/article/3193609/get-hong-kong-back-its-feet-we-need-be-three-steps-ahead https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/article/3193609/get-hong-kong-back-its-feet-we-need-be-three-steps-ahead Sun, 25 Sep 2022 22:45:12 +0000 The head of Hong Kong’s dragon boat federation has called for a clearer government road map for removing quarantine restrictions as soon as possible, so that the city does not continue to lose the right to host international events. Arnold Chung Chi-lok, chairman of the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, was speaking days after the 2023 World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, which were to be held in Hong Kong next August, were moved to Thailand because of the quarantine rules that apply... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/hong-kong/article/3193469/hong-kong-dragon-boat-boss-calls-timeline-end-quarantine-so-city https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/hong-kong/article/3193469/hong-kong-dragon-boat-boss-calls-timeline-end-quarantine-so-city Thu, 22 Sep 2022 23:30:07 +0000 The 2023 World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, which were due to be held in Hong Kong next August, have been moved to Thailand because of the city’s quarantine requirements for inbound travellers. Confirmation of the decision came from the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association in a post on Facebook. “The International Dragon Boat Federation held a special membership meeting this morning,” it said. “Due to the current quarantine and isolation arrangements for visitors to Hong Kong still being... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/hong-kong/article/3192872/hong-kong-quarantine-blamed-2023-world-dragon-boat-championships https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/hong-kong/article/3192872/hong-kong-quarantine-blamed-2023-world-dragon-boat-championships Sat, 17 Sep 2022 08:03:18 +0000 China could be about to launch its third and most advanced aircraft carrier, according to the latest commercial satellite images of the shipyard. The images – provided by Planet Labs and taken on Tuesday – show a line of lights at the No 4 dock at the Jiangnan shipyard in Shanghai, where the Type 003 warship has been under construction. They also show that the dry dock has been flooded so that the vessel can be floated, and banners with political slogans and flags can be seen on the warship. Say... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3181948/chinese-shipyard-ready-launch-type-003-aircraft-carrier https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3181948/chinese-shipyard-ready-launch-type-003-aircraft-carrier Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:52:46 +0000