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Christmas decorations in Landmark in Central, Hong Kong, in 1988. Photo: SCMP Archives
From our archives

In pictures: Hong Kong’s Christmas festivities, from the 1970s to 90s

In the late 20th century, Hong Kong transformed into a hub of festive cheer with bright lights, seasonal decor and plenty of Christmas treats.

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Malaysia’s unusual creation still affects it today. China mulled doing similar

Chinese culture

Explainer | What is the winter solstice? History, food and how Hong Kong celebrates

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China-Japan relations

Tower of peace or sin? Why China says a Japanese wartime monument must be razed

Chinese state media decries tourist attraction as ‘symbol of militarism’ as Beijing’s diplomatic row with Tokyo continues.

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Hakko Ichiu Tower, renamed Tower of Peace, stands in Heiwadai Park in the city of Miyazaki, Japan. Photo: Getty Images
Japan

Japan and South Korea clash over islets as old grievances resurface

Analysts warn the squabble is a ‘step backwards’ that offers Beijing a chance to drive a wedge between the two US allies.

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Year of the Horse 2026

Mongolia’s child jockeys are key to its heritage. But are they in danger?

Light and agile, children have long held the reins in Mongolian horse racing. But the hazards of the sport make it anything but child’s play.

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European travel

The quiet English landscapes that shaped Jane Austen’s world

An exploration of southern England in the footsteps of Jane Austen, born 250 years ago this month.

People dressed in period costume attend the Jane Austen Regency Country Fair, on July 6, in Steventon, Hampshire. Photo: Getty Images
Books and literature

Hidden histories of China revealed at rare book fair in Hong Kong

At Firsts Hong Kong, several rare book exhibits gave visitors the chance to peruse first-hand accounts of China’s complex past.

Egypt

Egypt reveals restored colossal statues of prominent pharaoh in Luxor

The giant statues, toppled by an earthquake in about 1200 BC, were meticulously pieced back together in a project that lasted about two decades.

Chinese history

After The War | Virtual reality and the Nanking massacre: where does immersion become trauma?

Amid push in China for museum digitalisation, one educator seeks to help students ‘feel history without being flooded by it’.

Simon Li, executive director of the Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre, with students (from second left) Kavira S. Kazimoto, Gem Peduche and Josue Camarena, at Andrews University’s Hong Kong campus. Photo: Handout
Chinese culture

5 of the best-known horses in Chinese legend, from the Red Hare to qilin

Horses play a fascinating role in Chinese folklore, ranging from the downright disturbing – one kidnaps a girl – to the gently auspicious.

Warlord Lu Bu and his famous horse Red Hare are depicted in the 2013 video game Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends.
US-China relations

After The War | How an American family’s wartime bond with China brings the countries together

Daughter-in-law of Flying Tiger who taught in Fujian province sees lessons in ordinary people always finding ways to understand one another.

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Japan

Opinion | From Singapore to Taiwan, Japan must face its past for Asia’s future

Lasting peace in Asia demands that Tokyo abandons its historical revisionism and refusal to acknowledge past crimes.

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United States

How Asian-American history is reshaping classrooms in the US

Connecticut schools are enriching lessons with Asian-American stories amid rising anti-Asian sentiment.

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Webster Hill Elementary School teacher Christin Labriola points out countries on a map during a lesson incorporating Asian-American and Pacific Islander subjects on December 2. Photo: AP
Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Ancient China’s Labubu-like doll craze also saw fans splurge silly money

Mohele dolls featured expensive ‘special editions’, saw designer collaborations and even inspired cosplay, much like Labubus today.

Labubus hang for sale at a market in New York’s Times Square in November 2025. The dolls’ unprecedented popularity has led their value to surge as many buy them as investments and keep them entombed in plastic cases. Photo: Reuters
War and conflict

Opinion | Only true repentance from Japan can resolve East Asia’s ‘memory wars’

It is important that Japan, China and South Korea collectively reckon with the legacy of military aggression and wartime atrocities.

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Singapore

Lee Kuan Yew’s Oxley Road home officially declared Singapore ‘national monument’

The designation marks a turning point, potentially ending years of family dispute and opening the door to heritage preservation in Singapore.

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Art

Famous horse-related works of art as the Year of the Horse 2026 approaches

To celebrate the nearing Year of the Fire Horse, we look at paintings, books and plays that show how the use of horses in art has evolved.

A scene from War Horse, performed at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2019. The award-winning British play is one of many artworks made over the centuries with a strong equine focus. Photo: Winson Wong
Science

Editorial | China is no longer a follower in the race for quantum supremacy

A Chinese team recreated one of Einstein’s famous thought experiments, the results of which could help improve technologies like quantum computing.

Britain

UK police hunt suspects after 600 British Empire artefacts stolen from museum

Police release images of four men after many items with ‘significant cultural value’ were stolen in Bristol on September 25.

Chinese culture

How Boston Chinatown overcame constant threats to win its place in history

New England’s last surviving Chinatown, Boston Chinatown has long suffered hostile urban renewal but now its community is stronger than ever.

A paifang gate marks an entrance to Boston Chinatown. Although at one time or another, Chinatowns existed in other cities in the United States’ New England region, today, Boston’s is the only one remaining. Photo: Hei-kiu Au
South Korea

Shaman rumours resurface as South Korea returns to Blue House

After Yoon Suk-yeol wasted millions on a move critics linked to fortune-tellers, the presidential office is returning to its historic home.

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People visit the Blue House in Seoul in 2022. Photo: AP
France

Paris Louvre faces strike after major leak and robbery

Louvre staff warn of ‘collapse’ as they protest work conditions at the world’s most visited museum.

Old Hong Kong

In pictures: a taste for winter warming fare, Hong Kong style

How Hongkongers keep warm in the winter, from steaming hotpot and snake soup to roasted chestnuts and bowls of crispy claypot rice.

China-Russia relations

Opinion | Despite their strong ties, Russia and China are emotional opposites

Moscow is haunted by a longing for Western approval in contrast to Beijing, which focuses on borrowing what works and changing what doesn’t.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
France

Water leak at Paris Louvre damages books at Egyptian antiquities department

The leak underscores the deteriorating state of the world’s most visited museum just weeks after a jewel heist exposed security flaws.

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Photo: Reuters
Egypt

This man has gone viral for his resemblance to an ancient Egyptian king

Egyptian influencer Youssef Mohamed hopes his resemblance to Pharaoh Akhenaten fuels further interest in ancient Egyptian history.

Singapore

Singapore launches book on Malaysia separation with declassified files

‘The Albatross File: Inside Separation’ sheds light on the negotiations leading up to Singapore’s break from Malaysia.

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