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History

History
The latest news, analysis and opinion on History. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Jamaica’s Culture Minister Olivia Grange. Photo: dpa
Britain

Jamaica to petition UK king over slavery reparations in landmark legal test

Culture minister seeks Privy Council opinion on the legality of the transatlantic slave trade and UK liability for redress.

Mainland China

Rewriting history puts China’s image and sense of self at risk, party warns

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American cinema

How 1969 oddity The Chairman pitted Gregory Peck against Mao at ping-pong

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Lessons from China's history

Reflections | From prison and poverty to Chinese emperor: rags-to-riches tale of Liu Bingyi

Spared execution as a baby, imperial family member Liu Bingyi grew up a palace outcast, but this served him well after taking power in 74BC.

Liu Bingyi, who later became Emperor Xuan of the Western Han dynasty, rose to power after being spared execution as an infant. Photo: Baidu
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong proposes grade 2 heritage status for Kennedy Town selfie spot sea wall

Heritage assessment panel proposes listing New Praya’s century-old sea wall as historic structure amid plans to build new pedestrian walkway.

Mainland China

Have you been to the Great Wall of China?

Why the answer to the question of whether you have been to the Great Wall of China is trickier than it might seem.

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Food and Drinks

What are five-kernel mooncakes? A history of the protein-packed treat

Rich in nuts and seeds, five-kernel mooncakes are making a comeback as a protein-packed alternative to have during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Five-kernel mooncakes from the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui. We dive into the rich history of these “wuren” mooncakes, from ancient origins to modern interpretations. Photo: Jonathan Wong
United Nations

Countries must consider reparations for slave trade, UN committee says

At least 12.5 million Africans were ‌taken and sold between the 15th and 19th centuries, according to the committee.

Chinese culture

23,000 bronzes, 14 years, 60 volumes: China tracks lost heritage held abroad

Peking University study reveals seven times more relics held overseas than previously thought, creating crucial evidence trail.

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Malaysia

Reviving Kuala Lumpur: can Malaysia modernise without pricing out its past?

Urban renewal aims to regenerate the capital’s historic core, but polish and authenticity don’t always share the same street.

The Petronas Twin Towers and other commercial buildings as seen from KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP
Lessons from China's history

Reflections | How Chinese emperors’ birthdays became national holidays celebrated by all

In 729, Emperor Xuanzong marked his birthday with official ceremonies and festivities across China in a tradition that endured for centuries.

Portrait of the Qing emperor Kangxi, (1661 - 1722). Color on silk. Palace Museum, Beijing, China. (Photo by VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images) CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Timepieces

Why collectors are buying rectangular watches again

Driven by a revival in classic elegance, rectangular cases are capturing a new generation of collectors looking beyond standard round sports watches.

Science

China sends archaeologists to South America to trace ancestral links

Joint project with Peru will start with field surveys in the Caral zone, which is home to the oldest known urban centre in the Americas.

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Malaysia

Islamic university sacks professor who claimed Malays could fly

Solehah Yaacob went viral with her pseudo-history claims. She is fighting against her dismissal.

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Controversial Malaysian academic Solehah Yaacob seen in a still from a live-streamed lecture. Photo: Facebook/profsolehah
China’s narrative war

Gaokao reforms could leave Chinese vulnerable to pseudo-history, academic warns

University dean’s cautionary words come as Beijing is increasingly on guard about historical views at odds with the official line.

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Since 2014, education reforms have sought to give students greater flexibility to choose subjects based on their interests and strengths. Photo: Getty Images
Deng Xiaoping

Letters | Deng Xiaoping’s philosophy worth recalling in a global economy in transition

Readers remember the late Chinese leader’s contributions on his birth anniversary, and reflect on recent dog-related incidents.

Art

The Buddhist text in Taiwan said to bring lifetimes of luck with one glimpse

The Tibetan Dragon Canon, a huge 17th century scripture on show at Taiwan’s National Palace Museum, has set social media ablaze.

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Lessons from China's history

Reflections | How Chinese society’s resilient moral framework has lasted nearly 3,000 years

The Zhou-dynasty ideals of family responsibility, propriety and self-cultivation remain woven into the very fabric of China today.

The family has long lay at the centre of Chinese society’s moral universe, with respect for parents, harmony between siblings and the fulfilment of family obligations elevated from private virtues to the very foundations of society. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s internet censorship

China targets pseudo-history conspiracists who claim civilisations were stolen

Zhejiang agency says pseudo-historical claims – made worse by AI – reflect ignorance and fracture social cognition.

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Accidents and disasters in China

Blackout at Terracotta Army museum prompts cultural safety review in China

Museum-goers used phone flashlights to continue viewing exhibits inside the pitch-black hall at historic Xian site after power outage.

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US-China relations

Daughter of ‘Chinese Schindler’ protests use of his legacy to sell homes

Manli Ho condemns real estate site for invoking her father’s rescue of Jews to promote US$40,000 houses in his Chinese hometown.

Ho Feng-shan served in China’s diplomatic corps for nearly four decades. Photo: Handout
South Korea

South Korean star Ha Young sorry for row over ancestor’s pro-Japanese ties

The actress’ agency confirms her great-grandfather, Ahn Sang-ho, was listed as a councillor of a pro-Japanese association in 1916.

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South Korean actors Jung Hae-in (left) and Ha Young in a still from Netflix’s “Our Sticky Love”. Photo: Netflix
Science

Why were there no teeny-tiny dinosaurs like we have with mammals and birds?

New research investigates why there were never any dinosaurs the size of, say, a mouse, and it seems like mammals could be to blame.

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Even Confucius was buff? How ancient China prized strength and fitness

The gentle philosopher was said to possess extraordinary strength, while Chinese military officers long had to pass tough physical tests.

China’s Communist Party

Open Questions | Wang Gungwu on lessons of Chinese history and Cold War

Historian says the past holds the keys to the future, both for Chinese as they seek further socioeconomic progress and for US as it looks to undermine China.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
China-Japan relations

‘Ghosts of the 20th century’: how China and Japan clash over post-WWII narrative

In quest to win trust of Asian neighbours, Beijing is intensifying its rhetoric against Tokyo’s changing defence posture.

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Amid an escalating diplomatic crisis, China and Japan are trying to define each other’s international identity. Photo: Shutterstock
Chinese culture

The Chinese sex worker who built an empire in America’s Old West

Ah Toy rose from new immigrant to madam running a chain of successful brothels, fighting racism, sexism and the authorities on the way.

Climate change

Infographic: a powerful new El Nino cycle begins. Is the world ready?

Discover the history and science behind El Nino, the ‘Pacific fever’ that turbocharges extreme weather globally.

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