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History
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last updated:
9 September, 2024
The British surrender Hong Kong to the Japanese on Christmas Day in 1941. Photo: SCMP
Old Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s darkest December brought a season without peace or goodwill

Hong Kong’s array of wartime memorials means the city will never forget those lost in the traumatic aftermath of December 1941 and the surrender on Christmas Day.

From our archives

The rocky path to enlightenment: the building of Hong Kong’s Big Buddha

The Philippines

‘Erasing history’?: Marcos Jnr accused of political bias over new banknotes

Art

Should museums return antiquities to their countries of origin? Some say no

New fronts have opened up in the war of cultural restitution, raising complex ethical and legal questions as some argue against museums returning foreign artefacts.

Plaques that form part of the Benin Bronzes, which were taken from Africa by British troops in 1897, on display at The British Museum in London. Photo: Getty Images
Science

Chinese classicists fight to save Greek, Roman works from conspiracy theorists

Supporters of the so-called pseudo-history argue that much of classical Greek literature, including the works of Aristotle, were faked.

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Brazil

Brazil-Angola cruise along slave trade route to shed light on dark past

The Great Passage cruise will make the transatlantic trip millions were forced into in reverse, in the name of education and accountability.

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Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Suicide in Korea is a big problem. In China, views were once very different

Events during one period in Chinese history indicate that for many, dying for honour was far more desirable than living a disgraced life.

Kim Yong-hyun attends a press conference in Washington on October 31, 2024. The now former South Korean defence minister attempted suicide while in custody over his role in a failed attempt to impose martial law in South Korea. Photo: EPA-EFE
Fashion

Passengers in period dress ride vintage New York subway cars

Subway carriages from the 1930s are back for a limited run in the Big Apple, and passengers have been dressing the part to journey on them.

United States

New York man finds mastodon jaw while gardening in backyard

Mastodons, which were distant cousins of mammoths and modern-day elephants, went extinct around 13,000 years ago.

Auctions

Ancient stone tablet engraved with Ten Commandments sells for US$5 million

The high figure was notched despite questions around the slab’s authenticity, with some experts expressing doubts about its origins.

Sotheby’s workers hold what is said to be the oldest known inscribed stone tablet of the Ten Commandments during a press preview in New York on December 9. Photo: AFP
China's space programme

Editorial | Science the winner as Chinese astronauts spacewalk to record

Hi-tech advances in spacesuits resulting from previous missions helped make the nine-hour feat possible.

Shenzhou-19 astronaut Song Lingdong during his spacewalk outside China’s orbiting space station, in a screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Centre. Photo: Xinhua
Art

Enter this Hong Kong ‘cave’ to discover more about prehistoric cultures

Items about ancient and prehistoric civilisations on show at Juen Juen Gung include ceremonial demon masks and precious carvings.

Tourism

9 quirky New York museums about soda water, maths, tenements and more

Already been to New York’s major museums? Try something different, like the city’s smallest museum or a Viennese coffee shop experience.

Hong Kong society

New look at old Chinese, French ties in ‘grand finale’ Hong Kong exhibition

Exhibition offers new ways to discover the two cultures, says Laurent Salome, director of the National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon.

Laurent Salome, director of the National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon, at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong tourism

Opinion | A blueprint for revitalising Hong Kong tourism: lessons from Tokyo and Seoul

The city should prioritise authenticity over quick fixes, enhancing walkability, improving green spaces – and learning from regional rivals.

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A woman takes a selfie at Victoria Harbour with the Hong Kong skyline as a backdrop. Photo: AFP
Old Hong Kong

How Hong Kong’s Portuguese shaped society in the city

This Museum of History exhibition focuses on the Portuguese contribution to Hong Kong, from sports to education.

Donald Trump

Biden unveils biggest single-day act of clemency in modern history

It is the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history, exceeding Barack Obama’s 330 before he left office in 2017.

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War and conflict

Opinion | Seoul must stop using North Korea threat as an excuse to suppress democracy

Conservative forces have a long, bloody history of using the danger posed by the North to justify quashing dissent and removing checks on the president.

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Protesters call for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, after his botched attempt to impose martial law, in front of the national assembly in Seoul on December 7. Photo: Reuters
Lessons from China's history

Recap | Taylor Swift, Elon Musk and Salman Rushdie were foreshadowed in ancient China

Explore connections between Chinese history, current events, and modern celebrities with longtime contributor Wee Kek Koon.

Japan

Will ties between Japan and South Korea worsen if Yoon Suk-yeol is ousted?

Japan is concerned that South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung might take over Yoon given his stance against Tokyo, analysts say.

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Profile

How director Jia Zhangke captures China’s rise in his gritty films

Jia used footage filmed over 20 years – as well as unused footage from previous movies – to create his latest work, an ode to China’s rapid development.

Jia Zhangke, a Chinese film and television director, screenwriter, producer, actor and writer. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Japan

Japan’s atomic bomb survivors receive Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo

The Nihon Hidankyo group aims to energise nuclear disarmament efforts with their powerful testimonies amid rising concerns.

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Representatives of 2024 Nobel Peace Prize winner Nihon Hidankyo, Terumi Tanaka, Shigemitsu Tanaka and Toshiyuki Mimaki attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway on December 10. Photo: Reuters.
TV shows and streaming video

Why 1979 song Below the Lion Rock is like a Hong Kong anthem

Named after a peak below which hunkered squatter villages, the song for RTHK by Joseph Koo and James Wong Jim resonated in 1970s Hong Kong.

Auctions

Rare Roman coin sells for US$2.09 million at Geneva auction

Historic item was minted in 43-42 BC and features a portrait of Brutus, the assassin of Julius Caesar. It was originally priced at US$843,000.

Asia travel

Insiders’ guide to Tainan, Taiwan: where history, art and cuisine come alive

Taiwan’s fourth city has plenty to satisfy the inquisitive visitor, especially in the walkable district of Anping, which is brimming with culture.

Tainan’s old and narrow streets make it an attractive city to explore on foot. Photo: Thomas Bird
Hong Kong

David Bowie’s record-breaking shows in Hong Kong in 1983

Despite complaints about audience behaviour, Bowie’s sold-out performances at the Coliseum were a resounding success 41 years ago.

British pop superstar David Bowie stunned Hong Kong with record-breaking concerts in 1983. Photo: Sam Chan
Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Like Musk for Trump, a benefactor aided rise of China’s first emperor

Political contributions are not new – 2,300 years ago a rich merchant helped the father of China’s first emperor gain power, and his son.

Travel news and advice

5 things about Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral you probably didn’t know

Notre Dame reopens this weekend after 5 years of renovations following a fire in 2019. Here are some lesser known facts about the cathedral.

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