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History

History
The latest news, analysis and opinion on History. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
“Chinamaxxing”, in which the norms and traditions associated with Chinese culture are embraced, is trending, but “maxxing” has roots older than you would think. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/RedNote
Chinese culture

Language Matters | Gen Z loves ‘Chinamaxxing’, but where does ‘maxxing’ come from?

Chinamaxxing, lookmaxxing, moneymaxxing and gymmaxxing might be new terms, but the practice of ‘maxxing’ has been around for a while.

Chinese culture

How AI is helping bring Hong Kong history to life on Instagram and beyond

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | After Andrew’s arrest, how high-born criminals were treated in ancient China

Pokemon

How Pokemon took over the world as the beloved franchise turns 30

On Pokemon Day 2026, we look at the history of the global multimedia phenomenon and how it captured the hearts of children and adults alike.

Pokemon fans take part in the Pokemon Go City Safari event in Hong Kong in December 2024, a two-day event that saw players able to “catch” the virtual creatures at the city’s landmarks. Photo: Dickson Lee
South Korea

Why Yoon’s life sentence and ‘sympathetic’ ruling divide South Korea

As the ex-president appeals his life sentence for a martial law plot, judicial reform is back on the agenda for a deeply divided nation.

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Hong Kong culture

What’s behind Hong Kong’s retro display craze sweeping shops and stations?

The transformation of a Wellcome supermarket branch into a viral photo hotspot highlights a growing nostalgia trend engulfing the city.

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Style Edit

Style Edit: L’ÉCOLE Asia Pacific’s new engagement ring course

Today, the engagement ring takes pride of place in Hong Kong alongside Chinese ceremonial gifts – L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts’ new course will offer a closer look.

L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts is offering a course on engagement rings in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
Nepal

Unearthed temple in Nepal sheds new light on Buddha’s early life

Archaeologists hope the newly discovered ruins at Siddhartha Gautam’s childhood palace will help secure Unesco World Heritage status.

Austria

Policing the past: Hitler’s childhood home becomes a police station

Holocaust campaigners say putting police in the dictator’s former home is a ‘problematic’ way of dealing with the town’s dark history.

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Fame and celebrity

What you need to know about Daryl Hannah and JFK Jr’s romance

The Blade Runner actress, now married to Neil Young, had a romance with the late JFK Jr before he eventually wed Carolyn Bessette.

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Daryl Hannah and her then boyfriend, the late John F. Kennedy Jr. Photos: @dhlovelife/Instagram, @JFKjr_memories/X
From our archives

In pictures: Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year obsession with good fortune

To celebrate the Year of the Horse, we take a look back at how Hong Kong invited good luck through traditional customs from the 1970s to the 2000s.

A girl spins a “wheel of fortune” outside the Che Kung Temple, in Sha Tin, on the third day of the Lunar New Year in 1986. Photo: SCMP Archives
Fashion

JFK Jr: his story and style remembered in FX bio Love Story

Series explores the lawyer’s life and marriage, and his impeccable, understated elegance that quietly defied 90s fashion norms.

Science

How did a prized red gemstone reach the ancient, mysterious Shu kingdom?

The presence of the warm, reddish-orange mineral in the Bronze Age archaeological site of Sanxingdui has long puzzled archaeologists.

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Japan

Video | Pop culture fuels revival of Japan’s traditional swords

Swordsmiths warn that without new ideas, modern swordsmithing may disappear.

The traditional Japanese craft of swordsmithing is finding new life among young fans drawn to video games like Touken Ranbu, and hit series such as Shogun and Demon Slayer.
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Style Edit

Style Edit: 5 things you didn’t know about Louis Vuitton’s Monogram

Over 100 years on, the LV Monogram has become one of the world’s most durable and recognisable motifs – but how was it created?

Advertising card, circa 1907. A woman places her personal belongings in a Louis Vuitton Monogram canvas trunk. Photo: Handout
Indonesia

Indonesia’s 68,000-year-old handprint: the birth of human art?

Found hiding beneath a chicken sketch, the faded outline proves ancient humans were capable of reflecting on their existence, scientists say.

Science

How old is Chinese civilisation? A scholar says it really dates back 8,000 years

Leading scholar’s argument stretches the timeline back beyond the widely accepted figure of 5,000 years.

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Malaysia

Malaysia did not cede any land to Indonesia, PM Anwar insists

Claims of a 5,200-hectare territorial handover to Indonesia are ‘a lie’, Malaysia’s prime minister tells lawmakers.

The Indonesia-Malaysia border marker on Sebatik Island, which is split between Indonesia’s Nunukan regency and Malaysia’s Tawau district. Photo: Shutterstock
Macau

A timeless love affair with Macau, a city of hidden charms

A decades-long fascination with Macau has endured for historian Jason Wordie, who finds little of what matters to him has changed, post-Covid.

Japan

Japan set to revive WWII military titles in controversial shift

While some argue the change aligns Japan with global norms, others say better pay – not historical titles – is what soldiers really need.

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Greenland

Language Matters | How Greenland’s language is just as invaluable as its minerals and oil

Greenlandic has been an emblem of identity as the territory advanced to political autonomy and has given us words like igloo and anorak.

Locals stand on a snowy shoreline at dusk in Nuuk, Greenland. Greenland’s linguistic heritage reflects Inuit history and the territory’s evolving autonomy through the years. Photo: AFP
Macau

Scandals, shidaiqu and fedora-clad concierges – a Macau institution returns

The grand dame, once a haunt of James Bond author Ian Fleming, has been resurrected by a local who vowed to own it as a boy.

The new Hotel Central’s green facade remains faithful to the original. Photo: Eugene Chan
China economy

Opinion | US-China rivalry: great powers that don’t make things won’t be great for long

As globalisation falters, it is countries that focus on building productive capacity, not financial excess, that will come out on top.

Singapore

A tale of two cities: Singapore, Hong Kong and their contrasting paths

Historian Wang Gungwu reflects on how political legacies have shaped Hong Kong and Singapore, two of Asia’s economic ‘tigers’.

Art

How a residency in Ireland changed everything for this artist

The Macau-born, New York-based artist makes ceramic sculptures, paying tribute to her late mother and Macau’s architectural history.

Heidi Lau at M+ in Hong Kong. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Trip Inspiration

From devil-mouth caves to deer-filled parks, these sites deserve more love

From ancient temples in Bali to royal tombs in Korea, Asia’s World Heritage sites reveal rich histories beyond the spotlight.

The lavish stonework and proximity to other landmarks have long drawn tourists to the 17th century Ruins of Saint Paul, in Macau. Photo: Ronan O’Connell
Lessons from China's history

Reflections | How Chinese new year cards went from elites’ greetings to bribery instruments

Wishing someone a happy new year was a highly formal affair among people of status in imperial China and some cards were even collected.

Singapore

In his Singapore book launch, Wang Gungwu recounts own journey through history

Wang says in his book that there are no borders between civilisations and that the past provides the ‘guideposts to the future’.

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