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Wee Kek Koon
Having lived his whole life in the modern cities of Singapore and Hong Kong, Wee Kek Koon has an inexplicable fascination with the past. He is constantly amazed by how much he can mine from China's history for his weekly column in the South China Morning Post, which he has written since 2005.
Having lived his whole life in the modern cities of Singapore and Hong Kong, Wee Kek Koon has an inexplicable fascination with the past. He is constantly amazed by how much he can mine from China's history for his weekly column in the South China Morning Post, which he has written since 2005.
School heads in premodern China had to lead by example above all. More recently, principal Lee Cheuk-hing’s failure to do so cost him his job.
From bamboo ventilation systems to steam power and beyond, China now leads the world in producing and consuming coal, but dangers remain.
Long before electric irons, the Chinese had already developed sophisticated methods of pressing and smoothing garments.
Before chemical detergents and modern equipment, Chinese people kept their clothes clean with little more than river water, wood and ash.
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Disputes over Negeri Sembilan’s next royal ruler recall how succession in China often fused dynastic legitimacy with aristocratic elections.
For premodern Chinese people, sleep was much more than daily rest – it was a cultivated discipline and a medical necessity.
Private inns served travelling merchants in ancient China and grew in number and sophistication as the economy and infrastructure expanded.
The evolution of ‘biluo’ in Tang-dynasty China highlights how there is no unchanging way in which a dish ought to be prepared and enjoyed.
Though seen as barbaric, cremation was a common, practical choice for families in China’s Song dynasty that reflected their economic reality.
How ‘hubing’ came to China is reflected in Hong Kong’s Jenny Bakery cookies smelling like Malaysia’s Rotiboy coffee buns, Wee Kek Koon says.
In imperial China, services of armed martial artists, or biaoju, ensured delivery on risky routes. Their image has since been romanticised.
A people shaped by centuries of migration, Hakka communities are found across China and are prevalent in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
A Persian prince’s attempts to restore his family’s throne from abroad highlight how political legitimacy is tough to forge in faraway lands.
Wei Jiang of the state of Jin epitomises the Chinese idiom ‘in times of peace, think of danger’ – something Singapore follows closely today.
The long-spoken Chinese maxim that nobles were punished like commoners when breaking the law is not upheld by history.
Princess Anle’s radical petition to inherit the throne set in motion a chain of events that would see her decapitated in her own boudoir.
Many Chinese might not know that Buddhist deities like Ne Zha, Sun Wukong and Yanluo Wang are reimaginings of Hindu gods.
Lunar New Year treats in China vary from those in Singapore and Malaysia, for which some question whether they are truly ‘Chinese’.
Wishing someone a happy new year was a highly formal affair among people of status in imperial China and some cards were even collected.
Hang Li Po’s 15th-century marriage allegedly sealed Malacca and China’s friendly relations. Proof of her existence is scant. Does it matter?
The recent sale of the most expensive tuna in Tokyo reflects sushi’s popularity, but an episode in Chinese history shows raw food’s dangers.
From gargling with medicinal concoctions to chewing sticks, people in China addressed dental health with considerable ingenuity.
The ‘ancient Chinese wisdom’ about warm water being good for you is rooted in 20th-century health campaigns, not aeons of tradition.
Like Singapore’s ‘ejection’ from Malaysia, Chinese history contains fallacies, including ones about Sun Yat-sen and Empress Dowager Cixi.
Malaysia was born as a federation in 1963, with some states considered ‘special’. China also once toyed with federal ideals.
Mohele dolls featured expensive ‘special editions’, saw designer collaborations and even inspired cosplay, much like Labubus today.
The qualities that made buildings beautiful in premodern Chinese cities also made them dangerously flammable, and fire was a constant threat.
King Ling of Chu’s preference for his officials to be thin-waisted saw them practically starve themselves in efforts to win royal approval.
Used to train soldiers long before its benefits were taught to regular folk, exercise has become a matter of national resilience in China.
