Heritage

From Chinatown zoo to crocodile oil legacy: The strange history of Chop Wah On

From a shop in Singapore’s Chinatown, a homegrown brand with over 100 years of history steadily sells its products to locals and tourists alike. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Lilia Yeo speaks to the third-generation owners and discovers the rich heritage of this store that began by selling medicated oils.

Lilia Yeo

30 Apr 2026

There’s no city like Singkawang: Where Hakka is the lingua franca and Cap Go Meh dazzles

In Singkawang, West Kalimantan, writer Teo Han Wue found kindred spirits, a vibrant Chinese community and a chance to witness the colourful culmination of Chinese New Year celebrations there — a spirit-medium parade, known to the locals as Cap Go Meh or Pawai Tatung.

Teo Han Wue

02 Apr 2026

[Photos] A tale of two homelands: Fujian and Taiwan [Eye on Fujian series]

Fujian, a historic maritime gateway and strategic frontier in China, has played a defining role in China’s past. Taiwanese historic photo collector Hsu Chung-mao takes us on a pictorial journey that explores the rich history and culture of his ancestral homeland, while reflecting on his personal ties to the region.

Hsu Chung-mao

27 Mar 2026

China looks to ‘experience economy’ for a consumption lift

China’s tourism boom is being reshaped by travellers chasing immersive, culture-rich experiences — from lantern parades to viral folk traditions — fuelling record spending and policy support, but can the country turn this surge into sustainable growth without losing its authenticity?

Caixin Global

27 Mar 2026

[Big read] Not just money: Gold carries the weight of memories

Amid global uncertainty, rising inflation and weak consumer confidence, gold has once again come into favour as a safe-haven asset, echoing its role in times of war. Yet while its value can be measured in markets, the true weight of gold is not purely numerical. Beyond price and purity, it carries memories, meanings and emotional significance — as ThinkChina’s Grace Chong discovered in conversations with gold jewellers in Singapore and China, across generations.

Grace Chong

20 Mar 2026

3,000 years lost, one swordsmith revives it

In a world obsessed with efficiency, Chen Shicong revived an ancient Chinese swordmaking art lost for three millennia, proving that mastery requires time, touch, and the alignment of body, mind, and spirit. Lianhe Zaobao senior correspondent Lee Geok Hoon finds out more about what it takes to craft a masterpiece sword.

Lee Geok Hoon

09 Jan 2026

From screen to sand: Why Chinese tourists are flocking to the Middle East

Once an exotic and faraway destination for Chinese travellers, the Middle East has become China’s new travel fascination. Driven by the combination of popular reality shows and formal tourism expos, curiosity turns into connectivity, pointing to a new phase of China-Middle East engagement, notes Middle East Institute-NUS research fellow Jing Lin.

Jing Lin

03 Nov 2025

Red banners and tea ceremonies: Inside the world of a Chinese wedding planner in Singapore

Despite Western influences, many young Singaporean couples choose to incorporate traditional Chinese customs into their wedding. Lianhe Zaobao senior correspondent Lee Geok Hoon speaks with Jenny Zheng, who has borne witness to marital unions in Singapore for the past 27 years. Beyond her role as a shopkeeper of wedding paraphernalia, Zheng is a guardian to this cultural heritage.

Lee Geok Hoon

17 Oct 2025

Glass towers, German villas and the ghosts of empire: This is Qingdao [Eye on Shandong series]

Once a German colony and now a vibrant Chinese coastal city, Qingdao blends red-roofed European villas with gleaming skyscrapers. Despite its rich history, stunning seascapes and iconic beer, it remains curiously overlooked by foreign visitors. Kennie Ting, author of The Great Port Cities of Asia: In History, gives us the highlights.

Kennie Ting

02 Oct 2025

A Foochow coffee boy’s journey through Singapore’s kopitiam history

At 12, Choo Ee Choo came to Singapore from Fuzhou and began life as a kopi kia in Balestier. Now 80, he recalls a time when brewing coffee was a guarded craft, and the Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association helped settle disputes and support the community. For Choo, coffee wasn’t just a drink — it was a way of life, even for the poorest coolies with only half a cup to spare. Lianhe Zaobao lifestyle correspondent Tang Ai Wei finds out more.

Tang Ai Wei

11 Jul 2025

[Big read] Guqin doctorate holder holds firm to qin principles

Dr Kee Chee Koon is the first Singaporean to earn a doctorate in qin studies in China. He also has plenty of thoughts to offer on the way of the qin. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zhang Heyang speaks to the guqin master.

Zhang Heyang

20 Jun 2025

Tanghao plaques on HDB doors reveal family names and roots

If you have ever come across a plaque above a doorway with Chinese characters, you might be looking at a tanghao, or an ancestral hall name that traces back to somewhere in China. Lianhe Zaobao lifestyle correspondent Tang Ai Wei introduces a tradition that reveals more than expected.

Tang Ai Wei

06 Jun 2025