Chaozhou gongfu cha: A tea-drinking practice steeped in Chinese tradition
In 2022, it was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as part of the "traditional tea processing techniques and associated…
China’s iconic qipao celebrates its distinct fashion culture
From the mid-1800s, the qipao, with its body-hugging silhouette, appeared widely in magazines, movies, and posters, becoming the signature style of Shanghai.
Celebrate December in Dhaka with handmade, local gift ideas
"December in Dhaka is full-on wedding season, which means biye bari'r kachchi, dancing to trending songs, late-night ice cream treats, and unlimited fun. That, my dear readers, is…
Giant lanterns light up Christmas in Catholic Philippines
The festival acts as a platform to highlight the region's famed lantern industry, which first started more than 100 years ago.
Popularity of piggy banks showcased at Japanese bank’s museum
The Amagasaki Shinkin Bank’s museum of money boxes from across the world in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture has a collection of about 25,000 items from 62 countries, including money…
The last of the sheep herders in Bhutan’s Samtse
Today, the practice continues on a far smaller scale. Fewer households participate, grazing land has shrunk, and labour has become scarce, leaving herders uncertain whether the…
Dissecting the Noche Buena—the Philippines’ Christmas Eve feast
Museum director and anthropologist Cora Alvina unravels what appears on Filipinos' Christmas Eve table, tracing many dishes to history, migration, and adaptation.
Punjab’s epic songs fade as fewer than a dozen performers keep ancient tales alive
Three brothers — Ghulam Haider, Allah Ditta and Mohammad Bakhsh — all past 90, sat on a cracked mud platform beneath a single bulb. They began after maghrib [sunset] and…
How oranges are transforming lives in Nepal’s Arghakhanchi
Orange orchards in Arghakhanchi see record harvests and fetch steady income.
Thousand-year-old Khmer sculptures return home to Cambodia
In a December 16 press release, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts explained that the return followed several years of discussions between the Smithsonian and a ministry…