Shanghai isn’t the picture of ancient culture I expected from China. Unlike Beijing’s obvious historical legacies, evidence of Shanghai’s quaint, fishing village past is long buried beneath urban sprawl. Only the meandering…
Fu Lu Shou, three strange Chinese fellows staring back at me through the museum glass. Their faces are familiar, I have seen them before on cloth, in porcelain and paint. But who…
As another year of travel adventures draws to a close, I’m packing my suitcase and heading home Downunder for the first time in 18months. If you are fortunate enough to put your feet…
Chinese New Year rituals are thought to have a significant influence on how the year ahead proceeds. Avoid inauspicious pitfalls with these nine lucky omens for gifting, decorating, eating and celebrating.
There is barely a culture or a time in history I don’t associate with the expressive, ever stylish and practical hand fan. Whether it is an ancient Egyptian king languishing in the breeze…
In Chinese culture, these fluffy tufts of meteorological cotton candy have some interesting cultural significance. Having spent some time in China and surrounding nations where the Chinese have historically had a major…
Don’t you hate it when you get your pagodas crossed with your dagobas?! Well maybe not, but if you’re travelling through East Asia you’ll hear a lot of confusing references and generalised…
