Latest news with #Lingnan
South China Morning Post
06-07-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Where lychees came from and why in Chinese culture they're an auspicious symbol
'Eating three hundred lychees every day, I would long live in Lingnan.' The sentiment of Song dynasty poet Su Shi towards this popular summer fruit is echoed by many across Asia today. From Hong Kong to Hanoi and Maoming to Muzaffarpur, mounds of dusty-pink lychees can be found in wet markets and on the sides of streets at this time of year. Their thin leathery skin peels easily to reveal luscious translucent-white flesh that covers a shiny seed and has a heady floral flavour. Native to southern China and northern Vietnam, lychees appear in historical records in China as far back as 200BC. Lychee can be found in wet markets and at street-side stalls across Asia in the summer months. A 2022 report published in the scientific journal Nature Genetics used DNA sequencing to theorise that the first lychees appeared tens of thousands of years ago in what is today Yunnan province in southwest China.
South China Morning Post
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
M+ museum showcases 20th century Cantonese art
The latest marquee exhibition to open at M+, Hong Kong's museum of contemporary visual culture , is 'Canton Modern: Art and Visual Culture, 1900s-1970s', a sweeping exploration of Guangdong province's artistic evolution and its enduring influence on Asian modernism . Debuting on June 28 and running until October 5, the show assembles more than 200 works from institutional and private collections, many of which have never before been displayed publicly, to trace the interplay between Cantonese creativity and the sociopolitical currents of the 20th century. Known throughout much of Chinese history as part of the Lingnan region, Guangdong witnessed a shift from the restrained aesthetics of classical ink painting as artists confronted the rapid societal changes of the time. Pioneers such as Gao Jianfu , whose 1932 masterpiece Flying in the Rain reimagined traditional bird-and-flower motifs through dynamic movement and emotional intensity, epitomised this shift. Flying in the Rain (1932) by Gao Jianfu. Photo: courtesy Art Museum, CUHK Art mirrored the region's position as both a cradle of revolutionary thought – Sun Yat-sen's 1911 uprising originated in Guangdong – and a laboratory for artistic experimentation. As printmakers, photographers and cartoonists, these creators used mass media to document social upheaval, from the Japanese occupation to post-war reconstruction, creating a visual vocabulary that balanced regional pride with a national consciousness. Cantonese artists mastered the art of going viral long before social media. The 1940 'Exhibition of Guangdong Cultural Heritage' showcased woodblock prints and political cartoons that circulated through clandestine networks, amplifying leftist ideologies during the second Sino-Japanese war. Liao Bingxiong's satirical sketches, for example, skewered wartime corruption while Yau Leung's street photography captured Hong Kong's post-1949 identity crisis – caught between British colonialism and Communist influence from north of the border. As M+ curator Tina Pang Yee-wan notes, the works of these creators 'takes us back in time as witnesses to the formation of our image-driven world'. Mother and Child in the Rain (1932) by Fang Rending. Photo: courtesy MK Lau Collection The exhibition's second act examines how artists negotiated shifting gender norms amid revolution and reconstruction. Wong Siu-ling's 1941 oil painting Sewing for You subverted traditional guixiu (gentlewoman) tropes by portraying a woman as an agent of wartime resilience. After the formation of the Chinese Communist state in 1949, socialist realism co-opted this imagery, transforming women into symbols of state vitality.
CBC
20-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Why parking lots dominate the land north of Rogers Place
The land north of Rogers Place in downtown Edmonton has seen a lot of scrapped proposals over the years, from luxury towers, to shiny new hotels, to a sprawling arts district. Those in the area say it's a microcosm of some of the barriers to development and neighbourhood revitalization that can be seen across Edmonton: growing homelessness, high commercial vacancies and empty parking lots. And while some developers have walked away from their ambitions, others remain hopeful that what's now a sea of asphalt and chain link fence could one day be a vibrant area to live and play. CBC News spoke with several developers and land owners in the area to hear about those hopes and challenges. Miles Quon said he's spent his whole life looking across the street at vacant parking lots, waiting for something to happen. Quon is a manager at The Lingnan, Edmonton's oldest family-run Chinese restaurant. In those 40 years, there's been a lot of flyers in the mail with different proposals. "Honestly, we've learned not to hold our breath," Quon said. Quon described the area as "the backside" of Rogers Place. "Our side is still kind of like the wild west, which is weird because we're right downtown. People ask me all the time: 'where are you?' I'm like, I could throw a rock at Rogers Place." Snowball effect? A few blocks away, Qualico built the Epcor Tower on the Station Lands — once part of the Canadian National rail yard, in 2011. Nearly 15 years later, it's putting the finishing touches on a residential tower called The Switch. That helped spur change for Vivian Pak, the owner of several lots across 101st Street. In the last few months the strip underwent cosmetic work, major interior renovations, and installed a security fence — that helped open One01 Bistro and the Japanese Village on the corner along 105th Avenue. "Once the Ice Village and Qualico complete their development, the area will be vibrant with urban living and commercial retail businesses," Pak said in an email. Puneeta McBryan, CEO of the Downtown Business Association, said it's an example of the kind of snowball effect that can happen when projects finally get off the ground. But 104th Street itself remains a challenge. "Unfortunately, 104th Street itself, just by nature of it being such a wide commuter type of road, is sort of this natural barrier." The economic conditions, higher construction costs and property taxes, mean developers feel more uncertain about the viability of residential housing starts — and that goes for everywhere in the city, McBryan said. The only reason many developments are happening is they're seeing external support with government grants, she said. Meanwhile construction workers are putting the final exterior panels on The SunRise apartment building renovation on 106th Avenue and 101st Street. The SunRise did not receive government funding, but was the first building in western Canada to be financed with a BMO loan program intended to spur energy retrofit and sustainability upgrade projects. It hopes to capitalize on a growing downtown student population and draw in young renters with amenity spaces and convenience, said Ignacio De Lorenzo, one of the architects involved in the project. But he acknowledged the project isn't without risk for the developer Avenue Living. "There's many other locations downtown where you will have more opportunities to have a better return than in a site like this," De Lorenzo said. The building will have an integrated solar wall on one side, and a public art on the other. "They wanted to be kind of the first in this area to do something to give back to the community." Fires, smashed windows, graffiti deter one developer But not every developer is wanting to take that gamble. Jay Robinson, the president of of Quinco Financial, said his company scrapped plans for a hotel across the street from The SunRise because of the number of homeless people has grown in the area. "We really just felt investing $33 million into that area into a hotel could be a disaster for our company," Robinson said. Quinco owns a number of lots along 101st Street. Much of the land remains parking, and the buildings with tenants give Robinson weekly calls about graffiti, smashed windows or fires, he said. Robinson said one of those tenants is a daycare with only 16 children, despite being licensed for triple that amount. He said some of the buildings have people living on the roof, or have been broken into and had fires set inside. "I don't know what the solution is. But whatever they're doing right now, it is definitely not working. So we as a company have zero plans to do anything in that area." McBryan said any conversation about developing the area needs to factor in the high concentration of homeless services. But she pointed to the fact that city council is working toward decentralizing social services to be more spread out across the city — which is an "uphill battle" of its own. The village Many like Quon at the Lingnan are waiting for the area's biggest proposal: The Village at Ice District. Proposed to span nearly three city blocks, the mixed medium density development would add public green space, 2,500 units of housing, and retail space. Tim Shipton, OEG's executive vice-president of external affairs, says the village will tap into a demand for student housing, seniors housing, and affordable housing for newcomers. A recently signed memorandum of understanding between the city, the province and OEG sets aside more than $68 million for the public infrastructure and site servicing — only $3 million of which is coming from OEG. Shipton said that public funding for the project will help accelerate the project — amidst tough market conditions. And while some have expressed concern about public dollars going to private projects, Shipton says the Ice District has been a good deal for the city. "OEG has been a partner that has kept its end of the bargain …we brought [Rogers Place] in on time, on budget," he said. "Over the last decade we have in fact invested $2.5 billion in private investment which has really driven significant economic impact not only within the district but across Edmonton." WATCH | The hopes and challenges of developing north of the arena Why the land north of Rogers Place is still just parking 3 hours ago Duration 1:29 That doesn't mean there haven't been challenges. Last year, when they were originally planning to break ground on the village, OEG instead got an extension to continue operating some of the land as surface parking lots until the end of 2028. "I don't want to be naive or overly optimistic that there's still our challenges with supply chains, with financing, with overall market conditions," Shipton said. But if the MOU agreements get signed, he's optimistic that it will build some momentum alongside the new event park — and will allow them to develop the old McDonald Loft site to create some excitement in the market. Shipton said it's such a big vision that he wonders if sometimes people don't grasp the amount of change that's happened. "But make no mistake, if you go back and look at pictures of downtown Edmonton in 2013, the city is almost unrecognizable in this area for how much development has happened. And it's really exciting."
Time Out
14-05-2025
- General
- Time Out
11 must-see historic landmarks in Macau
Embark on a journey through the community on Rua da Barra, a stroll of no less than 10 minutes, and you'll find yourself at the Mandarin's House. This residential compound, once the abode of the esteemed entrepreneur and reformist thinker Zheng Guanying (1842-1921), is steeped in history. Here, he penned his influential masterpiece, Words of Warning to a Prosperous Age, a work that resonated with great Chinese leaders like Emperor Guangxu, Mao Zedong, and Sun Yat-sen, following its publication in the mid-1890s. This historical connection makes this mansion a must-visit for history enthusiasts. The compound, originally built in 1869, has seen extensions and renovations over the years. It was constructed in a Lingnan style typical of southern China, with subtle Western influences. This unique blend of Chinese and Western elements reflects a time when Macao's architecture was a fusion of styles, a fascinating aspect for architecture enthusiasts. The compound's courtyards, stunning interior frescoes, and intricately carved screen doors offer a tranquil retreat from the city's hustle and bustle. The Mandarin's House was acquired by the Macau SAR Government in 2001 and underwent a meticulous restoration process. It later reopened to the public in 2010.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lingnan University shines at International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, winning 5 prizes ― Record-breaking number of exhibitors and awards-winning achievements
HONG KONG, April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lingnan University has achieved a historic milestone at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, winning a record-breaking number of five awards. A total of six groundbreaking inventions from Lingnan were showcased at the exhibition, earning one Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury―the first time the University has achieved this honour―along with two Silver Medals and two Bronze Medals, making the number of Lingnan University's participating and winning projects a record high. Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, conveyed his appreciation for the record-breaking achievements of Lingnan University. He said, "This year, Lingnan has achieved a historic milestone with the number of innovative inventions showcased and awarded at the exhibition. This exceptional accomplishment reflects the University's international recognition in the fields of science, innovation and technology transfer, further strengthening its position as a pivotal player in the global innovation arena. Lingnan will continue to focus on nurturing well-rounded liberal arts and sciences talents, advancing 'human-centred' AI research and development, promoting high-quality research, and enhancing 'industry-academia-research' collaboration. These initiatives will accelerate the transformation of research outcomes into impactful innovations, fostering the development of new quality productive forces and establishing Lingnan as a leading comprehensive university in arts and sciences in the digital era." For the first time, Lingnan presented multiple inventions from various faculties and departments, showcasing its collaborative spirit and ingenuity. The six groundbreaking inventions exhibited in the exhibition covered areas such as intelligent transport, digital security, carbon neutral technology and humanitarian technology, which fully demonstrated Lingnan's strength in innovation and scientific research and its contribution to the community. "BLOOM - A Low-cost, Energy-efficient Baby Incubator Designed for Remote and Rural Communities in Developing Countries", which was developed by a team led by Prof Albert Ko, Director of Office of Service-Learning and Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI), has been awarded the Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury. Silver Award-winning projects include "A Multi-time-scale Model for Day-ahead Forecasting of Passenger Travel-time and Destinations Distribution" led by President S. Joe Qin; and "Direct Air Capture Robot (DACR) System Based on Mobile Automatic Cruise Tracking Coupled with Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation and Waste Heat Recovery System" led by Prof Li Jia, Associate Professor of School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Bronze Award-winning projects include "Decentralised Authentication of Anti-Counterfeiting QR Codes Using Vision Transformer-Based Federated Learning" led by Prof Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research) ), Acting Dean of the School of Data Science, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence; and "EmergentSync: An Intelligent Traffic Light System with Emergency Response" led by Prof Pan Fei, Assistant Professor of School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, led the research project on "Decentralised Authentication of Anti-Counterfeiting QR Codes Using Vision Transformer-Based Federated Learning", which won the Bronze Medal, is delighted by this remarkable achievement and said, "This award is full recognition of our team's pioneering research and demonstrates Lingnan University's strong commitment to cultivating young talent and transforming research outcomes into practical applications. We aim to continue addressing the urgent challenges facing the world today through innovative inventions. Moving forward, we will deepen our efforts in the relevant fields and actively expand our networks with the government and industry, and leverage our research capabilities to make greater contributions to society." The International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva is one of the world's most important annual events in the field of invention, this year showcasing more than 1,050 inventions from around 35 countries or regions. List of awarded projects and introduction Awards Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury Project Title BLOOM - A Low-cost, Energy-efficient Baby Incubator Designed for Remote and Rural Communities in Developing Countries Awarded Lingnan Faculty and Staff • Prof Albert Ko, Director of Office of Service-Learning and Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI) • Dr Nicole Lee Man-ying, Associate Programme Director of Office of Service-Learning and Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative • Mr Adrian Lo Chun-kwong, Product Design Lead of Office of Service-Learning • Mr Edward Lam Chi-yin, Senior Design Engineer of Office of Service-Learning • Mr Martin Cheung Chun-hei, Project Engineer of Office of Service-Learning Project description The Bloom Baby Incubator is a foldable, portable and cost-effective baby incubator with AI technology designed for backward countries or remote and poor areas to ensure the care of newborns in different environments. Features: • Accurate temperature monitoring Combined with AI technology, through the multi-point temperature sensor data analysis, to provide accurate temperature monitoring, greatly reducing the error. This technology ensures that the incubator maintains the exact temperature level set by medical professionals, creating a safe and controlled environment for preterm babies. • Fault Alert AI algorithms monitor equipment operation and provide timely alerts of module failure risks. Simple light signals and codes are used to indicate maintenance recommendations, which can be operated without relying on the internet. • Intelligent Energy Management Through AI model algorithms, power consumption can be adjusted more effectively to prioritise core functions (e.g. heating system), which improves battery life in areas with unstable power supply. The technology also supports unstable voltage inputs and can be integrated with solar charging to adapt to energy conditions in remote areas. Awards Silver Medal Project Title A Multi-time-scale Model for Day-ahead Forecasting of Passenger Travel-time and Destinations Distribution Awarded Lingnan Faculty and Staff • Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science • Dr Liu Yiren, Postdoctoral Fellow of Division of Industrial Data Science of School of Data Science Project description Funded by the Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, the system uses AI algorithms analyse integrated data for predicting passenger destinations and travel time distribution throughout the subway network. The technology significantly enhances the accuracy of station outflow forecasting, optimises resource allocation, and avoid emergency. Features: • Accurate Passenger Flow Prediction Predicts the distribution of passenger travelling time and destination across multiple time scales, providing accurate predictions of passenger outflow at each station. • Dynamic Real-Time Adjustments Using AI algorithms to analyses passenger flows at varying time intervals, enabling real-time resource deployment throughout the transit network. This capability minimizes service delays and provides critical predictive insights during emergencies to facilitate effective evacuations. • AI-Powered Interactive Visualization Platform Using interactive visualization software to monitor and display prediction results in real time on the map. Enhanced with AI agents that monitor online sources for major events likely to impact passenger volumes. Awards Silver Medal Project Title Direct Air Capture Robot (DACR) System Based on Mobile Automatic Cruise Tracking Coupled with Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation and Waste Heat Recovery System Awarded Lingnan Faculty and Staff Prof Li Jia, Associate Professor of School of Interdisciplinary Studies Project description The robot is based on an innovative amine-loaded solid adsorbent and with its autonomous cruise intelligence, it will capture carbon dioxide from the air to permanently sequester or convert it into carbon neutral products. The carbon dioxide captured by the technology can be used in agriculture, in the production of carbonated water, or as a feedstock for other chemicals. Features: • AI Autonomous Navigation DACR uses AI sensors and algorithms to autonomously navigate in urban and industrial environments, dynamically tracking and locating areas of high CO2 concentration to improve capture efficiency. • Intelligent Control System for Fully Automated Capture The DACR is equipped with an intelligent control system that automatically monitors and manages the CO2 capture process and optimises operational efficiency. Awards Bronze Medal Project Title Decentralised Authentication of Anti-Counterfeiting QR Codes Using Vision Transformer-Based Federated Learning Awarded Lingnan Faculty and Staff Prof Sam Kwong Tak-wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research), Acting Dean of the School of Data Science, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence Project description The project utilises AI models and proposes an "innovative anti-counterfeiting QR code privacy protection authentication method" to safeguard user privacy and reduce the risk of data leakage during transmission, effectively prevent tampering and improve the security of financial transactions and identity authentication, providing an innovative solution for enhancing "digital security". Features: • Privacy Protection Verification Enhance security and reduce the risk of privacy leakage by decentralising data. The technology is suitable for application scenarios that require tamper-proof and high privacy protection, such as financial transactions and identity authentication. • Enhances authentication accuracy The use of a pre-trained Vision Transformer significantly improves the accuracy of 2D code verification, ensuring that images can be clearly recognised even when blurred or distorted. Awards Bronze Medal Project Title EmergentSync: An Intelligent Traffic Light System with Emergency Response Awarded Lingnan Faculty and Staff • Prof Pan Fei, Assistant Professor of School of Interdisciplinary Studies • Mr Wang Fangyu, student of Master of Science in Cross-disciplinary Technologies+ (MScCT+) Project description The system adopts AI and V2I communication technology to analyse and respond to emergencies based on real-time road conditions, avoiding traffic congestion by adjusting traffic light timings, while improving road safety and efficiency. Features: • Enhance Traffic Management Efficiency Through AI image recognition and processing technology, emergency vehicles can pass through intersections quickly, enhancing traffic management efficiency. • AI analysis to help build a smart city Using AI to assess the congestion level of different road sections and adjust the duration of different traffic signals in time, optimising the waiting time for vehicles and pedestrians and avoiding traffic congestion. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Lingnan University Sign in to access your portfolio
