08/08/2025

LYFE FRIDAY | AUG 8, 2025

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

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I MMERSED in the cultural legacy and vibrant development of Kaifeng in China’s Henan Province that served as the capital of eight dynasties, savouring the beautiful moments of cultural integration and heartfelt under standing. Located in China’s heartland along the Yellow River, Kaifeng boasts a history of over 4,100 years as a settled urban centre and served as the capital of eight dynasties. Most notably, during the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127), it thrived for 168 years as both a political hub and one of the world’s most bustling metropolises. The renowned British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee once said: “Given the choice, I would choose to live in China’s Song Dynasty.” In his eyes, the Song Dynasty, with its economic prosperity, cultural brilliance and social openness, was “the finest age for human life”. A glimpse of Kaifeng past lingers in Along the River During Qingming Festival , the timeless masterpiece by Northern Song painter Zhang Zeduan. Along the Bian River, shops pressed close in a lively cluster, boats and carriages thronged the waters and roads, and crowds bustled with life. Thanks to an open society and abundant resources, ordinary life in the Northern Song Dynasty began to bloom with extraordinary richness and vitality. History was no longer solely the grand tale of emperors and nobles; in the bustle of markets and the warmth of daily toil, it etched its most touching stories. Though dynasties fade, the pulse of daily life endures. Modern Kaifeng integrates Song Dynasty aesthetics into ordinary existence, embedding ancient elegance within morning bells, evening drums, and the rhythm of daily necessities. Strolling through Kaifeng’s streets resembles stepping into a classical Chinese scroll. Waterways crisscross the city, linking ancient buildings with gray tiles and red walls. On imposing city gates, vivid yet time-honoured woodblock New Year paintings burst with life. The fragrance of tea drifts through the lanes, and the melodies of Yuju opera curl endlessly along the Bian River. In classrooms, children recite Song poems with ease. Around every corner, unexpected treasures await: Kaifeng Prefecture, Daxiangguo Temple, Longting, Daliang Gate, and the Ruins of Zhouqiao Bridge. Every inch of the city whispers: History has never left

Everlasting Chinese city Millennium City Park (Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden)

Today, the paulownias planted to tame desertification have grown into towering giants. Locals discovered that paulownia wood makes an exceptional material for traditional musical instruments, as it resists warping and offers excellent breathability and acoustic properties. Today, the traditional instrument industry has become one of Lankao’s pillar economic sectors. Guzheng zithers, pipa lutes, and other instruments crafted from local paulownia not only sell well across China but also reach markets in numerous countries and regions. In Kaifeng, a city where ancient charm weaves with modern vitality and economy thrives alongside culture, this confidence finds expression in melodies unbroken through generations, diverse elements advancing in harmony, exchanges that deepen mutual understanding, and differences cherished amid shared brilliance.

roaring floods, thick with silt, have repeatedly devastated Kaifeng. Yet, with unwavering resilience, the people here have rebuilt their homes time and again. Today, this timeless resilience finds perfect expression in the paulownia trees that tower towards the sky. In Lankao County, guests are deeply moved by the story of Jiao Yulu, who, over 60 years ago, led Lankao’s people in fighting sandstorms and planting paulownias to restore the ecosystem. Asia Centre for Studies and Translation owner and director Ahmed Hassan Ahmed Mohamed Moustafa said he was profoundly impressed by China’s achievements in poverty alleviation. He observed that Lankao’s remarkable development, driven by afforestation and other efforts, offers valuable insights that could be adopted in his own nation.

woodblock New Year paintings and Northern Song official porcelain. This 98.8-acre “living museum” does more than replicate the painting’s scenes. Through its innovative integration of scene restoration, cultural performances and tech driven interaction, visitors gain a firsthand sense of the “bustle of crowds and buzz of markets” that characterised life in the Northern Song Dynasty. “This is my first visit to Kaifeng. Its beauty transports me through time to the Northern Song Dynasty’s glorious heyday,“ remarked Nikita Kornev, executive director of the Centre for China and Asia-Pacific Studies, Ural Federal University, Russia. If an unbroken cultural legacy and the enduring pulse of daily life define the soul of a cherished home, then humanity’s indomitable spirit forms the very core that builds it. For millennia, the Yellow River’s

o Kaifeng’s cultural renaissance attracting more visitors but lives in Kaifeng people’s daily routines and flows through the city’s very essence. The Millennium City Park (Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden), a Song culture-themed park, recreates scenes from Along the River During Qingming Festival. Over 200 Song-style structures, including government offices, taverns and tea houses, stand in orderly rows. More than 800 performers in Song-era costumes wander through, staging over 100 distinctive shows. Here, over 20 intangible cultural heritages are on display, featuring Bian embroidery, the “Four Arts of Song Dynasty”,

More than 10,000 European hotels seeking damages from Booking.com

MORE than 10,000 European hotels are joining a collective legal action against Amsterdam-based Booking.com, seeking compensation for losses allegedly caused by the platform’s use of so-called “best price” clauses. The clauses ban the hotels from offering rooms on their websites at a lower rate and are seen by them as illegal. The aim is to prevent so-called “free-rider” bookings where customers find the hotel on Booking.com and then go to the

excessive costs. Now is the time to stand together and demand redress,” said Alexandros Vassilikos, president of the Hotrec hospitality sector association. “This joint initiative sends a clear message: abusive practices in the digital market will not be tolerated by the hospitality industry in Europe.” The aim of the collective action, known as a class action lawsuit, is to secure compensation for damages incurred between 2004 and 2024. – Bernama-dpa

hotel’s website to make their booking. The hotels cite a ruling by the European Court of Justice dated Sept 19, 2024, that essentially states that the best-price clause is illegal. The court found that platforms like Booking.com could operate without rules of this kind. This made little difference to travellers. Booking.com had abolished the clauses in Europe following the European Union’s Digital Markets Act of 2024. European hoteliers have long suffered from unfair conditions and

Amsterdam-based Booking.com is being sued by 10,000 European hotels over the platform’s use of so-called ‘best price’ clauses. – REUTERSPIC