Cathay language, the word Cathay was sometimes used for China, although increasingly only in a poetic sense, until the 19th century when it was completely replaced by "China". A person from Cathay (i.e., a Chinese person) was also written in English as a Cathayan or a Cataian. However the terms "China" and "Cathay" have histories of approximately equal length in English. The term is still used poetically. Cathay is more prevalent as proper noun in names, such as Cathay Pacific Airways or Cathay Hotel. The flagship airline of Hong Kong is called as such because the founders envisioned that one day,
Cathay Organisation of the 1980s, Cathay Organisation rationalised its cinema business, selling out their cinema operations in Malaysia. In Singapore, Cathay closed the only drive-in cinema in Jurong and chose to move with the trends and operated only cineplexes. It converted its stand-alone cinemas into multi-screenswhere. In 1990, Cathay opened The Picturehouse, Singapore's first arthouse cinema and the following year, Cathay Cinema was converted into a 3 screen cineplex. The 1990s saw Cathay Bowl opening bowling alleys in major parts of the island. Cathay Properties was incorporated, providing property management and maintenance services for facilities operated by Cathay itself, as well as