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Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582–580 BCE and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it 'Akragas'.<br/><br/> Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia (Greater Greece). It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus.<br/><br/> Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BCE. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
The 15th century Holy Trinity Church was built by the Neuhaus family and was consecrated in 1475. The church stands behind a wall that the local population built to protect itself from Turkish attacks in the 16th century.<br/><br/> The interior is decorated with Gothic frescoes by the artist John of Kastav (Johannes de Castua), the most famous being <i>Danse Macabre</i> (Dance of Death), and completed in 1490.
According to an ancient chronicle, the original city of Chiang Saen was built in 545 CE in an area called Yonok, by Tai migrants from the Chinese province of Yunnan, and was an important city of the Lan Na Kingdom. No reliable written history of the city exists until the arrival of King Mengrai in the 13th century.<br/><br/> The city was sacked by Chao Kawila of Chiang Mai during the reign of Rama I, because it had been the Burmese base of operations in the preceding years. The city was deserted, while its inhabitants resettled in other Bangkok-allied Lanna cities such as Lampang and Chiang Mai.
Tsuchigumo are monstrous creatures with the body of a tiger, limbs of a spider, and the face of a demon. They capture, bind and eat unwary travelers. When Minamoto no Yorimitsu killed a Tsuchigumo, 1,990 human skulls fell out of its belly.<br/><br/> The Tsuchigumo no Zoshi Emaki (Narrative picture scroll of the story of the earth spider) is a picture scroll depicting a story of a battle between Tsuchigumo and Minamoto no Yorimitsu, a general in the mid-Heian period. The story is well known as an episode in Taiheiki (a warrior tale) and the Noh song 'Tsuchigumo'.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (30 April 1839 – 9 June 1892) was a Japanese artist and Ukiyo-e woodblock print master.<br/><br/> He is widely recognized as the last great master of Ukiyo-e, a type of Japanese woodblock printing. He is additionally regarded as one of the form's greatest innovators. His career spanned two eras – the last years of Edo period Japan, and the first years of modern Japan following the Meiji Restoration. Like many Japanese, Yoshitoshi was interested in new things from the rest of the world, but over time he became increasingly concerned with the loss of many aspects of traditional Japanese culture, among them traditional woodblock printing.<br/><br/> By the end of his career, Yoshitoshi was in an almost single-handed struggle against time and technology. As he worked on in the old manner, Japan was adopting Western mass reproduction methods like photography and lithography. Nonetheless, in a Japan that was turning away from its own past, he almost singlehandedly managed to push the traditional Japanese woodblock print to a new level, before it effectively died with him.
George Adams, the Younger (1750 - 1795), son of George Adams (c. 1709 - 1773), was the author of a number of influential scientific works, including <i>Essays on the Microscope</i>, <i>Astronomical and Geographical Essays</i> and <i>Lectures on Natural and Experimental Philosophy</i>. He was also a globe maker.
James Ferguson (25 April 1710 – 17 November 1776) was a Scottish astronomer, instrument and globe maker.<br/><br/> It is as the inventor and improver of astronomical and other scientific apparatus, and as a striking instance of self-education, that he claims a place among the most remarkable men of science of his country.
Sancai (lliterally 'three colours') is a type of ceramics using three intermingled colors for decoration.<br/><br/> The Tang Dynasty ( June 18, 618 – June 1, 907) was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire. The dynasty was interrupted briefly by the Second Zhou Dynasty (October 8, 690 – March 3, 705) when Empress Wu Zetian seized the throne, becoming the first and only Chinese empress regnant, ruling in her own right.<br/><br/> The Tang Dynasty, with its capital at Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), which at the time was the most populous city in the world, is generally regarded as a high point in Chinese civilization—equal to, or surpassing that of, the earlier Han Dynasty—a golden age of cosmopolitan culture. Its territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, rivalled that of the Han Dynasty. In two censuses of the 7th and 8th centuries, the Tang records estimated the population by number of registered households at about 50 million people.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (January 1, 1798 - April 14, 1861) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. He is associated with the Utagawa school.<br/><br/> The range of Kuniyoshi's preferred subjects included many genres: landscapes, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, cats, and mythical animals. He is known for depictions of the battles of samurai and legendary heroes. His artwork was affected by Western influences in landscape painting and caricature.
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (22 April 1870 – 21 January 1924) was a Russian communist revolutionary, politician and political theorist.<br/><br/> Lenin served as the leader of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1917, and then concurrently as Premier of the Soviet Union from 1922, until his death. Under his administration, the Russian Empire disintegrated and was replaced by the Soviet Union, a single-party constitutionally socialist state; all wealth including land, industry and business were nationalised.<br/><br/> Based in Marxism, his theoretical contributions to Marxist thought are known as Leninism.
Tsuchigumo are monstrous creatures with the body of a tiger, limbs of a spider, and the face of a demon. They capture, bind and eat unwary travelers. When Minamoto no Yorimitsu killed a Tsuchigumo, 1,990 human skulls fell out of its belly.<br/><br/> The Tsuchigumo no Zoshi Emaki (Narrative picture scroll of the story of the earth spider) is a picture scroll depicting a story of a battle between Tsuchigumo and Minamoto no Yorimitsu, a general in the mid-Heian period. The story is well known as an episode in Taiheiki (a warrior tale) and the Noh song 'Tsuchigumo'.
James Ferguson (25 April 1710 – 17 November 1776) was a Scottish astronomer, instrument and globe maker.<br/><br/> It is as the inventor and improver of astronomical and other scientific apparatus, and as a striking instance of self-education, that he claims a place among the most remarkable men of science of his country.
William Buckland DD FRS (12 March 1784 – 14 August 1856) was an English theologian who became Dean of Westminster. He was also a geologist and palaeontologist, writing the first full account of a fossil dinosaur, which he named Megalosaurus. His work proving that Kirkdale Cave had been a prehistoric hyena den, for which he was awarded the Copley Medal, was praised as an example of how scientific analysis could reconstruct events from the distant past. He was a pioneer in the use of fossilised faeces, for which he coined the term coprolites, to reconstruct ancient ecosystems.<br/><br/> Buckland was a proponent of the Gap Theory that interpreted the biblical account of Genesis as referring to two separate episodes of creation separated by a lengthy period; it emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as a way to reconcile the scriptural account with discoveries in geology that suggested the earth was very old. Early in his career he believed that he had found geologic evidence of the biblical flood, but later became convinced that the glaciation theory of Louis Agassiz provided a better explanation, and he played an important role in promoting that theory in Great Britain.
The tax records of Mughal Emperor Akbar (1584–1598) as well as the work of a 15th century Bengali poet, Bipradaas, both mention a settlement named Kalikata (thought to mean ‘Steps of Kali’ for the Hindu goddess Kali) from which the name Calcutta is believed to derive.<br/><br/> In 1690 Job Charnock, an agent of the East India Company, founded the first modern settlement in this location. In 1698 the company purchased the three villages of Sutanuti, Kolikata and Gobindapur. In 1727 the Calcutta Municipal Corporation was formed and the city’s first mayor was appointed.<br/><br/> In 1756 the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, seized Calcutta and renamed the city Alinagar. He lost control of the city within a year and Calcutta was transferred back to British control. In 1772 Calcutta became the capital of British India on the orders of Governor Warren Hastings.<br/><br/> In 1912 the capital was transferred to New Delhi while Calcutta remained the capital of Bengal. Since independence and partition it has remained the capital and chief city of Indian West Bengal.
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (22 April 1870 – 21 January 1924) was a Russian communist revolutionary, politician and political theorist.<br/><br/> Lenin served as the leader of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1917, and then concurrently as Premier of the Soviet Union from 1922, until his death. Under his administration, the Russian Empire disintegrated and was replaced by the Soviet Union, a single-party constitutionally socialist state; all wealth including land, industry and business were nationalised.<br/><br/> Based in Marxism, his theoretical contributions to Marxist thought are known as Leninism.
Founded in 1827 by Phaya Singhanataraj, the Shan ruler of Mae Hong Son, Wat Chong Kham contains a 5 metre Buddha image known as Luang Pho To.<br/><br/> Once one of Thailand’s remotest provinces, Mae Hong Son is now readily accessible by air from Chiang Mai, as well as by a wonderful loop drive through Mae Sariang and back via Pai and Soppong– or vice versa. Singularly isolated, Mae Hong Son is not yet very developed. The townsfolk may be citizens of Thailand, but most are Shan, Karen, Yunnanese Chinese or Hill Tribes. The temples are Burmese in style, and the pace of life amazingly tranquil.
Founded in 1827 by Phaya Singhanataraj, the Shan ruler of Mae Hong Son, Wat Chong Kham contains a 5 metre Buddha image known as Luang Pho To.<br/><br/> Once one of Thailand’s remotest provinces, Mae Hong Son is now readily accessible by air from Chiang Mai, as well as by a wonderful loop drive through Mae Sariang and back via Pai and Soppong– or vice versa. Singularly isolated, Mae Hong Son is not yet very developed. The townsfolk may be citizens of Thailand, but most are Shan, Karen, Yunnanese Chinese or Hill Tribes. The temples are Burmese in style, and the pace of life amazingly tranquil.
Pearl Buck was born in Hillsboro, West Virginia, to Caroline Stulting (1857–1921) and Absalom Sydenstricker. Her parents, Southern Presbyterian missionaries, traveled to China soon after their marriage on July 8, 1880, but returned to the United States for Pearl's birth.<br/><br/> When Pearl was three months old, the family returned to China to be stationed first in Zhenjiang (then often known as Jingjiang or, in the Postal Romanization, Tsingkiang), (this is near Nanking). Pearl was raised in a bilingual environment, tutored in English by her mother and in classical Chinese by a Mr. Kung. Wang Amah is also supposed to have been instrumental in Pearl's Chinese education.
The Beatus of León is an 11th century illuminated manuscript of the Commentary on the Apocalypse by Beatus of Liébana. The manuscript was made for King Ferdinand 1 (c.1015-1065) and Queen Sancha of León. It contains 98 miniatures painted by Facundus. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
The Hakka (Kejia in Mandarin; literally 'guest people') are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language. Their distinctive earthen houses or tulou can be found in the borderland counties where Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces meet.<br/><br/> Communal entities, tulou are fortified against marauding bandits and generally made of compacted earth, bamboo, wood and stone. They contain many rooms on several storeys, so that several families can live together. The small, self-contained design is a common characteristic of Hakka dwellings (eg the Hakka walled villages at Kam Tin in Hong Kong’s New Territories).<br/><br/> Tulou come in a variety of styles, and can be circular, triangular, rectangular, octagonal or other shapes. The extraordinary round earth houses range in size from the small scale (around 12 rooms) to the large (up to 72 rooms). Most are three storeys high, but the largest have up to five storeys. Some tulou stand independently, while others cluster into groups. The tulou located in Hukeng include the circular Zhenchenglou and a Five Phoenix House (Wufenglou), among others. Five Phoenix buildings tended to belong to Hakka officials and are more palatial than typical tulou.
Phra Mae Thorani (Thai: พระแม่ธรณี), Mae Phra Thorani (Thai: แม่พระธรณี) or Nang Thorani (นางธรณี), known as Wathondara or Wathondare in Burmese, from Pali Vasudhara are Thai and Lao language names for the Khmer language Preah Thorani, an earth goddess of the Buddhist mythology of the region. She is also known as Suvathara or Sowathara.<br/><br/> Located 70 kilometres due north of Chiang Mai (northern Thailand) on the road to Fang, Chiang Dao shelters beneath the impressive bulk of Doi Chiang Dao, a massive outcrop of rock which rises steeply over the town to a height of 2,175 metres. The peak—Thailand's third highest—is usually shrouded in clouds, and is home to a number of hilltribe villages, including Lisu, Lahu and Karen settlements.<br/><br/> Chiang Dao is a small, rather traditional town of two-storey teak shop-houses and quiet back streets. About 5 kilometres distant, on the eastern side of Doi Chiang Dao, lies the entrance to the extensive subterranean network which makes up the Chiang Dao caves. Various stories and legends surround these caverns, which are reported to extend as far as 14 kilometres under the mountain—though they are only illuminated by electric light for the first kilometre or so.
Paul Gauguin was born in Paris in 1848 and spent some of his childhood in Peru. He worked as a stockbroker with little success, and suffered from bouts of severe depression. He also painted. In 1891, Gauguin, frustrated by lack of recognition at home and financially destitute, sailed to the tropics to escape European civilization and 'everything that is artificial and conventional'. His time there, particularly in Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands, was the subject of much interest both then and in modern times due to his alleged sexual exploits. He was known to have had trysts with several native girls, some of whom appear as subjects of his paintings. Gauguin died on 8 May 1903 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery (Cimetière Calvaire), Atuona, Hiva ‘Oa, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
The Imperial Goddess of Earth is in charge of births, land, rivers, and mountains.<br/><br/> In Daoist ritual, as well as the Three Pure Ones, the Four Heavenly Ministers are also worshipped. Each of the Four Heavenly Ministers has his own divine birthday: The Great Jade Emperor on the 9th of the first lunar month, the Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Pole Star of Purple Subtlety on the the 27th of the tenth month, the Great Heavenly Emperor of the Highest Palace of Polaris on the 2nd of the second month, and the Imperial Earth Goddess on the 18th of the third month. Many Daoists go to temples to burn incense on these days.
Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973), also known by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhju (Chinese: 賽珍珠; pinyin: Sài Zhēnzhū), was an American writer who spent most of her time until 1934 in China.<br/><br/> Her novel 'The Good Earth' was the best-selling fiction book in the USA in 1931 and 1932, and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, she was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, 'for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces'.
The Imperial Goddess of Earth is in charge of births, land, rivers, and mountains.<br/><br/> In Daoist ritual, as well as the Three Pure Ones, the Four Heavenly Ministers are also worshipped. Each of the Four Heavenly Ministers has his own divine birthday: The Great Jade Emperor on the 9th of the first lunar month, the Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Pole Star of Purple Subtlety on the the 27th of the tenth month, the Great Heavenly Emperor of the Highest Palace of Polaris on the 2nd of the second month, and the Imperial Earth Goddess on the 18th of the third month. Many Daoists go to temples to burn incense on these days.
The tax records of Mughal Emperor Akbar (1584–1598) as well as the work of a 15th century Bengali poet, Bipradaas, both mention a settlement named Kalikata (thought to mean ‘Steps of Kali’ for the Hindu goddess Kali) from which the name Calcutta is believed to derive.<br/><br/> In 1690 Job Charnock, an agent of the East India Company, founded the first modern settlement in this location. In 1698 the company purchased the three villages of Sutanuti, Kolikata and Gobindapur. In 1727 the Calcutta Municipal Corporation was formed and the city’s first mayor was appointed.<br/><br/> In 1756 the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, seized Calcutta and renamed the city Alinagar. He lost control of the city within a year and Calcutta was transferred back to British control. In 1772 Calcutta became the capital of British India on the orders of Governor Warren Hastings.<br/><br/> In 1912 the capital was transferred to New Delhi while Calcutta remained the capital of Bengal. Since independence and partition it has remained the capital and chief city of Indian West Bengal.
The tax records of Mughal Emperor Akbar (1584–1598) as well as the work of a 15th century Bengali poet, Bipradaas, both mention a settlement named Kalikata (thought to mean ‘Steps of Kali’ for the Hindu goddess Kali) from which the name Calcutta is believed to derive.<br/><br/> In 1690 Job Charnock, an agent of the East India Company, founded the first modern settlement in this location. In 1698 the company purchased the three villages of Sutanuti, Kolikata and Gobindapur. In 1727 the Calcutta Municipal Corporation was formed and the city’s first mayor was appointed.<br/><br/> In 1756 the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, seized Calcutta and renamed the city Alinagar. He lost control of the city within a year and Calcutta was transferred back to British control. In 1772 Calcutta became the capital of British India on the orders of Governor Warren Hastings.<br/><br/> In 1912 the capital was transferred to New Delhi while Calcutta remained the capital of Bengal. Since independence and partition it has remained the capital and chief city of Indian West Bengal.
Shiva bearing the descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha and the bull Nandi look on, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, circa 1740.<br/><br/> Told and retold in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and several Puranas, the story begins with a sage, Kapila, whose intense meditation has been disturbed by the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. Livid at being disturbed, Kapila sears them with his angry gaze, reduces them to ashes, and dispatches them to the netherworld.<br/><br/> Only the waters of the Ganga, then in heaven, can bring the dead sons their salvation. A descendant of these sons, King Bhagiratha, anxious to restore his ancestors, undertakes rigorous penance and is eventually granted the prize of Ganga's descent from heaven. However, since her turbulent force will also shatter the earth, Bhagiratha persuades Shiva in his abode on Mount Kailash to receive Ganga in the coils of his tangled hair and break her fall.<br/><br/> Ganga descends, is tamed in Shiva's locks, and arrives in the Himalayas. She is then led by the waiting Bhagiratha down into the plains at Haridwar, across the plains first to the confluence with the Yamuna at Prayag and then to Varanasi, and eventually to Ganga Sagar, where she meets the ocean, sinks to the netherworld, and saves the sons of Sagara.
The Pāla Empire, one of the major middle kingdoms of India, existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala (Modern Bengali: পাল pāl), which means protector. The Palas were often described by opponents as the Lords of Gauda. The Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty. He came to power in 750 in Gaur by a democratic election. This event is recognized as one of the first democratic elections in South Asia. He reigned from 750–770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over all of Bengal. The Buddhist dynasty lasted for four centuries (750–1120 CE) and ushered in a period of stability and prosperity in Bengal. They created many temples and works of art as well as supporting the Universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. Somapura Mahavihara built by Dharmapala is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent.<br/><br/> The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala. Dharmapala extended the empire into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This triggered once again the power struggle for the control of the subcontinent. Devapala, successor of Dharmapala, expanded the empire to cover much of South Asia and beyond. His empire stretched from Assam and Utkala in the east, Kamboja (modern day Afghanistan) in the north-west and Deccan in the south. According to a Pala copperplate inscription Devapala exterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Pragjyotisha (Assam), shattered the pride of the Huna, and humbled the lords of Pratiharas, Gurjara and the Dravidas.<br/><br/> The death of Devapala ended the period of ascendancy of the Pala Empire and several independent dynasties and kingdoms emerged during this time. However, Mahipala I rejuvenated the reign of the Palas. He recovered control over all of Bengal and expanded the empire. He survived the invasions of Rajendra Chola and the Chalukyas. After Mahipala I the Pala dynasty again saw its decline until Ramapala, the last great ruler of the dynasty, managed to retrieve the position of the dynasty to some extent. He crushed the Varendra rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Orissa and Northern India.<br/><br/> The Pala Empire can be considered as the golden era of Bengal. Never had the Bengali people reached such height of power and glory to that extent. Palas were responsible for the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and Myanmar. The Palas had extensive trade as well as influence in south-east Asia. This can be seen in the sculptures and architectural style of the Sailendra Empire (present-day Malaya, Java, Sumatra). The Pala Empire eventually disintegrated in the 12th century weakened by attacks of the Sena dynasty followed by the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khilji's Muslim armies.
The Pāla Empire, one of the major middle kingdoms of India, existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala (Modern Bengali: পাল pāl), which means protector. The Palas were often described by opponents as the Lords of Gauda. The Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools of Buddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty. He came to power in 750 in Gaur by a democratic election. This event is recognized as one of the first democratic elections in South Asia. He reigned from 750–770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over all of Bengal. The Buddhist dynasty lasted for four centuries (750–1120 CE) and ushered in a period of stability and prosperity in Bengal. They created many temples and works of art as well as supporting the Universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. Somapura Mahavihara built by Dharmapala is the greatest Buddhist Vihara in the Indian Subcontinent.<br/><br/> The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala. Dharmapala extended the empire into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This triggered once again the power struggle for the control of the subcontinent. Devapala, successor of Dharmapala, expanded the empire to cover much of South Asia and beyond. His empire stretched from Assam and Utkala in the east, Kamboja (modern day Afghanistan) in the north-west and Deccan in the south. According to a Pala copperplate inscription Devapala exterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Pragjyotisha (Assam), shattered the pride of the Huna, and humbled the lords of Pratiharas, Gurjara and the Dravidas.<br/><br/> The death of Devapala ended the period of ascendancy of the Pala Empire and several independent dynasties and kingdoms emerged during this time. However, Mahipala I rejuvenated the reign of the Palas. He recovered control over all of Bengal and expanded the empire. He survived the invasions of Rajendra Chola and the Chalukyas. After Mahipala I the Pala dynasty again saw its decline until Ramapala, the last great ruler of the dynasty, managed to retrieve the position of the dynasty to some extent. He crushed the Varendra rebellion and extended his empire farther to Kamarupa, Orissa and Northern India.<br/><br/> The Pala Empire can be considered as the golden era of Bengal. Never had the Bengali people reached such height of power and glory to that extent. Palas were responsible for the introduction of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet, Bhutan and Myanmar. The Palas had extensive trade as well as influence in south-east Asia. This can be seen in the sculptures and architectural style of the Sailendra Empire (present-day Malaya, Java, Sumatra). The Pala Empire eventually disintegrated in the 12th century weakened by attacks of the Sena dynasty followed by the invasion of Bakhtiyar Khilji's Muslim armies.