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Jean Discart was born in the Italian city of Modena in 1856 and enrolled in a history of painting course at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts at the age of seventeen.<br/><br/> Discart first exhibited in the Paris Salon in 1884 and painted Orientalist subjects through to the 1920s, rendering work exquisite in their detail, richness and understanding of light and texture. Discart's compositions incorporated the heavy use of artifacts such as metal ware, pottery, textiles and instruments, set against elaborate backdrops of sculpted stone, painted tiles or carved woodwork.
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution, was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to enforce socialism in the country by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society, and impose Maoist orthodoxy within the Party. <br/><br/> The Cultural Revolution damaged the country on a great scale economically and socially. Millions of people were persecuted in the violent factional struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including torture, rape, imprisonment, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.
The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka, marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (kotyahuti-yagya), and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur, possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> Highly ornate in itself, the panels left and right of the door, depicting ten different deities, are superb examples of the art of repoussé. On the panels, Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east, including the town of Dolakha.<br/><br/> Above the door, the golden torana shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect, half-goddess. Above her, at the top of the torana, an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him.
The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka, marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (<i>kotyahuti-yagya</i>), and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur, possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> Highly ornate in itself, the panels left and right of the door, depicting ten different deities, are superb examples of the art of repoussé. On the panels, Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east, including the town of Dolakha.<br/><br/> Above the door, the golden <i>torana</i> shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect, half-goddess. Above her, at the top of the <i>torana</i>, an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him.
The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka, marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (<i>kotyahuti-yagya</i>), and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur, possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> Highly ornate in itself, the panels left and right of the door, depicting ten different deities, are superb examples of the art of repoussé. On the panels, Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east, including the town of Dolakha.<br/><br/> Above the door, the golden <i>torana</i> shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect, half-goddess. Above her, at the top of the <i>torana</i>, an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him.
The Hanuman Dhoka, or royal palace, takes up most of the eastern side of Durbar Square. Built four centuries ago by Nepal's Malla kings, only a small part of the complex is open to the general public. At the left of the entrance stands a statue of Hanuman, the monkey god of Hindu mythology, after which the palace is named. Within the main courtyard is a likeness of Narasimha, the half-man, half-lion incarnation of Vishnu, disembowelling a demon.<br/><br/> The Nasal Chowk (Courtyard of Dance) derives its name from Nachaleshvar (also Nritshevar), the 'Lord of Dance', a manifestation of Shiva, and there is an inconspicuous shrine to that god on the eastern side of the courtyard. Originally used for dance and theatre performances, at the beginning of the Shah Dynasty, Nasal Chowk became the setting for royal coronations, ceremonies previously held in the adjoining Mul Chowk. In the middle of Nasal Chowk, there is a platform, dating back to 1826, on which King Birendra was officially crowned in 1975 (after having effectively become king in 1972).
The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka, marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (<i>kotyahuti-yagya</i>), and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur, possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> Highly ornate in itself, the panels left and right of the door, depicting ten different deities, are superb examples of the art of repoussé. On the panels, Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east, including the town of Dolakha.<br/><br/> Above the door, the golden <i>torana</i> shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect, half-goddess. Above her, at the top of the <i>torana</i>, an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him.
The Golden Gate or Sun Dhoka, marks the entry to the Taleju Temple within the palace complex. The gate was built in 1753 by Ranajita Malla (r. 1722 - 1769) and his wife Jayalakshmi to commemorate the performance of a religious fire rite (<i>kotyahuti-yagya</i>), and it turned out to be the finest piece of gilded copper-work in Bhaktapur, possibly in the whole Kathmandu Valley.<br/><br/> Highly ornate in itself, the panels left and right of the door, depicting ten different deities, are superb examples of the art of repoussé. On the panels, Ranajita is mentioned as the ruler of a territory that extended as far as the Dudhkoshi River in the east, including the town of Dolakha.<br/><br/> Above the door, the golden <i>torana</i> shows Taleju Bhavani with her sixteen arms radiating out like some strange kind of half-insect, half-goddess. Above her, at the top of the <i>torana</i>, an image shows the Garuda with serpents coiling all around him.
The Hanuman Dhoka, or royal palace, takes up most of the eastern side of Durbar Square. Built four centuries ago by Nepal's Malla kings, only a small part of the complex is open to the general public. At the left of the entrance stands a statue of Hanuman, the monkey god of Hindu mythology, after which the palace is named. Within the main courtyard is a likeness of Narasimha, the half-man, half-lion incarnation of Vishnu, disembowelling a demon.
The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade took place across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th through to the 19th centuries. The vast majority of those enslaved that were transported to the New World, many on the triangular trade route and its Middle Passage, were West Africans from the central and western parts of the continent sold by western Africans to western European slave traders, or by direct European capture to the Americas.<br/><br/> The numbers were so great that Africans who came by way of the slave trade became the most numerous Old World immigrants in both North and South America before the late 18th century. Far more slaves were taken to South America than to the north. The South Atlantic economic system centered on producing commodity crops, and making goods and clothing to sell in Europe, and increasing the numbers of African slaves brought to the New World.
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution, was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to enforce socialism in the country by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society, and impose Maoist orthodoxy within the Party. <br/><br/> The Cultural Revolution damaged the country on a great scale economically and socially. Millions of people were persecuted in the violent factional struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including torture, rape, imprisonment, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.
Ludwig Deutsch (Vienna, 1855 - Paris, 1935) was an Austrian painter who settled in Paris.<br/><br/> Deutsch came from a well-established Jewish family. His father was a financier at the Austrian court. He studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts 1872-1875, then, in 1878, moved to Paris where he became strongly associated with Orientalism.
From 1861 to 1890 the Munich publishing firm of Braun and Schneider published plates of historic and contemporary costume in their magazine Munchener Bilderbogen.<br/><br/> These plates were eventually collected in book form and published at the turn of the century in Germany and England.
The Aceh War, also known as the Dutch War or the Infidel War (1873–1914), was an armed military conflict between the Sultanate of Aceh and the Netherlands which was triggered by discussions between representatives of Aceh and the United Kingdom in Singapore during early 1873.<br/><br/> The war was part of a series of conflicts in the late 19th century that consolidated Dutch rule over modern-day Indonesia.
Kutch (often spelled Kachch) is the northwestern part of the Indian state of Gujarat, divided from the main part of the state by the Arabian Sea and a stretch of salt marshes. To its north lies the Pakistani province of Sind. The name Kutch is said to be derived from the Kachelas, a sub-caste of the <i>lohar</i> (blacksmiths’) or <i>soni</i> (goldsmiths’) castes.
The Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where North and South Korean forces stand face-to-face.<br/><br/> The JSA is used by the two Koreas for diplomatic engagements and, until March 1991, was also the site of military negotiations between North Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC).
Kulaks were a category of relatively affluent farmers in the later Russian Empire, Soviet Russia, and early Soviet Union. The word kulak originally referred to independent farmers in the Russian Empire who emerged from the peasantry and became wealthy following the Stolypin reform, which began in 1906. The label of kulak was broadened in 1918 to include any peasant who resisted handing over their grain to detachments from Moscow.<br/><br/> According to the political theory of Marxism–Leninism of the early 20th century, the kulaks were class enemies of the poorer peasants. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin described them as 'bloodsuckers, vampires, plunderers of the people and profiteers, who fatten on famine'. Marxism–Leninism had intended a revolution to liberate poor peasants and farm laborers alongside the proletariat. In addition, the planned economy of Soviet Bolshevism required the collectivisation of farms and land to allow industrialisation or conversion to large-scale agricultural production. In practice, government officials violently seized kulak farms and murdered resisters; others were deported to labor camps.
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution, was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to enforce socialism in the country by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society, and impose Maoist orthodoxy within the Party. <br/><br/> The Cultural Revolution damaged the country on a great scale economically and socially. Millions of people were persecuted in the violent factional struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including torture, rape, imprisonment, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.
Kutch (often spelled Kachch) is the northwestern part of the Indian state of Gujarat, divided from the main part of the state by the Arabian Sea and a stretch of salt marshes. To its north lies the Pakistani province of Sind. The name Kutch is said to be derived from the Kachelas, a sub-caste of the <i>lohar</i> (blacksmiths’) or <i>soni</i> (goldsmiths’) castes.
Lei Feng (18 December 1940 – 15 August 1962) was a soldier of the Chinese army in Communist legend. After his death, Lei was characterized as a selfless and modest person devoted to the Communist Party, Mao Zedong, and the people of China.<br/><br/> In 1963, he became the subject of a nationwide posthumous propaganda campaign, 'Follow the examples of Comrade Lei Feng'. Lei was portrayed as a model citizen, and the masses were encouraged to emulate his selflessness, modesty, and devotion to Mao.<br/><br/> After Mao's death, Lei Feng remained a cultural icon representing earnestness and service. His name entered daily speech and his imagery appeared on T-shirts and memorabilia.
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution, was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to enforce socialism in the country by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society, and impose Maoist orthodoxy within the Party. <br/><br/> The Cultural Revolution damaged the country on a great scale economically and socially. Millions of people were persecuted in the violent factional struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including torture, rape, imprisonment, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.
Kutch (often spelled Kachch) is the northwestern part of the Indian state of Gujarat, divided from the main part of the state by the Arabian Sea and a stretch of salt marshes. To its north lies the Pakistani province of Sind. The name Kutch is said to be derived from the Kachelas, a sub-caste of the <i>lohar</i> (blacksmiths’) or <i>soni</i> (goldsmiths’) castes.
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution, was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to enforce socialism in the country by removing capitalist, traditional and cultural elements from Chinese society, and impose Maoist orthodoxy within the Party. <br/><br/> The Cultural Revolution damaged the country on a great scale economically and socially. Millions of people were persecuted in the violent factional struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including torture, rape, imprisonment, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.
Ba Dinh Square has special significance for the Vietnamese, as it was here that Ho Chi Minh declared the nation’s independence from France in front of a crowd of more than 100,000 people on 2 September 1945.<br/><br/> Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum stands on the west side of Ba Dinh Square, a heavy grey structure, faced in stone quarried from Marble Mountain near Danang.<br/><br/> Ho Chi Minh specifically requested that he be cremated and his ashes scattered in northern, central and southern Vietnam, symbolising the national unity to which he had devoted his life.<br/><br/> After his death in 1969, power lay with communist hardliners led by anh ba or ‘second brother’ Le Duan, until the latter’s death in 1986. Only after Le Duan’s demise did Ho Chi Minh’s private secretary Vu Ky reveal that Le Duan and some other leading members of the Vietnamese Politburo had tampered with Ho’s final testament by deleting his request to be cremated.
The Second Sino-Japanese War (July 7, 1937 – September 9, 1945) was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the war merged into the greater conflict of World War II as a major front of what is broadly known as the Pacific War.<br/><br/> Although the two countries had fought intermittently since 1931, total war started in earnest in 1937 and ended only with the surrender of Japan in 1945. The war was the result of a decades-long Japanese imperialist policy aiming to dominate China politically and militarily and to secure its vast raw material reserves and other economic resources, particularly food and labour. Before 1937, China and Japan fought in small, localized engagements.<br/><br/> Yet the two sides, for a variety of reasons, refrained from fighting a total war. In 1931, the Japanese invasion of Manchuria by Japan's Kwantung Army followed the Mukden Incident. The last of these incidents was the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937, marking the beginning of total war between the two countries.
The City Palace was built between 1729 and 1732, initially by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. He planned and built the outer walls, and later additions were made by successive rulers right up to the 20th century.<br/><br/> Jaipur is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, after whom the city was named. The city today has a population of 3.1 million. Jaipur is known as the Pink City of India.<br/><br/> The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 34 m (111 ft) wide. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses the sprawling Hawa Mahal palace complex, formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is a World Heritage Site.
The Siege of Cádiz was a siege of the large Spanish naval base of Cádiz by a French army from February 5, 1810 to August 24, 1812 during the Peninsular War. Following the occupation of Seville, Cádiz became the Spanish seat of power, and was targeted by 70,000 French troops under the command of the Marshals Claude Victor and Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult for one of the most important sieges of the war. Defending the city were 2,000 Spanish troops who, as the siege progressed, received aid from 10,000 Spanish reinforcements as well as British and Portuguese troops.
The Siege of Cádiz was a siege of the large Spanish naval base of Cádiz by a French army from February 5, 1810 to August 24, 1812 during the Peninsular War. Following the occupation of Seville, Cádiz became the Spanish seat of power, and was targeted by 70,000 French troops under the command of the Marshals Claude Victor and Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult for one of the most important sieges of the war. Defending the city were 2,000 Spanish troops who, as the siege progressed, received aid from 10,000 Spanish reinforcements as well as British and Portuguese troops.
The Siege of Cádiz was a siege of the large Spanish naval base of Cádiz by a French army from February 5, 1810 to August 24, 1812 during the Peninsular War. Following the occupation of Seville, Cádiz became the Spanish seat of power, and was targeted by 70,000 French troops under the command of the Marshals Claude Victor and Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult for one of the most important sieges of the war. Defending the city were 2,000 Spanish troops who, as the siege progressed, received aid from 10,000 Spanish reinforcements as well as British and Portuguese troops.
Construction of the first city wall of Chang'an (original name of Xi'an) began in 194 BCE and lasted for four years. The existing wall was started during the Ming Dynasty in 1370. It encircles a much smaller city of 14 square kilometres (5.4 sq mi). The wall measures 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) in circumference, 12 metres (39 ft) in height, and 15–18 metres (49–59 ft) in thickness at the base.<br/><br/> Xi'an is the capital of Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty.<br/><br/> Xi'an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, having held that position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang. Xi'an is the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army.
Construction of the first city wall of Chang'an (original name of Xi'an) began in 194 BCE and lasted for four years. The existing wall was started during the Ming Dynasty in 1370. It encircles a much smaller city of 14 square kilometres (5.4 sq mi). The wall measures 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) in circumference, 12 metres (39 ft) in height, and 15–18 metres (49–59 ft) in thickness at the base.<br/><br/> Xi'an is the capital of Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty.<br/><br/> Xi'an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, having held that position under several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, and Tang. Xi'an is the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and home to the Terracotta Army.
The kingdom of Laos existed from the 14th to the 18th centuries, then split into three separate kingdoms. In 1893, it became a French protectorate, with the three kingdoms, Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Champasak, uniting to form what is now known as Laos.<br/><br/> The country briefly gained independence in 1945 after Japanese occupation, but returned to French rule until it was granted autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1954, with a constitutional monarchy under King Sisavang Vong. Shortly after independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy, when the Communist Pathet Lao movement came to power in 1975.
The port of Beihai on the south coast of China, in Guangxi Province, still sports 19th-century European-style buildings that recall its history as a treaty port (the best examples are near the waterfront); the town is also known for its beaches.<br/><br/> After the 1876 Sino-British Treaty of Yantai, eight Western nations (UK, US, Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Italy, Portugal, and Belgium) set up embassies, hospitals, churches, schools, and maritime customs. Today, 15 of these western buildings remain in Beihai.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
The National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine (Zhong Lie Ci) in Taipei is dedicated to the Republic of China's war dead. The shrine was built in 1969.<br/><br/> Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. The Qing Dynasty of China made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886.<br/><br/> Japan acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese War. Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan with Taipei as its capital. Taiwan's Japanese rulers embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured extensive railroad links.<br/><br/> The Republic of China took over the island in 1945 following Japanese surrender. After losing Mainland China to the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of the Republic of China in December 1949.
Palestine (Arabic: فلسطين‎ Filasṭīn, Falasṭīn, Filisṭīn; Greek: Παλαιστίνη, Palaistinē; Latin: Palaestina; Hebrew: פלשתינה Palestina) is a name given to the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. The region is also known as the Land of Israel (Hebrew: ארץ־ישראל Eretz-Yisra'el), the Holy Land and the Southern Levant.<br/><br/> In 1832 Palestine was conquered by Muhammad Ali's Egypt, but in 1840 Britain intervened and returned control of the Levant to the Ottomans in return for further capitulations. The end of the 19th century saw the beginning of Zionist immigration and the Revival of the Hebrew language. The movement was publicly supported by Great Britain during World War I with the Balfour Declaration of 1917. The British captured Jerusalem a month later, and were formally awarded a mandate in 1922.<br/><br/> In 1947, following World War II and the Holocaust, the British Government announced their desire to terminate the Mandate, and the United Nations General Assembly voted to partition the territory into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jewish leadership accepted the proposal but the Arab Higher Committee rejected it; a civil war began immediately, and the State of Israel was declared in 1948.<br/><br/> The 1948 Palestinian exodus, known in Arabic as the Nakba (Arabic: النكبة‎, an-Nakbah, 'The Catastrophe') occurred when approximately 711,000 to 725,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War during which Israel captured and incorporated a further 26% of Palestinian territory.<br/><br/> In the course of the Six Day War in June 1967, Israel captured the remainder of historic Palestine and began a continuing policy of Israeli settlement and annexation.
The Tang Dynasty (Chinese: 唐朝; pinyin: Táng Cháo; 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 (李) 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.
The Chinthe is a leogryph (lion-like creature) that is often seen at the entrances of pagodas and temples in Burma and other Southeast Asian countries. The chinthe is featured prominently on the kyat, the currency of Burma. The chinthe is almost always depicted in pairs, and serve to protect the pagoda. They typically appear as animals, but are sometimes found with human faces.<br/><br/> Chiang Mai is often called Thailand’s ‘Rose of the North’, and is the country’s second city and a popular tourist destination due primarily to its mountainous scenery, colourful ethnic hilltribes and their handicrafts.<br/><br/> Founded in 1296 by King Mengrai as the capital of his Lanna kingdom, Chiang Mai was later overrun by Burmese invaders in 1767. The city was then left abandoned between 1776 and 1791. Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam in 1774 by an agreement with local prince Chao Kavila, after the Siamese King Taksin helped drive out the Burmese. Chiang Mai then slowly grew in cultural, trading and economic importance.
Hand-colored engraving from 'Moeurs, Usages, et Costumes de tous les Peuples de Monde, d'apres des Documents Authentiques et les Voyages les plus Recents', by Auguste Wahlen (Brussels, 1843-44).
Ba Dinh Square has special significance for the Vietnamese, as it was here that Ho Chi Minh declared the nation’s independence from France in front of a crowd of more than 100,000 people on 2 September 1945.<br/><br/> Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum stands on the west side of Ba Dinh Square, a heavy grey structure, faced in stone quarried from Marble Mountain near Danang.<br/><br/> Ho Chi Minh specifically requested that he be cremated and his ashes scattered in northern, central and southern Vietnam, symbolising the national unity to which he had devoted his life.<br/><br/> After his death in 1969, power lay with communist hardliners led by anh ba or ‘second brother’ Le Duan, until the latter’s death in 1986. Only after Le Duan’s demise did Ho Chi Minh’s private secretary Vu Ky reveal that Le Duan and some other leading members of the Vietnamese Politburo had tampered with Ho’s final testament by deleting his request to be cremated.
The Gate of Supreme Harmony (pinyin: Tàihémén; Manchu: Amba hūwaliyambure duka), is the second major gate at the southern side of the Forbidden City.<br/><br/> The Forbidden City, built between 1406 and 1420, served for 500 years (until the end of the imperial era in 1911) as the seat of all power in China, the throne of the Son of Heaven and the private residence of all the Ming and Qing dynasty emperors. The complex consists of 980 buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 m2 (7,800,000 sq ft).
Phnom Penh lies on the western side of the Mekong River at the point where it is joined by the Sap River and divides into the Bassac River, making a meet place of four great waterways known in Cambodian as Chatomuk or 'Four Faces'. It has been central to Cambodian life since soon after the abandonment of Angkor in the mid-14th century and has been the capital since 1866.<br/><br/> An elegant Franco-Cambodian city of broad boulevards and Buddhist temples, it was considered one of the jewels of Southeast Asia until Cambodia became involved in the Second Indochina War in 1965. Ten years later victorious Khmer Rouge forces captured the city. These extreme left-wing communists, led by the secretive Pol Pot, ordered the immediate evacuation of Phnom Penh causing up to two million deaths during the period 1975-79. During this time the city was abandoned and fell into ruin. Since the defeat of the Khmer Rouge in 1979 it has been gradually recovering, but still bears scars of a terrible past.
Phnom Penh lies on the western side of the Mekong River at the point where it is joined by the Sap River and divides into the Bassac River, making a meet place of four great waterways known in Cambodian as Chatomuk or 'Four Faces'. It has been central to Cambodian life since soon after the abandonment of Angkor in the mid-14th century and has been the capital since 1866.<br/><br/> An elegant Franco-Cambodian city of broad boulevards and Buddhist temples, it was considered one of the jewels of Southeast Asia until Cambodia became involved in the Second Indochina War in 1965. Ten years later victorious Khmer Rouge forces captured the city. These extreme left-wing communists, led by the secretive Pol Pot, ordered the immediate evacuation of Phnom Penh causing up to two million deaths during the period 1975-79. During this time the city was abandoned and fell into ruin. Since the defeat of the Khmer Rouge in 1979 it has been gradually recovering, but still bears scars of a terrible past.
Muscat (Arabic: مسقط, Masqaṭ) is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat.<br/><br/> Known since the early 1st century CE as an important trading port between the west and the east, Muscat was ruled by various indigenous tribes as well as foreign powers such as the Persians and the Portuguese Empire at various points in its history. A regional military power in the 18th century, Muscat's influence extended as far as East Africa and Zanzibar.<br/><br/> As an important port-town in the Gulf of Oman, Muscat attracted foreign tradesmen and settlers such as the Persians, the Balochs and Gujaratis. Since the ascension of Qaboos bin Said as Sultan of Oman in 1970, Muscat has experienced rapid infrastructural development that has led to the growth of a vibrant economy and a multi-ethnic society.
John Thomson (14 June 1837 – 29 September 1921) was a pioneering Scottish photographer, geographer and traveller. He was one of the first photographers to travel to the Far East, documenting the people, landscapes and artifacts of eastern cultures.<br/><br/> Upon returning home, his work among the street people of London cemented his reputation, and is regarded as a classic instance of social documentary which laid the foundations for photojournalism. He went on to become a portrait photographer of High Society in Mayfair, gaining the Royal Warrant in 1881.
Soldier of the Royal Guard. Ancient dress not yet entirely obsolete. The coat and helmet are lined with a mail of hard leather and studded with iron buttons
Originally the French governor's palace, then Norodom Palace, then Independence Palace, the magnificent original French building was knocked down to make way for Reunification Palace, which was built on the same site between 1962 -66. It is today a famous landmark in Ho Chi Minh City and a popular museum and tourist attraction. The present building was designed by architect Ngo Viet Thu and was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the US-Vietnam War. It was famously the site of the end of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese army tank crashed through its gates and a soldier triumphantly hoisted a National Liberation Front flag on its roof.
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli or the Battle of Çanakkale (Turkish: Çanakkale Savaşı), took place on the Gallipoli peninsula in the Ottoman Empire (now Gelibolu in modern day Turkey) between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War. A joint British and French operation was mounted to capture the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (Istanbul) and secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed, with heavy casualties on both sides. The campaign was considered one of the greatest victories of the Turks and was reflected on as a major failure by the Allies.<br/><br/> The Gallipoli campaign resonated profoundly among all nations involved. In Turkey, the battle is perceived as a defining moment in the history of the Turkish people—a final surge in the defence of the motherland as the ageing Ottoman Empire was crumbling. The struggle laid the grounds for the Turkish War of Independence and the foundation of the Republic of Turkey eight years later under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, himself a commander at Gallipoli.<br/><br/> The campaign was the first major battle undertaken in the war by Australia and New Zealand, and is often considered to mark the birth of national consciousness in both of these countries.
A Vietnamese honour guard marching past the red carpet for US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, Hanoi, October 2010.
A Vietnamese honour guard marching past the red carpet for US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, Hanoi, October 2010.
Preah Khan (Temple of the Sacred Sword) was built in the late 12th century (1191) by Jayavarman VII and is located just north of Angkor Thom. The temple was built on the site of Jayavarman VII's victory over the invading Chams in 1191. It was the centre of a substantial organisation, with almost 100,000 officials and servants. It served as a Buddhist university at one time. The temple's primary deity is the boddhisatva Avalokiteshvara in the form of Jayavarman's father.
Preah Khan (Temple of the Sacred Sword) was built in the late 12th century (1191) by Jayavarman VII and is located just north of Angkor Thom. The temple was built on the site of Jayavarman VII's victory over the invading Chams in 1191. It was the centre of a substantial organisation, with almost 100,000 officials and servants. It served as a Buddhist university at one time. The temple's primary deity is the boddhisatva Avalokiteshvara in the form of Jayavarman's father.
Preah Khan (Temple of the Sacred Sword) was built in the late 12th century (1191) by Jayavarman VII and is located just north of Angkor Thom. The temple was built on the site of Jayavarman VII's victory over the invading Chams in 1191. It was the centre of a substantial organisation, with almost 100,000 officials and servants. It served as a Buddhist university at one time. The temple's primary deity is the boddhisatva Avalokiteshvara in the form of Jayavarman's father.
The original San Agustin Church was the first religious structure constructed on Luzon Island and was completed in 1571. The present church was fiinshed in 1604 and is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines; no other surviving building in the Philippines has been claimed to pre-date San Agustin Church.<br/><br/> Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of Manila. Nicknamed the 'Walled City', the fortified Intramuros was the full extent of the City of Manila and the seat of government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros, literally means 'within the walls'. Districts beyond the walls of Manila were referred to as extramuros, literally 'outside the walls.'<br/><br/> The city was located then along Manila Bay and south of the Pasig River entrance, before 20th-century reclamations obscured the city from the bay. Guarding the city is Fort Santiago, a citadel located at the mouth of the river. Construction of its thick defensive walls were started by the Spaniards in the late 16th century to protect the seat of the Spanish government from foreign invasions (most notably British and Dutch) and raiding Chinese sea pirates.
The original San Agustin Church was the first religious structure constructed on Luzon Island and was completed in 1571. The present church was fiinshed in 1604 and is the oldest church still standing in the Philippines; no other surviving building in the Philippines has been claimed to pre-date San Agustin Church.<br/><br/> Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of Manila. Nicknamed the 'Walled City', the fortified Intramuros was the full extent of the City of Manila and the seat of government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros, literally means 'within the walls'. Districts beyond the walls of Manila were referred to as extramuros, literally 'outside the walls.'<br/><br/> The city was located then along Manila Bay and south of the Pasig River entrance, before 20th-century reclamations obscured the city from the bay. Guarding the city is Fort Santiago, a citadel located at the mouth of the river. Construction of its thick defensive walls were started by the Spaniards in the late 16th century to protect the seat of the Spanish government from foreign invasions (most notably British and Dutch) and raiding Chinese sea pirates.
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir (Urdu: ابلمظفر- محىالدين - محمد اورنگزيب- عالمگیر, Hindi: अबुल मुज़फ्फर मुहिउद्दीन मुहम्मद औरंगज़ेब आलमगीर) (4 November 1618 – 3 March 1707, more commonly known as Aurangzeb (Hindi: औरंगज़ेब) or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir (Hindi: आलमगीर) ("Conquerer of the World", Urdu: عالمگیر), was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.<br/><br/> Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly half a century, was the second longest reigning Mughal emperor after Akbar.
Wat Ratchapradit (Rajapradit) was constructed in the mid-19th century during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV). Many of the murals in the main viharn portray Thai ceremonies and festivals that take place during the year and were painted in the late-19th century.