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The Temple of Literature or Van Mieu is one of Vietnam’s foremost cultural treasures. Founded in 1070 by King Ly Thanh Tong of the Early Ly Dynasty, the temple was originally dedicated both to Confucius and to Chu Cong, a member of the Chinese royal family credited with originating many of the teachings that Confucius developed five hundred years later. The site was selected by Ly Dynasty geomancers to stand in harmony with the Taoist Bich Cau temple and the Buddhist One Pillar Pagoda, representing the three major fonts of Vietnamese tradition.<br/><br/> Six years later, in 1076, the Quoc Tu Giam, or ‘School for the Sons of the Nation’, was established at the same location when King Ly Nhan Tong (1072-1127) established Vietnam’s first university. The tradition of Confucian education flourished at the Temple of Literature, with the custom of offering a cloak to successful candidates beginning in 1374, whilst in 1484 the first stele bearing the names of doctoral graduates was erected.
The Temple of Literature or Van Mieu is one of Vietnam’s foremost cultural treasures. Founded in 1070 by King Ly Thanh Tong of the Early Ly Dynasty, the temple was originally dedicated both to Confucius and to Chu Cong, a member of the Chinese royal family credited with originating many of the teachings that Confucius developed five hundred years later. The site was selected by Ly Dynasty geomancers to stand in harmony with the Taoist Bich Cau temple and the Buddhist One Pillar Pagoda, representing the three major fonts of Vietnamese tradition.<br/><br/> Six years later, in 1076, the Quoc Tu Giam, or ‘School for the Sons of the Nation’, was established at the same location when King Ly Nhan Tong (1072-1127) established Vietnam’s first university. The tradition of Confucian education flourished at the Temple of Literature, with the custom of offering a cloak to successful candidates beginning in 1374, whilst in 1484 the first stele bearing the names of doctoral graduates was erected.
The <i>Anwar-i Suhayli</i> or 'The Lights of Canopus', commonly known as the <i>Fables of Bidpai</i> in the West, is a Persian version of the ancient Indian collection of animal fables, the <i>Panchatantra</i>. It tells a tale of a Persian physician, Burzuyah, and his mission to India, where he stumbles upon a book of stories collected from the animals who reside there.<br/><br/> In a similar vein to the <i>Arabian Nights</i>, the fables in the manuscript are inter-woven as the characters of one story recount the next, leading up to three or four degrees of narrative embedding. Many usually have morals or offer philosophical glimpses into human behaviour, emphasising loyalty and teamwork.
The <i>Anwar-i Suhayli</i> or 'The Lights of Canopus', commonly known as the <i>Fables of Bidpai</i> in the West, is a Persian version of the ancient Indian collection of animal fables, the <i>Panchatantra</i>. It tells a tale of a Persian physician, Burzuyah, and his mission to India, where he stumbles upon a book of stories collected from the animals who reside there.<br/><br/> In a similar vein to the <i>Arabian Nights</i>, the fables in the manuscript are inter-woven as the characters of one story recount the next, leading up to three or four degrees of narrative embedding. Many usually have morals or offer philosophical glimpses into human behaviour, emphasising loyalty and teamwork.
The Temple of Literature or Van Mieu is one of Vietnam’s foremost cultural treasures. Founded in 1070 by King Ly Thanh Tong of the Early Ly Dynasty, the temple was originally dedicated both to Confucius and to Chu Cong, a member of the Chinese royal family credited with originating many of the teachings that Confucius developed five hundred years later. The site was selected by Ly Dynasty geomancers to stand in harmony with the Taoist Bich Cau temple and the Buddhist One Pillar Pagoda, representing the three major fonts of Vietnamese tradition.<br/><br/> Six years later, in 1076, the Quoc Tu Giam, or ‘School for the Sons of the Nation’, was established at the same location when King Ly Nhan Tong (1072-1127) established Vietnam’s first university. The tradition of Confucian education flourished at the Temple of Literature, with the custom of offering a cloak to successful candidates beginning in 1374, whilst in 1484 the first stele bearing the names of doctoral graduates was erected.
The Temple of Literature or Van Mieu is one of Vietnam’s foremost cultural treasures. Founded in 1070 by King Ly Thanh Tong of the Early Ly Dynasty, the temple was originally dedicated both to Confucius and to Chu Cong, a member of the Chinese royal family credited with originating many of the teachings that Confucius developed five hundred years later. The site was selected by Ly Dynasty geomancers to stand in harmony with the Taoist Bich Cau temple and the Buddhist One Pillar Pagoda, representing the three major fonts of Vietnamese tradition.<br/><br/> Six years later, in 1076, the Quoc Tu Giam, or ‘School for the Sons of the Nation’, was established at the same location when King Ly Nhan Tong (1072-1127) established Vietnam’s first university. The tradition of Confucian education flourished at the Temple of Literature, with the custom of offering a cloak to successful candidates beginning in 1374, whilst in 1484 the first stele bearing the names of doctoral graduates was erected.
Emperor Hongwu, 1st ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1368-1398). Personal Name: Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhū Yuánzhāng Posthumous Name: Gaodi, Gāodì Temple Name: Taizu, Tàizǔ Reign Name: Ming Hongwu, Ming Hóngwǔ The Hongwu Emperor was the founder and first emperor (1368–98) of the Ming Dynasty of China. His era name, Hongwu, means 'vastly martial'.<br/><br/> In the middle of the 14th century, with famine, plagues and peasant revolts sweeping across China, Zhu became a leader of an army that conquered China, ending the Yuan Dynasty and forcing the Mongols to retreat to the Mongolian steppes. With his seizure of the Yuan capital (present-day Beijing), he claimed the Mandate of Heaven and established the Ming Dynasty in 1368.<br/><br/> Nanjing dates back to the beginning of the Warring States Period (403–221 BCE). Between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE, Nanjing was the capital of the Southern dynasties at a time when non-Chinese were in command in northern China. After various natural disasters and a peasant rebellion, the new Sui dynasty moved the imperial capital to Xi’an (589 CE) and destroyed Nanjing, along with almost all of its cultural and historical relics.<br/><br/> Nanjing regained national importance at the beginning of the Ming dynasty, when its first emperor, Hongwu (Zhu Yuanzhang), set up the seat of government here in the Southern Capital until it was transferred to Beijing in 1421.
Zu Miao (Ancestral Temple) was built during the reign of Emperor Zhezong (1076 - 1100 CE), the 7th emperor of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1276 CE). The temple is dedicated to Beidi, the Northern God, who is said to have power over the waters of Guangdong.<br/><br/> Foshan dates back to the 7th century CE and has been famous for its ceramics, porcelain and pottery industry since the Song Dynasty. It is also famous for its martial arts. It contains numerous Wing Chun schools where many come to train and spar.
Ho Hoan Kiem means ‘Lake of the Restored Sword’, a body of water that lies at the heart of Hanoi. Until the 15th century it was called Luc Thuy or ‘Green Water’. Legend has it that during the Ming occupation (1407-28), General Le Loi was presented with a magical sword by a divine turtle that lived in the waters. With the help of this sword, Le Loi expelled the Chinese from northern Vietnam and established himself as Emperor Le Thai To. Later, when the emperor was sailing on the lake, the turtle rose to the surface and reclaimed the sword. Ever since it has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem.<br/><br/> Thap Rua (Turtle Tower), a small pagoda, was built in the mid-19th century on an islet in the centre of the lake to commemorate this supernatural event, and the structure has since become an icon of Hanoi. According to the prestigious journal Vietnamese Studies, Thap Rua is ‘like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, or the Statue of Liberty to New York’.<br/><br/> Every day Radio Hanoi starts its programmes with the song: ‘Wherever we find ourselves at the four points of the compass, our hearts turn to Hanoi; the clear waters of the Lake of the Restored Sword, which mirror the reflection of Turtle Tower’. There is no access to the tiny island.
Ho Hoan Kiem means ‘Lake of the Restored Sword’, a body of water that lies at the heart of Hanoi. Until the 15th century it was called Luc Thuy or ‘Green Water’. Legend has it that during the Ming occupation (1407-28), General Le Loi was presented with a magical sword by a divine turtle that lived in the waters. With the help of this sword, Le Loi expelled the Chinese from northern Vietnam and established himself as Emperor Le Thai To. Later, when the emperor was sailing on the lake, the turtle rose to the surface and reclaimed the sword. Ever since it has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem.<br/><br/> Thap Rua (Turtle Tower), a small pagoda, was built in the mid-19th century on an islet in the centre of the lake to commemorate this supernatural event, and the structure has since become an icon of Hanoi. According to the prestigious journal Vietnamese Studies, Thap Rua is ‘like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, or the Statue of Liberty to New York’.<br/><br/> Every day Radio Hanoi starts its programmes with the song: ‘Wherever we find ourselves at the four points of the compass, our hearts turn to Hanoi; the clear waters of the Lake of the Restored Sword, which mirror the reflection of Turtle Tower’. There is no access to the tiny island.
Ho Hoan Kiem means ‘Lake of the Restored Sword’, a body of water that lies at the heart of Hanoi. Until the 15th century it was called Luc Thuy or ‘Green Water’. Legend has it that during the Ming occupation (1407-28), General Le Loi was presented with a magical sword by a divine turtle that lived in the waters. With the help of this sword, Le Loi expelled the Chinese from northern Vietnam and established himself as Emperor Le Thai To. Later, when the emperor was sailing on the lake, the turtle rose to the surface and reclaimed the sword. Ever since it has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem.<br/><br/> Thap Rua (Turtle Tower), a small pagoda, was built in the mid-19th century on an islet in the centre of the lake to commemorate this supernatural event, and the structure has since become an icon of Hanoi. According to the prestigious journal Vietnamese Studies, Thap Rua is ‘like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, or the Statue of Liberty to New York’.<br/><br/> Every day Radio Hanoi starts its programmes with the song: ‘Wherever we find ourselves at the four points of the compass, our hearts turn to Hanoi; the clear waters of the Lake of the Restored Sword, which mirror the reflection of Turtle Tower’. There is no access to the tiny island.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony (pinyin: Tài Hé Diàn; Manchu: Amba hūwaliyambure deyen) is the largest hall within the Forbidden City. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is one of the largest wooden structures within China. It was the location where Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty Emperors hosted their enthronement and wedding ceremonies. The name of the Hall was changed from Feng Tian Dian to the current one by the Shunzhi Emperor of Qing Dynasty.<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).
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province.<br/><br/> Along with Baekje and Silla, Goguryeo was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Goguryeo was an active participant in the power struggle for control of the Korean peninsula as well as associated with the foreign affairs of neighboring polities in China and Japan.<br/><br/> The Samguk Sagi, a 12th century CE Goryeo text, indicates that Goguryeo was founded in 37 BC by Jumong, a prince from Buyeo, although there is archaeological and textual evidence that suggests Goguryeo culture was in existence since the 2nd century BCE around the fall of Gojoseon, an earlier kingdom that also occupied southern Manchuria and northern Korea.<br/><br/> Goguryeo was a major dynasty in Northeast Asia, until it was defeated by a Silla-Tang alliance in 668 CE. After its defeat, its territory was divided among the Unified Silla, Balhae, and Tang dynasty.<br/><br/> Goguryeo changed its name into Goryeo (Koryŏ) during the reign of King Jangsu, and such name was succeeded by Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), from which the English word "Korea" stemmed.
From 1746 to 1749, the Swedish ship Götha Lejon sailed on a mercantile mission to Canton. Several accounts of what transpired have survived. A handwritten journal has been attributed to Carl Fredrik von Schantz (1727-92). Another account of the mission of Götha Lejon was compiled by Carl Johan Gethe (1728-65), a cartographer and natural historian. His diary is titled ‘Diary of a Journey to East India begun on 18 October 1746 and ending June 20, 1749’.<br/><br/> The Swedish East India Company (Swedish: Svenska Ostindiska Companiet or SOIC) was founded in 1731 in Gothenburg, Sweden, for the purpose of conducting trade with the Far East, and grew to become the largest trading company in Sweden during the 18th century. It closed in 1813.
Hoan Kiem Lake, meaning 'Lake of the Returned Sword' is located in the historical center of Hanoi and is today one of the most scenic and well-known sights in the Vietnamese capital. According to legend, the lake is named after a magic sword belonging to Emperor Le Loi, which brought him victory in his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty. A wooden, red-painted bridge called The Huc Bridge connects Jade Island to the shore across the lake. Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) stands on the island. It was erected in the 18th century to honor the 13th-century military leader Trang Hung Dao who distinguished himself in the fight against Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty. The Turtle Tower, named after the giant soft-shell turtles often spotted in the lake, also stands on a small island.
Abu Yahya Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini (أبو يحيئ زكريا بن محمد القزويني) (born 1203 - died 1283), was a Persian physician, astronomer, geographer and proto-science fiction writer.<br/><br/> Born in the Persian town of Qazvin, he is descended from Anas ibn Malik, Zakariya' ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini served as legal expert and judge (qadhi) in several localities in Persia and at Baghdad. He travelled around in Mesopotamia and Syria, and finally entered the circle patronized by the governor of Baghdad, ‘Ata-Malik Juwayni (d. 1283 CE).<br/><br/> It was to the latter that al-Qazwini dedicated his famous Arabic-language cosmography titled 'Aja'ib al-makhluqat wa-ghara'ib al-mawjudat عجائب المخلوقات و غرائب الموجودات ('Marvels of Creatures and Strange Things Existing'). This treatise, frequently illustrated, was immensely popular and is preserved today in many copies. It was translated into Persian and Turkish.<br/><br/> Qazwini was also well-known for his geographical dictionary, Athar al-bilad wa-akhbar al-‘ibad اثار البلاد واخبار العباد ('Monument of Places and History of God's Bondsmen'). Both of these treatises reflect extensive reading and learning in a wide range of disciplines.<br/><br/> Al-Qazwini also wrote a futuristic proto-science fiction Arabic tale entitled Awaj bin Anfaq, about a man who travelled to Earth from a distant planet.<br/><br/> Al-Qazwini mentioned how alchemists dubbed 'swindlers' claimed to have carried out the transmutation of metals into gold, al-Qazwini states: 'They ruined the development of the science of chemistry, by fooling powerful rulers such as Imad ad-Din Zengi and thus many scholars and various colleagues turned against alchemy thus resulting in the isolation of the science'.