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The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments. Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12 to 26. Another Chinese four-string plucked lute is the liuqin, which looks like a smaller version of the pipa.<br/><br/> The pipa is one of the most popular Chinese instruments and has been played for almost two thousand years in China.
The Sogdians established a trading network across the 2,400 kilometres (1,500 miles) from Sogdiana to China. In fact, the Sogdians turned their energies to trade so thoroughly that the Saka (Scythians) of the Kingdom of Khotan called all merchants <i>suli</i>, 'Sogdian', whatever their culture or ethnicity.<br/><br/> Sogdian contacts with China were initiated by the embassy of the Chinese explorer Zhang Qian during the reign of Wudi in the former Han Dynasty, 141–87 BCE.
Avalokiteśvara ('Lord who looks down') is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. Portrayed in different cultures as either male or female, Avalokiteśvara is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism, as well as unofficially in Theravada Buddhism.
Emperor Wen of Sui (541–604), personal name Yang Jian, Xianbei name Puliuru Jia), nickname Naluoyan, was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty. He was a hard-working administrator. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state.
Emperor Wen of Sui (541–604), personal name Yang Jian, Xianbei name Puliuru Jia), nickname Naluoyan, was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty. He was a hard-working administrator. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state.<br/><br/> Yan Liben (Wade–Giles: Yen Li-pen, c. 600-673), formally Baron Wenzhen of Boling, was a Chinese painter and government official of the early Tang Dynasty. His notable works include the Thirteen Emperors Scroll and Northern Qi Scholars Collating Classic Texts. He also painted the Portraits at Lingyan Pavilion, under Emperor Taizong of Tang, commissioned in 643 to commemorate 24 of the greatest contributors to Emperor Taizong's reign, as well as 18 portraits commemorating the 18 great scholars who served Emperor Taizong when he was the Prince of Qin. Yan's paintings included painted portraits of various Chinese emperors from the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) up until the Sui Dynasty (581-618) period
Emperor Yang of Sui (569 - March 11, 618), personal name Yang Guang, also known as Emperor Ming, was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty. Emperor Yang, ruling from 604 to 618, committed to several large construction projects during his rule, most notably the completion of the Grand Canal. He ordered the reconstruction of the Great Wall, a project which took the lives of nearly six million workers. He also ordered several military expeditions that brought Sui to its greatest territorial extent, one of which, the conquest of Champa in what is now central and southern Vietnam, caused death of thousands of Sui soldiers through malaria. These expenditures, along with a series of disastrous campaigns against Goguryeo (one of the three kingdoms of Korea), left the empire bankrupt and the people in revolt. With northern China in turmoil, Emperor Yang spent his last days in Jiangdu (in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), where he was eventually strangled in a coup led by his general Yuwen Huaji.<br/><br/> Yan Liben (Wade–Giles: Yen Li-pen, c. 600-673), formally Baron Wenzhen of Boling, was a Chinese painter and government official of the early Tang Dynasty. His notable works include the Thirteen Emperors Scroll and Northern Qi Scholars Collating Classic Texts. He also painted the Portraits at Lingyan Pavilion, under Emperor Taizong of Tang, commissioned in 643 to commemorate 24 of the greatest contributors to Emperor Taizong's reign, as well as 18 portraits commemorating the 18 great scholars who served Emperor Taizong when he was the Prince of Qin. Yan's paintings included painted portraits of various Chinese emperors from the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) up until the Sui Dynasty (581-618) period
Maijishan Shiku (Maiji Shan Grottoes) are one of China’s four most important Buddhist temple groups (the others being Datong, Luoyang, and the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang).<br/><br/> Starting from the Northern Wei (386-535) and Northern Zhou (557-81) Dynasties, Buddhists cut caves into the sides of a red outcrop rising from the surrounding foliage-covered hills. Figures of the Buddha, of bodhisattvas and disciples were carved in harder rock brought from elsewhere, and installed in the caves.<br/><br/> At their height, the Maijishan caves are believed to have numbered almost 800, but they suffered serious damage during an earthquake in 734. This event, combined with the exigencies of time, has reduced the number of extant caves to 194.<br/><br/> The existing rock cut architecture contains over 7,200 Buddhist sculptures and over 1,000 square meters of murals.<br/><br/> Maiji Shan translates literally as 'Wheatstack Mountain'.
Maijishan Shiku (Maiji Shan Grottoes) are one of China’s four most important Buddhist temple groups (the others being Datong, Luoyang, and the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang).<br/><br/> Starting from the Northern Wei (386-535) and Northern Zhou (557-81) Dynasties, Buddhists cut caves into the sides of a red outcrop rising from the surrounding foliage-covered hills. Figures of the Buddha, of bodhisattvas and disciples were carved in harder rock brought from elsewhere, and installed in the caves.<br/><br/> At their height, the Maijishan caves are believed to have numbered almost 800, but they suffered serious damage during an earthquake in 734. This event, combined with the exigencies of time, has reduced the number of extant caves to 194.<br/><br/> The existing rock cut architecture contains over 7,200 Buddhist sculptures and over 1,000 square meters of murals.<br/><br/> Maiji Shan translates literally as 'Wheatstack Mountain'.
Maijishan Shiku (Maiji Shan Grottoes) are one of China’s four most important Buddhist temple groups (the others being Datong, Luoyang, and the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang).<br/><br/> Starting from the Northern Wei (386-535) and Northern Zhou (557-81) Dynasties, Buddhists cut caves into the sides of a red outcrop rising from the surrounding foliage-covered hills. Figures of the Buddha, of bodhisattvas and disciples were carved in harder rock brought from elsewhere, and installed in the caves.<br/><br/> At their height, the Maijishan caves are believed to have numbered almost 800, but they suffered serious damage during an earthquake in 734. This event, combined with the exigencies of time, has reduced the number of extant caves to 194.<br/><br/> The existing rock cut architecture contains over 7,200 Buddhist sculptures and over 1,000 square meters of murals.<br/><br/> Maiji Shan translates literally as 'Wheatstack Mountain'.
Maijishan Shiku (Maiji Shan Grottoes) are one of China’s four most important Buddhist temple groups (the others being Datong, Luoyang, and the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang).<br/><br/> Starting from the Northern Wei (386-535) and Northern Zhou (557-81) Dynasties, Buddhists cut caves into the sides of a red outcrop rising from the surrounding foliage-covered hills. Figures of the Buddha, of bodhisattvas and disciples were carved in harder rock brought from elsewhere, and installed in the caves.<br/><br/> At their height, the Maijishan caves are believed to have numbered almost 800, but they suffered serious damage during an earthquake in 734. This event, combined with the exigencies of time, has reduced the number of extant caves to 194.<br/><br/> The existing rock cut architecture contains over 7,200 Buddhist sculptures and over 1,000 square meters of murals.<br/><br/> Maiji Shan translates literally as 'Wheatstack Mountain'.
Emperor Wen of Sui (541–604), personal name Yang Jian, was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty (581-618). He was a hard-working administrator. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state. Emperor Wen's reign introduced a period of great prosperity not seen since the Han Dynasty. Economically, the dynasty prospered. It was said that there was enough food stored for 50 years. The military was also powerful.<br/><br/> At the beginning of his reign, Sui faced the threat of Tujue to the north, and neighboring Tibetan tribes to the west, Goguryeo in the northeast, and the kingdom known as Linyi (Champa) to the south. By the end of Emperor Wen's reign, Tujue had split into an eastern and a western kaganate, the eastern one being nominally submissive to Sui, as was Goguryeo. Linyi was defeated and, while not conquered, did not remain a threat.