In Simon Schama’s History of Britain, he makes the comment that the weather bats for England. Apparently the weather has that same deal with Japan. The word “kamikaze” brings visions of suicide pilots from World War II, but the word actually means “divine wind”. In this case, the kamikaze defended the Japanese islands from invasion […]
Category: China
An Introductory Overview of the Mongols
Central Asia, China, ER, Northern Europe, Rest of the World, Russia
Please note that this is not meant to be a biography of any one person but a brief overview of the dynasty to show the impact that the Mongols had for many centuries. More in depth posts will follow going into more detail of specific people and events. It all started in unassuming grasslands on […]
Ching Shih
Ching Shih’s early life is shrouded in mystery. Even her name isn’t really her own, as “Ching Shih” translates to “widow of Ching”. She first appears in the historical record in 1801. However, she left her mark on history as one of the most successful pirates. It is theorized Ching Shih was born around 1775 […]
Wang Cong’er
18th century China was not an easy place for those born into poverty, especially women. This was the world Wang Cong’er was born into. She was born around 1777 in the Hubei province to a peasant family. There was no money for rents, and the families were forced to borrow at high rates of interest. […]
On Buddhism: Two men, one Buddha
Two images come to mind when someone mentions a Buddhist Idol, such as a statue or a piece of jewelry; one man is seen as skinny and somber, while the other is depicted as a fat, jolly man. What is less known is who these Idols are and what each one represents, both of whom […]