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Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a 1993 Americanbiographicaldrama film directed byRob Cohen. The film starsJason Scott Lee, with a supporting cast includingLauren Holly,Nancy Kwan, andRobert Wagner. The film follows the life of actor and martial artistBruce Lee (Jason) from his relocation to the United States from Hong Kong to his career as a martial arts teacher, and then as a television and film actor. It also focuses on the relationship between Bruce and his wifeLinda, and the racism to which Bruce was subjected.
The primary source of the screenplay is Cadwell's 1975 biographyBruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew. Other sources includeRobert Clouse's bookBruce Lee: The Biography and research by Cohen, including interviews with Cadwell and Bruce's son,Brandon Lee. Rather than a traditional biographical film, Cohen decided to include elements of mysticism and to dramatise fight scenes to give it the same tone as the films in which Bruce starred.Dragon was filmed primarily in Hong Kong, Los Angeles and San Francisco. (Full article...)
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A Yuan-era stele in the ruins of the Cross Temple. Another stele (left) and some scattered groundwork (right) are visible in the background.
TheCross Temple (Chinese:十字寺;pinyin:Shízì sì) is a formerplace of worship inFangshan, Beijing. The temple was used during different periods byBuddhists and earlyChinese Christians. Though it was originally built as a Buddhist temple, some scholars hypothesise that it saw Christian use during theTang dynasty (618–907). The temple was used by Buddhists during theLiao dynasty (916–1125) and by Christians during theYuan dynasty (1271–1368). It returned to Buddhist use during theMing dynasty (1368–1644), before being sold in 1911. It was first recorded in modern scholarship in 1919, damaged during theCultural Revolution, and re-established as a national-level protected site in 2006. Some scholars consider it to be the only place of worship of theChurch of the East (also known as Nestorian Christianity) discovered in China.
Today, the site features two ancient steles, as well as groundwork and the bases of several pillars. The steles date to the Liao and Yuan dynasties, but their inscriptions were tampered with during the Ming. During the early 20th century, two stone blocks carved with crosses and other patterns were also discovered at the site, with one of them also bearing an inscription inSyriac. The blocks are presently on display at theNanjing Museum. (Full article...)
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Posthumous portrait
Du Fu (Chinese:杜甫;pinyin:Dù Fǔ;Wade–Giles:Tu Fu; 712–770) was a Chinese poet and politician during theTang dynasty. Together with his elder contemporary and friendLi Bai, Du is often considered one of the greatestChinese poets of his time. His greatest ambition was to serve his country as a successfulcivil servant, but Du proved unable to make the necessary accommodations. His life, like all of China, was devastated by theAn Lushan rebellion of 755, and his last 15 years were a time of almost constant unrest.
Although initially he was little-known to other writers, his works came to be hugely influential in bothChinese andJapanese literary culture. Of his poetic writing, nearly fifteen hundred poems have been preserved over the ages. He has been called the "Poet-Historian" and the "Poet-Sage" by Chinese critics, while the range of his work has allowed him to be introduced to Western readers as "the ChineseVirgil,Horace,Ovid,Shakespeare,Milton,Burns,Wordsworth,Béranger,Hugo orBaudelaire". (Full article...)
Yao, who was born inShanghai, started playing for the Sharks as a teenager, and played on their senior team for five years in the CBA, winning a championship in his final year. After negotiating with the CBA and the Sharks to secure his release, Yao was selected by the Rockets as the first overall pick in the2002 NBA draft. He reached theNBA playoffs four times, and the Rockets won the first-round series in the2009 postseason, their first playoff series victory since 1997. In July 2011, Yao announced his retirement from professional basketball because of a series of foot and ankle injuries which forced him to miss 250 games in his last six seasons. In eight seasons with the Rockets, Yao ranks sixth among franchise leaders in total points and total rebounds, and second in total blocks. (Full article...)
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With the pale yellow rump visible.Buryatia, Russia.
Pallas's leaf warbler is one of the smallestPalearcticwarblers, with a relatively large head and short tail. It has greenish upperparts and white underparts, a lemon-yellow rump, and yellow double wingbars,supercilia and centralcrown stripe. It is similar in appearance to several other Asian warblers, including some that were formerly considered to besubspecies of it, although its distinctivevocalisations aid identification. (Full article...)
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Jin dynasty (blue) and Song dynasty (orange) in 1141
TheJin–Song Wars were a series of conflicts between theJurchen-ledJin dynasty (1115–1234) and theHan-ledSong dynasty (960–1279). In 1115,Jurchen tribes rebelled against their overlords, theKhitan-ledLiao dynasty (916–1125), and declared the formation of the Jin.Allying with the Song against their common enemy the Liao dynasty, the Jin promised to cede to the Song theSixteen Prefectures that had fallen under Liao control since 938. The Song agreed but the Jin's quick defeat of the Liao combined with Song military failures made the Jin reluctant to cede territory. After a series of negotiations that embittered both sides, the Jurchens attacked the Song in 1125, dispatching one army toTaiyuan and the other to Bianjing (modernKaifeng), the Song capital.
Surprised by news of an invasion, Song generalTong Guan retreated from Taiyuan, which was besieged and later captured. As the second Jin army approached the capital, Song emperorHuizong abdicated and fled south.Qinzong, his eldest son, was enthroned. The Jin dynasty laid siege to Kaifeng in 1126, but Qinzong negotiated their retreat from the capital by agreeing to a large annualindemnity. Qinzong reneged on the deal and ordered Song forces to defend the prefectures instead of fortifying the capital. The Jin resumed war and again besieged Kaifeng in 1127. They captured Qinzong, many members of theimperial family and high officials of the Song imperial court in an event known as theJingkang Incident. This separatednorth and south China between Jin and Song. Remnants of the Song imperial family retreated to southern China and, after brief stays in several temporary capitals, eventually relocated to Lin'an (modernHangzhou). The retreat divided the dynasty into two distinct periods,Northern Song andSouthern Song. (Full article...)
In hisDream Pool Essays orDream Torrent Essays (夢溪筆談;Mengxi Bitan) of 1088, Shen was the first to describe the magnetic needlecompass, which would be used for navigation (first described in Europe byAlexander Neckam in 1187). Shen discovered the concept oftrue north in terms ofmagnetic declination towards thenorth pole, with experimentation of suspended magnetic needles and "the improvedmeridian determined by Shen's [astronomical] measurement of the distance between thepole star and true north". This was the decisive step in human history to make compasses more useful for navigation, and may have been a concept unknown in Europefor another four hundred years (evidence of German sundials made circa 1450 show markings similar toChinese geomancers' compasses in regard to declination). (Full article...)
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Acannon (plural eithercannons orcannon) is a large-caliber gun classified as a type ofartillery, which usually launches aprojectile using explosive chemicalpropellant.Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention ofsmokeless powder during the late 19th century. Cannons vary ingauge,effective range,mobility,rate of fire,angle of fire andfirepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees, depending on their intended use on the battlefield. A cannon is a type of heavy artillery weapon. The wordcannon is derived from several languages, in which the original definition can usually be translated astube,cane, orreed.
The earliest known depiction of cannons may have appeared inSong dynasty China as early as the 12th century; however, solid archaeological and documentary evidence of cannons do not appear until the 13th century. In 1288,Yuan dynasty troops are recorded to have usedhand cannons in combat, and the earliest extant cannon bearing a date of production comes from the same period. By the end of the 14th century, cannons were widespread throughoutEurasia. (Full article...)
Thedynasty's history is divided into two periods: during the Northern Song (北宋; 960–1127), the capital was in the northern city of Bianjing (nowKaifeng) and the dynasty controlled most of what is nowEast China. TheSouthern Song (南宋; 1127–1279) comprise the period following the loss of control over the northern half of Song territory to the Jurchen-ledJin dynasty in theJin–Song wars. At that time, the Song court retreated south of theYangtze and established its capital atLin'an (nowHangzhou). Although the Song dynasty had lost control of the traditional Chinese heartlands around theYellow River, the Southern Song Empire contained a large population and productive agricultural land, sustaining a robust economy. In 1234, the Jin dynasty wasconquered by the Mongols, who took control of northern China, maintaining uneasy relations with the Southern Song.Möngke Khan, the fourthGreat Khan of theMongol Empire, died in 1259 while besieging the mountain castleDiaoyucheng inChongqing. His younger brotherKublai Khan was proclaimed the new Great Khan and in 1271 founded the Yuan dynasty. After two decades of sporadic warfare, Kublai Khan's armiesconquered the Song dynasty in 1279 after defeating the Southern Song in theBattle of Yamen, and reunited China under the Yuan dynasty. (Full article...)
The economy of theHan dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) of ancientChina experienced upward and downward movements in itseconomic cycle, periods of economic prosperity and decline. It is normally divided into three periods:Western Han (206 BC – 9 AD), theXin dynasty (9–23 AD), andEastern Han (25–220 AD). The Xin regime, established by the former regentWang Mang, formed a brief interregnum between lengthy periods of Han rule. Following the fall of Wang Mang, the Han capital was moved eastward fromChang'an toLuoyang. In consequence, historians have named the succeeding eras Western Han and Eastern Han respectively.
The Han economy was defined by significantpopulation growth, increasing urbanization, unprecedented growth of industry and trade, and government experimentation withnationalization. Another large component of the government is that it was run by influential families who had the most money. In this era, the levels of minting and circulation ofcoin currency grew significantly, forming the foundation of a stablemonetary system. TheSilk Road facilitated the establishment of trade and tributary exchanges withforeign countries acrossEurasia, many of which were previously unknown to thepeople of ancient China. The imperial capitals of both Western Han (Chang'an) and Eastern Han (Luoyang) were among the largest cities in the world at the time, in both population and area. Here, government workshops manufactured furnishings for thepalaces of theemperor and produced goods for the common people. The government oversaw the construction of roads and bridges, which facilitated official government business and encouraged commercial growth. Under Han rule, industrialists, wholesalers, and merchants—from minor shopkeepers to wealthy businessmen—could engage in a wide range of enterprises and trade in the domestic, public, and even military spheres. (Full article...)
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Holotype skull shown from above (A), the right side (B), and below (C)
Xixiasaurus (/ˌʃiːʃiəˈsɔːrəs/) is agenus oftroodontiddinosaur that lived during theLate CretaceousPeriod in what is nowChina. The only known specimen was discovered inXixia County,Henan Province, incentral China, and became theholotype of the new genus andspeciesXixiasaurus henanensis in2010. The names refer to the areas of discovery, and can be translated as "Henan Xixia lizard". The specimen consists of an almost complete skull (except for the hindmost portion), part of the lower jaw, and teeth, as well as a partial right forelimb.
Xixiasaurus is estimated to have been 1.5 metres (5 ft) long and to have weighed 8 kilograms (18 lb). As a troodontid, it would have been bird-like and lightly built, with grasping hands and an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on the second toe. Its skull was long, with a long, low snout that formed a tapering U-shape when seen from below. Thefrontal bone of the forehead was dome-like in side view, which indicates it had an enlargedbraincase. It differed from other troodontids in that the front of thedentary bone of the lower jaw was down-turned. Unlike in most troodontids, the teeth ofXixiasaurus did not haveserrations; instead, theircarinae (front and back edges) were smooth and sharp. It was distinct among troodontids in having 22 teeth in eachmaxilla (in other genera the maxillary tooth count was either higher or lower). (Full article...)
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Nicole Cooke, gold medalist
The women's road race was one of thecycling events at the2008 Summer Olympics inBeijing, China. It took place on 10 August 2008, featuring 66 women from 33 countries. It was the seventh appearance of an Olympic women's road race event and featured a longer course than any of the previous six races. The race was run on theUrban Road Cycling Course (one of Beijing's nine temporaryvenues), which is 102.6 kilometres (63.8 mi) total. Including a second lap around the 23.8 km (14.8 mi) final circuit, the total distance of the women's race was 126.4 km (78.5 mi), less than half the length of the men's race.
Heavy rain during most of the race made conditions difficult for the competitors. A group of five broke away during the final lap and worked together until the final sprint, whereNicole Cooke won the race. Cooke earnedGreat Britain's first medal at these Games and 200th Olympic gold medal overall.Emma Johansson ofSweden andTatiana Guderzo ofItaly, finishing second and third place with the same time as Cooke, received silver and bronze medals respectively. (Full article...)
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Zhou Tong stroking his beard
Zhou Tong (Chinese:周同 and周侗;pinyin:Zhōu Tóng; died late 1121) was thearchery teacher and second military arts tutor of famousSong dynasty generalYue Fei. Originally a local hero fromHenan, he was hired to continue Yue Fei's military training in archery after the boy had rapidly mastered spearplay under his first teacher. In addition to the future general, Zhou accepted other children as archery pupils. During his tutelage, Zhou taught the children all of his skills and even rewarded Yue with his two favorite bows because he was his best pupil. After Zhou's death, Yue would regularly visit his tomb twice a month and perform unorthodox sacrifices that far surpassed that done for even beloved tutors. Yue later taught what he had learned from Zhou to his soldiers and they were successful in battle.
With the publishing of Yue Fei's 17th folklore biography,The Story of Yue Fei (1684), a new, fictional Zhou Tong emerged, who differed greatly from his historical persona. Not only was he now fromShaanxi, but he was Yue's adopted father, a learned scholar with knowledge of theeighteen weapons of war, and hispersonal name was spelled with a different, yet related, Chinese character. The novel's author portrayed him as an elderly widower and military arts tutor who countedLin Chong andLu Junyi, two of the fictional108 outlaws on which theWater Margin is based, among his former pupils. A laterrepublican erafolktale by notedYangzhou storytellerWang Shaotang not only addsWu Song to this list, but represents Zhou as aknight-errant with supreme swordsmanship. The tale also gives him the nickname "Iron Arm", which he shares with theexecutioner-turned-outlawCai Fu, and makes the outlawLu Zhishen hissworn brother. Because of his association with the outlaws, he is often confused with the similarly named outlawZhou Tong. (Full article...)
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1830 depiction of Zhao
Zhao Chongguo (Chinese:趙充國;pinyin:Zhào Chōngguó, 137 BCE – 52 BCE) was a Chinese military commander and official during theWestern Han dynasty. Born to a family of officials in what is now easternGansu, Zhao studiedmilitary science in his youth. Around 100BCE, he joined the Feathered Forest, a recently-created elite cavalry unit recruited from the northwestern districts. He joined GeneralLi Guangli's campaign against theXiongnu confederation the following year, and was severely wounded in combat.Emperor Wu, impressed by Zhao's service, promoted him. He served as chief of staff for the supreme head of cavalry units. In 80BCE, Zhao was appointed to manage the imperial parks, and also controlled the minting ofcash coinage.
Felice Beato (c. 1832 – 29 January 1909), also known asFelix Beato, was an Italian–British photographer. He was one of the first people to take photographs in East Asia and one of the firstwar photographers as well as a pioneer ofTravel photography. He is noted for hisgenre works, portraits, and views andpanoramas of the architecture and landscapes of Asia and theMediterranean region. Beato's travels gave him opportunities to create images of countries, people, and events unfamiliar and remote to most people in Europe and North America. His works provide images of such events as theIndian Rebellion of 1857 and theSecond Opium War, and represent the first substantial body ofphotojournalism. He influenced other photographers; and his impact in Japan, where he taught and worked with numerous other photographers and artists, was particularly deep and lasting. (Full article...)
...thatMing Dynasty generalGang Bingcastrated himself and placed his severed organs under EmperorYongle's saddle to avoid being accused of sexual improprieties?
White Rabbit Creamy Candy (Chinese:大白兔奶糖;pinyin:Dàbáitù Nǎitáng) is a brand of milkcandy manufactured by Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food, Ltd. (Chinese:上海冠生园食品有限公司;pinyin:Shànghǎi Guānshēngyuán Shípǐn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī), in China. It is an iconic cultural brand and has been in production since 1943.
White Rabbit Creamy Candy is considered to be a part of manymainlanders' andHong Kongers' childhood nostalgia, and has been featured in many classic Chinese films and TV series. Guan Sheng Yuan has made White Rabbit Creamy Candy a popular treat food for generations of children living in Shanghai, Hong Kong, China, and abroad by adapting its product and business systems to new needs and cultivating the loyalty of its customers. Cross promotion with other products and specialized stores have contributed to its appeal. When its reputation has been challenged, it has been able to re-establish itself. (Full article...)
Following the outbreak of war betweenJapan and China in July 1937, the Japanese and Chinese forces engaged in the vicious three-monthBattle of Shanghai, where both sides suffered heavy casualties. The Japanese eventually won the battle, forcing the Chinese army into a withdrawal. Capitalizing on their victory, the Japanese officially authorized a campaign to capture Nanjing. The task of occupying Nanjing was given to GeneralIwane Matsui, the commander of Japan's Central China Area Army, who believed that the capture of Nanjing would force China to surrender and thus end the war. Chinese leaderChiang Kai-shek ultimately decided to defend the city and appointedTang Shengzhi to command the Nanjing Garrison Force, a hastily assembled army of local conscripts and the remnants of the Chinese units who had fought inShanghai. (Full article...)
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He Siyuan inWho's Who in China 4th ed. (1931)
He Siyuan (Chinese:何思源;Wade–Giles:Ho Ssu-yüan; 1896 – April 1982), also spelledHo Shih-yuan, was a Chinese educator, politician and guerrilla leader. Educated in China, the United States, and France, he was an economics professor atSun Yat-sen University and education minister ofShandong Province. WhenJapan invaded China in 1937, he organized aguerrilla force to fight the resistance war in Shandong, and was the wartime governor of the province. He later became Mayor of Beijing until he negotiated to surrender to communist forces when KMT was losing. He survived Chiang's two attempts to assassinate him, but lost his youngest daughter in the second attack. In 1949 he negotiated the peaceful surrender of Beijing to the Communist forces, ensuring the safety of its millions of residents. Fluent in four European languages, after 1949 he mainly worked on translating foreign publications into Chinese. His elder daughter,He Luli, grew up to become Vice-Mayor of Beijing and Chairwoman of theRevolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang. (Full article...)
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Thered panda (Ailurus fulgens), also known as thelesser panda, is a smallmammal native to theeastern Himalayas andsouthwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle and a ringed tail. Its head-to-body length is 51–63.5 cm (20.1–25.0 in) with a 28–48.5 cm (11.0–19.1 in) tail, and it weighs between 3.2 and 15 kg (7.1 and 33.1 lb). It is well adapted to climbing due to its flexible joints and curved semi-retractile claws.
The red panda was formallydescribed in 1825. The two recognised subspecies, the Himalayan and the Chinese red panda,genetically diverged about 250,000 years ago. The red panda's place on theevolutionary tree has been debated, but modern genetic evidence places it in close affinity withraccoons,weasels, andskunks. It is not closely related to thegiant panda, which is abear, though both possess elongated wrist bones or "false thumbs" used for graspingbamboo. The evolutionarylineage of the red panda (Ailuridae) stretches back around25 to 18 million years ago, as indicated by extinct fossil relatives found in Eurasia and North America. (Full article...)
Shanhua Temple (Chinese:善化寺;pinyin:Shànhùa Sì) is aBuddhisttemple located inDatong,Shanxi Province,China. The temple was first founded during the early 8th century of theTang dynasty, but its earliest surviving building dates from the 11th century. The temple was heavily repaired over the years, and today three original halls and two recently rebuilt pavilions survive. The largest, and earliest hall, dating from the 11th-centuryLiao dynasty, is theDaxiongbao Hall and is one of the largest of its kind in China. Also historically significant are the Main Gate and Sansheng Hall, both dating from 12th century during theJin dynasty. (Full article...)
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Kingdoms of the Han dynasty in 195 BC, with Changsha shown in light green, at bottom centre
TheChangsha Kingdom was akingdom within theHan Empire of China, located in present-dayHunan and some surrounding areas. The kingdom was founded whenEmperor Gaozu granted the territory to his followerWu Rui in 203 or 202 BC, around the same time as the establishment of the Han dynasty. Wu Rui and his descendants held the kingdom for five generations until Wu Zhu died without an heir in 157 BC. In 155 BC, the kingdom was reestablished for a member of theimperial family. However, the creation of this second kingdom coincided with theRebellion of the Seven States and the subsequent reforms underEmperor Jing, and Changsha under the imperial family saw its autonomy greatly diminished. The kingdom was dissolved duringWang Mang'susurpation (AD 9 – 23), briefly restored after the founding of theEastern Han, and finally abolished inAD 33 and converted to acommandery under the imperial government.
Changsha was one of the largest and longest-lasting kingdoms in Han China. Despite being established on the empire's frontier, technology and art flourished in Changsha. Numerous archaeological sites of the kingdom have been discovered and excavated, most notablyMawangdui, the tomb of Changsha'schancellor Li Cang and his family, providing valuable insights into life in the kingdom and Han dynasty in general. (Full article...)
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Xu in 1940
Xu Lai (Chinese:徐来;Wade–Giles:Hsü Lai; 1909 – 4 April 1973) was a Chinese film actress, socialite, and World War IIsecret agent. Known as the "Standard Beauty", she was active in the film industry for only three years, and quit acting after the suicide of the great starRuan Lingyu in 1935. Her first husband wasLi Jinhui, the "Father of Chinese pop music".
During theGreat Leap Forward, Pan sympathized with MarshalPeng Dehuai, a critic ofMao Zedong's collectivization policy. As a result, in 1958, he was dismissed as party chief of Henan and subjected to persecution, but was later rehabilitated. (Full article...)
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Typhoon Sarika approaching thePhilippines on October 15
Typhoon Sarika, known in the Philippines asTyphoon Karen, was a powerfultropical cyclone which affected thePhilippines,South China, andVietnam in mid-October 2016. The twenty-first named storm and the tenthtyphoon of theannual Pacific typhoon season, Sarika developed from a tropical disturbance east of the Philippines on October 13. The system steadily strengthened as it traveled westwards, becoming a tropical storm later that day and then a typhoon on October 15.Rapid intensification commenced as Sarika turned to the west-northwest towardsLuzon, reaching its peak intensity just before makinglandfall inAurora early on October 16. Sarika weakened significantly as it crossed land, emerging over theSouth China Sea as a minimal typhoon, then weakening further to a severe tropical storm on October 17. Sarika maintained its strength for the rest of the day and made landfall inHainan province in China on October 18. Turning to the northwest, Sarika weakened quickly as it emerged into theGulf of Tonkin, before moving onshore once again inGuangxi province on October 19. The system dissipated shortly after.
Sarika produced significant impacts in the Philippines as a strong typhoon. Strong winds and flooding rainfall caused landslides, power outages, and disruptions of telecommunications services. Nearly 13,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and more than 200,000 people were displaced. Agricultural damage in the Philippines was severe, totaling₱3.63 billion (US$76.4 million). Damage to infrastructure was valued at ₱226 million (US$4.76 million). No fatalities occurred, though several mountaineers and sailors were rescued. While not as strong at subsequent landfalls in China, Sarika combined with the northeast monsoon to produce heavy rains across South China and northeast Vietnam.Hong Kong saw its October hourly rainfall record broken by thunderstorms from Sarika on October 19. A person went missing after a boat capsized nearWang Chau Island. Gusty winds and torrential rains affected Hainan, Guangxi, andGuangdong. In particular, Sarika was the strongest October typhoon to hit Hainan since1971, where nearly 6,000 houses were damaged, 130,000 people lost access to telecommunications services, and almost 381,000hectares (940,000acres) of banana, cassava, papaya, and rubber crops were impacted. Direct economic losses in the province reached¥4.56 billion (US$686 million). Another 165,000 hectares (410,000 acres) of crops were damaged in Guangxi and Guangdong. In total, Sarika killed at least one person and caused economic losses reaching US$894 million. (Full article...)
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On June 2, 2012,Feng Jianmei (Chinese:冯建梅;pinyin:Féng Jiànméi) wasforced to have an abortion inZhenping County,Shaanxi,China, when she was seven months pregnant with her second child. Local officials had demanded that she and her husband pay a 40,000yuan fine for violating the nation'sone-child policy. When they were unable to do so, authorities arrested Feng, made her sign an agreement to have an abortion, and held her down while injecting her with anabortifacient. She was reportedly traumatized by the incident and in poor health afterwards.
On June 11, Feng's family posted graphic pictures of her stillborn child. The images soon became aviral phenomenon, sparking controversy within China and drawing international attention to the issue of forced abortions. In response to national and international attention, the Chinese government launched an investigation. On June 26, the investigation determined that Feng was not legally entitled to a second child, but that her rights had nonetheless been violated by the local family planning bureau, and as a result, two officials were fired and five others punished. On June 27, theNational Population and Family Planning Commission announced it would send inspection teams across China to review the practices of local family planning divisions. Feng's husband, Deng Jiyuan (Chinese:邓吉元; pinyin:Dèng Jíyuán), hired a lawyer to pursue criminal charges, but ultimately the family decided to settle out of court. (Full article...)
In its formative years, the NCC became involved in the endeavors of Chinese nationalists. It sided with protesters in theMay Thirtieth Incident and went as far as calling for the re-evaluation of "unequal treaties" China had with foreign powers. This angered foreign missionaries working in China. The NCC took an increasingly liberal theological stance, leading some foreign missionary organizations like theChina Inland Mission and theChristian and Missionary Alliance to resign from its ranks. (Full article...)
The Heilongjiang hand cannon (in 2021), ahand cannon dated to 1288 based on its proximity to a battle between the rebel prince Nayan andYuan dynasty forces armed with hand cannons TheHeilongjiang hand cannon or hand-gun is a bronzehand cannon manufactured no later than 1288 and is the world's oldest confirmed survivingfirearm. It weighs 3.55 kg (7.83 pounds) and is 34 centimeters (13.4 inches) long. The Heilongjiang hand cannon was excavated during the 1970s in Banlachengzi, a village inAcheng District,Heilongjiang province, China. It was found alongside other bronze artifacts made in the style of theJurchenJinDynasty (12th–13th century). The hand cannon was probably used in battles fought nearby inBanlachengzi in 1287 and 1288. TheHistory of Yuan states that a Jurchen commander by the name of Li Ting led a group of soldiers equipped with hand cannons into a military camp in 1288, as part of an anti-rebellion campaign for the Yuan dynasty. The cannon currently resides at the Heilongjiang Provincial Museum inHarbin, China. (Full article...)
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A Northern Song coin (da guan tong bao大觀通寶) The economy of theSong dynasty (960–1279) has been characterized as the most prosperous in the world at the time. The dynasty moved away from the top-down command economy of theTang dynasty (618–907) and made extensive use of market mechanisms as national income grew to be around three times that of 12th century Europe. The dynasty was beset by invasions and border pressure, lost control of North China in 1127, and fell in 1279. Yet the period saw the growth of cities, regional specialization, and a national market. There was sustained growth in population and per capita income, structural change in the economy, and increased technological innovation such as movable print, improved seeds for rice and other commercial crops, gunpowder, water-powered mechanical clocks, the use of coal as an industrial fuel, improved iron and steel production, and more efficient canal locks. China had a steel production of around 100,000 tons plus urban cities with millions of people at the time.
Commerce in global markets increased significantly. Merchants invested in trading vessels and trade which reached ports as far away as East Africa. This period also witnessed the development of the world's firstbanknote, or printed paper money (seeJiaozi,Guanzi,Huizi), which circulated on a massive scale. A unified tax system and efficient trade routes by road and canal meant the development of a nationwide market. Regional specialization promoted economic efficiency and increased productivity. Although much of the central government's treasury went to the military, taxes imposed on the rising commercial base refilled the coffers and further encouraged the monetary economy. Reformers and conservatives debated the role of government in the economy. The emperor and his government still took responsibility for the economy, but generally made fewer claims than in earlier dynasties. The government did, however, continue to enforce monopolies on certain manufactured items and market goods to boost revenues and secure resources that were vital to the empire's security, such as tea, salt, and chemical components forgunpowder. (Full article...)
Tsou was a strong advocate against academic fraud andpseudoscience, and led a public campaign against what he called "unhealthy practices" such as administrators' interference in scientific research. (Full article...)
The following are images from various China-related articles on Wikipedia.
Image 1Gilin with the head and scaly body of a dragon, tail of a lion and cloven hoofs like a deer. Its body enveloped in sacred flames. Detail from Entrance of General Zu Dashou Tomb (Ming Tomb). (fromChinese culture)
Image 41Flag of the Republic of China from 1928 to now (fromHistory of China)
Image 42Photo showing serving chopsticks (gongkuai) on the far right, personal chopsticks (putongkuai) in the middle, and a spoon. Serving chopsticks are usually more ornate than the personal ones. (fromChinese culture)
Image 56The flag of the People's Republic of China since 1949. (fromHistory of China)
Image 57Red lanterns are hung from the trees during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Ditan Park (Temple of Earth) in Beijing. (fromChinese culture)
Image 62Relief of afenghuang in Fuxi Temple (Tianshui). They are mythological birds of East Asia that reign over all other birds. (fromChinese culture)
Image 63Chinese polities in the late 5th century BC, before the breakup of Jin and the Qin move into Sichuan. (fromHistory of China)
Image 64Official map of the Qing Empire published in 1905 (fromHistory of China)
Image 65Main hall and tea house in Dunedin Chinese Garden (fromChinese culture)
A migrant boat carrying at least ten Chinese nationals capsized on theDanube river in the area ofBačka Palanka,Vojvodina,Serbia, while en route toCroatia. One person was killed and nine others were rescued.(ABC News)
This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly byJL-Bot (talk·contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it istagged (e.g.{{WikiProject China}}) orcategorized correctly and wait for the next update. SeeWP:RECOG for configuration options.
ThePresident of the Republic of China is the head of state of theRepublic of China (ROC).
TheConstitution names the president as head of state and commander-in-chief of theRepublic of China Armed Forces (formerly known as theNational Revolutionary Army). The president is responsible for conducting foreign relations, such as concluding treaties, declaring war, and making peace. The president must promulgate all laws and has no right to veto. Other powers of the president include granting amnesty, pardon or clemency, declaring martial law, and conferring honors and decorations.
The current President isLai Ching-te(pictured), since May 20, 2024. Lai is a Taiwanese politician and former physician, who is currently serving as the eighth president of the Republic of China under the1947 Constitution and the third president from theDemocratic Progressive Party (DPP).
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