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Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts

Sunday, February 09, 2014

Cathay 契丹

Cathay is a name we are so familiar with.  I had never thought of its origin and was delighted to discover the links between Cathay and China, Cathay and  契丹 (its Chinese translation)  from:

http://international.confuciusglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=512:2012-05-31-16-53-30&catid=4:2&Itemid=11

The full text is in Chinese:

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儒學傳播英國

岳陽大學儒學研究所  朱仁夫  新加坡大學  魏維賢


英國了解中國,始於14世紀。當時,馬可·波羅的中國遊記在歐洲傳誦,英國人喬叟寫作《侍從的故事》裏,提到了成吉思汗“勇敢、善戰、賢明、富有、守信、仁愛”。

歐洲人通稱中國為“契丹”(Cathay),稱中國人為“契丹人”。

南宋時代,中國北方為遼,遼原名契丹。

元朝統一中國後,歐洲人仍沿用舊名稱中國為契丹,英國莎士比亞戲劇裏幾次提到契丹人。

世界地理大發現後,西元1576~1581年間,英國有一個向外發展的計劃,名為“契丹探險”(Cathay venture),目的在尋找一條近路,通往亞洲,參加者有政界人士、朝廷官吏、商界領袖、航海家、輿地學者,伊莉莎白女王充任該計劃股東。

但是計劃未能實現。後來,歐洲人又稱中國為“塞利卡那”(Sericana),意謂“絲綢之國”;稱中國為“西那”(Sena),其來源是Sin,Thin,Chin(秦)。

Source of information:

http://international.confuciusglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=512:2012-05-31-16-53-30&catid=4:2&Itemid=11

Sunday, January 06, 2013

BTV档案_宋氏家族往事-宋霭龄

Thumbnail 3 videos Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Play all






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I just viewed the videos this morning and find it enlightening to learn about her life in restrospect!

How wealth, family and politics are being linked together in the past and it is a good mirror for us to see the present. 

With this understanding, it is easier to understand the complex connections in present day China and the political links great family worked together to make things happen in the east or the west ...

Being NO BODY, we are able to view this kind of development from a distance and have a clearer mind set!


Dexterine Ho Soo Miang

Saturday, January 05, 2013

百年沧桑话中国

音频:35集系列节目《百年沧桑话中国》http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/multimedia/2011/06/110627_list_audio_progchina.shtml
更新时间 2011年6月27日, 格林尼治标准时间14:36
 
BBC中文网推出35集大型系列节目《百年沧桑话中国》,通过中国与海外众多历史见证人的回忆和专家学者的观察评论,以及大量的历史音响档案,回顾中国一百年来的历史变迁。
[点击收听音频]

按键 第1集:20世纪初叶的中国
按键 第2集:北洋军的形成
按键 第3集:武昌起义与北洋军
按键 第4集:北洋军阀战乱结束
按键 第5集:孙中山和辛亥革命
按键 第6集:早期留学运动
按键 第7集:“五四”事件和新文化运动
按键 第8集:西方传教士在中国
按键 第9集:共产党的成立
按键 第10集:三位党员回忆入党经历
按键 第11集:长征的见证人
按键 第12集:长征的历史意义
按键 第13集:中日战争的爆发
按键 第14集:苦难深重
按键 第15集:抗日救国
按键 第16集:国共内战
按键 第17集:新中国的成立
按键 第18集:中国卷入朝鲜战争
按键 第19集:土改和镇反
按键 第20集:第一个五年计划
按键 第21集:反右运动
按键 第22集:大跃进和人民公社
按键 第23集:庐山会议
按键 第24集:三年大饥荒
按键 第25集:五十年代中苏关系
按键 第26集:中美关系正常化
按键 第27集:文革的起因
按键 第28集:红色的恐怖
按键 第29集:文化浩劫
按键 第30集:文革的教训
按键 第31集:八十年代改革起步
按键 第32集:艰难曲折的改革
按键 第33集:九十年代改革与社会变迁
按键 第34集:中国与国际社会接轨
按键 第35集:展望新世纪的中国
Source of info:

Thursday, April 05, 2012

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

I enjoyed a lot of good speeches and excellent talks from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) for years, and I think it is a sites many readers would enjoy!

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

"On TED.com, we make the best talks and performances from TED and partners available to the world, for free. More than 900 TEDTalks are now available, with more added each week. All of the talks are subtitled in English, and many are subtitled in various languages. These videos are released under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license, so they can be freely shared and reposted."

Our mission: Spreading ideas. "We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world. So we're building here a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world's most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other."

From: http://www.ted.com/pages/about

Here are some talks that set me thinking on various issues lately:

Peter Saul: Let’s talk about dying
http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_saul_let_s_talk_about_dying.html

To talk about end-of-life wishes is not easy, yet Dr Peter Saul an ICU Specialist from Newcastle, Australia, have a profound talk on the topic and introduce the concept "occupy death".


Ayah Bdeir: Building blocks that blink, beep and teach
http://www.ted.com/talks/ayah_bdeir_building_blocks_that_blink_beep_and_teach.html

"Imagine a set of electronics as easy to play with as Legos.  Ayah Bdeir introduces littleBits, a set of simple, interchangeable blocks that make programming as simple and important a part of creativity as snapping blocks together"

It is like a growing library, and I know a growing library will work in a creative way beyond our imagination!


Martin Jacques: Understanding the rise of China
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imhUmLtlZpw

"Speaking at a TED Salon in London, economist Martin Jacques asks: How do we in the West make sense of China and its phenomenal rise? The author of "When China Rules the World," he examines why the West often puzzles over the growing power of the Chinese economy, and offers three building blocks for understanding what China is and will become."