When my sister entered the Chinese university and quoted on her weakness in speaking Mandarin and so it's difficult to speak on those ancient poems, the professor of the University raised another question - "Most of the poems are found to be better spoken in Cantonese rather than Mandarin.
In fact, most of the poems' golden era were up until the late Tang Dynasty. When the capital moved to Beijing, Ming Dynasty gave away the kingdom to Qing Dynasty and so the whole China was changing to the the control of the Northern race. Cheung On was then renamed as Xian, but geographically, Cheung On should be the real centre of the whole China territory.
Cheung On is such a cultural place and the city wall could tell how the glorious time of that 1,000 years ago. The wall is so high and thick that almost no one could break in.
12 comments:
Thank you for the very informative geography and history class.
It is really amazing how Chinese people 100 years ago already can build such a tall and solid wall without high tech equipment; just human labor, cheap and efficient.
I mean 1,000 years ago instead of 100.
This is China not US LOL.....
I feel that the Ming and Ching Dynasty have changed the whole China quite much from its former graceful and poetic country. You wouldn't find some famous scholars of the Ming and Ching Dynasty. Also, the Ching Dynasty had something quite not humane for their rulership.
BTW, I believe people in ancient time might be much stronger and more adaptive than the modern people. When I don't use anything to have some simple calculation such as 18+112 / 3, I would be seen as a superman. Sometimes I don't even open a phone book but dial a number from my brain memory, I am thought to be "amazing". There are even times I look up to the sky and told some others "the south west wind is prevailing and the rain will come", then I was told that I was just like 諸葛良. Crazy! It's all because those people just rely too much on their phones and forget there are things they have learnt or naturally having that sense. So the more tool we have, the less we are losing some of our ability and capability.
You are very very right Sea.
It is so amazing how the ancient Chinese can build a thick wall so sturdy with no falling for 1000 years with limited tool, while the modern workers use lots of heavy duty machines to build something that will fall with rain or wind.
It is also true about your ability to remember phone #, can take picture with real camera, can tell weather by looking at the sky, can find direction by reading map instead of GPS.......; all these human instinct and abilities tend to fade over time.
I just feel bad for the young generation they rely on high tech too much. Just out of electricity or no battery already seems the end of their world.
There are times I told some others (mostly the juniors) that it's not taken for granted you can just switch on in a second for water and electricity.
I believe we should have GPS in ourselves but just in time we haven't used it, our gene put that aside. Imagine many smart people are just using 10% of their brain. What about the other 90%, or be conservative 10 more % out of the remaining 90%?
With the way young generations rely on computer and advanced technology I am afraid they only use 1% of their brain in future.
So really there are good and bad in everything.
That is why Bill Gate claimed he is actually a low tech/no tech person at home. I think he knows the good and bad of high technology too well that is why.
Yes, it's true that some IT tycoons don't allow their kids to touch too many electronic stuff.
I act like their kids too since I cannot do much with electronic high tech stuff LOL.....
Some people aren't too good with electronic or high tech stuff but they have other talents. Can't have everything in oneself. At least we shouldn't be zero with nothing inside, and often blame on this or that.
Yes you are right Sea.
Low tech people like me may need other things to make up their short comings, I hope.
In fact, no one is superior than the others.
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