Professional Documents
Culture Documents
NO. 106
ISSUE 4/2014
A Time
No. 33
Issue 4 | 2014
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By Theodora Goss
You ask where you will find her. Beside the singing fountains,
where orange trees are blossoming and perfuming the air,
where night is like an orchard, with orange blossoms shining,
and the spirit of the fountains unbinds its wild blue hair.
Ask courage of the clockwork bird and follow where it tells you,
the talking bird that maps the long brown road to hearts desire.
Pass by the groaning forests, and boars that speak in parables,
and stop your ears as you approach the taunting realms of fire.
When you have reached the final citadel, youll find the trousers
that give a man a league at step, the zither that is wise
enough to know how you can open all the cut-glass doorways.
Release the cat that smiles and blinks its dreaming amber eyes.
Then, after chasm and abyss, and after crystal mountains
that dazzle and confuse the mind like vertical green seas,
youll come at last beneath the trees of fragrant orange-orchards
where the princess in the singing fountains bathes her soft white knees.
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A Reason
to Celebrate
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chairman
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No. 106 Issue 4/2014
departments
E DI TOR I A L
publisher/editorial director
John THET thet@asiangeo.com
picturesque
senior editor
14
A DV E R T I S I NG & M A R K ET I NG
business developement manager
Collin NG collin@asiangeo.com
advertising/marketing manager
the geographic
26
22
Inked in History
40
heritage
exploration
46
Vanquishing Humbaba
Among the oldest of all recorded
tales, the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh
recounts how the heroes Gilgamesh and
Enkidu travelled to the Cedar Forest to
fight the monsters there and be the first
to cut down its trees. ASIAN Geographic
travels to the original place in Lebanon
that inspired this grand tale.
reflections
E DI TOR I A L I N T E R NS
Aiswarya DEVI
Surreal Sensations
BY YD BAR-NESS
wildlife
80
93
96
The Mermaid
ocean
72
icon
C I RC U L AT ION
senior circulation/distribution manager
Victor OW victor@asiangeo.com
circulation/administration executive
Sheila DEVI sheila@asiangeo.com
traffic/production executive
Kamille PANLAQUI kamille@asiangeo.com
BY HASAN EL-SHAMY
conservation
F I E L D E DI TOR S
84
A Mynah Thing
Just as Old-timers reminisced about
the days when they were young in
Mele da Mynahs Noisy Ohana, we
too remember the days when the Bali
mynah flourished on the island. Today,
its close-to-extinction status has left
a bitter taste and conservationists
are struggling to keep this stunningly
beautiful starling flying high.
SC I E N T I F IC A DV I SOR S
BY STEPHAN M FUNK
Copyright 2014 by Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd. No material may be reproduced without written permission. This publication
is purchased with the understanding that information is presented from many sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the
publisher as to accuracy, originality, or completeness. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering product endorsements or providing instruction as a substitute for appropriate training by qualified sources. All content provided is accurate at the time of publishing.
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SILVER
BRONZE
Please recycle.
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the greatest tales of asia
features
54
BY DR RACHEL EINAV
BY DR MURALI SIVARAMAKRISHNAN
on the cover
Taken in Surin, Thailand, this brave
model provided a solemn pose to
echo the calm demeanour of the
elephant.
Official publication
AsianGeo
@asiangeographic
asiangeodigital@gmail.com
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{ editors
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note
newsstand distribution
ASIAN Geographic can be found in the following countries. If you have
difficulty finding us on newsstands, please contact our distributors:
australia Gordon & Gotch Australia Pty Ltd; china and hong kong
Times Publishing (HK) Ltd; indonesia Java Books; philippines
Alpha Stream Marketing; malaysia Pansing Marketing Sdn Bhd;
new zealand Gordon & Gotch NZ; singapore Singapore Press
Holdings Ltd; taiwan TEP; thailand Asia Books Co Ltd; usa Speed
Impex
media correspondents
asia
india, sri lanka RMA Media, Faredoon KUKA
india@AsianGeo.com
nepal, bangladesh Media South Asia (P) Ltd
nepal@AsianGeo.com
malaysia Kennedy THALAYAN
malaysia@AsianGeo.com
Theresa THAM (East Malaysia)
theresa@AsianGeo.com
thailand Radius thailand@AsianGeo.com
australia Publicitas Australia Pty Ltd, Charlton DSilva
cdsilva@publicitas.com
china Hainan Periscope Social Media Company
china@AsianGeo.com
japan Keiichi ARANTANI japan@AsianGeo.com
russia Andrey BIZYUKIN russia@AsianGeo.com
oceania
australia Publicitas Australia Pty Ltd
australia@AsianGeo.com
europe
germany, switzerland, austria IMV Internationale
Medien Vermaktung germany@AsianGeo.com
sweden, norway, finland, denmark, iceland
M&M International Media AB sweden@AsianGeo.com
n. america north america Matt WEISS america@AsianGeo.com
A Victorian children's
book illustration from 1893,
published by McLoughlin
Brothers: The story is a
morality tale with a long
history, also in the song,
Froggy Went a Courtin'
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Dear Editor,
I recently picked up your Great Asian Journeys Edition (No 102
Issue 1/14) at a corner shop in Kuala Lumpur and I think in all the
years, this is the best issue ever. I love it, from the cover
The author
Dear Editor,
I absolutely loved the Editors Note in your Great Asian Journeys Edition (No
102 Issue 1/14). It has given me inspiration to climb mountains and conquer
forests in our amazing region called Asia. I aspire to be like you and hope I
can get the kind of experience you have over the years. Thank you.
Dear Editor,
I managed to get my hands on an old copy
from last year and I think Ive become a fan.
I was totally mesmerised by the colours of
the Asian eyes and it has taught me that
beautifully coloured eyes do not just belong
to Europeans. I even think the most strangely
beautiful eyes belong to the most beautiful
Asians. Thank you for this issue (Colours of
Asia Edition, No 98 Issue 5/13).
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Since 2011
Awarded marketing
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(Merit)
Marina Barrage
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[ AWARD ]
PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHER
OF THE YEAR 2015
PEOPLE OF ASIA
This category takes in portraits and persons in
Asia, reflecting one of Asias greatest offering,
the warmth and beauty of its people.
[ AWARD ]
ARCHITECTURE/LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE
YEAR 2015
LANDSCAPE OF ASIA
From the most iconic Asian representation to
the most distinctive of Natures architecture,
the category welcomes the best look at Asias
structural designs, manmade or otherwise.
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WILDLIFE OF ASIA
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER
OF THE YEAR 2015
ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHER
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inne
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Y A
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picturesque
Surreal Sensations
what dreams are made of
Text & Photos Manuel Librodo
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picturesque
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picturesque
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picturesque
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But why this style of photography? Its
hard to say. I just adore the colours. I
love pictures with a certain feeling of
light-heartedness. I like the light to be
pleasing and the mood, very dramatic.
Everyone should be able to relate,
because everyone has experienced
childhood. The pictures can be as
colourful as a butterfly, as light as a
feather, and as full of emotion as a
dramatic movie.
Maybe these images are my way of
escaping lifes not-so-perfect reality:
bills to pay, traffic jams, sleepless
nights trying to finish retouching
another photo, and the pressure from
people expecting more and more
from me every time I embark on a
new project.
My first love is travel photography. But
for now, I have to accept the fact that I
cannot go to places I want to go to, as
I need to work. With my photography,
though, I can go anywhere in the
world, and beyond. I can go back to
my childhood days and daydream with
my eyes open. What would my life be
without photography? ag
21
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reflections
Inked in History
The
[ china ]
The Chinese
develop a solid
ink that can
be stored as a
stick or cake. To
write, one simply
shaves some
ink off the stick
and mixes it with
water. This type
of ink is still used
today throughout
Asia.
The Greeks
invent the reed
pen.
1270 bc
500 bc
Inks popularity
increases in China.
Spotting a tradition
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105 ad
Paper is invented
by Tsai Lun.
Paper and ink
are used widely
in China, before
spreading to the
rest of the world
through the Silk
Road.
300 ad
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[ europe ]
Block-book
printing is
invented by the
Chinese.
400 ad
Ink on seals
is stamped on
paper in China.
The Europeans
adopt the
Chinese method
of block printing.
510 ad
700 ad
1423
BY AISWARYA DEVI
PHOTOS ON SPREAD, FROM LEFT: ASTOCK/CORBIS, IMAGE SOURCE/CORBIS
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The Origins
of Fairy Tales
An Indian revelation
"C
lil and
d Dimna"
Di na" or the Arabic
"Calila
translation of The Panchatantra
(14th Century)
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revealed
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...the stories of European folk tales
had originated in India and had been
transferred by oral tradition to the
different countries of Europe.
to Arabic, Kalilah
wa Dimnah, in 750 AD, is
considered the first masterpiece of Arabic
literary prose. Perhaps most importantly, it
was translated into Hebrew by Rabbi Joel in
the 12th century. This version was, in turn,
translated into Latin by John of Capua as
Directorium Humanae Vitae, or Guide for
Human Life, and printed in 1480. It became
the source of most European vers ons.
A German translation, Das Buch der
Beispiele, was printed in 1483, making
this one of the earliest books to be printed
by Gutenbergs press after the Bible. An
Italian version by Antonfrancesco Doni in
1552 became the basis for the first English
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the geographic
Vanquishing
Humbaba
the cedars of earliest history
Text YD Bar-Ness
26
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An 1839 illustration of a
cedar forest by George
Harvey: The inspiration
for the Epic of Gilgamesh,
considered the worlds first
truly great work of literature
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4
2
3
1
Mo
un
tL
eb
an
on
1 Egypt
2 Israel
3 Jordan
4 Lebanon
5 Syria
Stuff of Legends
Cedars
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PHOTOS YD BAR-NESS
31
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inspired by real experiences the writer had in a coffee shop in
Pondicheerry, India.
Life of Pi
Chapter 3 (excerpt)
Mamaji studied in Paris for two years, thanks to the
colonial administration. He had the time of his life. This
was in the early 1930s, when the French were still trying
to make Pondicherry as Gallic as the British were trying
to make the rest of India Britannic. I dont recall exactly
what Mamaji studied. Something commercial, I suppose.
He was a great storyteller, but forget about his studies
or the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre or the cafs of the
Champs-Elysees. All his stories had to do with swimming
pools and swimming competitions. For example, there
was the Piscine Deligny, the citys oldest pool, dating
back to 1796, an open-air barge moored to the Quai
dOrsay and the venue for the swimming events of the
1900 Olympics. But none of the times were recognized
by the International Swimming Federation because the
pool was six metres too long. The water in the pool came
straight from the Seine, unfiltered and unheated. It was
cold and dirty, said Mamaji. The water, having crossed
all of Paris, came in foul enough. Then people at the pool
made it utterly disgusting. In conspiratorial whispers,
with shocking details to back up his claim, he assured
us that the French had very low standards of personal
hygiene. Deligny was bad enough. Bain Royal, another
latrine on the Seine, was worse. At least at Deligny they
scooped out the dead fish. Nevertheless, an Olympic
pool is an Olympic pool, touched by immortal glory.
Though it was a cesspool, Mamaji spoke of Deligny with
a fond smile.
{ india }
Yann
Martels
Life of Pi
In the magic circle
of the storyteller
text
Dr Murali Sivaramakrishnan
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}
I
Real Life
Inspiration
Pondicherr y
Jawaharlal
Nehru
Street
that ran under the huge trees and through the clumps
of flower-filled bushes. The friendly people around here
still appear to relish their old French connection, in that
many do speak French and enjoy a good long siesta in
the humid afternoons.
The east coast of India can boast of temperatures that
can rise to 38 degrees Celsius during the long, humid
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Martel has allowed this magic to
penetrate his narrative: Pi grows
up to discover the worlds major
religions and their search for God.
while on land and at sea. Richard Parker is a Bengal tiger,
and Orange Juice is the orang-utan; the zebra shows
indefatigable courage to live, as it is slowly being eaten by
the hyena. Martel apparently permitted Darwin to have
his say in the grand struggle of the survival of the fittest
when fate throws in all these animals along with the boy
in a small boat on the rough seas.
Among the many dimensions that the novel invokes
there is this one about faith and religion. And of course,
Martel has chosen to locate his tale in Pondicherry,
which is an apt locale for its unique geographical
position as contained within the Tamil country and
yet sticking out of it, and occurring at the crossroads
of all the major religions of Hinduism, Islam and
Christianity. In fact, life in this part of the world is
multi-planed, multilingual and multicultural at the
same time. Sometimes, one wonders whether time
stands still around here. The clangs of temple bells mix
in right harmony with the call of the muezzin and the
murmurs of the mass and church ceremonies. The ease
with which people pass through days and nights in
supreme harmony with God and animals might sound
like magical realism for an outsider.
Martel has allowed this magic to penetrate his
narrative: Pi grows up to discover the worlds major
religions and their search for God. His fathers
rationality and his mothers simple faith create a filter
for his dreams even while at sea and lost. God speaks
to him in his own voice when he lets go of all hope.
Even when, towards the end, they pull up to an island
where strange trees grow out of mere vegetation and
where thousands of meerkats throng and where Pi
discovers the carnivorous nature of the island, it is
not simply fortuity that lets him slip though, but it is
perhaps his own faith that he rediscovers. Ultimately,
when they hit the Mexican shore, and Richard Parker
jumps out and walks away without a backward glance,
Pi is heartbroken: he has apparently lost a friend, along
whose company he had regained a new faith in life. The
tale is certainly about faith faith in oneself. And the
misadventures that befall the Pondicherry boy on the
rough sea whip him on to a new awareness.
Finally, when the Japanese ship company that
owned the ship which was drowned refuses to believe
38
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ocean
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{ china }
Singing
Mulan
to Life
Chinas fabled female
fighter
text
Wang Juan
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left From ballad to book,
the story of Mulan has been
a part of Asian childrens
storybook collection for
generations
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exploration
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{ russia }
Russias
Mad Monk
The legend
of Rasputin
text
Max Lovell-Hoare
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The
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left Prince Felix Felixovich
Yusupov, Count SumarokovElston was a Russian
aristocrat, a prince and
count, best known for
participating in the
assassination of Grigori
Rasputin.
Bolshaya Nevka
U S
S I
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53
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From the
e Heb
H rew Bible: Davi
vd
h sts
hoi
s the severed he
head of
Goliath.
h Goliath or Goliath of
Gath
h (one of fiv
fi e city sttates
of the
th Ph
P ilistines
nes) is a gi
g ant
an
Philis
istine warr
a ior de
defea
feated
ted by
t young
the
g Da
avid
vid,, the
the fut
future
ure
king of Israel,
l, in
n th
the
e Bibl
Bible's
e's
Books of Sam
muel
el
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feature
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israel
Davidand
Goliath
A tale of
historical proportions
text
Rachel Einav
Th bib
The
iblilica
call sto
story
ry pitt
ittin
ingg a to
towe
weri
ring
ng gia
iant
nt aga
gain
inst
st a reedhead
he
aded
ed she
h ph
pher
erd,
d, the fut
utur
uree ki
king
ng of Is
Isra
rael
el,, ha
hass be
beco
coome a
main
ma
insta
stayy of Jew
ewis
issh an
and
d Ch
Chri
risti
stian
an fol
olkl
klor
ore.
e.
LITHOGRAPHY: ADOC-PHOTOS/CORBIS
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The
56
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An insspir
pirati
ation
on
n ffor
orr ma
many
nyy boo
books
ks
a mo
and
movie
viess ther
he eaft
eafter,
er, th
the
e
o gin
ori
ginal
al pur
p pos
pose
e of
o the
e story
was to sh
show
w Dav
David'ss iden
identity
ass the
a
t tr
true
ue kin
king
g of
of Isra
srael.
e
57
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RICHARD T. NOWITZ/CORBIS
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ISREAL
Lachish River
Kibbutz Revidim
Azariya Hill
Kfar Menachem
Elah River
Valley of Elah
Dead Sea
A Biblical
Destination
,
n easily
imagine the armies facing each
other on opposite banks of
the river.
Now, Goliath was a giant. Later scholars reported
his height as six cubits and a span (a cubit was an
ancient measurement equalling about 45 centimetres),
which would have meant he stood almost three metres
tall. The earliest manuscripts offered a somewhat more
conservative four cubits and a span but that still
equated to 1.9 metres (about six foot three) in a world
where the average height was no more than a 1.5 metres
(a little under five foot).
Suffice it to say, Goliath was large and impressive.
He was powerful and well equipped; and nobody from
the Judean camp dared oppose him, notwithstanding
the kings far-reaching promises of prizes and benefits
including his own daughter for the one who
vanquished the Philistine.
The king will give great wealth to the man who kills
him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage
and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.
(Samuel I 17:25)
60
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Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear
(ibid. 36)
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The Worlds
Most Famous
Old World
Monkey
Short tales of
a long history
text & photos
YD Bar-Ness
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feature
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Who
Sun Wu
Wukon
kong,
g, als
also
o know
known
n as
as
the Mo
Monke
nkeyy King
King,, is
is cons
conside
idered
red
by som
some
e scho
scholar
larss to
to be
b
influe
inf
luence
nced
d by
by the
the Hin
Hi du dei
eity
ty
ayana.
Hanuma
Han
uman
n from
from th
the
e Ramaya
People
Peo
ple in
n Si
Singa
ngapor
pore
e have
ave been
en
worshi
wor
shippi
pping
ng the Mo
Monke
n y God
G d
since
sin
ce as ear
early
ly as 192
1920,
0 whe
when
n
the Ti
Tiong
ong Ba
Bahru
hru Qi Tian
a Gon
Go g
Temple
Tem
ple,, whic
which
h is
is alle
alleged
gedlyy the
firstt Monk
firs
Monkey
ey God te
templ
mple,
e, was
es abl
est
ablish
ished.
ed.
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short tales
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The Journey
of the
Monkey God
}
The novel Journey to the West was
based on historical events. Xuanzang
(602664), a monk at Jingtu Temple in
late-Sui Dynasty was motivated by the
poor quality of Chinese translations of
Buddhist scripture and in defiance of
Emperor Taizong of Tangs ban on travel,
he travelled via Gansu and Qinghai to
Kumul (Hami), thence following the Tian
Shan mountains to Turpan. He then
crossed what are today Kyrgyzstan,
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, into
Gandhara, reaching India in 630.
Xuanzang travelled throughout the
Indian subcontinent for the next 13
years, visiting important Buddhist
pilgrimage sites, studying at the ancient
university at Nalanda and debating the
rivals of Buddhism.
U Z B E K I S T A N
K Y
Z S T A N
A F G H A N I S T A N
C H
PHOTO MATTHIEU PALEY/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY/CORBIS
a l an
I N
I A
S R I
L A N K A
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I N A
short tales
Ala Kul Lake, Issyk Kul
Oblast, Kyrgyzstan: This
lake is situated 3,560 metres
above sea level
N G O
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PHOTO BRUNO MORANDI/CORBIS
L I A
PHOTO VIEWSTOCK/CORBIS
Dujiangyan, Chengdu,
Sichuan Province, China:
Around 250 BC, during the
Warring States period, Li
Bing, a governor of Shu
(present Sichuan Province) in
the Qin state, with his son,
directed the construction
of Dujiangyan.
69
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Travelling West with Sun Wukong
Ramakien
DEMON KING TOTSAKAN SEDUCES HIS
NIECE IN THE MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT
SHE IS PRINCESS SITA
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short tales
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version of the
Ilocanos,
along
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ocean
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{
saudi arabia
Sinbadthe
Sailor
The inspiration
of ocean adventures
text
Hasan El-Shamy
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Many of the narratives this
anthology contains gained
their appeal independently of
their home collection, which is
especially true of the adventures
of Sinbad the Sailor and his
seven voyages.
Few literary works have gained the worldwide
popularity achieved by the Thousand and One
Nights. Many of the narratives this anthology
contains gained their appeal independently of their
home collection, which is especially true of the
adventures of Sinbad the Sailor and his seven
voyages. An old manuscript indicates that the
appearance of this narrative on the Arab-Islamic
culture scene probably took place shortly before the
advent of the ninth or even the eighth centuries.
In Baghdad, the heart of the Muslim Empire under
Abbasid rule, unprecedented amounts of wealth were
accumulated by average members of society. At the same
time, a new social class, schooled mostly in religious
PHOTOS GRAPHICAARTIS/CORBIS
74
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bottom A mosque on
Joumouriah Avenue in
modern Bagdad, Iraq
75
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PHOTOS, FROM TOP: BLUE LANTERN STUDIO/CORBIS, CHARLES & JOSETTE LENARS/CORBIS
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The stories of Sinbads travails, which were a relatively late addition
to Thousand and One Nights, were based on the experiences of
merchants from Basra (Iraq) trading under great risk with the East
c. 850).
Indies and China, probably in the early Abbsid period (750c.
mediterranean sea
baghdad
kufa
alexandria
cairo
salahat
basra
suez
east indies
(via persian gulf)
arabian felix
socotra
766
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astola island
masirah
arabian sea
bay of bengal
andrott
sri lanka
(serendib)
the third voyage of
sinbad the sailor
Impelled by restlessness
Sinbad takes to the seas
again.
77
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indian ocean
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Some of the most insightful
economic principles with farreaching political consequences
serve as foundations for the
Sinbad narrative cycle.
Here are a few of the scores of wondrous things that
Sinbad reported:
Fabulous creatures
A whale mistaken for an island
Giant vipers
Rhinoceros
Elephants
Fish with animal-like faces
Mythical or legendary beings
Ogres, cannibal pygmies
Fabulous horses from the water world
The roc bird, whose egg resembles a large dome
A giant one-eyed cannibal reminiscent of the
Greek Polyphemus
A city where men grow wings and fly periodically
Fantastic places and natural phenomena
Valley of diamonds
Open pit mining with the help of vultures, where
diamonds stick to meat
Island of camphor
Island of amber
Sea storms generating mountain-size waves
A magnetic mountain
Social customs
The spouse that survives the other is buried alive
with the corpse along with valuables of the deceased
A kingdom where saddles for horses are unknown
A king decreeing that a useful foreigner is to be invited
to settle in a host country and become a citizen
Merchant reports his kings policies to a foreign ruler
Kings exchanging presents
The Close
The Reasons
Reality Redux
78
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ALL DATA TREATED IN THIS ESSAY CAN BE FOUND IN A MOTIF INDEX OF THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS
(INDIANA UNIVERSIT Y PRESS, BLOOMINGTON, 2006) BY HASAN EL-SHAMY.
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wildlife
{ isr a e l }
80
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It is the second most important grain in
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wildlife
preparing prikey
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Ingredients
Green wheat stalks
Bonfire
83
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wildlife
{ ba l i , i n d o n e si a }
right In its natural habitat it
is inconspicuous, using tree
tops for cover and unlike
other starlings usually
coming to the ground only
to drink or to find nesting
materials; this would seem
to be an adaptation to its
noticeability to predators
when out in the open
A Mynah Thing
eeny meeny mynah more please?
84
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South China
Sea
M A L A Y S I A
Indian Ocean
}
Zoos do not only breed animals
for conservation, but also to serve
economic und human interests. There
is a strong competition between
zoo places available for captive
breeding for conservation and other
aims, such as visitor attractions.
This is increasingly affecting the
mynah. For example, scientific
recommendations advise 250 Bali
mynahs for the American Association
of Zoos and Aquariums programme.
Yet, a smaller population of around
200 birds is being maintained because
of lack of space. This has created
strong pressures to breed species as
marginally above the scientifically
estimated minimum viable population
size as possible. In the meantime,
biological baseline information on
genetic relatedness of founders, for
example, remains missing even for
this high-profile species.
Is the Bali mynah doomed? I
hope not. My hope stems from a
very successful release project on
the island of Nusa Penida, off the
southeast coast of Bali. The island is
believed to be outside the mynahs
former range. Surveys in order to
establish a safety-net population
Bali
Mynah Magnificence
86
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wildlife
{ r e f l ec tio ns o f asi a : g r e n a da }
Cinderella
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
But the stepmother said, No, Cinderella, you
have no clothes, and you dont know how to
dance. Everyone would only laugh at you.
Cinderella began to cry, and then the
stepmother said, You may go if you are able
to pick two bowls of lentils out of the ashes for
me in one hour, thinking to herself, She will
never be able to do that.
The girl went through the back door into the
garden, and called out, You tame pigeons, you
turtledoves, and all you birds beneath the sky,
come and help me to gather:
The good ones go into the pot,
The bad ones go into your crop.
Two white pigeons came in through the
kitchen window, and then the turtledoves,
and finally all the birds beneath the sky came
whirring and swarming in, and lit around
the ashes. The pigeons nodded their heads
and began to pick, pick, pick, pick. And the
others also began to pick, pick, pick, pick.
They gathered all the good grains into the
bowls. Before a half hour had passed they were
finished, and they all flew out again.
The girl took the bowls to her stepmother, and
was happy, thinking that now she would be
allowed to go to the festival with them.
87
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Listening
88
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C U B A
D O M I N I C A N
R E P U B L I C
G R E N A D A
V E N E Z U E L A
C O L O M B I A
Dove Digs
89
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highlights
Time Jewel
Renaissance
Love Affair
The Arbutus Black Tie Skeleton AR613 has
launched a follow-up to its black-and-gold
European Baroque styled version and
this time its a love affair. The embossed
ion-plated rose gold Roman numerals are
a Romantic revival. Sporting this Spring/
Summers biggest trend of sheerness,
the flawless white of this watch also pays
homage to the clean lines and natural beauty
of Renaissance art.
BY AISWARYA DEVI
Timeless Classic
Powerhouse
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Shangri-La County,
Yunnan Province, China:
Songzanlinsi Monastery at
Xianggelila (also known as
Shangri-La) is the largest
Tibetan Buddhist temple
in Yunnan. Its majestic
architecture is modelled after
Lhasas Potala Palace
Shangri-La
the earthly
paradise that has captured the
imaginations of explorers and scholars
alike around the globe is a fictional
utopia described in the book Lost
Horizon in 1933. The author, James
Hilton, locates this most serene and
beautiful place at the western end of
the Kunlun Mountains, a vast mountain
chain that extends east from the Pamirs
of Tajikistan to the Sino-Tibetan ranges
in Chinas Qinghai Province.
The roots of the idea of ShangriLa, however, lie deep in much older
times when Shambhala, a lost kingdom
hidden in the treacherous Himalayas,
was first revealed in the complex
system of philosophy and meditation
in Buddhism known as the Kalachakra
Tantra. In 880 BC, the Buddha is said
to have taught the tantra to followers
in Andhra, South India, on the request
of King Suchandra of Shambhala,
who brought the teachings back to his
northern land, where the mythical city
93
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FRASERS HOSPITALITY:
A HOME FOR
COSMOPOLITAN LIVING
More than a guest, never a stranger
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Completing the
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Place Robertson Walk
are linked by the River,
like a charming duet,
allowing guests to
assimilate comfortably
into life and society
at this sophisticated
location.
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icon
The
Mermaid
an asian conception
Mermaids
a word that
conjures up images of legendary
aquatic creatures with the upper
body of a beautiful female human
and the tail of a fish. Yet, the reality
of the earliest sighted maiden of
the sea could not be uglier. With
deformed facial features, sharp
claws and a grotesque piscine rear,
the Japanese ningyo (), literally
meaning human fish, is a hideous
sight to behold, resembling more
of an other-worldly nightmare than
the seductive femmes fatale they
would eventually become known as
throughout the Western world.
The first recorded account of
mermaid sightings in Japan is found
in the Nihon Shoki, one of the oldest
books of classical Japanese history,
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No. 33
Issue 4 | 2014
Liu Liqun/Corbis
02 T E L
AVIV-YAFO, ISRAEL
Jaffa Port
10 S H A N G I - L A
Sacred Shangri-La
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Richard T. Nowitz/Corbis
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JAFFA PORT
TEL AVIV-YAFO, ISRAEL
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Amit Geron/Arcaid/Corbis
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01
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AV
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EL
DOV HOZ
AIRPORT
Russel Kord/Photononstop/Corbis
L
TE
BEN GURION
INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
02
GE T T I NG T O
JA F FA P O R T
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Most international airlines operate flights to
Tel Avivs Ben Gurion International Airport.
Jaffa is a 10 to 15 minute drive from Tel Aviv.
DOMESTIC TRANSPORT:
Travellers need to arrange their transport
from Ben Gurion International Airport. Bus,
taxi and railway services are available in
close proximity to the airport. There is also a
wide variety of car rental services, available
24/7, including a limousine rental service.
HOTELS:
Dan Caesarea
www.danhotels.com/CaesareaHotels/
DanCaesareaHotel
David InterContinental Tel Aviv
www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/
tel-aviv/tlvha/hoteldetail
Dan Tel Aviv
www.danhotels.com/TelAvivHotels/
DanTelAvivHotel
CURRENCY:
New Israel Shekel (USD1 = ILS3.47)
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Te x t R a c h e l E i n a v
Despite such communication challenges, the main language spoken during the
construction of the harbour was Aramaic, complemented with other regional
languages. Aramaic itself is a Semitic language spoken uninterruptedly since
the first millennium BC. In ancient times, the language was prevalent in the
Middle East and Central Asia, mainly in Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Syria and
Palestine (Israel, Syria and Mesopotamia).
During the Second Temple period (530 BC to 70 AD), the Babylonian exiles
brought the language with them to the land of Israel, where it triumphed and
became the language of the Persian Empire. Aramaic was also used in Jewish
Scripture, such as the Book of Ezra and the Book of Daniel in the Bible, as well
as the Talmud and later, in the Zohar.
Jaffa is mentioned more than once in the Bible, firstly in the Book of Joshua,
as a town in the Tribe of Dan. After the defeat of the Philistines, King David and
his son King Solomon ruled Jaffa; the wood used for building the temple came
through the Jaffa port. In the Book of Jonah, he began his journey at Jaffa
trying to escape Gods mission to Nineveh.
Eventually, Jaffa experienced the influences of Greek and Cretan Philistines,
arriving on the coast of Jaffa to trade with Israel. Arabic is a relatively recent
language import, developing from Aramaic after 600 BC and eventually
becoming a common tongue in the vicinity. Levantine Arabic is a broad
dialect of Arabic spoken within a 100-to-200-kilometre radius of the Eastern
Mediterranean coastal strip, not just in Jaffa. Considered one of the five major
varieties of Arabic, it is a common medium of communication today.
On the present-day streets of Jaffa, you will hear Hebrew, Arabic and the
voices of English-speaking tourists, along with countless foreign tongues.
MAR
SU N DAY
Purim
-81
4
T U E SDAY
Yom Haatzmaut
(Independence Day)
The national day of Israel
commemorates the Israeli
Declaration of Independence,
with families, regardless
of religious observance or
affiliation, celebrating with
picnics and barbecues known
in Israeli slang as a mangal.
W E DN E SDAY
Shavuot (Pentecost)
One of the three pilgrim
festivals, Shavuot celebrates
the revelation of the Five
Books of Torah by God to
Moses and the Israelites at
Mount Sinai.
6(37
25
T H U R SDAY
2&7
T H U R SDAY
Sukkot
(Feast of Tabernacles)
This grand occasion lasts for
eight days, to celebrate the
harvest in the land of Israel.
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1 JAFFA TALES
The Old Jaffa Visitors Center is located at Kedumim Square, in
the heart of ancient Jaffa. The Jaffa Tales experience offers a
45-minute tour in an underground compound, revealing the secrets
and stories of the 4,000-year-old city.
2 JAFFAS PORT
Most famous for having featured in the Biblical story of Jonah and
the Whale, this ancient port has now been transformed into a major
tourist attraction. Bustling with life, it is home to artists of every
stripe, and street performances are a common sight in its narrow
alleys. Visitors can also shop here for exquisite antique souvenirs.
TEL AVIV
ISRAEL
JAFFA PORT
ORANGE TREE
A work of Israeli artist
Ran Morin, this tree
serves to emphasise the
increasing separation
between man and
Nature. Floating in
a earthenware pitcher
hung by metal chains
from the walls of
nearby houses, this
small orange tree is
trying to break free of
its container, signifying
Natures desire to
reconnect with man
and his world.
1 5
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4 VINTAGE CLOTHES
Jaffas flea market is a mix of authentic small shops and new
original designer stores, and vintage clothes are top of the list for
Bohemian fashionistas.
5 LOCAL ART
By Aiswarya Devi
3 SHAMOUTI ORANGE
Originating from Jaffa, these sweet and almost-seedless
oranges are also known as Jaffa oranges. Initially cultivated as a
commodity for export purposes, together with cotton, sugar and
barley, the Shamouti orange remains the only commodity that is a
symbol of production in Israel. They are also known for lending the
city of Tel Aviv the nickname Big Orange.
1
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N T Y, Y U
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SH
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I-
DIQING AIRPORT
SHANGRI-L A
COUNT Y
05
GE T T I NG T O
SH A NGR I L A COU N T Y
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Diqing Airport is about 4 km from ShangriLa County, a trip which costs about CNY15
(USD2.40) by taxi. There are daily flights to
Kunming and three or four flights a week to
Lhasa, Shanghai, Chengdu and Guangzhou
during high season. You can transfer to
Shangri-La at Kunming, if there are no direct
flights from your departure city.
DOMESTIC TRANSPORT:
Buses are the main mode of transportation
in Shangri-La.
HOTELS:
Songtsam Hotel Lugu
www.songtsam.com
Zinc Journey Arro Khampa
www.zinchospitality.com/journey
CURRENCY:
Chinese Yuan (USD1 = CNY6.23)
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1 BITAHAI LAKE
This spectacular lakes natural form befits its name, which
translates to Lake of Tranquility in the Tibetan language.
Legend has it that a goddess carelessly dropped her mirror,
shattering it into numerous pieces. The most beautiful of these
pieces, decorated with jade, turned into the Bitahai Lake.
Accordingly, the legend explains the lush greenery surrounding
the lake all year around.
2 SONGZALIN MONASTERY
5 ZHONGDIAN GIANT
PRAYER WHEEL
No trip to Zhongdian is
complete without a visit to
this 24-metre-tall wheel
sitting proudly on a hill.
Originally built as a tourist
attraction, the wheel has
been used for religious
purposes in recent years:
Buddhist monks now
faithfully climb the hill to
submit their prayers by
spinning the wheel. The
wheel is unrestricted to
visitors, but be sure to
spin it clockwise as
religious tradition dictates!
(GUIHUA MONASTERY)
Built to resemble the Potala Palace, the winter palace of the Dalai
Lama, the Songzanlin Monastery boasts architecture as majestic
as any in China. The walls of what is said to be the largest Tibetan
Buddhist monastery in Yunan depict 16 colourful pictures that were
painted with a special golden liquid bestowed by the Dalai Lama.
SHANGRI-L A
COUNT Y
25 1
3
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C
CHIN
A
(BAISHUI TERRACE)
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F R I DAY
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Chinese Bu dhists be in
the ew Year by going o the
temple to offer incense and
prayers.
MAR
2
MON DAY
Dengbashi
During the festival, Tibetans
wear festival attire and
worship gods for good
fortune. They also perform
the Guozhuang Dance and
hold the horse race.
SU N DAY
T U E SDAY
2&7
2
T H U R SDAY
Gedong Festival
A traditional festival of
Tibetan Buddhism held from
October 2 to Octo er 19 each
year, its m st prominent
feature is the performance of
the Mask Dance.
speci
ion
2014
World
Heritage
legacies
UNESCO WORLD
HERITAGE SITES ASIA
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