Asia's Brightest Moments
As stated in the previous article, the history of Asia is not composed merely of terrible events. Many of the world's inventions and greatest leaders have come from Asia and the spirit of the people lived on even through calamity. As with every other part of the world, times of peace and plenty combined with times of trouble to produce a rich and complex history. The following is a short, arbitrary list of just a few of the brightest moments in Asian history. Please feel free to add your own choices to the discussions, or email me and I will add them.
563-483B.C. The life of Gautama Buddha.
551-479 B.C. The life of Confucius.
273-232 B.C. The reign of Ashoka, who has been called the greatest ruler in Indian history. He was a proponent of love, non-violence and Buddhism. Click on his name and read an "interview" with this great leader.
100 B.C. With the fiber of bamboo or hemp, the Chinese make paper, which was more durable and useful than Egyptian papyrus.
200 The Chinese discovered magnetism and constructed a very rudimentary compass. 700 years later they were able to use compasses on ships as navigational aids, which was still 500 years earlier than the Europeans.
386-532 At the time of the Wei Dynasty in China, umbrellas made from oiled paper came into popular use. They were not merely ornamental parasols, they were actually used when it rained!
607 The Horyuji temple and hospital was built in Japan by the Emperor Yomei. It is the oldest, standing wooden building in the world.
620 China produces porcelain.
860 The city of Angkor Thom was built in Cambodia.
1090 In Peking, China, the first mechanical clock driven by water was built. It took a little while for the Swiss to notice.
12th Century Angkor Wat was built in Cambodia.
14 th Century The very first computers were constructed. The abacus was a mathematical marvel which allowed all sorts of complex operations. Click Here to learn to read a Chinese abacus and interactively test your skill. The Japanese abacus is called a soroban and you can also learn to use one Here.
1368-1644 During the reign of the Ming Dynasty in China, the Great Wall of China was completed as it stands today.
1598 The very first iron clad warship was invented in Korea by Admiral Visunsin and used for (what else), naval battles against Japan.
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