The Top Ten
Lady Murasaki Shikibu's classic, The Tale of Genji, is considered to be the world's first novel., yet little is known about the author. Much of the information we have on Lady Murasaki comes from a diary she kept. Learn what is known about her and what inspired the writing of The Tale of Genji in this third most popular article with a link on the Distinguished Women website.
This is the first article I wrote when I started this topic and it remains at number four on the top ten list. You begin the article by imagining life in the third century B.C. in a small Chinese village and learning what prompted the building of the Wall in the first place. More than just a tourist attraction, the Great Wall holds some important pieces to the puzzle of Chinese history, not to mention the bones of some of the workers who built it!
5. Who Really Built the Taj Mahal?
This is by far the most controversial article I’ve written. While accepted thought states that the Taj Mahal is a Muslim structure, a very few, very vocal Hindu revisionist scholars claim it was originally a Hindu temple. Historical controversy aside, the article also examines the extravagant love which surrounds the beauty of the Taj Mahal. A link from Suite101’s Alia Hasan’s excellent article, The Taj Mahal: A Multicultural Synthesis is responsible for a large part of the readership.
Beautiful blue and white Ming Dynasty porcelain has not only been popular for centuries, it played an important role in Chinese history. Learn how and why in this article about this favored porcelain for collectors and also discover how a trash heap became a treasure trove.
Women often played important roles in shaping Asian history, though they can be difficult to find in the textbooks. Read about some of the fascinating women of Asia in this all too brief roll of honor written for Women’s History Month.
8. Term Papers and Essay Tests
More than anything else, the popularity of this article tells me many readers are students researching for school papers and essays. This article offers ideas, links and tips, as well as a discussion following the article on the merits, or lack thereof, of websites which buy and sell term papers.
9. The copyright of the article The Top Ten in Asian History is owned by Maria Christensen. Permission to republish The Top Ten in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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