Tag: travel

How old is China

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Hi everyone, I am going to share a little more information about China, like how old the country is.

The age of China as a continuous civilization is often measured in different ways, leading to various figures.

China is widely considered one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, with a history spanning over 4,000 years. This is based on archaeological and historical records of early dynasties like the Shang.

The first unified Chinese state was established by the Qin Dynasty in 221BCE. This marked the beginning of imperial China, which lasted for over two millennia. This period of centralized rule is a key factor in the formation of the modern nation-state.  

The country has had many dynasties, however the number of dynasties China has had is a bit complicated, as it depends on how you define a “dynasty.” Some periods saw multiple competing dynasties at the same time, while others were short-lived.  

However, historians generally recognise 13 major dynastic periods in a long, continuous line of succession that ruled over a unified or semi-unified China:  Here are what those 13 dynasties are.

Xia Dynasty (c. 2070–1600 BCE): The first dynasty in traditional Chinese history, though its existence is considered quasi-mythical by some scholars.  

Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE): The first dynasty with solid archaeological evidence.  

Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BCE): The longest-ruling dynasty, which developed the concept of the “Mandate of Heaven.”  

Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE): The first to unify China and establish a centralized, imperial system.  

Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE): A golden age for Chinese culture and technology.  

Sui Dynasty (581–618): Briefly unified China after a long period of disunity.  

Tang Dynasty (618–907): Another “golden age,” known for its flourishing arts and culture.  

Song Dynasty (960–1279): A period of great economic and technological advancement.  

Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368): Established by the Mongols under Kublai Khan.  

Ming Dynasty (1368–1644): Known for its ambitious public works and extensive maritime exploration.  

Qing Dynasty (1644–1912): China’s last imperial dynasty, ruled by the Manchu people.  

In addition to these, there were many other smaller or regional dynasties and periods of fragmentation, such as the Three Kingdoms, the Sixteen Kingdoms, and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms periods. If you were to count every single one of these, the total number of Chinese dynasties could be as high as over 80.  

China’s National Things

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Today we are looking at some of the national things of China.

                         The Great Wall

They have a national landmark which is of course The Great Wall, The Great Wall of China is a series of fortified walls stretching across the historical northern borders of China to protect against nomadic tribes of the Eurasian Steppe. It was first built in the 7th century BC, and slowly expanded over time until the Ming Dynasty.

                        A Giant Panda 

The national animal of China is the Giant Panda, a bear native to south-central China. Also considered a national animal is The Chinese Dragon, or Loong, which is one of four auspicious legendary creatures appearing in Chinese mythology and folklore. The dragon has many animal-like body parts, including wolf’s head, stag’s antlers, hare’s eyes, bull’s ears, serpent’s torso, carp’s squama, tiger’s limbs, and eagle’s talons. Theories claim that Loong was a combination of totems of many tribes created to unite them under one banner.

                      Red-Crowned Crane

There are two national birds the red-crowned crane or Manchurian crane which is a large East Asian crane and among the rarest cranes in the world. It is found in Siberia northeastern China. The other one is the Golden Pheasant which is a game bird native to Western China.

                        Fuzzy Kiwifruit 

The Fuzzy Kiwifruit is the national fruit of China. It has fuzzy, dull brown skin and tangy, bright green flesh, also considered a national fruit is the Jujube it is an oval drupe 1.5-3 centimetres deep; it resembles a date and has a single hard stone like an olive.

The national tree is the Ginkgo it is the only species of these trees left all the others are gone. The national flower is the Chinese peony, Chinese herbaceous peony, or common garden peony it is a species of herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Paeoniaceae, native to Central and Eastern Asia from eastern Tibet across northern China to eastern Siberia

The national instrument is The Guqin this is a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument. It has been played since ancient times, and has traditionally been favoured by scholars and literati as an instrument of great subtlety and refinement

The national sport is Table Tennis as declared by Chairman Mao.

I am sure most people will not be surprised to read that the national dish is Peking Duck, but how many know that the national drink is Baijiu which is a Chinese colourless liquor typically coming in between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume.

This is all for this week, I will do more about China next Monday.

China

~ joannerambling ~ 7 Comments

This week we are looking at China which is in East Asia and is the largest of all the Asian countries, making up nearly the entire East Asian landmass. It’s also nearly as large as Europe.

There are 33 administrative units under the central government, these consist of 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 special administrative regions.

It has a population of around 1,416,096,094 which is around 17.2% or the total world population, it is the second largest populated country.

The capital of China is Beijing and has been for around 8 centuries, it has a population of over 22 million.

The official language is Standard Mandarin which is mainly based on the Beijing dialect.

The flag is red with five golden stars, it has one large star and four smaller stars in a arc, it has been the national flag since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China on the 1 October 1949. It was designed by Zeng Liansong. The red represents the Communist Revolution, and the stars represent the unity of the four social classes of the Chinese people.

When we think of the Chinese currency, we think of the currency we think of the Yuan which is the basic unit however, the currency is the renminbi.

The People’s Bank of China has the exclusive authority to issue currency. Banknotes range in denomination from 1 fen to 100 renminbi. The obverse side of some banknotes contain images of communist leaders, such as Mao Zedong. The reverse side of most coins contains images of historic buildings and the country’s diverse landscape.

                    Buddhist Statues

China is a centre for world religious thought and practices. Although about half the population identifies as nonreligious or atheist, many belief systems have shaped Chinese society for centuries. The government officially recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Protestantism, Catholicism, and Islam, though it keeps these under tight control.

                       Confucianism Temple

Also popular is Confucianism which is a worldview, social ethic, political ideology, and way of life that entails ancestor reverence and profound human-centered religiousness. It emphasizes the duty of the individual in society and government.

There is also Daoism, which is a, indigenous religious-philosophical tradition, Daoism emphasizes mystical experience and the individual’s harmony with nature.

Buddhism came to China possibly as early as the 3rd century BCE. China became an incubator for many of the great present-day Buddhist sects, including Zen and Pure Land, and, by its extension into Tibet, the source of Tibetan Buddhism.

                   Folk Religion Temples

Many Chinese embrace aspects and rituals of indigenous folk religions, which comprise the largest group of those professing a belief. Deities of the popular pantheon are intimately involved in everyday life as givers of blessings or bringers of calamities.

Christians are a small but significant and growing minority, many of them converts to Evangelical Protestant denominations.

Islam Members of non-Han minorities constitute the bulk of those following Islam.

That will do for this post, more next week.

Week 34 of 2025

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Sorry I forgot to post this yesterday

I had another good night had 9hr6mins sleep was awake for 7mins. 5C this morning, so bloody cold.

Tim had to leave for work at 2am he should be home by 8am.

I am so damn cold this morning, I am struggling to get warm.  I have two pairs of socks and slippers, a long sleeve singlet, a tee shirt and a cardician, fingerless gloves and a rug over my legs and yes, the heater is also on.

It warmed up by 11am and I managed to do a few things around the house.

BGL:5.8

Steps:6,045=3.05klm

I had really good night got 10hr19mins sleep was awake for 7mins. Not as cold this morning it is 7C.

I mopped the kitchen, laundry and bathroom floors, vacuumed out twice. Cleaned the kitchen when I first got up other than that I did nothing much.

BGL:5.5

Steps: 8,150=4.13klm’s

I slept well got 8hr54mins sleep was awake for 8mins.

Sam’s new driver is named Frank.

Coles was delivered around 8.15am but got message from Woolies at 7.30am saying there was logistical breakdown, and my order would be late, received another message at midday saying the order would be 240mins late.

Sue took me to physio, while there Jess rang to say my shopping had been delivered. So much for being hours late.

Physio went well, the physio’s name is Noah, and he was nice, I have of course been given some exercises to do each day I go back on the 2nd.

I set up the Cpap machine Tim bought for his use, it is actually an Apap machine, something I have never heard of, I didn’t have to set a pressure number. I hope it helps him. However, he does have issues with a blocked nose and that may make things difficult, but we will see.

BGL:5.5

Steps:10,388=5.28klm’s     

KIRSTY & VAUGHAN’S BIRTHDAY YES, THEY ARE TWINS.

I slept well even if my watch says I only had 6hr 56mins sleep was awake for 11mins. That doesn’t seem right I went to bed at 8.30pm work up at 5am.

Asked Tim how he slept he said he removed the Cpap mask during the night as his nose was blocked, and he couldn’t breathe.

Sue and I went to the podiatrist then home, it has rained on and off all day.

Sue sent me a video she shot around Charlestown of the police helicopter circling around and so many cops around the area. A man had been stabbed in a carpark and they were looking for the perpetrator. Part of what Sue was shown on the 6pm news

Of course, it was raining when I went to meet Sam this arvo.

BGL: 5.8

Steps: 9,516=4.83klm’s

I slept well even if my watch says I only had 6hr 48mins sleep and was awake for 19mins. That doesn’t seem right I went to bed at 7.30pm work up at 5am and I didn’t wake at all during the night to pee.

Sam let me know that I don’t have to meet her this arvo as she is going to Bailey’s for a bit.

Sue and I went shopping and saw Sandy and Denni which was great, Sandy told me I walk like our Nan did, and Sue said that on Tuesday when she looked at me, she thought I looked like Nan these comments I take as a compliment

BGL: 5.8

Steps: 7,555=3.83 Klm’s 

I slept well got 8hrs 26mins sleep and was awake for only 8mins.

It is another cold and wet day here temp this morning is 10C but after Sam goes to school, I have nothing to do and won’t be leaving the house.

This afternoon it is 14C and still raining.

BGL: 6.1

Steps: 6,300=3.23klm’s

I slept well got 10hrs 29mins sleep and was awake for only 9mins.

It is 10C this morning but warmed up a bit by 10 am and cooled down again by 5pm.

Tim is working this afternoon he is doing rail and won’t be home till around 2.30am tomorrow and he is working again tomorrow afternoon. He left at midday for work.

I received another parcel from Temu good, my error not Temu’s.

BGL:5.8

Steps: 7,652=3.90 klm’s or 2.4miles

Elephants

~ joannerambling ~ 4 Comments

Today we are looking at elephants which are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant.

African elephants are the largest land animals, with males reaching up to 13 feet tall and weighing up to 14,000 pounds. 

The trunk is a multi-functional organ, used for breathing, smelling, touching, drinking, and even as a tool for digging and grabbing.

They have tusks, which are actually elongated incisor teeth that grow throughout their lives. 

While their skin is thick, it’s also sensitive and elephants often use mud and dust to protect themselves from the sun and insects. 

They are known to have an exceptional memory and are known to remember individuals and locations for years. 

They live in close-knit herds, primarily led by older females, and communicate through various vocalizations and body language. 

They communicate using a range of sounds, including trumpeting and infrasound, which can travel long distances.

African elephants are pregnant for an average of 22 months, whilst for Asian elephants it’s 18 to 22 months.1 You might think such a long pregnancy is because of what huge creatures they are – but you’d only be partly correct. Baby elephants do develop slowly in the womb because of their physical size but also because of the size of their intellect.

Baby elephants can stand and walk within minutes of birth, and they stay close to their mothers for support and protection. 

Both African and Asian elephants are facing threats from habitat loss and poaching, leading to conservation efforts to protect them. 

They can live almost as long as humans, African elephants have a maximum lifespan of about 74 years, Asian elephants can live to about 80 and the oldest known elephant in the world is thought to be an Asian elephant who lived to be 89 in captivity. 

Asia

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Time to move into another part of the world, we are now in Asia, which is the worlds largest and most diverse continent, it has both the highest and lowest points on Earth as well as the longest coastline of any continent.

It is subject overall to the world’s widest climatic extremes, and, consequently, produces the most varied forms of vegetation and animal life on Earth.

The name Asia is ancient, and its origin has been variously explained. The Greeks used it to designate the lands situated to the east of their homeland. It is believed that the name may be derived from the Assyrian word asu, meaning “east.” Another possible explanation is that it was originally a local name given to the plains of Ephesus.

Asia has the Arctic Ocean to its north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south.

Asia is separated from North America to the northeast by the Bering Strait and from Australia to the southeast by the seas and straits connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Isthmus of Suez unites Asia with Africa.

Asia is the birthplace of all the world’s major religions—Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Of those, only Christianity developed primarily outside of Asia and has little influence on the continent, though many Asian countries have Christian minorities. Buddhism has had a greater impact outside its birthplace in India and is prevalent in various forms in China, South Korea, Japan, the Southeast Asian countries, and Sri Lanka.

There are 48 countries in Asia, this number does not include dependent territories or areas of special sovereignty. 

Over 2,300 languages are thought to be spoken in Asia, sssthis linguistic diversity is due to the continent’s vast size and diverse geography, which has allowed languages to develop in relative isolation. Asia is home to a wide array of language families, including Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan, Dravidian, and many others.

Haiti National Things

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This week we are looking at some of the national things connected with Haiti the national animal of Haiti is also the national bird. It is the Hispaniolan trogon. It is a colourful bird with a rich assortment of bright feathers along its wings and breast, and a unique pattern on its tail. It’s found only on the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It is becoming increasingly rare there due to ongoing habitat loss.

Their national flower is the Hibiscus. Specifically, the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, also known as the pink hibiscus or rose mallow, is the flower often associated with Haiti. In Haitian Creole, it’s called “choublak” or “rose kayenn”. 

The hibiscus is a vibrant and resilient flower that symbolizes the Haitian spirit. It is used in various ways, from traditional herbal teas to being a decorative element and a symbol for political parties, like the Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats. The national tree is the Royal Palm.

Haiti’s national dish is soupe joumou (pumpkin soup). It’s a tradition to eat this soup on New Year’s Day to celebrate Haiti’s independence. The soup is made with squash (joumou), beef, and vegetables, and is known for its symbolism of freedom and hope.

The national sport of Haiti is football (soccer) and huge crowds will come out to cheer at games. Children can be seen playing football all over Haiti’s city streets and rural roads.

Haiti’s national drink is Clairin, a rum made from pure sugar cane. It’s produced by small, artisanal distilleries throughout the island. Clairin is known for its rustic, pure flavour, often expressing herbaceous, vegetal, earthy, and grassy notes. 

In Haiti, the age of consent for sexual activity is 18 years old. The legal age for marriage is also 18 for males and 15 for females but can be lower with parental or presidential authorization. 

The traditional dress for Haitian women is know as a karabela. The dress is made of blue cotton or linen with red lace to symbolize the colors of the Haitian flag. Orange, yellow, and green lace are also used to accent the dress. It is full-length, normally worn off the shoulders.

Giant Panda

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This week we are looking at the giant panda, which is a bear, I never thought of them as being part of the bear family.

Giant pandas belong to the bear family, whereas red pandas are in their own family, and they are more closely related to raccoons. Interestingly, giant pandas are more closely related to polar bears than to red pandas.

Giant pandas are typically 4 to 6 feet long and stand 2 to 3 feet tall at the shoulder. They can weigh between 220 and 330 pounds, with males tending to be larger than females,  Newborn pandas are very small, about the size of a stick of butter. 

Giant pandas live in the mountain ranges of southwestern China, specifically in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu. They inhabit bamboo forests at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. Their habitat is characterized by humid, wet conditions and is often shrouded in mist and clouds.

A panda’s daily diet consists almost entirely of the leaves, stems and shoots of various bamboo species. Bamboo contains very little nutritional value so pandas must eat 12-38kg every day to meet their energy needs.

Scientists are not sure how long giant pandas live in the wild, but they are sure it is shorter than lifespans in zoos. They estimate that lifespan is about 15-20 years for wild pandas and about 30 years for those in human care. Chinese scientists have reported zoo pandas as old as 35.

Pandas are dependent on their mothers for the first few months of their lives and are fully weaned at 8 to 9 months. Most pandas leave their mothers when she becomes pregnant again, usually at about 18 months. Gestation takes from 95-160 days. Pandas normally give birth to single young. Twins seem to be born more frequently in captivity, when artificial insemination is used. The reproductive rate is about 1 cub every 2 years.

They are friendly and cheerful, Pandas have bundles of energy and warmth. They are confident and love trying out new things. Sociable and party-loving, they enjoy seeing friends and often put their friends’ feelings ahead of their own.

While pandas are known for their clumsy and lazy behaviour often observed in captivity or during feeding, they are actually proficient tree climbers and swimmers. 

There are the only two panda species found the giant and the red.. Despite their similarity in name, the two are not scientifically connected. They share the same geographical area and similar food.

Haiti

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I  have written about some countries in the Caribbean area but will do a few more, the Caribbean is comprised of 13 independent island nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, These nations are recognized for their shared cultural heritage and location within the Caribbean region. There are 12 dependencies and 7 overseas territories as well various disputed territories.

This week we will look at Haiti which is a country located in the Caribbean. It shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, located to its east. While it was once a plantation colony of France based upon slavery of Africans, Haiti gained its independence in the year 1804.

The population is 11.77millon, Haiti has two official languages, Haitian Creole and French, everyone in Haiti speaks Haitian Creole. Some scholars estimate that approximately 90-95% of the population is monolingual, speaking Haitian Creole.

The Haitian Gourde (HTG) is the official currency of Haiti, a nation located on the western part of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean.

Haiti’s capital city is Port-au-Prince, it sits on the Gulf of Gonâve. The Musée du Panthéon National Haïtien honours the nation’s history and founding fathers. The Iron Market, a large 1891 covered bazaar, has produce and handicraft vendors. Nearby is the immense Notre Dame de l’Assomption Cathedral, reduced to a ruin by a 2010 earthquake. Colourful gingerbread-style houses from the turn of the 19th century dot the city.

The Haitian flag is a bicolour flag with two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red (bottom). In the centre, there is a white rectangle containing the Haitian coat of arms. The coat of arms includes a palm tree topped with the liberty cap, surrounded by cannons, flags, and other weaponry. The motto “L’Union Fait La Force” (“Unity Makes Strength”) is displayed on a banner below the coat of arms. 

The Nullarbor

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This week we are looking at the area of Australia called The Nullarbor Plain, which means “no trees” in Latin, is a vast, arid region in southern Australia with a rich history, both for Indigenous Australians and Europeans. 

Historically, it was seasonally occupied by the Mirning and Yinyila Indigenous peoples, who knew it as Oondiri, meaning “waterless”.

Europeans first charted the coast in the 17th century, but the interior remained largely unexplored until Edward Eyre’s epic crossing in 1841. The Nullarbor has since been a site of pastoralism, railway construction, and even nuclear testing, shaping its modern landscape and infrastructure.  They have a deep and continuing connection to the Nullarbor. 

The name “Nullarbor” was coined by surveyor Edmund Delissern in1865.  Pastoralists established stations along the telegraph and railway lines, and small settlements developed around these. 

The Nullarbor was used for nuclear testing in the 1950s, leading to the displacement of Indigenous populations.  The Trans-Australian Railway   completed in 1917, facilitated travel and trade across the Nullarbor. 

The Eyre Highway. A road across the Nullarbor, was completed in 1976, connecting South Australia and Western Australia. The highway is a 1,664-kilometre, it is signed as National Highways 1 and A1, it forms part of Highway 1 and the Australian National Highway network linking Perth and Adelaide.

Driving directly across the Nullarbor Plain (from Norseman to Ceduna) takes approximately 12.5 hours of non-stop driving. However, most travellers allocate 2-3 days for the journey to allow for stops at attractions, wildlife viewing, and enjoying the scenery. 

When driving across the Nullarbor people need to beware of trucks as there are triple-decker road trains which have brutal slipstreams, so slow down or pull over to let them pass. Also at night the road. turns into a marsupial rave party at night, from camels, kangaroos, dingoes and occasionally wombats. With no phone service, no other travellers, and emergency services hours away, getting into an accident could leave you stranded without help.

When camping Nullarbor, keep an eye out for scorpions, bird-eating spiders, eastern brown snakes, and death adders. Avoid setting up camp near bodies of water, high vegetation, rocks, fallen logs, or under trees. Also, remind curious kiddos that sticking hands in holes in the ground, under rocks, logs, or trees could disturb a creepy crawly!

If you run into trouble, do not leave your vehicle to search for help. Drones, planes, foot searches, and car trackers will see a vehicle and find you.

The area is known for its vast cave systems, some of which contain fossils and provide insights into the region’s past climate. 

The Nullarbor continues to be a place of both natural beauty and human activity, with tourism and transport playing a significant role.