Laughing Legends of the Middle Kingdom Quirky Tale
Laughing Legends of the Middle Kingdom: Quirky Tales from Chinese History
The Emperor's Peculiar Passion for Perfume
In ancient China, during the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong was known for his extravagant lifestyle and love for luxury. One of his peculiar passions was perfume-making. He would often spend hours in his private chambers experimenting with various scents and ingredients to create unique fragrances. His favorite perfume was a blend of jasmine, rose, and sandalwood, which he believed had medicinal properties that could cure ailments such as indigestion and insomnia.
The Forbidden City's Hidden Gardens
Few people know that the Forbidden City, once the imperial palace of China's emperors, has a hidden garden filled with exotic plants and flowers from around the world. This secret oasis was created by Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century as a retreat from the hustle and bustle of court life. The garden features over 200 species of plants, including rare orchids and bamboo trees brought back from his military campaigns.
The Curious Case of Footbinding
Footbinding was a practice that lasted for centuries in China until it was banned in 1912 by Republican forces who saw it as an oppressive tradition imposed on women by men. However, this painful practice began innocently enough – with young girls wearing tight bandages or silk wrappings around their feet to make them smaller so they could fit into traditional shoes called "lotus shoes." Over time however these bindings became tighter causing permanent damage to their feet resulting in what is now known as "foot binding" or "golden lilies."
Ancient Chinese Inventions That Changed History
China has been at the forefront of innovation since ancient times – inventing gunpowder (which led to fireworks), paper money (as early as 1000 AD), compasses (used by explorers like Marco Polo), wheelbarrows (and many other inventions). Perhaps one invention stands out above all others - printing press invented by Bi Sheng around 1045 AD - which revolutionized knowledge dissemination across Asia.
5.The Great Wall's Unusual Architecture
The Great Wall is famous for its grandeur but few know about its unusual architecture built under different dynasties over several centuries – each contributing their own style reflecting political climate at that time . For example , during Ming dynasty’s reign(1368-1644) watchtowers were added along its length while earlier versions featured only fortifications made outta rammed earth . Additionally , there are even sections built using stones carved so precisely they look like modern-day skyscrapers' masonry work!
