Latest news with #MingDynasty
Glasgow Times
8 hours ago
- General
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow teacher to take on Great Wall of China trek
Angela Sloan, who has lived in Glasgow for nearly 30 years, will take on the challenge this September to raise funds for Childline. It will see her walk 10km a day for five consecutive days along one of the world's most iconic landmarks. Read more: 'Excited and proud': Glasgow headteacher welcomes £2m boost for new school Jules Colin, Martin Whelan, Angela Sloan, Sandra Jones, and Megan Williams (Image: Supplied) Angela, 62, is part of a group of 18 fundraisers calling themselves the "Tartan Trailblazers." She said: "Young people are under more pressure than ever and some of the support services that were in place are either not there anymore or past capacity with long waiting times, so it feels like Childline is needed even more now. "That's why raising money for Childline is so important. "It helps ensure that there is always someone at the end of the phone when a child calls. "While the conversations can be about troubling topics, from my own experience it always feels like the young person has benefited from having someone to talk to in a confidential way.' Angela, who has nearly 40 years of experience in teaching, has volunteered as a Childline counsellor for seven and a half years. She first became interested in volunteering for Childline after meeting NSPCC staff during school visits for workshops such as Speak Out and Stay Safe. The experienced teacher said: "I was winding down my career and went part-time, so I was looking for something else to do and that seemed like a natural fit. "The training is incredible and it's definitely something I am proud of, but the service needs support so it would be amazing if people can donate to our fundraiser." Donations can be made online at Angela has previously completed a 10k run and a coastal walk around the Isle of Arran to support the NSPCC. The Great Wall trek, which includes around 10,000 uneven steps each day, will be her most challenging yet. The trek, organised through travel firm Charity Challenge, along the Ming Dynasty masterpiece, will follow the winding path along the Yan Mountains to the Gubeikou Gateway which takes in the well-known 'heavenly staircase'. Sandra Jones on a previous trek along the Great Wall of China (Image: Supplied) Read more: Thousands of children seeking advice on dealing with anger issues A typical day will start at 7am, with walkers exposed to the elements, rain, and wind, every day. Angela added: "A lot of people can walk that much in one day without a problem, but it's getting up and doing it the next day, and the day after that, that's going to be the biggest challenge." Funds raised will support NSPCC services including Childline, the adult Helpline, and educational programmes such as Talk PANTS and Speak Out Stay Safe, which strive to help stop child abuse and neglect.
Gizmodo
a day ago
- General
- Gizmodo
After 600 Years, Astronomers Finally Solve the Mystery of the Missing ‘Guest Star'
In October 1408, in Ming Dynasty China, court astronomers recorded a strange celestial event: a bright yellow object, unmoving in the sky, shining steadily for over ten nights. It was described as 'as large as a cup' and 'pure yellow color, smooth and bright'—a sight so notable that it prompted formal documentation by imperial officials. For centuries, this 1408 'guest star' has been a historical curiosity with no clear-cut identity. But thanks to a new discovery, astronomers think they've finally figured out the source. In a recent paper posted to the preprint server arXiv, researchers led by Boshun Yang, an astronomer at the University of Science and Technology of China, report an overlooked report by Hu Guang, a court official in charge of 'congratulatory memorials and laudatory poems addressed to the emperor,' as described in the paper. This official document from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau provides a fuller, more authentic account than previous descriptions of the event and, crucially, allowed the researchers to rule out the possibility of a forged or misinterpreted record. The memorial describes the object as stationary in the southern Niandao asterism—in the part of the sky now associated with the constellations Cygnus and Vulpecula—and visible for more than 10 days. Unlike comets or meteors, which streak across the sky, this object stayed put and maintained its brightness, suggesting it was a star. Specifically, the event recounted by Hu Guang has the characteristics of a nova, or the violent death of a star that suddenly flares in brightness before slowly dimming. The team posits the 1408 nova had 'plateau' characteristics, meaning its light stayed steady for an unusually long time. Interestingly, the team also had to account for the subtle politics baked into the language of the record. Ancient Chinese astronomers were careful in how they described celestial phenomena when reporting to the emperor. To ensure that his outlook remained rosy, it was important that astronomical events channeled good vibes. They avoided ominous language in reports of the nova, which was described as 'yellow' and 'lustrous,' as opposed to it sporting 'spikes' or other details that could sound ominous, according to Universe Today. By combining this new historical document with modern astrophysics, Yang's team argues that the 1408 guest star is almost certainly a nova—adding it to a growing list of ancient Chinese records that corroborate modern astronomical observations. Like the well-known 1054 supernova that created the Crab Nebula—reported by the Chinese as it happened, and now vividly imaged by observatories like the Webb Space Telescope—this centuries-old observation shows how events relatively distant in human history are just blips in cosmic time. Furthermore, it provides a foundation for modern astronomy, which can use earlier accounts as a backdrop—and even a driver—for new discoveries.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rare Chinese antiques sell for more than £130k
Two rare Chinese antiques more than 300 years old and part of a family collection in East Sussex have been sold for a combined £135,500. The vase and wine pitcher were from the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (1661 to 1722) and were bought by art connoisseur and philanthropist William Cleverley Alexander in 1907 and 1913. Both items had been in Mr Alexander's private collection at his country home in Heathfield Park for more than a century. John Axford, chairman of the auction house Woolley & Wallis, said the family were "delighted" with the auction result on Tuesday. He added: "What the sale really shows is the importance of history and provenance - collectors prize provenance very highly." The vase, which has a rare underglaze decorated with two squirrels hiding in a fruiting grapevine, was sold to a buyer in the Far East for £94,500 against an estimate of £20,000-£30,000. The pitcher was sold for £41,000 to a European buyer against an estimate of £4,000-£6,000. Mr Axford said: "This shows despite the economic and political troubles in the world, really good items remain highly desirable." He explained ceramic wares modelled in the form of characters like the wine pitcher were a "remarkable" innovation of the Kangxi period - an era of stability following the collapse of the Ming Dynasty. He added the pitcher was a "particularly decorative example". It has a blue Buddhist lion finial, an unusually long neck and moulded as the combined Chinese characters of Fu (good fortune) and Shou (longevity). There were various uses for wine pitchers of this period, including ritualistic, ceremonial or funerary use. "They were were created to literally 'toast' the dead and some for more practical usage," Mr Axford added. Mr Alexander (1840-1916), who was also a banker, was credited for popularising Asian art in Britain during the Victorian era. Born into a wealthy family, he used his financial resources to amass an impressive collection of Asian art. His patronage of arts supported emerging artists of the time, including James McNeill Whistler who was famous for his painting Whistler's Mother. According to the auction house, Mr Alexander bought the wine pitcher for £45 from William Dickinson & Son in 1907. He then bought the vase from antiques dealer John Sparks on June 1913 for just £30. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Dodo bone and letter fetch £23,000 at auction Hendrix tape sold for nearly double expected price
Gulf Insider
23-05-2025
- General
- Gulf Insider
Ancient Chinese Tower Partially Collapses
China's largest remaining drum tower partially collapsed on Monday, and the entire incident was captured on camera. NEW: The roof of a 650-year-old drum tower in Anhui, China, collapses. The incident happened at the Fengyang Drum Tower in eastern China. Officials have since launched an structure was first built in 1375 during the Ming of the building was… — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 20, 2025 The video above shows hundreds of roof tiles sliding off the historic Fengyang Drum Tower in eastern China at the start of the week. Local media reports no injuries. 'The tile falling lasted for a minute or two,' one eyewitness told the state newspaper Yangcheng Evening News. Tiles fell from the ancient Drum Tower in Fengyang, #Anhui Province, on May 19. The tower, originally built in 1375 and rebuilt in 1995, had been under renovation since late 2023. Local authorities are investigating the incident. #architecture #China — Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) May 20, 2025 Another witness told state media outlet The Beijing News that 'no one was in the square and no one was injured' at the time of the incident. Located in Anhui province, the drum tower was constructed in 1375 during the Ming Dynasty, with a reconstruction phase in 1995 after it was destroyed in 1853. China's local culture and tourism bureau reported no casualties and said the 'situation is under investigation.' Also read: China's Numerous Aging Dams Pose A Serious Threat To Safety
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Collapse of historic Chinese building's roof revives concerns about construction standards
An investigation is being held into the collapse of a roof at a tourist site in central China following a major renovation project that finished last year. Hundreds of tiles fell off the roof of the Fengyang Drum Tower in Anhui province on Monday evening in an incident captured on film that was widely shared online. No injuries were reported. Fengyang county was the hometown of Hongwu, the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and the tower is one of the main local tourist attractions. The local culture and tourism bureau said the collapse was under investigation and the incident prompted media questions about the quality of the repair work carried out on the site. The tower was built in 1375 in the early years of the Ming dynasty and it underwent extensive repairs in 1995. Further repair works on the roof began in 2023 and finished last year. The most recent project cost 2.9 million yuan (US$402,600), according to digital news platform which cited local procurement data. Its report alleged that the contractor involved had a record of illegally subcontracting renovations to unqualified personnel and allowing them to undertake projects under its name.
