Did You Know About The Han Dynasty's Great Wall? (Chinese History)

 

An insightful documentary of the Han Dynasty's own Great Wall! Apparently, the Ming Dynasty's wall was simply built right on top of it 1,500 years later. The wall was estimated to have stood at up to 20 feet high when it was first built more than 2,000 years ago😮

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHcfv9kbl9U

Recently Added Items for Nov 2020 (A Jizhou Ewer and A Copper Incense Burner)

Hi everyone! Just wanted to give you a quick update of the items we recently added to our catalogue.

A Song-Style Jizhou Ewer with a Rooster Spout and Dragon Handle.
Height: 32cm

A Copper Incense Burner with Detailed Carvings of a Dragon and Phoenix on the Lid, Bats as Legs and Bat Motifs at the Upper Rim. The Handles are Represented by Two Mystical Creatures.
Ming Dynasty Mark and Period.
Height: 10cm

To view our catalogue, please visit www.emperorsantique.com.

An Animated Documentary of Genghis Khan and The Mongols (History)

 

Just thought I'd share this insightful animated documentary of the history of Mongolia:) I liked that they talked about the Mongols by examining 3 broad questions:

1. How did the Eurasian Steppes of the Mongolian homeland lend itself to so many nomadic empires, wrecking havoc in the world?

2. How did Genghis Khan change the way life operated on the Steppes?

3. How were the Mongols different from all the other empires that came before them? Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_5kpplGMS4

The Story of Tea (Chinese History)

 

Today, tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. But did you know that tea was originally eaten as a vegetable and cooked with green porridge 6,000 years ago? It was only consumed as a beverage (aka matcha) 1,500 years ago. What I found rather interesting is this... 1. Tea actually sold for 10 times the price of coffee in Europe in 1700. 2. The Opium War was started all because of tea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaLvVc1sS20

The Rise and Fall of The Yuan Dynasty (Chinese History)

 

The rise and fall of the Mongol empire has always been a fascinating one to me. This short documentary (in link below) by TedEd shows how the Mongols rose to power under the brilliant leadership of Genghis Khan, but crumbled when his grandsons went to war with each other over inheritance. This in turn, fragmented the realm into 4 separate empires. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUVvTqvjUaM

The History of Emperor Shun Zhi and The Fall of The Ming Dynasty (Chinese History)

 

Enjoyed this informative documentary (in link below) about the life of Emperor Shunzhi and the fall of the Ming Dynasty. What I learnt about Emperor Shunzhi: 1. Shunzhi became the emperor of all China at the tender age of 6 but was only able to rule as the Son of Heaven at the age of Heaven when his half uncle, Dor Gon was killed in a hunting accident. 2. He invited the 5th Dalai Lama living in Lhassa for a state visit in Beijing in order to gain greater influence. 3. He was responsible for the construction of the White Pagoda, which was built to honour the Dalai Lama. 4. German Jesuit missionary and astronomer, Johann Adam Schall von Bell developed a personal relationship with Shunzhi, and the emperor even turned to him for guidance. 5. He embraced many aspects of this Chinese culture like opera, theatre and calligraphy. 6. He contracted small pox and died a few days later at the age of 22. 7. His will was likely modified by 4 Manchu nobles and his mother, the Empress Dowager. 8. He was the third Manchu emperor but the first to govern from a throne in Beijing using a brush. 9. His third son, a 7 year old became the next emperor and ruled under the name of Kangxi. 10. Kangxi became the greatest emperor of the Qing Dynasty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iZJYwLAbBc&list=RDCMUCLY-NCXA2dQKyEVKDZ7quHw&index=28