An Amazing Virtual Tour Of The Old Summer Palace (Beijing)!

Delighted to have found this brief documentary (presented in the form of a virtual tour) highlighting the former glory of the old Summer Palace! My favourite section was the Zodiac Fountain, which featured 12 bronze Chinese zodiac statues. What's amazing about these statues is that they act as a water clock fountain by spouting water every 2 hours! I must admit I had no idea such technology even existed back in the 18th century :p Which section of this amazing wonder is your personal favourite?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAeVYL3ywYA

Amazing Emperor's Winter Retreat (Qianlong)

Enjoyed this brief, virtual tour of Qianlong's private paradise. Given its expansive decoration, spacious architecture and multiple function rooms, it's no surprise he could spend the winter months in this amazing private retreat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlkPuwak2dE

What Were The Song Dynasty's 3 Biggest Contributions To The World?

A brief and informative documentary about the Song Dynasty. Their 3 biggest contributions:
1. Printing of paper money 2. The compass 3. Gunpowder Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO7NHZJ-eE4

Longquan Celadon's Fascinating History and Traditional Firing Technology

Short, informative documentary highlighting the history of Longquan celadon and its traditional firing technology. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/1U9coxtCLy4

Wow! A 350 year old Chinese 'Dragon' Kiln from the Ming dynasty!

I must admit I had no idea such old kilns were still churning out beautiful ceramic pieces today. Some interesting facts about the Qianshu Dragon Kiln:
1. Temperatures can reach up to 1400C (2552F). 2. The interior is covered with a layer of oil-like substance. 3. The fire burns for 3 days. 4. The cable outside the kiln is the only source of electricity used to pull goods from the bottom of the hill. 5. It is the only preserved ancient Dragon kiln in Yixing. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mavD3fT1eI

The Technique of Overglaze Porcelain

Enjoyed this article detailing the technique of overglaze porcelain throughout the different dynasties in Chinese history:) A good point of reference in my opinion:p


https://medium.com/artech-interpreter/connoisseur-series-beyond-decoration-the-technique-of-overglaze-porcelain-1311da6052ad

Wow! 200 More Terracotta Warriors, Weapons and 4 Pits Discovered!

An additional 200 Terracotta warriors plus a large amount of weapons discovered! Plus, the discovery of 4 pits, one of which was empty, indicates that the project was abandoned before completion, possibly during the period of unrest following Qin Shi Huang’s death.


https://www.warhistoryonline.com/ancient-history/terracotta-warriors.html