Innholdsfortegnelse for 6/2020 i ASIAN Geographic

India (Hinduism) It is believed that the five natural elements in the world are the basis of all cosmic creation. Known as Pancha Bhoota or Panchamahābhuta (Five Great Elements), these elements are found in the Vedas (a large body of religious texts that originated in ancient India), and especially in the practice of Ayurveda (an alternative medicine system that is rooted in India). The elements in Hinduism include bhūmi or prithvi (earth), ap or jala (water), tejas or agni (fire), marut, vayu or pavan (air or wind) and vyom or shunya (space of zero) or akash (aether or void). Prithvi (Earth) This element is associated with a square figure and the bodily region for this element lies from the tip of your head to your toes. The whole human body is…

The story of charcoal cannot be nailed down to any civilisation, continent or century. A myriad tales, however, point to several firsts of this carbonaceous material in man’s voluminous history book. It probably began when the cold north wind swept across the deserts of Western Asia, and the season for using natural wood charcoal made an appearance. The history of charcoal comes in the wake of the origins of fire – evidence of cooked food is found from 1.9 million years ago, although fire was probably not used in a controlled fashion until 400,000 years ago. Substantiation becomes widespread around 50,000 to 100,000 years ago, suggesting regular use from this time. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood, sugar, bone char, or other substances in the…

NORTH ASIA RUSSIA (Russian rouble) USD1 = RUR66.42 Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky (5,000 ruble) A Russian statesman and diplomat, he played a major role in the expansion of the Russian Empire into the Amur River basin and to the shores of the Sea of Japan CENTRAL ASIA KAZAKHSTAN (Kazakh tenge) USD1 = KZT376.11 Astana Bayterek monument Monument and observation tower in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan KYRGYZSTAN (Kyrgyz som) USD1 = KGS69.85 Suimenkul Chokmorov (5,000 som) A respected film actor born in Chong-Tash village, Soviet Kirghizia (now Kyrgyzstan) TAJIKISTAN (Tajik somoni) USD1 = TJS9.70 Abuabdullo Rudaki (500 somoni) He is considered the founder of Persian classical literature TURKMENISTAN (Turkmen manat) USD1 = TMT3.50 Saparmurat Niyazov (500 manat) The First Secretary of the Turkmen Communist Party from 1985 until 1991, he continued to lead…

Azerbaijan is known as “The Land of Fire”, and aptly so. When Marco Polo visited the then-Persian city of Baku, he wrote about numerous mysterious flames that could be found all over the region: “This is absolutely the most interesting and fascinating thing, which can be seen nowhere else.” The natural fires of Azerbaijan are considered to have played a crucial part in the ancient Zoroastrian religion, which was founded in Iran and flourished in Azerbaijan in 1000 BCE. For Zoroastrians, fire is a link between humans and the supernatural world, and a medium through which spiritual insight and wisdom can be gained. It’s purifying, life-sustaining and a vital element of worship. Such fires were once plentiful in Azerbaijan, but because they led to a reduction of gas pressure underground,…

The Stone Age AROUND 2.5 MILLION YEARS AGO TO 3,000 BCE Divided into three periods – Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), and Neolithic (New Stone Age) – the Stone Age is marked by the use of tools by our early human ancestors and the eventual transformation from a culture of hunting and gathering to farming and food production. The end of the Paleolithic period (about 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 BCE) marked the end of the last Ice Age, which resulted in the extinction of many large mammals, rising sea levels and climate change. During the Mesolithic period (10,000 BCE to 8,000 BCE), humans used small stone tools, which were also modified as spears and arrows. They often lived nomadically in groups near rivers and other…

Copper AROUND 9,000 BCE Found in Nature in vast quantities, copper is mostly locked away in Earth’s crust, occurring in oxidised states and in combination with other metals. But copper also occurs naturally in an uncombined form, and this native metallic copper, with its unmistakable reddish-orange hue, became the first metal used widely by ancient cultures, with the oldest artefacts dating back to around 9,000 BCE in the Middle East. It would take thousands of years before the first copper was extracted from ore, the oldest archaeological evidence of copper making by this method from around 5,500 BCE in Serbia. The discovery of copper allowed humans to step out of the Stone Age and into the Copper Age, otherwise known as the Chalcolithic or Eneolithic, beginning in the late fifth…

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Similar to Western astrology, the natural elements in Chinese wu xing – water, fire, wood, earth and metal, resonate with the zodiac signs, though it’s much more complicated than a simple correspondence. It is believed that your birth element and Chinese zodiac animal sign greatly influence specific tendencies in the individual’s personality, and play an influential role in being a driving force in your life. The elements play dominant roles every two years, and with five different elements, the cycle lasts for 10 years. Many people take note of their elemental zodiac as this can help in creating the best feng shui be it in the office, home or any other space, by either minimising or emphasising certain aspects of the dwelling. Though the element may not greatly change the sign…

Warm Currents Transport warm water away from the equator, toward the poles Cold Currents Transport cold water toward the equator, away from the poles What Is an Ocean? An ocean is a huge saltwater body surrounding the continent that covers two-thirds or 71 percent of the Earth’s surface. It is home to vast aquatic animal species and organisms, as well as coral reefs. Earth’s smallest ocean is the Arctic Ocean and the deepest is the Pacific Ocean. Various water movements distinguish the Antarctic (or Southern) Ocean from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The temperatures of the oceans are different in the various parts of the world. For example, icebergs are formed by very cold waters near the poles, while waters around the equator are relatively warm. LARGEST bodies of…

Of the countless weapons bought and sold every day around the world, relatively few can be considered a valued part of a cultural heritage. Fewer still are thought to contain some element of the supernatural. The traditional dagger known as the keris is an exception. Indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the keris (or kris) is a precious cultural artifact that played a significant role in the history of the region that still resonates with people today, especially in a unique village on the outskirts of Yogyakarta. In ancient times, the keris was the weapon of choice for the armies of Indonesia and Malaysia, used in battle or to carry out executions. It was common for men of all walks of life to don a keris, used mainly for self-defence.…

As the fourth phase of the Chinese philosophy of wu xing, metal represents the force of gravity, the minerals found within the Earth, patterns of heavenly bodies and the power of electrical conductivity and magnetism. It is known to have structure, but it allows for the moulding and changing of form when worked with. Autumn is the season of metal, and it is the period of harvesting and collecting, representing a moving away from the outward yang just like the elements of wood and fire. Known as being a nurturing and organising element, this is the time where the containing warmth of earth fades and a slightly colder, sharper and crisper energy comes through. In Chinese Taoist belief, the metal element denotes the attributes firm, rigid, persistent, strong and determined.…

The five elements are around 73 days each and are used to describe the states in Nature: Water Blue Winter A period of retreat, where stillness and storage pervades Wood Green Spring A period of growth, which generates abundant wood and vitality Fire Red Summer A period of swelling, flowering, brimming with fire and energy Earth, Brown, Transitional Season An in-between transitional seasonal period associated with levelling and dampening (moderation) and fruition Metal Silver Autumn A period of harvesting and collecting Wu xing has often been compared to the ancient Greek philosophy featuring four elements that are regarded as unchanging building blocks of matter, but in Chinese belief, the five elements are seen as “ever-changing forces”. The concept of wu xing first came into existence during the period in Chinese…

It is wood. But other than its diverse physical nature, in Chinese philosophy, wood, sometimes translated as “tree”, represents the growth of matter. Wood is the first phase of wu xing, and in Taoism, its attributes are considered to be strength and flexibility. Trees and bamboo are our closest concept to the element of wood. Wood corresponds to spring, and is referred to as “young yang”. It covers and penetrates the earth, growing, rooted, and proliferating rapidly. Wood is flexible, yielding, strong and durable. Wood expands away from its centre, grasping the deep Earth essence and drawing it toward heaven. It also burns to make fire. Wood is in the east and southeast, representing the numbers three and four. It is early morning, sunrise and new beginnings. It is birth,…

3100 BCE GOLD & SILVER EGYPT As far back as 3100 BCE, we have evidence of a gold/silver value ratio in the code of Menes, the founder of the first Egyptian dynasty. In this code, it is stated, “one part of gold is equal to two and one half parts of silver in value”. This makes it one of the earliest forms of definitive currency. 2500 BCE COWRY SHELLS CHINA More than 3,000 years ago, during the Qin Dynasty, China led the ancient world by introducing shells as a medium of exchange and unit of account in commerce. The character for “shell” (贝) is an important component in Chinese and almost all things or acts concerning money have the component of the shell: fortune, poverty, goods, trade, businessman, tribute, greed, expense, compensation,…

Symbolisms and Fiery Figures Across Religions Ahura Mazda, of the Zoroastrians Contrary to popular belief, Zoroastrians do not worship fire. Adherents of this faith, however, do believe that the elements, including fire, are pure. While Ahura Mazda is generally viewed as a god without form and a being of entirely spiritual energy rather than physical existence, he has at times been equated with the sun, and certainly, the imagery associated with him remains very fire-oriented. Ahura Mazda is the light of wisdom that pushes back the darkness of chaos. He is the life-bringer, just as the sun brings life to the world. Fire is venerated as a great purifying agent and as a symbol of Ahura Mazda’s power, but it is in no way worshipped or thought to be Ahura…

Formed billions of years ago, metals are society’s lifeline. To replenish them and keep up with our growing and modernising world, there is a need to mine for more. Certain primary metals such as aluminium, copper and iron can be mined naturally. Others are produced as a by-product of mining other metals: Cobalt, which is primarily used in lithium-ion batteries, is a by-product of copper and nickel mining, while selenium, a semiconductor with applications in electronics, is extracted from the refining of copper through the process of electrolysis. Quantifying the amount of metal ore left in the world can be difficult, but through reports on the amount of metal reserves in the world, it is possible to get an estimate. For example, it is estimated that there are only 830…

When it comes to great diving spots, a quick poll of most divers would reveal the Philippines to be one of the top choices for a diving vacation. Some might be tempted to dismiss these opinions as marketing hype but before you do, here’s a little factoid to chew on: If you limit yourself to just one day of diving to explore one island, it would take you more than 20 years (20 years and 341 days to be exact) to finish exploring all of the 7,641 islands that make up the Philippines. With a rich diversity of marine life spread throughout so many islands, we have focused on the three most popular diving spots that have a bit of everything for everyone. Cebu A long, narrow island measuring 32…

Digital In 2020, we have all undoubtedly gone through a testing year and many of our travel plans have been put on hold indefinitely. With the urge to travel now greater than ever, we have an exciting line-up ahead in 2021 that will look at bringing the exploration journey to you, all through the power of storytelling. Going back to basics, our ASIAN Geographic editorial calendar for 2021 delves into some of life’s most important cornerstones and uncovers what makes our society what it is today. From learning about climate change and why it has become our Earth’s deadliest threat, to understanding how our cultures have made us who we are, we take you on a journey through time to learn about Asia unlike ever before. With our special PASSPORT…