Markuswelder wanders around Northern China.

[Markuswelder]

Right. Some more interesting facts. Well, I thought so.
Conventional wisdom says that Chrome plating was invented from the late 1800's, to the 1950's. What if I blew your minds, and told you that the Chinese had done it 2200 years ago. Amazing huh.

And did you know, the Chinese also built Pyramids. Around the same time frame. Ginormous earth structures. Housing the youngest Emperor of China if my memory serves me correctly. I don't know the exact distance from the Terracotta warriors, but it's not that far, it would be within the hundreds of meters range.

Another fascinating thing or two, is that they've also found/dug up evidence of domesticated dogs. From 240 something BC. See, wearing collars.

Another amazing tidbit, -they also excavated small stone statues of Rhinoceros. Think about this for a second. This was before shipping, as it was shipping that killed the Silk road. So they'd obviously travelled down and around into South Asia, or Africa, and returned. That's a long walk, there and back.

 

[Lyn]

Right. Some more interesting facts. Well, I thought so.
Conventional wisdom says that Chrome plating was invented from the late 1800's, to the 1950's. What if I blew your minds, and told you that the Chinese had done it 2200 years ago. Amazing huh.

View attachment 15466

And did you know, the Chinese also built Pyramids. Around the same time frame. Ginormous earth structures. Housing the youngest Emperor of China if my memory serves me correctly. I don't know the exact distance from the Terracotta warriors, but it's not that far, it would be within the hundreds of meters range.
View attachment 15467View attachment 15468

Another fascinating thing or two, is that they've also found/dug up evidence of domesticated dogs. From 240 something BC. See, wearing collars.
View attachment 15469

Another amazing tidbit, -they also excavated small stone statues of Rhinoceros. Think about this for a second. This was before shipping, as it was shipping that killed the Silk road. So they'd obviously travelled down and around into South Asia, or Africa, and returned. That's a long walk, there and back

Your photos and info are very interesting, thanks for sharing. It must be exciting to see this all.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Right. Some more interesting facts. Well, I thought so.
Conventional wisdom says that Chrome plating was invented from the late 1800's, to the 1950's. What if I blew your minds, and told you that the Chinese had done it 2200 years ago. Amazing huh.

View attachment 15466

And did you know, the Chinese also built Pyramids. Around the same time frame. Ginormous earth structures. Housing the youngest Emperor of China if my memory serves me correctly. I don't know the exact distance from the Terracotta warriors, but it's not that far, it would be within the hundreds of meters range.
View attachment 15467View attachment 15468

Another fascinating thing or two, is that they've also found/dug up evidence of domesticated dogs. From 240 something BC. See, wearing collars.
View attachment 15469

Another amazing tidbit, -they also excavated small stone statues of Rhinoceros. Think about this for a second. This was before shipping, as it was shipping that killed the Silk road. So they'd obviously travelled down and around into South Asia, or Africa, and returned. That's a long walk, there and back.
View attachment 15470

Some amazing facts and great images, Markus!

 

[Markuswelder]

Your photos and info are very interesting, thanks for sharing. It must be exciting to see this all.

Like I wrote, I hated history at School/High School. But when you're actually standing right in the middle of it, it makes a huge difference. I get that most people would probably not find this thread all that interesting, it's one of "you had to be there" things I think.

I never ever thought I'd stand on the Great Wall of China, but life has a funny way of working out, & I've managed to do that as well. On a previous trip. I think we're going to try and do it again this trip, with a much better camera this time Really looking forwards to that, even though I've done it before. That's another enormously interesting place to visit.
Also going to that National Park where they shot bits of the first Avatar movie. The one with all those tall, slim rock spire formations rising up out of the forrest. Apparently not the best time of the year for moody, misty type shots, but I'm sure we'll enjoy it

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

A couple more

Good grief, these pics are great, Markus.

And what they show leaves me speechless. It's incredible.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Like I wrote, I hated history at School/High School. But when you're actually standing right in the middle of it, it makes a huge difference. I get that most people would probably not find this thread all that interesting, it's one of "you had to be there" things I think.

I never ever thought I'd stand on the Great Wall of China, but life has a funny way of working out, & I've managed to do that as well. On a previous trip. I think we're going to try and do it again this trip, with a much better camera this time Really looking forwards to that, even though I've done it before. That's another enormously interesting place to visit.
Also going to that National Park where they shot bits of the first Avatar movie. The one with all those tall, slim rock spire formations rising up out of the forrest. Apparently not the best time of the year for moody, misty type shots, but I'm sure we'll enjoy it

View attachment 15478

Standing on the Great Wall of China! Looking good, Markus. And the pic is great. That's some structure, winding its way through valleys and over mountains. Amazing.

 

[Markuswelder]

Good grief, these pics are great, Markus.

And what they show leaves me speechless. It's incredible.

I'm glad you're enjoying them. If you get even a fraction of the enjoyment viewing them, that I had taking them, then I consider it a successful effort

And yes, China has a very long history, going back thousands years, and the amazing thing is that it's been all documented and recorded. It truly is astounding. But we'll get to that in a few more posts

The human cost of some of these historical sites is truly staggering if you start diving into it a bit deeper. High enough that it nearly bankrupted the country, and caused civil wars. As I've mentioned a few times, I'm no history buff, but some of the human suffering in the past must have been pretty bad. I'm really really glad to live in the time we do now when you start looking back into the past

 

[greatgrandma]

My mother took my youngest daughter to China in 1979 (called Red China in those days) when she was in 6th grade, so about 11 years old. (My mother was 70. I remember seeing photos of the Terracotta Warriors and of course they did the Great Wall. I don't have a lot of those photos digitized. Not sure where all of them were taken as they also went to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Hawaii. This is my daughter - don't know where in 1979

Pretty sure this is the Great Wall - they were there in October and it was cold. They were touring with a group of doctors from Florida. I have seen a photo of her standing on the Great Wall but don't know where it is.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

I'm really really glad to live in the time we do now when you start looking back into the past

Indeed! Looking at our species history we are very well off now.

I have always loved history. Next to language(s), it was my most beloved subject in school, but the teacher who introduced us to it was a great story teller so maybe that is why I fell in love with it. And the love never went away. So I am thoroughly enjoying your posts and images and looking forward to more.

 

[Markuswelder]

My mother took my youngest daughter to China in 1979 (called Red China in those days) when she was in 6th grade, so about 11 years old.

That must be an anti-Communism American thing. I've never heard it called that before.

(My mother was 70. I remember seeing photos of the Terracotta Warriors and of course they did the Great Wall. I don't have a lot of those photos digitized. Not sure where all of them were taken as they also went to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Hawaii. This is my daughter - don't know where in 1979

I'm guessing that there wouldn't have been a lot on display then, as they were only first discovered in about the middle of 1974. And they're still excavating now. I'd be interested to see just how much was available to see back then, compared to now. Well, now being 2016 when we were last there. Covid well and truly screwed up any plans for me regarding sightseeing trips the last few years. The Wife actually got stuck over there for 9 months as not long after she got there all the lockdowns started. I don't think she actually minded that much to be honest, ended up a nice, extended stay with her family Me, not so much.

Pretty sure this is the Great Wall - they were there in October and it was cold. They were touring with a group of doctors from Florida. I have seen a photo of her standing on the Great Wall but don't know where it is.

I'm no expert, but it does look a lot like it to me. Very similar terrain to one of the sections we visited, outside of Beijing. I've got some more shots of it from out in the Gobi desert, in Gansu province. And it looks nothing like that, at all. But that's coming up in another post. Or two

Edit -the season/weather sounds right in being cold, their seasons are pretty much the exact opposite of ours, and our Summer is December to February, so they'd be into Autumn then.