Tag Archives: Asia

Pura Besakih

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Pura Besakih

Pura Besakih is a place for pilgrims.

  • Pura Besakih is a group of temples found in Indonesia’s Bali, in South East Asia, and they sit part way up the side of Mount Agung, at approximately 1000 metres (1093 yards) above sea level.
  • Pura Besakih is also known as ‘Besakih Temple’, and ‘Bali’s Mother Temple’, and the name ‘Besakih’ is said to be derived from the original name for the place ‘Basuki’ which is a reference to a dragon deity said to dwell on the mountain.
  • Twenty-three temple complexes make up the precinct of Pura Besakih, and this encompasses more than 80 temples, while Pura Penataran Agung is the largest and most significant of them all.
  • Pura Besakih is used by the Hindu religion throughout Bali, and is among the most sacred and important Hindu sites on the island.
  • Many of the temples of Pura Besakih appear to be like a step pyramid in shape, and stone is commonly used in the construction of the buildings.
Pura Besakih, Bali Indonesia, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Temples, Asia, Horizon
Pura Besakih
Image courtesy of Juan Antonia F. Segal/Flickr
  • Pura Besakih is a notable location for numerous festivals and events, numbering 70 different ones, or more, every year.
  • Pura Besakih is considered an ancient religious site, however it is not known when the first temples were built, although it is suspected that some were built in the 700s AD, and others built up until the 1340s.
  • Over 100,000 people visited Pura Besakih in 2013, however, many people do not rate their experience highly due to the unrestrained locals who are said to harass visitors for payment of various services and access to the temple complex.
  • Pura Besakih can be very busy during the day, due to the many visitors and local vendors, so it is best visited early morning or evening, and a sarong is required to be worn at all times.
  • Mount Agunga is a stratovolcano that erupted in 1963, spewing lava that narrowly dodged the temples of Pura Besakih; an event often considered a miraculous sign by the Hindu community.
Bibliography:
Besakih Temple in Bali – Pura Besakih, 2015, Bali, http://www.bali-indonesia.com/attractions/besakih-temple.htm
Pura Besakih, 2015, Bali, http://www.bali.com/temple_Pura-Besakih_83.html
Pura Besakih, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pura_Besakih

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Puss Moth

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Puss Moth

Puss moths are an example of grey-scale beauty.

  • Puss moths are a species of moth of a medium size, native to Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia.
  • The scientific name of a puss moth is Cerura vinula and it is from the family Notodontidae, a family of moths known as ‘prominents’.
  • Puss moths have wings that are predominantly a white, grey or cream colour, that are patterned with black coloured marble styled markings, and the body is similar in colouring.
  • The wingspan of a puss moth is roughly 5 to 8 centimetres (2 to 3 inches) in length, though they may be larger, while the length of the caterpillar is approximately 8 centimetres (3 inches).
  • Puss moth caterpillars are primarily green in colour when mature (black when juvenile) and have small white spots, and their head is surrounded by a red coloured ring that is decorated with two black spots so that it appears to be a face.
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Puss Moth
Image courtesy of Ben Sale/Flickr
  • Puss moth caterpillars strike a defence pose when feeling threatened, which involves intimidation with its pretend ‘face’ and the two red tipped projections on its rear.
  • As a method of protection, puss moth caterpillars may excrete formic acid which is sprayed out when they are further threatened, a feature that makes it one of the more dangerous caterpillars in the United Kingdom.
  • The diet of puss moth caterpillars mainly consists of vegetation from poplars and willow trees, and once hatched, they have an average lifespan of three to five months.
  • Puss moths have a soft furry texture that is comparable to the fur of a cat, which is the reason for the moth’s common name, and they are said to be threatened in some areas due to continuous woodland destruction and pollution.
  • Puss moth caterpillars construct hard waterproof cocoons that are considered one the strongest among moth species, and once the metamorphosis process has concluded, the moth releases a liquid to soften the cocoon so that it can be liberated.
Bibliography:
Cerura Vinula, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerura_vinula
Puss Moth, 2013, Buglife, https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs-and-habitats/puss-moth
Puss Moth, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/puss-moth/

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Mahjong

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Mahjong

Mahjong requires a great deal of understanding to play due to its complexity.

  • Mahjong is a popular Chinese game that involves the use of tiles in a game of strategy, memory and skill.
  • ‘Mahjong’ is also known as ‘majiang’, ‘mah jong’, ‘ma jong’ and ma cheuk’.
  • A total of up to 144 tiles are typically used in a game of mahjong, featuring depictions of bamboo, circles and characters from numbers one to nine; as well as special symbols from seasons, winds, dragons and flowers.
  • The Chinese word ‘máquè’, was one of the earliest names for the game of mahjong, which literally means ‘sparrow’, however it’s significance is uncertain and other possible names and theories exist.
  • The origins of mahjong are quite disputed and it is possible that the Chinese teacher Confucius designed the game around 500 BC; or the Chinese military invented it in the later 1800s; or it simply grew or was created out of other similar styled games.

Mahjong, Trivia, Invention, Game, Ten Random Facts, Tiles, China, Chinese, Asia,

  • Mahjong has previously had a gambling component that resulted in the Chinese government banning the game in China from 1949 to 1985, and the game was later reinstated without that element.
  • Mahjong became known to the English-speaking world around 1895, and began being imported in  North America in the 1920’s, while the rules of the game were printed in English by various people causing the game to have many variations in the rules.
  • The general aim of the game is to score points primarily by ‘wooing’ or forming ‘mahjong’, which is done by achieving a specific set of combinations of tiles by picking them up, while others are discarded.
  • The first mahjong World Championships were held in Japan’s Mahjong Museum in 2002, and the competition was won by Mai Hatsune from Japan.
  • Generally a game of mahjong is played by four people over a series of rounds, although variants with two, three or even five players, are also played.
Bibliography:
A Brief History, 2011, Mah Jong Museum, http://www.mahjongmuseum.com/brief.htm
The History of Mah Jong, 2011, Mah Jong Sets, http://www.mahjongsets.co.uk/history-mahjong.html
Mahjong, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong

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Pangolin

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Pangolin

Pangolins are overshadowed by anteaters, hence why they are known so little.

  • Pangolins are a family of scaled mammals, native to parts of Asia or Africa, depending on the genus, in tropical areas.
  • ‘Pangolins’ are also known as ‘scaly anteaters’ and ‘trenggilings’, and in 2014 they were said to be the most trafficked animal in the world.
  • The scientific family name of pangolins is Manidae, from the Pholidota order, and they belong to three genera – Manis, Phataginus and Smutsia, and include eight species.
  • Pangolins range in size, depending on the species, and they generally grow to lengths between 30 to 140 centimetres (1 to 4.6 feet) and weigh between 1.6 to 33 kilograms (3.5 to 73 pounds).
  • The armoured scales of pangolin are made of keratin and range in colours from yellow, olive and light and dark browns.
Pangolin, Animal, Mammal, Scaly Anteater, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Brown, ScurryPangolin
Image courtesy of Dabid Brossard/Flickr
  • Termites and ants make up the primary diet of pangolins, although other insects and their larvae are also consumed.
  • Pangolins have a significantly long tongue that is up to 5 millimetres (0.2 inches) in width and 40 centimetres (16 inches) in length, to reach the far corners of insect mounds.
  • Pangolins are threatened by poaching or hunting for their meat and scales, and habitat loss, all of which have led to populations becoming vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered, and while the animal is kept in captivity, often in rehabilitation centres, they commonly die from dietary and stress related issues.
  • Hiding and sleeping in burrows or trees during daylight, pangolins are mostly nocturnal animals and they usually live alone.
  • The term ‘pangolin’ comes from the Malay term ‘peng-guling,’, which literally means ‘roller’, referring to the animal’s common defence tactic of curling up in a ball.
Bibliography:
Pangolin, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangolin
Pangolin, 2015, World Wildlife Fund, https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/pangolin
Pangolin, n.d, African Wildlife Fund, http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/pangolin
What is a Pangolin?, 2015, Save Pangolins, http://savepangolins.org/what-is-a-pangolin/

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Snakes and Ladders

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Snakes and Ladders

A bit of luck will give you fame in Snakes and Ladders!

  • Snakes and Ladders is a luck based board game with the aim to advance from the lowest square to the highest square by climbing ladders and avoiding snakes.
  • The board of Snakes and Ladders is a grid of squares, often 10 by 10, and the head and tail of snakes and the top and bottom of ladders that are typically pictured on the board, touch two separate squares per object.
  • The number of squares, ladders, and snakes, as well as their positions on the game board, each vary across different Snakes and Ladders boards, however the game is usually played with a dice or spinner, and a playing piece per person.
  • Landing on a snake head in Snakes and Ladders will usually cause the player to move to the respective snake tail, while landing at the base of a ladder will allow the player to move their piece to the top of the ladder.
  • There are numerous versions of the Snakes and Ladders game, featuring other objects to fall or slide down, or climb up, and the game is also known as ‘Chutes and Ladders’, particularly in America, where snakes were replaced with slides.

Snakes and Ladder, Board Games, Ten Random Facts, Trivia, Checkered, Counters, Assortment

  • Snakes and Ladders is derived from an Ancient Indian Hindu game that was possibly played as early as the 100s BC, where the game was used to illustrate the good and bad deeds of life, and was called ‘Moksha Patamu’ or similar.
  • The game of Snakes and Ladders generally features an equal or greater number of ladders than snakes, compared to the Indian game which had more snakes than ladders, and the ladders are or were, generally associated with a positive action and consequence, while the snakes were usually associated with negative actions and consequences.
  • In the late 1800s, the Indian version of the Snakes and Ladders game was introduced to England, and it has been modified over the years to exclude moral or religious perspectives, though some versions have an educational purpose.
  • Milton Bradley recreated the Snakes and Ladders game in 1943, which was popular in Europe at the time, to suit an American audience, renaming it ‘Chutes and Ladders’, with the theme of playground equipment.
  • The player that moves first in the 100-square Milton Bradley version of Snakes and Ladders has a 50.9% chance of winning the game if two players are playing, while a game is completed, on average, after 48 turns.
Bibliography:
Snakes and Ladders, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_Ladders
Who invented the board game Snakes and Ladders?, 2008, The Times of India, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/Who-invented-the-board-game-Snakes-and-Ladders/articleshow/3585003.cms

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Persimmon

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Persimmon

Persimmons are a sugar sweet fruit.

  • Persimmons are a fruit native to China and they are popularly eaten in other Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan, where they have been grown for hundreds of years.
  • The trees persimmons are grown on are from the Diospyros genus from the family Ebenaceae, a family of flowering trees and shrubs including ebony used in the wood trade.
  • While there are a number of different species of the fruit tree, the most commonly grown is Diospyros kaki, or ‘Japanese’, ‘Asian’, or ‘kaki’ persimmon, as it is commonly known.
  • Persimmons generally grow to be 1.5 to 10 centimetres (0.6 to 4 inches) in diameter, depending on the species or variety, while they are most commonly between 6 and 8.5 centimetres (2.4 to 3.3 inches) wide and can be shaped like acorns, hearts, spheres, apples and pumpkins.
  • Sometimes persimmons need to be peeled before eating, though they can be eaten raw, dried, or cooked, and they are often used in variety of desserts and baked goods.

Persimmon, Fruit, Food, Culinary, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Orange, Basket

  • The word ‘persimmon’ comes from the native eastern United States language named Powhatan, from the term ‘pasimenan‘, meaning ‘dry or dried fruit’.
  • The colour of persimmons ranges between different shades of red, yellow, and orange, and less commonly – purple, brown and black.
  • Persimmons have a sweet flavour and are either ‘astringent’ and only edible when fully ripe and soft with a somewhat jelly-like flesh, or ‘non-astringent’ and able to be eaten when crisp and firm, as well as soft.
  • The tannin chemical in unripe persimmons causes the astringent fruit to taste bitter, and it can react with weak acids in the human stomach to create hard phytobezoar compounds that are potentially dangerous.
  • Persimmons are very high in vitamin A, manganese, fibre and vitamin C, and they have been used for medicinal purposes to treat a variety of ailments.
Bibliography:
Diospyros kaki – Thumb., 2012, Plants For A Future, http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Diospyros+kaki
Morton J, Japanese Persimmon, 1987, Purdue Agriculture, https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/japanese_persimmon.html
Persimmon, 1996, California Rare Fruit Growers, http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/persimmon.html
Persimmon, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persimmon

 

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