Chinese Religions Throughout Chinese History

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China is one of the most ancient civilizations on Earth and religious practices in this country date back to more than 7000 years. In modern times, we recognize three major Eastern religions in China – Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. However, long before the philosophical and spiritual teachings of Confucius and Lao-Tzu and the arrival of the wisdom of the Buddha in China, religion in China has always thrived in one form and several others. And today, Chinese religion has become a complex amalgamation of folk religion, the Three Religions, and the anti-religious sentiment of the Communist doctrine.

Hence, the term “Chinese religion” as we know it now refers to a diverse and complex collection of many traditions and beliefs. And for us to understand the modern expressions of Chinese religion, it becomes necessary for us to learn how and when various religions formed and reigned supreme, and how much they developed and influenced Chinese civilization throughout its long history.

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Neolithic China

Phys.org

Orthodox Chinese religions are products of continuous historical development since prehistoric times. Ancient China was inhabited by many nomadic tribes that eventually developed agriculture, and archaeological records indicate that these small villages and communities gradually progressed toward more sophisticated technology and social stratification. There is also some evidence for prehistoric religious activities, particularly involving the dead, who were often buried in segregated cemeteries, with the bodies’ heads positioned toward a single cardinal direction. There was also some concern over the precise ordering of ritual acts, which is perhaps an early version over the importance placed on universal order and pattern in later Chinese cosmology. There is also evidence of people who acted as divination specialists as early as the 4th millennium BCE, while the 3rd millennium BCE saw the rise of interest in building tomb rams and coffin chambers. Early forms of ancestor worship also began during this period.  

Shang Dynasty: 1600 BC – 1050 BCE

Ancient Chinese Dynasties: Advancements and Achievements

By the time of the Shang Dynasty, religion developed to the point that the people established a definite “king of the gods” referred to as Shangti along with many lesser gods of other names. The people also held a strong belief in ghosts, proven by evidence in the form of amulets and charms and the written ghost stories during this time considered to be the earliest form of Chinese literature. Divination also became a significant part of Chinese religious beliefs during the Shang dynasty, with some individuals performing mystical and psychic abilities by telling another person’s future through oracle bones.

 

Religion in the Zhou Dynasty: 1046 – 256 BCE

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During the Zhou Dynasty, various regions of China started to become more unified, turning into a single civilization. At the same time, religious ideas from different regions of the area interacted with each other and began to assimilate. Both commoners and the elite believed in gods, ghosts, ancestors, and omens, and they practiced divination, sacrifice, and exorcism. Zhou ancestors were believed to live in a celestial court presided over by the Zhou high god Tian. During the Zhou Dynasty, the Mandate of Heaven concept developed and this Chinese civilization also eventually gave way to the teachings of Confucius and Mo-tzu whose teachings emphasized virtue, humanity, the value of social relationships, and just leadership.

Qin Dynasty: 221 – 206 BCE

In the time of the Qin Dynasty, the emperor Shi Huangti became infamous for his suppression of religion and other philosophical perspectives. During his reign, legalism was the state philosophy of the Qin government and the citizens were subjected to harsh penalties for violating even minor laws. The emperor also banned any books which were not about his family line, his dynasty or Legalism. Though he suppressed his people’s religious beliefs, he was obsessed in conquering death by searching for the key to achieving immortality. However, he failed to succeed in accomplishing this feat, having died in 210 BCE while searching for immortality on tour through his kingdom.

Han Dynasty: 206 BCE – 220 CE

The Han Dynasty was the first dynasty in China to embrace Confucianism, which became the ideological foundation of all regimes from then on until the day Imperial China met its end. The reign of the Han Dynasty was a period of great prosperity, with the emperors of this period having supported and encouraged the development of art, science, technology, literature, and religion. The emperors were seen ruling under the Mandate of Heaven with the important responsibility of mediating between the gods and the people. Then, sometime during the 1st century CE, Buddhism reached China, probably through the travelers who took the Silk Road from northern India. By the 2nd century CE, a variety of other beliefs, practices, and disciplines arose, which eventually gave rise to alchemy, scientific experiments and the Taoist religion.

Six Dynasties Period: 220 – 589 CE

The fall of the Han dynasty began a period of disunity referred to as the “Six Dynasties,” and during this time, Buddhism flourished and became a major religion in China ever since. While this period was almost in constant political upheaval, it is also considered to be an important time for religious development.

The uncertainty and brutality of the period influenced Buddhism in China and Buddhist monks had to meet the people's spiritual needs by developing rituals and practices of transcendence. And so, in the sixth century, new schools of Chinese Buddhism sought to adapt Buddhism to Chinese ways of thinking.

Sui Dynasty: 581 – 618 CE

After three and a half centuries of political fragmentation, China was reunified by the Sui dynasty in 581. The founder of this short-lived dynasty supported Buddhism, particularly the Tiantai school, and used this religion and philosophical movement as a unifying ideology shared by many of the citizens in both North and South.

 

Tang Dynasty: 618 – 906 CE

However, after four decades of rule, the Sui was overthrown in a series of rebellions and ended up getting replaced by the Tang dynasty – a time regarded by historians as a high point in Chinese civilization. The royal family of this dynasty officially supported Taoism because of them claimed blood relations to Lao-Tzu. However, Buddhism also enjoyed great favor and imperial patronage throughout the period. The T'ien-t'ai, Ch'an and Pure Land schools of Buddhism continued to rise in popularity, and many monasteries and temples were built during this time.

Sung Dynasty: 960 – 1279

After a short unstable period, the “Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms,” the Sung Dynasty rose to rule China. Sung intellectuals sought answers to philosophical and political inquiries in the Confucian Classics, and this renewed interest in the Confucian ideals arose alongside the decline of Buddhism. The Sung Neo-Confucian philosophers found a certain purity in the originality of the ancient classical texts and wrote commentaries about them. However, the rigidity of the state’s official creed and philosophy led to the inhibition of societal development in pre-modern China. While this resulted to several generations of political, social and spiritual stability, it also decelerated cultural and institutional advancement in the country up to the 19th century.

When the Mongols conquered North China and established the Yuan dynasty in the 13th century, they did not attempt to impose their religion – which consisted of a cult of Heaven as well as nature and shamanistic practices – on the Chinese people. And so, the existing three religions in China enjoyed comparative freedom under these foreign rulers. During the Yuan dynasty that a large number of Muslim people were brought in to help in the administration of China. During this time that Islam spread all over the empire, establishing major population bases in the western provinces of Yunnan and Gansu.

Ming Dynasty: 1368 – 1644

The populace’s strong feelings against the rule of foreigners led to the peasant revolt that forced the Yuan dynasty out of Chinese territory and the subsequent establishment of the Ming Dynasty in 1368. During this period, Taoism and Buddhism had become poorly-organized popular religions, which led to the rise of new blends of Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist elements so, this paved the way for the rise of many private academies in the 16th century, opening an avenue for widespread philosophical discussions and conflicts.

With the eventual collapse of the Ming empire, the Qing Dynasty came to power - an empire that was founded by the semi-nomadic Manchus. In public policy, the Manchus were strong supporters of Confucianism, but in their private lives, the Qing rulers were devoted to Tibetan Buddhism. Most religious developments during the Qing dynasty were continuations of Ming traditions, except Protestant Christianity as well as the Taiping movement – which is the most significant innovation in Qing religion. The teachings of the Taiping Tianguo or the Celestial Kingdom of Great Peace combined the motifs of Christianity, shamanism and popular sectarian beliefs. Then, in the 19th century, traditional Chinese religions were subjected to waves of persecution, and many religious and institutional religious temples ended up getting destroyed.

The Qing dynasty collapsed in 1911, and with the fall of imperial China, Chinese intellectuals became free to invest themselves in new ideas and political forms. They also were given a chance to avidly study and translate Western writings, including those that spoke of Marxism. The result of this Westernization and secularization left Confucianism and other Chinese traditions vulnerable from attacks which led to the destruction or occupation of thousands of temples. Nevertheless, while these new ideas heavily affected the larger cities, the majority of the Chinese people continued to practice popular religions and traditions as before.

People’s Republic of China: 1949 – present

After the Communist Party’s triumph in the Chinese Civil War under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the People’s Republic of China was proclaimed in 1949. In the early parts of its governance, the People’s Republic of China kept a hostile stance toward religion, which was considered to be emblematic of feudalism and foreign colonialism. Places of worship were then converted into non-religious buildings intended for secular use. Religious beliefs or practices were discouraged because and labeled as "backward" and "superstitious" by the government, later being completely condemned during the Cultural Revolution. Millions of innocent people were killed by the military or injured by fellow citizens poisoned by communist propaganda. It was only in the late 1970s that this attitude relaxed because the 1978 Constitution of the People’s Republic of China supposedly "guaranteed" religious freedom, with a number of restrictions, and as long as religious practices were not perceived to challenge the communist authority of the state.

Today, popular, or folk, religious practice in China has combined elements of the old ancestral rites of previous dynasties and is marked by a propensity for syncretism. For most people in China, there is no problem with combining different beliefs and religious practices, unlike some other cultures that condemn those who follow religious or philosophical movements that are different from their own. While religion in China has several millennia of tumultuous periods of decline and prosperity, what has remained constant is the Chinese people’s ability to select the religious practices and teachings that work best for them at a particular point in time. They have always exercised the freedom to choose which religion could help them in their journey toward a harmonious life.

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Sources:

• http://www.religionfacts.com/chinese-religion/history
• http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/timelines/china_timeline.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_China#Proto-Chinese_and_Xia-Shang-Zhou_culture
• http://www.ancient.eu/article/891/
• http://www.patheos.com/Library/Chinese-Religion
• http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Writings/Chinese%20Religions%20-%20Overview.htm
• http://asiasociety.org/chinese-religions-and-philosophies
• http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chinrelg.html
• http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/2013/10/01/what-is-religion-in-china-a-brief-history/

Perfectly Preserved Body Found of 1,000-year-old Buddhist Master Ci Xian

Something mysterious has been discovered at the Dinghui Temple in Wu'an in the Hubei province of China. A golden mummy, the preserved remains of Master Ci Xian that is over 1,000 years old, underwent a CT scan on July 8, 2017, that was witnessed by monks, media and prayers . To everyone's surprise, researchers found that he still had a complete brain and that his bones were also really healthy.

According to Dr. Wu Yongqing who conducted the scan:

"We can see his bones are as healthy as a normal person's...The upper jaw, the upper teeth, the ribs, the spine and all the joints are all complete...It's incredible to see this."

According to historical records, Master Ci Xian was a well-respected monk from India who had translated 10 major sutras into Chinese and traveled from India to the Kingdom of Khitan (which is in modern day northeastern China) in an effort to promote Buddhism. Some of his translations were carved into stone tablets that can still be seen today. After his death, Master Ci Xian’s disciples preserved his body well. But over the years, the body was somehow lost, never to be found until it was rediscovered in a cave in the 1970s. 

Master Ci Xian’s remains were worshiped at the Dinghui Temple since 2011, and in 2016 the temple covered his body in gold paint as a sign of respect. According to Master Du at the Ding Hui temple, elderly monks can feel when they are about to pass away and will instruct their disciples to either cremate or preserve their remains. If preserved, his remains would be placed in a massive ceramic jar filled with natural preservatives. If the spiritual level of the monk is high enough, or there is a lot of cultivated energy within the monk’s body, then it would be soaked in the liquid for about 3 years. After that, the body will be removed from the liquid and covered in rice paste.

This may seem really strange to a lot of people but it is believed that all monks are cultivators with the goal of reaching enlightenment. And as they are cultivating, they are generating energy within their bodies. As the energy grows, it will start to change the cultivator’s body from a fundamental level. Often times, when a monk cultivates to a high level, pearl-like substances are left behind his ashes when he is cremated. The pearls are called sarira and are considered sacred and precious. Throughout human history and its billions of cremations, it was only high level cultivators who were able to leave sariras behind.

Tales of Joyeuse: The Sword that Conquered Europe

source: Ancient Origins

Some 1200 years ago, there lived a famous blacksmith named Galas who embarked on a mission of forging the perfect sword. In 802CE, three long years after the blacksmith first set fire to the forge, the very blade that would help conquer Europe was fashioned into existence. 

Fated to rest in the hands of the battle-born King of the Franks, Charlemagne, the sword La Joyeuse would soon command epic tales of conquests, myth, and magic. The history of Charlemagne’s conquest of Europe, for the most part, is a story of Joyeuse. Legend has it that Charlemagne was on his way back from Spain when setting camp in the very region where Galas was working; there the King of the Franks acquired Joyeuse. Charlemagne was known to be especially brutal and ruthless when fighting his battles, and Joyeuse was a weapon that was as glorious and deadly as his reputation.

There exist several accounts that ascribe magical powers to Joyeuse. Legend has it that the sword was forged with the shards of the infamous Lance of Longinus—the very lance that was stabbed into Jesus’ side during the crucifixion. It is said that whenever Charlemagne unsheathed Joyeuse in battle, he revealed a sword that outshone the sun, and left its enemies blind. It is also said that whoever mastered Joyeuse was impregnable to poison. 

The King of the Franks

source: Museum of Artifacts - blogger

Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, who lived from 742CE to 814CE was the King of the Franks; the Franks was an ancient kingdom that existed in modern day France. Charlemagne was a central figure to the political, military, and spiritual reshaping of medieval Europe. 

Soon after the fall of the Roman Empire, Charlemagne was responsible for consolidating the powers of Western Europe. He was able to build one of the vastest kingdoms in written history. The King of the Franks ruled over what are now the countries of France, Germany, Italy, Austria, and the Low Countries. In a rather militaristic method, Charlemagne was able to enforce the spread of Christianity throughout the conquered lands of Europe. 

Charlemagne was born in 742CE and was the son of King Pepin the Short. Upon the death of King Pepin, Charlemagne inherited the crown with his brother Carloman.  Unfortunately, after the brothers inherited the throne, Carloman passed away. Charlemagne then became the sole King of the Franks. 

Among the many things that the new king inherited was the responsibility to protect the temporal of the Holy See, the central seat of government of the Catholic Church occupied by the Pope. As a result, Charlemagne became deeply embroiled in wars against adversaries of the church, the most powerful of which were the pagan Lombards and Saxons of Germany. 

Ultimately, the new king was able to prove his military prowess by annihilating the adversaries of the land and the church. In 774CE, with a victory against the Lombards and the Saxons under his belt, the pope declared Charlemagne as the first champion of the Catholic Church. 

The Song of Roland

source:  Marto Deluxe Edition

The next two decades of Charlemagne’s reign were marked by brutal wars waged against the Lombards and Saxons of Germany and the Moors of Spain. In 778CE, Charlemagne launched a campaign against the Moors. It was during this campaign that the legendary Battle of Roncevaux Pass took place. The Battle of Roncevaux Pass was later immortalized in the epic poem Song of Roland, one of the oldest surviving major works of French literature. The 11th-century epic poem mentioned an account of Charlemagne riding into battle with La Joyeuse: 

(Charlemagne) was wearing his fine white coat of mail and his helmet with gold-studded stones; by his side hung Joyeuse, and never was there a sword to match it; its color changed thirty times a day. 

According to the story, it was during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass when Charlemagne momentarily lost Joyeuse. To get his sword back, Charlemagne promised to reward whoever could bring Joyeuse back to him. Eventually, one of Charlemagne’s soldiers found Joyeuse and brought it to him. True to his word, the King of the Franks gifted a generous portion of land to his soldier; Charlemagne planted his sword into the earth as he proclaimed— 

“Here will be built an estate of which you will be the lord and master, and your descendants will take the name of my wonderful sword: Joyeuse.” 

According to the story, this is the origin of the French town Joyeuse which sits in South France.

In 779CE, Charlemagne once again launched a massive military assault against the Saxons; this time, the campaign dealt a rather destructive blow to the King’s adversaries as it yielded the baptism of the Saxon leader in 785CE. 

After securing a lasting victory against the Saxons, Charlemagne’s reign became relatively quiet, except for occasional small-scale revolts and Viking raids. Charlemagne’s accomplishments in defending the Holy See and Western Christendom were eventually recognized in 800CE when the Pope crowned him as the Emperor of the Western Empire. 

As great a king as he was, Charlemagne proved to be an even greater emperor. He was able to bring order to a chaotic empire and set a good example to future kings and emperors. Under his reign, agriculture, trade, and law saw unprecedented leaps forward. 

Safekeeping La Joyeuse

charlemagne's saber - Imperial treasury of vienna 

Historians of today associate two swords to Charlemagne. One of Charlemagne’s swords is a saber; it is currently in the care of Weltliche Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) in Vienna, Austria. While the other one is the legendary sword Joyeuse which is currently in the care of the Louvre Museum. 

Joyeuse was transferred into the Louvre in 1793. Before then, the sword was kept originally in a monastery in Saint-Denis, which is a place of burial for French kings. The earliest mention of the sword being kept in the monastery was in 1905; Joyeuse was mentioned in an inventory where it was listed alongside two other royal swords—the swords of Louise IX and Charles VII.  

The sword Joyeuse derives its name from the word “joyful.” Since the 13th century, Joyeuse was featured prominently in coronation rites of rulers of France. The earliest known event when Joyeuse was used at a coronation was in 1270 when of the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold was crowned into power. This was a tradition continued until the coronation rites of Charles X in 1825.

Anatomy of the Sword

source: Medieval Ages-Life in Medieval Times

Today, the once battle-wielded Joyeuse is kept in the Louvre Museum; by this time, the sword has been preserved as a composite of numerous parts added over its long years of service as a coronation regalia. According to the Louvre, the pommel, the cross guard, and the grip had been all been replaced sometime between the 10th and 13th century. And although much of the original steel remains intact to this day, the blade itself had allegedly been refurbished sometime in the 19th century. 

Because it wasn’t being used in battle anymore, Joyeuse had undergone a lot of cosmetic changes to give it a more prestigious look. These ornamentations made Joyeuse representative of a wide range of cosmetic sensibilities from all around Europe throughout different periods in time. 

Joyeuse features two halves of a heavily sculpted gold pommel. The long gold grip measured 4.2 inches and was originally designed with a fleur-de-lis ornamentation within its prominent diamond patterning; fleur-de-lis is a stylized representation of a lily that is most famously recognized as the former royal arms of France. The fleur-de-lis ornamentation, however, was removed for the coronation of Napoleon I in 1804. 

Joyeuse features a gold cross-guard that measures 8.9 inches wide. It sports two winged dragons that are beaded with lapis lazuli eyes. The cross-guard was stamped in the 13th century with the text, “Deux marcs et demi et dix esterlins”; this translates to “two marks and a half and ten sterlings”, which is the weight of the gold. 

Joyeuse features a slender Oakeshott type II blade with a wide and shallow fuller. The blade of Joyeuse runs 32.6 inches long and measures 1.77 inches wide. There are competing schools of thought that offers opposing views on estimated age of the blade. One school of thought believes that the sword, to this very day, features the original blade of Joyeuse that dates back to the Middle Ages; the other suggests that the blade was forged when the sword allegedly got an overhaul in 1804. 

Much like most parts of the sword, the scabbard that originally carried Joyeuse had long undergone various changes. It is very likely that not much of the original scabbard remains except for its belt and the precious stones that were planted on its throat. 

At its present form, the scabbard consists of gilded silver. Its 6-inch throat is covered with purple velvet and ornamented with gold-threaded fleur-de-lis and gems. The velvet and fleurs-de-lis were late additions to the sword; both were added in 1824 for the coronation of Charles X. As for its dimensions, the scabbard has a length of 33 inches and a width of 2.75 inches. A piece of the original belt is still fitted in place, in true medieval fashion, with a gilded buckle. 

Today, Joyeuse remains to be one of the most important swords in all of Europe. Although it has long been removed from the battlefields of yesteryears, Charlemagne’s prized weapon serves as a reminder of prestige and royalty—a surviving testament to the King’s legendary conquests and much storied victories. 

Mystery Of The Naga Fireballs

source: The Daily Grail

In our modern world, we are currently caught in a tug of war between those who believe in the supernatural and paranormal nature of extraordinary events and those who seek to refute them by providing rational explanations or placing these unusual occurrences under the microscope of scientific investigation. Many myths, miracles and strange phenomena over time have been disbelieved, debunked and dismissed by skeptics and individuals of conventional logic and science. And yet, believers in things beyond mainstream truths continue to insist in the validity of their unconventional beliefs although evidence to the contrary has already been presented to them repeatedly. 

One example of an on-going debate between believers and skeptics concerning a supernatural phenomenon is the controversial mystery behind the Naga fireballs. And in this article, we will not be just talking about what the Naga fireballs are and the tale surrounding this unusual yearly manifestation; we will also shed light on the two sides fighting to gain supremacy over this alleged paranormal occurrence. One side believes in the legitimacy of the Naga fireballs’ magical wonder, while the opposing team has dared to unmask this phenomenon as nothing more than a human-made hoax.

What Are The Naga Fireballs?

source: HostelBookers

The Naga Fireballs are the reported tens to thousands glowing balls which spontaneously appear from and float above Thailand’s Mekong River at night every year. According to those who have seen them, these blazing balls of light emit a reddish color, and their sizes vary from smaller bubbles to bigger orbs as large as basketballs. 

Also referred to as “bung fai paya nak,” “Mekong lights,” or the “Naga Dancing Fire Balls,” these fireballs shoot up from the water and rise in the air as high as around 600 feet before dissipating completely. They ordinarily occur in the chilly evenings between late October and early November along the 300-mile-long stretch of the Mekong River. However, there are reports that they have occasionally surfaced in smaller ponds, rivers, and lakes found within this region of Thailand. 

The Phayanak Festival & The Naga

source: BangkokScoop.com

Reports of floating fireballs are not solely unique to Thailand as many cases of similar fiery orbs have also been spotted in different parts of Asia. However, it is in Thailand that the Naga fireballs are celebrated as part of the “Phayanak Festival,” an annual event in the country in which Buddha is greeted by the locals upon his arrival on Earth at the end of “vassa” – the three-month Rain Retreat or Buddhist Lenten season. This usually takes place on the 15th day of the 11th lunar month and is held in October every year. 

The “Wan Ok Phansa” is the last day of the festival and locals in Thailand celebrate the return of Buddha by gathering near the riverbank to observe the fireballs rise from the waters, float up in the air, and then disappear in the heavens. According to local mythology, the orbs of bright red light that appear above the Mekong River each year are actually the exhaled breath of the Naga or the “Phaya Naga,” which is a colossal sea serpent residing in the riverbed and wakes up annually to observe the end of “vassa” or the Buddhist Lent. 

Theories

source: www.thailandholiday.info

Although many have reported having personally seen the Naga fireballs arise from the Mekong River, there is still no universal agreement on the possible cause of the phenomenon and the reason why it consistently appears on an annual basis. Several theories, however, have been proposed in an attempt to explain the extraordinary event, and some of them can be classified as supernatural, natural or human-made. 

Given the mythological origin of the Naga Fireballs, the apparent supernatural explanation of this yearly phenomenon is that the burning red lights from the water of the Mekong River are indeed caused by a huge sea serpent living in its riverbed. Of course, to support this theory, the existence of the Naga must first be adequately proven. 

And so far, one of the proofs presented by those who believe in the existence of these magical sea serpents is a photograph featuring around 30 American soldiers supposedly carrying a 7.3-meter sea serpent found in the Mekong River back in 1973. Another proof supporting the supernatural value of the Naga fireballs and the existence of the Naga itself can be found at a Buddhist temple in Nong Khai City where fossilized bones of the mythical sea creature, such as an egg and a tooth, are reportedly on display. 

source: Samui Times

Though they do not refute the possibility that reddish balls of fiery light can rise from the water, some insist on a more natural explanation for the Naga fireballs. A popular explanation raised by these individuals is referred to as the Swamp Gas Theory. This theory is familiar to those who are interested in UFO phenomena, and it proposes that the organic deposits in the riverbed of the Mekong River decompose, which in turn, produce methane gas. This gas forms bubbles that float its way up to the surface, and once the gas comes into contact with oxygen-air, these pockets of methane spontaneously ignite and are consequently set aflame before they take flight into the sky. 

This theory was presented by a pediatrician, Dr. Manos Kanoksilp, who extensively studied the Naga Fireballs. To him, producing these blazing orbs also require precise conditions such as the perfect alignment of the Earth, the moon, and the sun. 

A similar explanation to the Swamp Gas Theory is the reasoning raised by some people that the Naga Fireballs are produced by the combustible phosphine gas that came from the muddy environment of the river.  In fact, Saksit Tridech, the deputy secretary of the Thai Science Ministry, along with a group of scientists, conducted a study regarding the physical conditions surrounding the river, and they concluded that the Naga Fireballs are produced as a result of the large deposits of phosphine gas found in the area. Phosphine, however, is not a naturally-occurring gas and so, it is posited that this type of gas is the consequence of a bacterial reduction of phosphate in the decay of organic material. 

Other scientists also theorized that the Naga Fireballs are free-floating plasma orbs that form when surface electricity is released into a solution – which in this case, is the Mekong River’s waters. However, the problem with this theory is that this type of orb is not only different in color and appearance from the reported characteristics of the Naga Fireballs, but it can only be produced using high voltage electricity that does not naturally occur in the environment. 

Hoax?

source: slam blogsma

The plasma orb theory is not the only supposition whose soundness has been disputed by skeptics and supernatural believers alike. The phosphine gas theory and the swamp methane gas theory have also been cast aside by some people as the most logical explanation to the Naga Fireballs. These people say that the perfectly precise conditions required to consistently produce the orbs year after year cannot possibly occur in a natural setting unless some man-made manipulation is involved. 

And so, we have now reached the most controversial explanation of them all, and this particular theory claims that the annual appearance of the Naga Fireballs is nothing more than a hoax to perpetuate the popularity of the Phayanak Festival and the Mekong River, which consequently has a positive effect on the local economy and the livelihood of the area’s residents.

In 2002, a documentary aired on the program “Code Cracking” of the ITV television network investigated what could be the source of the mysterious fireballs that surface every year during the celebration of the festival. The team had to take a boat and quietly travel to the Loatian side of the Mekong River. Once they crossed the river, they found Loatian soldiers firing tracer rounds into the sky. Those who analyzed the footage of the event also came to the conclusion that the Naga Fireballs were caused by the firing of flare guns from the other side of the river while the festival is ongoing on the Thailand side. The loud audience of the festival was not able to hear the sound of the gunshot as it was drowned out by the cheering noises of people and the noisy crackle of fireworks during the event. And so, they would not have been able to tell so easily if they were being deceived in the darkness and from half a mile away. 

With the stunning revelation that the Naga Fireballs could be a man-made phenomenon originally intended to generate buzz and draw crowds for the annual Buddhist Lent-related festival, does this truly mean that this strange phenomenon is nothing more than a hoax?

For me, the answer would be no. In cases where there are varying theories to explain an unusual occurrence, we must not be so quick to cling onto a single explanation. And in the case of the Naga fireballs, there is no such thing as single truth, as the opposing sides of believers and skeptics have presented their respective evidence and have chosen to uphold their own perspectives on the matter. And so, at least for now, whether you believe in the supernatural, natural, or human-made explanations about the mysterious Naga fireballs is completely up to you. However, keep in mind that regardless of which perspective you think best explains this phenomenon, you should always, always try to keep an open mind.   

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_fireball
http://altereddimensions.net/2015/naga-fireballs-of-mekong-river-mysterious-glowing-orbs-rise-from-water
http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2014/01/naga-fireballs-swamp-gas-or-divine-breath/
https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4183
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/mystery-of-the-naga-fireballs-at-mekong-river/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wan_Ok_Phansa
http://unexplainedmysteries.org/post/32736046368/unexplained-phenomenon-of-naga-fire-balls
https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/photos/5-natural-events-that-science-cant-explain/the-naga-fireba
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,391567,00.html
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233486379_The_Postmodernization_of_a_Mythical_Event_Naga_Fireballs_on_the_Mekong_River

Hundreds Of Giant Mysterious Tunnels Discovered In Brazil

Brazil – a tropical paradise and home to some of the best athletes in the world.

It is the largest country in both South America and Latin America and boasts a beautiful culture and stunning scenery. In Brazil, you can find the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and the awe-inspiring Corcovado and Sugarloaf Mountains. Travelers and explorers will find a wonderful slate of fauna such as the giant anteater, several varieties of sloths, armadillos, otters, and even capybara in the country.

However, Brazil has more than meets the eye. In fact, the country has its fair share of mysteries.

In 2010, geologist Amilcar Adamy from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, found a giant hole a few miles north of the Bolivian border. Upon investigation, he realized that the hole could not have been naturally made. None of the caves Adamy explored looked like anything the tunnels featured, with their round passages and smooth floors.

The mysterious tunnels have since then been discovered by various experts around the country and have opened up an entirely new realm of possibilities for geological studies.   

The Tunnels

source: Disclose.tv

Geologist Heinrich Theodor Frank stumbled across the tunnels while driving on the national Novo Hamburgo Highway. While driving, a hole of around one meter in diameter caught his attention. The hole was located at a construction site, and after further investigation, Frank discovered that the hole led to a complex underground tunnel. The tunnel was about 70 centimeters high and a few meters in length, with what appeared to be strange scratches on the ceiling of its walls. 

After further exploration, Frank realized that hundreds of similar tunnels existed all over Brazil. The state of Rondonia alone has a large complex of 600 meter-long tunnels. Not only that, 2,000 burrows with similar characteristics have also been found. 

Not even the locals in the area knew about the origins of the tunnels. Further tests showed that the tunnels were not man-made in origin. 

The Mysteries

Urban legends point towards various "historical" and even supposed "mythological" origins of the mysterious tunnels. Some say the tunnels were created by Indians, Jesuits, slaves, or even revolutionaries. Others believe the tunnels are a giant anthill or were even made by bears. Very rare few point towards a great mythological serpent that may have used the tunnel as its home.

Regardless, geological evidence alone proves that the tunnels were not created by Brazilian natives. The Indians who lived in Brazil even before the Europeans arrived did not use iron, and therefore had no means of digging through the hard rocks around the tunnels. 

According to Frank, there is no natural geological process known to man that can produce the features of the tunnels. These features include the circular or elliptical cross-sections that branch, rise, and fall around the area.

The geographic distribution of the tunnels is another mystery to scientists. The tunnels were only found in the southern parts of Brazil - particularly in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. They don't exist anywhere else. 

source:Earth Touch News Network

The claw marks on the walls of the tunnels are also peculiar.

Prehistoric animals such as giant armadillos or possibly mega-sloths are thought by many to be possible creators of such marks.

The biggest burrows, with sizes of up to five feet in diameter, may have been dug by ground sloths that have adapted to the area’s environment and developed digging skills.

Giant armadillos, though shorter than sloths, may also have the skills necessary to dig these tunnels as well. The grooves along the ceiling may, in fact, be marks the animals have left whenever they pause or stop working. 

Unfortunately, there are no specific indications of these animals living in the country. Moreover, the sheer size of the tunnels cannot possibly be made by any “giant” armadillos or sloths – at least, ones that we know of.

The giant armadillo, the largest existing member of its family, weighs between 65 and 90 pounds and is native to South America. However, its burrows are about 16 inches in diameter, and only up to 20 feet long. If the tunnels’ five foot wide and 250-feet long burrows are in fact dug my animals, then it should be one extremely big creature – one that has not been discovered yet. 

However, it seems there is still another possibility.

Historical Evidence

source: Ancient Origins

Frank eventually sent photographs of the tunnels to Marcelo Rasteiro of the Brazilian Society of Speleology. He introduced the notion of "paleoburrows" excavated by living organisms in any geological age.

Examples of these organisms include worms in the Cambrian Era, mollusks in the Mesozoic Era, or rats in the Pleistocene. These are all organisms that have lived millions of years ago.

Until the early 2000s, hardly any burrows attributed to extinct animals can be found in scientific literature. In fact, it was only in 2015 that Adamy himself had the opportunity to extensively explore the mysterious tunnels. 

If this paleoburrow theory is to be believed, then the tunnels in Brazil may have been created between 10,000 and 8,000 years ago. If this is the case, then the Rondonia tunnels Frank have discovered may be the first - and the largest - paleoburrow in the Amazon.

These tunnels can actually be found all over the world, which adds even more depth to the mystery. Frank said similar caves could be found in countries such as Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. 

Until scientists can figure out who, what, or how these paleburrows were made, they will remain an unfathomable enigma.

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Sources:

http://www.ancient-code.com/experts-baffled-discovery-hundreds-mysterious-tunnels-brazil/
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2017/03/28/paleoburrows-south-america/#.WPiI9tKGOUk
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/extinct-megafauna-dug-these-incredible-tunnels-in-brazil/
http://www.ufrgs.br/paleotocas/Producao.htm

The Most Deadly Cursed Diamond In The World

Diamonds are precious gemstones which, from ancient to modern times, have typically been used for adornment because of its gemological and shining characteristic of dispersing white light and bursting it into different spectral and sparkling colors. It cannot be denied that people are primarily fascinated by these precious stones for their crystalline beauty and elegance as well as the widespread knowledge that they could last “forever.” But, of course, not all diamonds and other gemstones are famous simply for their physical attributes, but for the notorious reputation, they gained over several generations for purportedly being cursed. 
 
Many of the oldest gemstones that survive today bring with them tales of mystery, intrigue as well as a series of misfortunes that have been passed down from one owner to the next. With so many people going to great lengths to possess them, and with so many deaths believed to have been caused by these precious diamonds, a lot of individuals today are left wondering if the pricelessness of these gemstones is worth the curse that comes with owning one.
 
One of the most famously known diamonds believed to possess a deadly curse is the Koh-i-Noor.

The Koh-i-Noor, which is Persian for “Mountain of Light,” is currently ranked as the 90th largest diamond in the world, and is arguably the most infamous one. It is a large, dazzling, oval-cut and colorless diamond, which currently weighs at 105.6 karats or 21.12 grams. Its earliest officially recorded weight was 186 karats or 77.2 grams, though it is believed by some to have weighed as much as 793 karats before its first cutting. 
 
As for when it was first found and where it originally came from, no one knows for certain. But what is common knowledge is the fact that it is an unspeaking witness to centuries of violent and bloody wars and conquests, having been passed on from one ruler or conqueror to another, sometimes by inheritance but mostly by force. The story and lives of those who once held ownership of this gemstone went down in history as rulers whose legacies were plagued with ill fortune, and whose kingdoms and empires eventually met their downfall. 
 
Even now, ownership of this precious diamond is still being fought about by various nations, which is probably why some people have thought of the Koh-i-Noor as the deadliest cursed diamond on the planet. 

Source: bbc

Mysterious Origins

There are conflicting views regarding the possible origins of the Koh-i-Noor. Some say that the legendary diamond’s existence dates back to more than 5,000 years ago, and was found in the river bed of the Lower Godavari River, which is part of the second longest river in India. Others say that the legendary diamond came from Surya, the sun god, and was given to the world as a unique gift. There also those who claim that the diamond was originally the property of the Hindu god Krishna, while others believe that the Koh-i-Noor is the prized jewel called Shyamantaka mentioned in the written texts of Indian mythology. Another story suggests that the diamond was worn by Raja Karna as a talisman when he fought in the Mahabharata war. 

 

The Journey of the Koh-i-Noor From India to England

While it may be impossible now to find out where exactly the Koh-i-Noor was found, it is widely believed that the prized gemstone came from the Kollur Mines in the Guntur District, which was located in what is known today as the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. 
 
They say that the diamond was the eye of the Devi, or the goddess, in a Hindu temple during the reign of the Kakatiya dynasty sometime in the 13th century. However, during the early 14th century, the Turkic Khilji dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate marched to southern India. The army of Alauddin Khalji – the dynasty’s second ruler – raided the kingdoms of the area for their wealth, and it is believed that among the riches and prized possessions taken by the Khilji’s army is the Koh-i-Noor diamond. 
 
The stone supposedly remained in the custody of the Khilji dynasty for several years until it was later passed on to subsequent dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate. However, most historians agree that the first reliable recording of the Koh-i-Noor was in the Baburnama or the Memoirs of Babur, an autobiographical work written by the founder of the Mughal Empire, Babur. The jewel was obtained by the conqueror and at the time, he referred to it as the “Diamond of Babur.” He also mentioned in his memoirs that it had belonged to an unnamed Raja of Malwa in India. It has also been said that the emperor treasured the diamond so much that he compared its worth to “the value of one day’s food for all the people in the world” who lived at the time. 
 
The Mughal Empire ruled over most of the Indian subcontinent for around two centuries, and it is believed that the Koh-i-Noor was passed from one emperor of the Mughal Empire to the next until the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, had the jewel placed onto his ornamental Peacock Throne. Unfortunately, Jahan’s sons got caught up in a power struggle that led to his imprisonment, and the ailing emperor eventually passed away in captivity. When his son Aurangzeb came into power, ownership of the Peacock Throne and the diamond passed onto him before it eventually came into the possession of Aurangzeb’s grandson, Sultan Mahamad. 

 In 1739, Delhi was invaded by the ruling Shah of Persia, Nader Shah, who went down in history as the “scourge” of the Ottoman Empire. With the invasion of Nader Shah’s army came the exhaustive looting and acquisition of the riches and valuable possessions of the Mughal nobility. Along with other jewels and treasures, the Peacock Throne which contained the diamond was transported to Persia. As the story goes, when the Shah finally got his hands on the famous stone, he allegedly exclaimed “Koh-i-Noor!” which is how the jewel got its name. 
 
The Koh-i-Noor did not last for very long in Nader Shah’s possession as he was assassinated in 1747. With the fall of his empire, the diamond fell into the hands of his general, Ahmad Shah Abdali, who eventually rose to power as the Emir of Afghanistan. When he and his son died during their respective reigns, Ahmad Shah Abdali’s descendants were caught in a civil war. Amid the chaos, Shah Shuja Durrani, a descendant of Ahmad Shah who briefly assumed power as king, escaped from the wrath of his feuding brothers and brought the Koh-i-Noor with him in India. 

Shah Shuja Durrani sought asylum in Lahore, which was granted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler and founder of the Sikh Empire. However, his safety came at a very high price, as the Sikh emperor required that the Koh-i-Noor be given to him in exchange for his hospitality. And so, Shah Shuja Durrani surrendered ownership of the diamond, and the Sikh emperor took possession of the stone in 1813. 
 
The new owner of the Koh-i-Noor purportedly loved the diamond so much that he wore it on all kinds of public occasions. Perhaps to make sure that the jewel will be taken care of by capable hands, the Sikh emperor willed that the Koh-i-Noor be given to a Hindu temple. However, when he died and after the assassinations of the next Maharajas, his youngest son, Duleep Singh, ascended the throne at the tender age of five in 1843. And when the British Empire won the Second Anglo-Sikh War in April 1849, the ten-year-old Duleep was made to sign the Last Treaty of Lahore. Having done so, he resigned his claim to the sovereignty of Punjab and officially ceded ownership of the Koh-i-Noor to Queen Victoria along with his other assets to the East India Company.
 

When the Koh-i-Noor came into the possession of the British royal family, Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, commissioned the re-cutting of the diamond to its current size and appearance, and it was worn by the queen as a personal brooch. After Queen Victoria’s death, it became a part of the crown jewels of the British royal family. It was mounted onto the crown of Queen Consort Alexandra before it was transferred to Queen Consort Mary’s crown in 1911, and was finally placed on the crown of The Queen Mother Elizabeth in 1937.
 
Today, the crown is publicly displayed along with other Crown Jewels of the royal family at the Tower of London.

The Curse of the Koh-i-Noor

Considering that the ownership of the Koh-i-Noor transferred from one person to another for so many times to the point that it became difficult to pinpoint who had it when we can’t help but ask: Is the curse of the Koh-i-Noor real?
 
There’s an old saying about the Koh-i-Noor, and it states: “He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or woman, can wear it with impunity.”
 
If we take a look at the events that transpired around the time the Koh-i-Noor was in possession of an emperor or a ruler, it will not be difficult to see the pattern of violence, gore, and tragedies that are very apparent in the diamond’s history. The stories of the people who gained ownership of the jewel and their descendants who ended up inheriting the stone usually ended in torture, murder, mutilation, treachery and the collapse of their dynasties. 

While the British royal family may never admit that they believe in the curse of the Koh-i-Noor, its history cannot be dismissed so easily, and it seems the threat of receiving the curse is frightening enough for the long-reigning monarch to handle it with caution. After the reign of Queen Victoria, the use of the Koh-i-Noor diamond has so far only been granted to the wives of the male heirs to the British throne. Even Queen Elizabeth II has steered clear of wearing the diamond with a crown or as an accessory, even though the Koh-i-Noor’s curse supposedly only applied to male rulers.

Of course, this does not confirm that the diamond is cursed and deadly, but it does leave us wondering if the jewel is indeed the source of the problem of its owners, or its role in the violent history of many fallen empires is not any more special than any other spoil of war. Did the owners of the Koh-i-Noor and the empires and kingdoms they ruled experienced horrible misfortunes and terrible fates because the diamond in their possession was cursed? Or, did people come to believe that the Koh-i-Noor was cursed simply because its previous owners incidentally experienced misfortunes along with the collapse of their empires?
 
We may never know for sure if the Koh-i-Noor is indeed cursed, or its supposed menacing power to destroy the lives of its owners and their descendants is nothing more than a long-standing myth. And perhaps answering this mystery should be the least of our concern at the moment as there are more pressing issues about this diamond that remains unresolved today, particularly the disputes over its ownership. 
 
Although under the possession of the British royal family, other countries such as India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have called for the United Kingdom’s relinquishment of the diamond’s ownership and the return of the Koh-i-Noor to the care of their respective nations. And although the jewel’s presence in London is largely contested, it looks like the British royal family will not be ceding possession of this diamond anytime soon. 

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-4608828/The-world-s-deadliest-diamond.html
http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/deadly-diamond/
http://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/kohinoor-diamond-stolen-and-cursed/172354
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/the-kohinoor-following-the-bloodiest-diamond-across-history/story-KwrpNJ70xTqlkjGQ2b1LOK.html
http://www.academia.edu/6804928/The_Lust_and_Curse_of_the_Koh-i-Noor_Diamond_of_India
https://www.worthy.com/famous-diamonds/the-koh-i-noor-diamond
http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/mountain-light-history-and-lore-koh-i-noor-diamond-005172?nopaging=1

The Mysterious Ancient Giants Who Ruled America

Are giants real? At some point in our distant past, were there ancient people of enormous size that walked the earth and dominated the planet as humans now do?

So much knowledge of the world’s past has been lost throughout the ages – some destroyed by war, some ruined by natural disasters, some neglected by mankind’s ignorance and lack of appreciation, and some simply disappeared as a natural consequence of the passage of time. But while much has been lost, much also remains to be discovered. And the clues to answering questions like whether or not giants once existed on the planet could actually be found in what lies beneath our feet.

In recent years, due to the number of mysterious findings around the world supporting the idea that giants walked on earth a long, long time ago, more and more people are seriously considering the possibility that these gigantic human-like creatures are more than just mythological beings.

Mentions of Giants in Mythologies of Different Cultures

But before we go any further on the supposed archaeological evidences available supporting the existence of ancient giants, let’s briefly discuss the many old stories about enormous beings that are treated today as nothing more as simple myths.

The Bible, in particular, references giants several times in many of its sections. For example, Genesis 6:4 in the King James Bible states: “There were giants in the Earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

In some translations of the Old Testament, these “giants” are referred to as the “Nephilim,” which some say are born from the union between fallen angels and the descendants of Adam. One more example of giants having been mentioned in the Bible is Goliath, the champion of the Philistine army who engaged in a famous battle with David, as told in the Book of Samuel.

Ancient Greek mythology also made mention of giants of prehistory – the titans. As the story goes, the primordial goddess Gaea gave life to the titans, giants who roamed the earth before the Olympians and mankind could. However, the titans were eventually overthrown by the Olympians, and they had suffered terrible fates of torture and oblivion.

Several Native American tribes have also passed down legends of giants who were wiped out. For one, the tradition of the Choctaw people spoke about a race of giants that once lived in what is now the State of Tennessee in the United States. Referred to as the Nahullo, the ancestors of the Choctaw came into contact with this race of white giants when they first crossed the Mississippi River. The Nahullo were said to be cannibals, and the Choctaw eliminated these giants when the opportunity arose.

Other tribes like the Comanches, the Navajo, and the Manta indigenous people also passed down stories of white giants that supposedly inhabited different parts of the continent a long time ago.

Alleged Archaeological Evidences Proving the Existence of Ancient Giants

Now that we’re on the subject matter of Native American tribes and their cultures, let’s talk about the fact that the mound sites found in North America – which are often related to these tribes – are believed by some people to be the sacred burial mounds of the ancient giants that once existed in the area. Over 1,000 accounts of skeletons that stood at around seven-foot and taller have reportedly been recovered from these ancient burial sites for over two hundred years of archaeological exploration in the continent.  This is supported by a deluge of newspaper clippings, journal articles, diaries, photos and ethnology reports that have largely documented the discovery of these skeletons.

Giant Skeletons in the West Virginia Mounts

The West Virginia Mounds, in particular, are believed by some people, in many respects, to be the key to unlocking the real story behind the ancient giants who once ruled America. In the book of Emmy Award-winning writer and researcher Richard Dewhurst, “The Ancient Giants Who Ruled America,” he claimed that in 1883, the Smithsonian dispatched a team of archaeologists to the South Charleston Mound in West Virginia to conduct an extensive dig of 50 mounds found in this location. In their report, the team revealed that they have uncovered numerous giants, and one of them was 7 feet and 6 inches tall. In another mound, they also found another giant skeleton surrounded by a circle of ten skeletons. There was also a large skeleton found in the remains of a bark coffin, and it had a compressed or flat-head type of skull.

Archaeologists in Wheeling, West Virginia also found a group of giants with heights ranging from 6 feet and 7 inches to 7 feet and 6 inches. These skeletons also showed unusual skull formations. They had low foreheads “while the back part of the head is very prominent,” features which are noticeably different from the skulls of humans that exist today.

Giant Skeletons Across the State of Ohio

Dewhurst also revealed in his book that numerous finds of giants 8 to 10 feet tall were also discovered across the state of Ohio. For example, in a mound site in Chillicothe, dozens of skeletons were found wearing copper masks, and at a related site in the same area, they also supposedly unearthed “a massive skeleton” which was “encased in copper armor.” In another dig conducted in 1889 in Southern Ohio, a giant was found buried with the bones of a panther, while another large skeleton with bone and shell beads imported from the Atlantic Ocean was also unearthed.

The discoveries in Newark, Ohio also deserve special mention, as the skeleton of an 8-foot-tall queen wearing copper jewelry and pearls was reportedly found in this area. In Centralia, another giant encased in copper armor was discovered, and a 7-feet-2-inch giant skeleton was also uncovered in Cartersville.

Giant Skeletons Found in the Mound Sites of Wisconsin

Among the most crucial pieces of evidence in support of the theory that ancient giants roamed America are the discoveries made in Wisconsin. As first reported in the May 4, 1912 issue of the New York Times, at least 18 anomalous skeletons had been found in Wisconsin and they exhibited extremely unusual features that are supposedly nothing like any known species at present. The excavation was overseen by the Beloit College and around 200 mounds were studied in the process. The anomalous skeletons retrieved from this area were allegedly bigger than men today, with their heights ranging from 8 to 10 feet.

Alleged Smithsonian Involvement in Covering Up the Existence of Ancient Giants

Despite the abundance in archaeological proof supporting the existence of giants, mainstream science has, until now, stubbornly remined silent when it comes to affirming or recognizing the theory that an ancient race of giants once inhabited different parts of the world, particularly America. And in Dewhurst’s book, he claimed that the Smithsonian has been at the center of a vast cover-up of America’s true history since the 1880s, suppressing the discoveries of giant skeletons found in many Native American burial mounds in the continent to avoid risking putting the current theory of evolution into question. There are even speculative rumors which suggest that the Smithsonian went so far as to not only hide but also destroy evidence of giant skeletons in America. The museum allegedly has the reputation of stepping in and taking unearthed skeletons and relics for further research and analysis, only for these archaeological finds to never be seen again.

Of course, those who believe in such “out-of-this-realm” conspiracy theory often face ridicule from men and women of conventional science. After all, it would be very difficult to prove that a cover-up actually happened without overwhelming evidence that will convince skeptics that giants did exist in the first place. But then again, how can we prove that giants once existed on the planet if there are forces out there deliberately preventing people from knowing the truth?

Well, clearly, all of this is still a matter of intense debate. The battle of proving whether there was once an advanced civilization of giants that spread across the earth in a distant time where mankind was still in its primitive state still cannot be won up to now. And a definitive answer is still nowhere in sight either. So, for the time being, we will have to weigh all available information about this subject matter for ourselves, and provide a subjective and personal verdict on the merits of this particularly mystery on our own.

If you ask me, I would say that the evidence presented by those who believe in the existence of ancient giants is too substantial and overwhelming to be completely discredited. Moreover, aren’t we limiting ourselves if we simply resent and resist other beliefs and theories just because they go against what society and mainstream science expect us – demand us – to hold true? Perhaps that’s another thing that we should think about, too.

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Sources:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1150852-did-giants-exist-part-1-legends-and-americas-giant-skeletons/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1871411-ancient-race-of-white-giants-described-in-native-legends-from-many-tribes/
http://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/top-ten-giant-discoveries-north-america-005196?nopaging=1
https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/gigantes/esp_gigantes_15.htm
https://grahamhancock.com/dewhurstr1/
https://www.ancient-code.com/the-greatest-smithsonian-cover-up-dozens-of-giant-skeletons-discovered-around-the-world/
http://www.ancientpages.com/2014/04/26/the-ancient-giants-who-ruled-america-the-missing-skeletons-and-the-great-smithsonian-cover-up/
https://www.sott.net/article/256712-A-giant-mystery-18-strange-giant-skeletons-found-in-Wisconsin-Sons-of-god-Men-of-renown
https://www.sott.net/article/281093-The-truth-about-giant-skeletons-in-American-Indian-mounds-and-the-Smithsonian-cover-up
http://eindtijdinbeeld.nl/EiB-Reuzen_en_nephilim/The%20Ancient%20Giants%20Who%20Ruled%20America,%20The%20Missing%20Skeletons%20and%20the%20Great%20Smithsonian%20Cover-Up%20-%20Richard%20J%20Dewhurst.pdf
http://www.unveilingknowledge.com/the-cover-up-of-a-giant-race-of-ancient-humans/
http://www.theeventchronicle.com/study/the-great-smithsonian-cover-up-18-giant-skeletons-discovered-in-wisconsin/#
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1150852-did-giants-exist-part-1-legends-and-americas-giant-skeletons/

World’s Oldest Book of Wisdom Predicts The Future

Divination is the reading of signs or symbols with the intention of receiving guidance and wisdom about current situations and future events. From ancient and medieval worlds up to our modern era, many different methods of divination have been used and are still being used today, which include but are not limited to: the observation of animal behavior, the movement of the stars and the planets, the casting of lots, and utterances from supposed oracles. In the past, these methods were understood to be some of the ways of communicating with the spiritual world or unleashing unseen powers. But from a modern psychological standpoint, divination now represents one of humans’ subtle means of accessing the wisdom of the unconscious mind.

One ancient system of divination, which originated in China and has endured until now even though thousands of years have already passed, is steeped in myth and legend, and possesses undeniable spiritual, philosophical and historical value. This is known as the I Ching or the Book of Changes, and it is unquestionably one of the oldest and most important books in the world’s literature.

Brief Background:

The I Ching, or the Book of Changes, is an ancient Chinese divination text and is also the oldest of the Chinese classics. The text possesses a history of more than two and a half millennia of commentary and interpretation, making it an influential text throughout the world for the inspiration it serves in religion, art, literature, psychoanalysis and even business.

Originally, the I Ching was a divination manual in the Western Zhou period, around 1000 to 750 BC. Sometime between 500 and 200 BC, which was over the course of the Warring States period and the early imperial period, it was transformed into a cosmological text that came with a series of philosophical commentaries known as the “Ten Wings.” After it became a part of the Five Classics in the 2nd century BC, the I Ching established itself as not only the basis of divination practice for centuries across the Far East, but also the subject of scholarly commentary and an influential tool in the Western understanding of Eastern thought.

The interpretation of the readings found in the Book of Changes has sparked intense debate for centuries. Nevertheless, many have used the book symbolically to provide guidance for moral decision making, which is why it is not surprising that both of the two branches of Chinese philosophy, Confucianism and Taoism, share common roots through this ancient text. Many western figures – like psychologist Carl Gustav Jung, physicist Wolfgang Pauli, and writer Hermann Hesse - have recognized the Book of Changes as an intelligent, profound and sophisticated system of divination, which is most likely why it has been in continuous use up to now in different parts of the world.

Philosophy of the I Ching:

Change is the central idea behind the I Ching. Much like the way the night gradually and without division follows after day, and one season evolves into another, nothing in life and in the universe is fixed or ever unchanging. Everything is not split into the timeframes of the past, the present or the future. All things in the universe are interlinked and constantly moving and changing. We are all in a state of flux and transition. And the path to understanding and embracing change involves acknowledging and comprehending the relationship between the energetic polarities of Yin and Yang.

Yin and Yang, while seemingly opposing energies are in fact complementary. Yin corresponds to receptive, mutable and contracting form, while Yang corresponds to active, creative and expansive force. The balance between these two energies is ever changing and transforming, which is why it is signified by a wavy, center line (or Wu Wei Line) in the well-known Yin-Yang symbol – also known as Tai Chi or The Great Ultimate.  

In Taoist thinking, the concept of energetic balance between Yin and Yang and flow have a deep and meaningful relationship in people’s lives and that of the universe as a whole. And because everything in the universe is generated from the Yin-Yang polarity and the flow between the two opposing yet complementary energies, the philosophy of the I Ching welcomes change, movement, transformation, momentum and regeneration.

The I Ching is all about change – exploring and defining the changes you experience even if they may be beyond your current understanding, and revealing all the possibilities for future change, action as well as inaction.

Basic Structure of the I Ching as a Divination System:

In the Book of Changes, Yang and Yin are represented by unbroken and broken lines. In utilizing the I Ching as a tool for divination, these lines are used to create “hexagrams” – figures which are made up of six lines. Each inquiry to the oracle will require a hexagram reading and possibly additional line readings as well.

A hexagram is made up of two trigrams, and each trigram is made up of three lines. Each line is either broken or solid, corresponding to the negative force Yin and the positive force Yang. There are eight possible trigrams: Ch’ien for the Cosmos, Chen for Thunder, K’an for Water, Ken for Mountain, K’un for Earth, Sun for Wind or Wood, Li  for Fire, and Tui for Lake. These eight trigrams were conceived as symbols of all that happens in both heaven and on earth. At the same time, they were all held to be in a state of continual transition, with one trigram changing into another, just as transitions from one phenomenon to another are continuously occurring in the physical world.

There are sixty-four different hexagrams, and each hexagram has six changing lines, and its presence affect the hexagram’s meaning.  These changing lines in the primary hexagram also point to the creation of a second, transformed hexagram, which is also included in the readings and interpretation when responding to a person’s consult over a situation or answering a question.

All in all, there are 4,096 possible core readings. With the inclusion of symbols, nuclear trigrams, as well as other factors, the interpretation possibilities provided by the Book of Changes are pushed into the tens of millions.

Consulting the I Ching:

The I Ching is made up of 64 chapters, and each of them relate to a corresponding hexagram which presents a particular message. In consulting the I Ching, the first step to do is to formulate a question, followed by the creation of a hexagram. This is typically done through the process of throwing coins, but several other ways have also been utilized in consulting the ancient text. One traditional method uses grains of rice, while another uses yarrow sticks. But for our purpose of explaining the process of consulting the I Ching, we will be using the method of throwing coins as example.

Before casting the coins down, those who seek to consult the Book of Changes for divine guidance must first meditate on the question they want to ask, which are usually related to the issue or situation they are currently facing. With a question in mind, the three coins are shaken in a cupped hand before they are thrown down. And in throwing the coins, the intention is to create a hexagram. As previously mentioned, each hexagram is built up from a series of six lines, and these lines are either broken or unbroken, reflecting the energetic qualities of the situation at hand.

A straight line ‘_______’ represents Yang energy or young Yang, while a broken line      ‘____  ____’ represents Yin energy or young Yin. There is also another energetic quality which reflects the dynamism of the Yin or Yang energy of any situation; and so, they may be at the point of transformation, either from Yin to Yang or vice versa. These lines are called ‘moving’ or ‘changing’ lines and they can either be Yin moving or changing – also referred to as old Yin -  or Yang moving or changing – which is also known as old Yang. The unique combination of these four energetic qualities and the possibilities over the six lines of a hexagram represent the energy of the entire situation an individual is consulting the Book of Changes about.

In the coin method, each time three coins are thrown at the same time translates to an energetic line. And so, throwing the coins six times create the six lines that become the whole hexagram. The two distinguishable sides of the coins are assigned numerical values: “heads” is given the value of 3, while “tails” has the value of 2. By throwing three coins at the same time, their combined value will fall between 6 and 9. These values can then be translated to their energetic lines. 6 corresponds to the old Yin; 7 is the young Yang; 8 is the young Yin; and 9 is the old Yang.

The value and the type of energetic line of the first coin throw corresponds to the first or the bottom line of the hexagram, while the result of the second throw corresponds to the second line from the bottom line of the hexagram, and so on. Repeating the coin throw six times helps formulate the values of the lines of the hexagram from the bottom up. The bottom three lines are referred to as the lower trigram, while the top three lines are the upper trigram. Together, a pair of trigrams make up the whole hexagram.

Once the trigrams have been written down, the grid table of the Book of Changes is consulted to identify the name and number of the hexagram that was formulated based on the results of the coin throws. This is the primary hexagram. Each hexagram chapter in the I Ching is divided into two sections. The main opening text provides an overview of the message the hexagram pertains to, but there are also a series of six supplementary passages, each relating to one of the six lines of the hexagram. If moving or changing lines are present within the hexagram, additional line passages that these changing lines correspond to should also be read for further guidance and insight.  

Having moving or changing lines in a hexagram may mean that the question asked or the situation consulted about is in an extreme state of flux, which indicates that it is unbalanced or due for immediate change. And so, in addition to reading the supplementary line passages within the primary hexagram chapter, these moving or changing lines can also be allowed to change. This means that every old Yin becomes a young Yang; while every old Yang becomes a young Yin. And with this transition, a second extension or relating hexagram is created.

These two hexagrams – specifically the main text and relevant line passages of the primary hexagram, and the main body text of the extension hexagram – are read together to disclose the full meaning of the spiritual and moral guidance being offered by the Book of Changes for a specific consult or question.

The I Ching represents an entire ancient philosophy that should be treated with great respect and admiration. It symbolizes the cyclical interconnectedness of the Universe and it serves as a moral guide to a personal path of balance and harmony. The wisdom this book contains has the potential to stimulate your sensitivity, creativity and resourcefulness, even when you are experiencing the most challenging and demanding periods of your life, during which those vital personal qualities are not as easy to unleash from within.

Most importantly, the I Ching does not give you specific and straight-to-the point ‘answers’ you might expect to get. Instead, it empowers you and encourages you to look within for the answer that you seek. Its mysticism as a divination system is, paradoxically, founded on its emphasis on the phenomenal nature of human beings.

But apart from its spiritual value and usefulness as a tool for divination, the book also offers a wealth of beautiful poetry and Chinese philosophy that stretches back 5000 years into the origins of ancient Chinese customs and values. And perhaps this is the more widely-embraced reason why the I Ching should be considered a global treasure.  

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Ching
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Ching_divination
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Ching%27s_influence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleromancy
http://www.ichingonline.net/about.php
http://www.iging.com/intro/introduc.htm
http://www.messagetoeagle.com/i-ching-the-book-of-changes-worlds-oldest-book-of-wisdom-used-to-predict-future-events/
http://www.wakingtimes.com/2012/09/04/the-i-ching-a-spiritual-guide/
http://www.psychicscience.org/ching3help.aspx

Acharya Kanad, The Indian Sage Who Developed Atomic Theory 2,600 Years Ago

According to what we learn in school these days, English chemist and physicist John Dalton - who was born in late 18th century - is the man credited by modern science with the development of the atomic theory. However, it might be surprising for many people today to know that the concept of atoms was actually formulated by an Indian sage and philosopher nearly 600 years prior to the birth of Christ or 2,500 years before Dalton achieved this scientific breakthrough during his time.

This Indian sage and philosopher was known as Acharya Kanad, and some consider him as the “actual” father of Atomic theory.

Background on Acharya Kanad

source: wikimedia commons

Acharya Kanad was born around 600 BC or 800 BC in Prabhas Kshetra which is located near Dwaraka in present day Gujarat, India. His real name was actually Kashyap and was the son of a philosopher named Ulka.

Since childhood, Kashyap displayed a very keen sense of detail and was fascinated by the most minute things. When he was only a young boy, he once accompanied his father on a pilgrimage to Prayaga. He noticed thousands of pilgrims in the town were littering the roads with the flowers and grains of rice they offered at the temples by the shore of the river Ganges.

The tiny particles attracted Kashyap’s attention and he began to collect the grains of rice from the ground while everybody else busied themselves with offering prayers or bathing in the Ganges. The crowd eventually noticed his peculiar behavior and wondered why he was so fascinated with the grains of rice.

When they asked him about it, Kashyap replied that though a single grain of rice may seem worthless on its own, a collection of hundreds of them could make up a person’s meal. This meant a collection of meals could feed a family and ultimately, mankind. For this reason alone, he believed that a single grain of rice was just as important as all the riches in the world.

After this incident, people started calling him “Kanad,” as “Kan” in Sanskrit means “the smallest particle.”

Kanad pursued his interest with the unseen world and dedicated his life to conceptualizing the idea of the smallest particle. He wrote down his views and eventually passed on his knowledge to others. People began to call him “Acharya” or  “the teacher,” hence the name Acharya Kanad - which means “the teacher of small particles.”

Kanad’s Conception of the “Anu” (Atom)

source: pinterest

Acharya Kanad is believed by many to be the first to have realized the idea of an indestructible particle of matter.

The theory occurred to Kanad while he was walking with food in his hand and he was breaking it into small pieces. He nibbled at the food in his hand until he was no longer able to break it down into smaller pieces. It was then that he realized that he could not divide the food into further parts and conceptualized the idea of a particle that could not be divided any further. He called that indivisible particle “Parmanu,” or “Anu,” which literally means atom.

Acharya Kanad thought of the atom as minute objects that are invisible to the naked eye, and considered it indestructible and hence, eternal. He also theorized that a Parmanu has an inherent urge to combine with another Parmanu. He also explained that combining two Anu belonging to the same class would create a “Dwinuka” or a binary molecule. This binary molecule would contain similar properties to the two original Parmanu it was made of.

Kanad suggested further that it was the different combinations of Parmanu which produced various types of substances. He also brought forth the idea that atoms could be combined in a variety of ways to produce chemical changes while in the presence of other factors such as heat. He used the blackening of earthen pot as well as the ripening of fruit as examples of this phenomenon.

To teach his ideas about the atom and the nature of the universe, Acharya Kanad founded the Vaisheshika school of philosophy. He also wrote a book called “Vaisheshik Darshan,” which presented all of his research.   

Acharya Kanad As the “Father of Atomic Theory” 

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source: ancientpages

Several members of the academic community - particularly in India - recognize Acharya Kanad as among the sages of ancient times who made significant contributions to modern science. Some of them have even taken steps to have his name included in mainstream education.

However, recognition of Kanad’s “Anu” theory as the first plausible atomic theory over Dalton’s scientific approach remains controversial. While many recognize Kanad’s perspective on the physical structure of the universe as an impressive metaphysical philosophy, some vehemently maintain that it does not qualify as a scientific theory because it is not at all empirical.

Acharya Kanad’s idea of the atom was not attempting to rationally explain an empirical law. It did not carry an explanatory burden and was just a speculative thesis. Hence, many argue that it would be outrageous to place it in the same league with existing modern scientific theories about atoms.

Though the widely-accepted atomic theory today is substantially different from the one Dalton posited, Dalton’s theory is still considered to be the first scientific theory of atoms because it was attempting to rationally explain an empirical law.

source: messagetoeagle

The atomic theory of Acharya Kanad may not be considered empirical, and while its official place in the field of modern science is still heavily debated, its philosophical and cultural merits cannot be disputed. Though his theory of the atom was abstract and leaned towards philosophy and logic than personal experience or experimentation, it is praised even in modern times as a brilliant and imaginative explanation of the physical structure of the world and for largely agreeing with the discoveries of modern physics.

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Sources:

http://www.ancient-code.com/an-ancient-indian-sage-developed-the-atomic-theory-2600-years-ago/
http://ageac.org/en/news/an-indian-sage-developed-atomic-theory-2600-years-ago/
http://www.unitedindia.com/laws_of_atoms.htm
http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-technology/indian-sage-who-developed-atomic-theory-2600-years-ago-001399?nopaging=1
http://www.sanskritimagazine.com/vedic_science/acharya-kanada-father-atomic-theory/
https://thewire.in/115536/kanad-vaisheshik-msu-atom/
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/in-maharaja-sayajirao-university-diary-sages-behind-nuclear-technology-rockets-cosmetic-surgery-4561194/

Goujian - The Ancient Chinese Sword that Defied Time

Over fifty years ago, a rare and unusual sword was found in an ancient tomb in China. This ancient weapon is known as “The Sword of Goujian,” and though it’s supposed to be over 2,000 years old, its blade is said to not have a single trace of rust. The sword’s blade has managed to retain its sharpness, drawing blood when a person’s finger is tested on its edge, as if it was completely immune by the passage of millennia. But aside from this strange quality, its craftsmanship has been praised for being intricately detailed for a sword that was forged in a supposedly technologically-limited era.

Discovery of the Sword of Goujian

The discovery of the Sword of Goujian dates back in 1965, during which an archeological survey was being performance along the second main aqueduct of the Zhang River Reservoir in Jingzhou of Hubei province. More than fifty ancient tombs of the Chu State – a successful hegemonic and expansionist state during the Spring and Autumn Period in the early 8th century BCE -  were found in Juangling County.

And so, an archeological dig was initiated, beginning in the middle of October 1965 and ended in January 1966. In December 1965, 4.3 miles or 7 kilometers from the ruins of Jinan, an ancient capital of Chu, the archeological team responsible for the excavation discovered an ancient tomb. In its casket was a skeleton, and next to it was a near air-tight wooden box. From inside this box, they removed a perfectly preserved bronze sword in its scabbard.

This sword is now identified as the Sword of Goujian, and it was unearthed by these archeological researchers along with 2,000 other artifacts.

To their amazement, upon unsheathing the bronze sword, its blade was revealed to be untarnished. And the fact that the sword appeared to be in perfect condition despite being buried in damp conditions for more than 2,000 years was astonishing. A test conducted by the archaeologists showed that the sword’s blade could easily cut a stack of twenty pieces of paper.

Construction of the Sword of Goujian

The Sword of Goujian is among the earliest known Jian swords. A Jian sword is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. Jian swords are among the earliest known sword types in China, and these bladed weapons are closely associated with Chinese mythology. In Chinese folklore, this type of sword is referred to as "The Gentleman of Weapons," and is considered to be one of the four major weapons, along with the staff, spear, and the sabre.

“The Sword of Goujian” is relatively short compared to other historical pieces of its kind. It is a bronze sword with a very high concentration of copper, which made it more malleable and less likely to break apart. The blade’s edges are made of tin, which not only made the sword harder, but also made it more capable of retaining a sharper edge. The sword also contains small amounts of iron, lead and sulfur. The sword’s high proportion of sulfur and sulfide cuprum is revealed to be what gives the weapon its rustproof quality, as sulfur decreases the chance of tarnish in the blade’s patterns.

Weighing 30.9 ounces or 875 grams, the Sword of Goujian measures 21.9 inches or 55.7 centimeters long, including its 3.3.-inch or 8.4-centimeter handle hilt. The blade, on the other hand, is 1.8 inches or 4.6 centimeters wide at its base.

Repeating black rhombic etchings cover both sides of the blade, while blue crystals and turquoise are imbedded on the sword handle.  The grip of the sword is bound by silk while its pommel is composed of 11 concentric circles. 

Inscription on the Sword of Goujian And Subsequent Identification

The owner of this ancient sword was determined through the inscription etched on the its blade. On one side of the blade, eight characters arranged in two columns of text are visible. These characters found near the sword’s hilt are written in an ancient Chinese script known as Bird-worm seal script or “Niǎo Chóng Zhuà”, which literally means “birds and worms characters” because of the writing system’s intricate decoration to the defining strokes. It is a variant of “Zhuan” or seal script, which is very difficult to read. 

Initial analyses deciphered six of the eight characters.  The characters translate to: “King of Yue” ("越王") "made this sword for (his) personal use" ("自作用剑"). According to experts, the remaining two characters are likely to be the name of the king. 

From the sword’s origin in 510 BC to the Yue State’s demise at the hands of Chu in 334 BC, nine kings ruled Yue, including Goujian, Lu Cheng, Bu Shou, and Zhu Gou, among several others. Identifying the correct king that owned the sword sparked debate among archaeologists as well as Chinese language scholars.  Eventually, the experts reached a consensus and decided that the original owner of the sword was Goujian, who reigned between 496 and 465 BC, making the sword around 2,500 years old. 

Goujian was a well-known emperor in Chinese history who reigned over the Yue State during the Spring and Autumn Period. King Goujian’s reign coincided with what is arguably the last major conflict of this period, which is the struggle between the Wu State and the Yue.

The story of King Goujian and Fuchai, King of the Wu state, contending for hegemony is famous throughout China. At some point, Yue was defeated by Wu and Goujian had to serve as Fuchai’s servant for three years before he was allowed to return to his native state. However, after ten years of economic and political reforms, Goujian eventually led his army to victory in the last phase of the war, annexing the rival state.

As a ruler, Goujian never relished in kingly riches, and instead, he ate food suited for peasants and even forced himself to taste bile as a reminder of his humiliations serving under the Wu State. Hence, as a monarch, he was made famous by his perseverance in times of hardship and his ruthlessness during battle.

Unique Properties of the Sword of Goujian

Apart from its historic value, many scholars have wondered how the Sword of Goujian managed to remain rust-free in a humid environment for more than 2,000 years, and how it became possible for it to be as sharp today as when it was originally forged. They were also impressed with the delicate decorations carved into the sword, and by the fact that not a single spot of rust can be found on its body today.

In the hopes of replicating the technology used to create the sword, researchers analyzed ancient bronze shards, and they found that the sword is resistant to oxidation due to sulphation on the sword’s surface. Combined with an air-tight scabbard, this allowed the legendary sword to remain in such pristine condition even after more than two millennia.

The swordsmiths of the Wu and Yue regions in Southern China during the Spring and Autumn Period was also determined to have reached a high level of metallurgy to the point that they were able to incorporate rust-proof alloys into their blades. Their skill in sword-making aided ancient weapons of the time like the Sword of Goujian to survive through the ages relatively unblemished. 

Since its discovery, the Sword of Goujian is regarded as a state treasure in China, and is deemed as a truly legendary sword that defied the rigors of time. This archeological artifact continues to be revered by the Chinese people, much like the fascination over King Arthur’s mythical Excalibur in the West.

The Sword of Goujian was lent to the National Palace Museum in Taipei where it was on display until 2011, along with various other bronze pieces from the 1965 excavation. Presently this archeological artifact is in the possession and care of the Hubei Provincial Museum.

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Sources:

http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/goujian-ancient-chinese-sword-defied-time-003279?nopaging=1
http://printarchive.epochtimes.com/a1/en/sg/nnn/2015/09%20Sep%202015/516/September_4-17_23_lowres.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_Goujian
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Goujian_of_Yue
https://youtu.be/M6wcFzBTa7Q
http://en.hubei.gov.cn/culture/heritage/201305/t20130521_450099.shtml
http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/35History618.html
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http://en.yibada.com/articles/101006/20160123/goujian-sword-legends.htm
http://historiarex.com/e/en/89-sword-of-goujian