Month: July 2019

Tian

Tian is one of the oldest Chinese terms for the cosmos and the supreme power over humans and lesser gods in indigenous Chinese religion. As a god, Tian is an impersonal power, in contrast to the supreme ruler Shangdi, with whom Tian is nevertheless closely identified. Scholars have long debated whether Tian rewarded and punished human actions or whether events merely followed Tian‘s order and principles. The word Tian has how many meanings? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

World Santa Claus Congress

The World Santa Claus Congress is held every July at the Bakken amusement park in Klampenborg, Denmark. The three-day event typically brings together more than 100 Santa Clauses from more than a dozen countries, including Japan and Venezuela, discussing such subjects as how to walk like, laugh like, and exude the generous spirit of Santa Claus. They dance around a Christmas tree and enjoy a traditional Danish Christmas feast of roast pork, cabbage and rice pudding. By tradition, the Santas also travel by antique fire engines and buses to a nearby beach for an annual dip in the sea. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Torcs

A torc is a large, usually rigid, collar, necklace, or armband typically made of twisted metal. Its name, which means “to twist” in Latin, is derived from this design. A sign of nobility, torcs are made of bronze, gold, and other materials and were worn by cultures of the European Iron Age, such as the Scythians, Thracians, and Celts. Most torcs are open-ended at the front, although many seem to have been designed for near-permanent wear. What ancient sculpture features a figure wearing a torc? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Birthday of Guru Har Krishan

Har Krishan (1656-64) was the eighth of the ten Sikh gurus or prophets on whose teaching the religion is based. He is often referred to as the “Child Guru” because he was only five years old when he succeeded his father, Guru Har Rai, who died in 1661. Har Krishan himself died of smallpox at the age of eight, so he remained a child throughout his brief time as guru. The anniversary of his birth is celebrated by Sikhs around the world with special services in the gurdwaras (houses of worship) and with readings from the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

John Dowland

Dowland was an English composer who was unsurpassed in his day as a lutenist. Refused a court position in 1594 and believing his adoptive Catholicism to have been the cause, he left for the Continent and took a position at the Danish court. Having made a name for himself in the music world, he was finally appointed lutenist to the English court in 1612. He published three collections of songs, including about 90 works for solo lute and some 80 lute songs. Why do some suspect that he was a spy? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Battle of Falkirk (1298)

The Battle of Falkirk was a major battle in the First War of Scottish Independence. It was fought between the leader of the Scots, William Wallace, and King Edward I of England, also known as the Hammer of the Scots. In 1298, Edward I invaded Scotland and defeated a smaller force led by Wallace at Falkirk. Edward’s longbowmen and cavalry decimated Wallace’s spearmen, forcing him to retreat. Though victorious, Edward’s troops also retreated following the battle, and many deserted thereafter. Why? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Galungan

Galungan is a major 10-day religious festival commemorating the Balinese New Year that is celebrated throughout the Indonesian island-province of Bali every 210 days. This is a Bali Hindu festival (Balinese religion is a mix of traditional Balinese and Hindu practices and beliefs), during which the gods are thought to come to earth. Balinese festivals include rituals in the temples, where small thrones are symbolic seats for the gods to occupy; offerings of foods, fruit, and flowers to the temple by the women; and card games, music, and dancing. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary