Wu Zetian: Only Woman Emperor of China

Empress Wu Zetian

Today, many countries accepts the role of women in ruling a country. Several nations elected a woman to the position of either President or Prime Minister. Names like Angela Merkel of Germany, Christina Kirchner of Argentina, Dilma Rousseff of Brazil takes the everyday affairs of their respective countries. It shows the changes in time and in the mindset of the people. In East Asia, however, it is difficult to attain such level. It was lucky that President Park Geun-Hye managed to win in Korea. It is because of strong Confucian thinking and ideals that made it difficult for women to attain the highest office in their countries. In China, the home of Confucian, one such woman in the past defied the social norms and became the Emperor of all China.

Great Zimbabwe: Legacy of Pre-Colonial Africa

Zimbabwe Bird

Land rich in mineral resources, from gold, copper, and iron. Geographically landlocked, it has mountains ranges in the east, and could cradle life with the Zambezi River in the northeast with the famous Victoria Falls stands beautifully as one of the tallest falls in the world. It is also full of wildlife with elephants, rhinos, and other big animals roaming its lands. This is the country of Zimbabwe. Today, Zimbabwe faced dire economic challenges. In the past, it was once home of the prosperous center of the gold trade. A city where the name of the country was derived, the city of Great Zimbabwe.

Khufu: Pharaoh Who Built a Wonder

Pharaoh Khufu

Egypt is a land of desert sands. Even though the desert sands were inhospitable, Egypt became a cradle of civilization because of the River Nile provided food and water to sustain life. Thus Egyptian contributed many of its knowledge to the creation of the modern word. Great monuments to the glory that was Ancient Egypt can be seen across its lands. These monuments became tourist destination and site for archaeologists to study. Among the great monuments was the Great Pyramid of Giza which was synonymous to name to man who laid buried in it, the Pharaoh Khufu.

Canals and Glasses: Glass Industry of the Republic of Venice

Murano Island

Venice was once a marshy swamp with no prospects of being a city. But with innovation of the early Venetians, a new city rose. Famous canals, today with its famous gondolas, erected that allowed a city to rise. With their engineering brilliance, they also showed skills in business. They appeared in ports across the Mediterranean Sea as good traders. Their opened mindedness allowed them to trade with the Muslims and other people along the region. As the city rose into wealth and prominence, they began to enter to different industry and worked for excellence. One of the most famous products of Venice was Glass.

Kilwa: Golden Port in East of Africa

Map of East Africa

Gold is one of the world’s precious metal. It was used as a currency. The dollar for instance used the gold standard for the value of the dollar. Only mined in few areas, its scarcity and the great color of it makes it into one of the most treasured metals in the world. In history, it built empires, funded wars, made or break people. In Africa, it was the center of the Trans-Saharan Trade. In the east of Sahara, it was also coveted by tribes and kingdoms that wanted to experience prosperity.

Salt Through the Desert: Tuareg Salt Caravan

Timbuktu (1858)

Salt is an important seasoning in our daily food. It gives saltiness to match our own taste. From the Americas to Asia, every culture use salt in their cuisine. For many, it becomes a life saver as it can preserve food, from meat to vegetable. Mostly came from sea, salt is taken for granted today. But back then it was a source of livelihood and wealth to a group of people from northern Africa, the Tuaregs. They became merchants giving taste to the food in the past.

Goddess of Silk: Leizu

Chinese women processing silk

Silk was the most coveted textile in the planet. From Rome to China, great empires sought for this prized cloth. Made from an unexpected insect, it gave China a monopoly on its production. People would cross the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India, the Indian Ocean, to go to China to purchase silk. For centuries, it connected the East and the West. But how did silk began? In China, Chinese tell the legend of the beginning of the Chinese silk industry. It involved a legendary Emperor and his Empress.