MarkusS
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We have a super interesting exhibition in Rome which was created in cooperation with the national musim in Beijing, called "The Eagle and the Dragon". I was with some friends in rome two weeks ago and we decided we can skip some time and visit it.
I must say it was by the far the best exhibition they had since years. They had some artifacts from China, even some of thos terracotta soldiers from Qin Shin Huangdi Emperor, but also chinese artifacts found in Rome and roman artifacts found in China.
We had a guided tour and it was really interesting.
She told us, that China saw rome as its only equal in the world. As the western pillar of humanity while China was the eastern pillar.
Psychological the esistance of rome and china was for both important because it was the rare possibility to get an outside view on each other. Both empires only had barbarians around themself so we have countless of scriptures about evryone but almost nothing about ourself from others.
There is a chinese book, called "Weilue" which was written by a chinese delegation visiting Rome. And its super interesting. It says:
"This country (the Roman Empire) has more than four hundred smaller cities and towns. It extends several thousand li in all directions. The king has his capital (that is, the city of Rome) close to the mouth of a river (the Tiber). The outer walls of the city are made of stone.
This region has pine trees, cypress, sophora, catalpa, bamboo, reeds, poplars, willows, parasol trees, and all sorts of plants. The people cultivate the five grains [traditionally: rice, glutinous and non-glutinous millet, wheat and beans], and they raise horses, mules, donkeys, camels and silkworms. (They have) a tradition of amazing conjuring. They can produce fire from their mouths, bind and then free themselves, and juggle twelve balls with extraordinary skill.
The ruler of this country is not permanent. When disasters result from unusual phenomena, they unceremoniously replace him, installing a virtuous man as king, and release the old king, who does not dare show resentment.
The common people are tall and virtuous like the Chinese, but wearhu (‘Western’) clothes. "
I find it super interesting, because its so accurate. And i wonder about some things.
The chinese diplomat lists almost all trees correctly that grow here but mentions bamboo. We don´t have Bamboo here so i wonder maybe he saw something similar? Also silkworms, we dont have those, maybe he meant something different.
What is interesting is, that he propably was impressed by the street artists we always had here even today, as he mentions them, that we can make fire with our mouth and juggle up to 12 balls with ease.
Its also interesting to see how he mentions our republican system there where an emperor could be replaced when he failed and a new one introduced. He didn´t mention often enough this happened with murder...so my guess is he got it explained from someone more nice than it actually was
I must say it was by the far the best exhibition they had since years. They had some artifacts from China, even some of thos terracotta soldiers from Qin Shin Huangdi Emperor, but also chinese artifacts found in Rome and roman artifacts found in China.
We had a guided tour and it was really interesting.
She told us, that China saw rome as its only equal in the world. As the western pillar of humanity while China was the eastern pillar.
Psychological the esistance of rome and china was for both important because it was the rare possibility to get an outside view on each other. Both empires only had barbarians around themself so we have countless of scriptures about evryone but almost nothing about ourself from others.
There is a chinese book, called "Weilue" which was written by a chinese delegation visiting Rome. And its super interesting. It says:
"This country (the Roman Empire) has more than four hundred smaller cities and towns. It extends several thousand li in all directions. The king has his capital (that is, the city of Rome) close to the mouth of a river (the Tiber). The outer walls of the city are made of stone.
This region has pine trees, cypress, sophora, catalpa, bamboo, reeds, poplars, willows, parasol trees, and all sorts of plants. The people cultivate the five grains [traditionally: rice, glutinous and non-glutinous millet, wheat and beans], and they raise horses, mules, donkeys, camels and silkworms. (They have) a tradition of amazing conjuring. They can produce fire from their mouths, bind and then free themselves, and juggle twelve balls with extraordinary skill.
The ruler of this country is not permanent. When disasters result from unusual phenomena, they unceremoniously replace him, installing a virtuous man as king, and release the old king, who does not dare show resentment.
The common people are tall and virtuous like the Chinese, but wearhu (‘Western’) clothes. "
I find it super interesting, because its so accurate. And i wonder about some things.
The chinese diplomat lists almost all trees correctly that grow here but mentions bamboo. We don´t have Bamboo here so i wonder maybe he saw something similar? Also silkworms, we dont have those, maybe he meant something different.
What is interesting is, that he propably was impressed by the street artists we always had here even today, as he mentions them, that we can make fire with our mouth and juggle up to 12 balls with ease.
Its also interesting to see how he mentions our republican system there where an emperor could be replaced when he failed and a new one introduced. He didn´t mention often enough this happened with murder...so my guess is he got it explained from someone more nice than it actually was
