The world’s first Global Solutions Hub, to help drive Sustainable Tourism, is launched at MENA Climate Week in Saudi Arabia.
21.09.2023 - 18:37 / atlasobscura.com
Reprinted with permission from The Globe: How the Earth Became Round by James Hannam, published by Reaktion Books Ltd. Copyright © 2023 by James Hannam. All rights reserved.
It was a big job, being emperor of China. He didn’t just have to run the country. The universe itself depended on him. He had a sizeable support staff of bureaucrats and eunuchs, but the buck stopped at the dragon throne. Dong Zhongshu (c. 175–105 BC), an adviser to Emperor Wu (156–87 BC), wanted to ensure his master understood the magnitude of his responsibilities. He explained that the emperor was the link between Heaven and Earth. If he ruled well, Heaven would support him by bestowing a clement climate and acquiescent population on China. However, if he violated the celestial order, for example by issuing judicial punishments that did not fit the crime, the emperor could expect warnings in the form of eclipses, droughts, and storms. If he didn’t heed the omens, Heaven might withdraw its mandate and the emperor’s dynasty would fall. Because they were an early warning system of empyrean displeasure, signs from the sky were of pressing importance, just as they had been to the Babylonians. From early times, the emperors maintained an astronomical bureau with the job of interpreting messages in the stars and giving rulers fair notice that their mandate was fraying.
Chinese chroniclers framed history with the ascent and decline of dynasties. When a new imperial family took the throne, it was like a youth that needed to be taught the ways of rulership, before reaching maturity when the empire was stable and at peace. But inevitably, dynasties, just like people, grew old and decadent. At that point, a new vibrant lineage would burst forth and overthrow the old, starting their own dynasty afresh. In practice, however, the mandate of Heaven was always awarded retrospectively. It wasn’t until a pretender had firmly planted his bottom on the throne that he ceased to be a wicked rebel and became the righteous instrument of destiny. Only then could he call himself the Son of Heaven.
In 221 BC, China was united under the Kingdom of Qin (pronounced ‘Chin’, from which we get the word ‘China’). Later historians would look back at the Warring States period before the Qin unification as an epoch of chaos and suffering, but it was also the time when many of the foundations of Chinese culture were laid. In particular, the ideologies of Confucianism and Taoism coalesced and began to enjoy enormous influence.
After the death of the first emperor in 210 BC, his realm threatened to fragment and return China to mayhem. However, one of the generals vying to replace him was able to reassert control in short order and founded the parvenu Han dynasty, which
The world’s first Global Solutions Hub, to help drive Sustainable Tourism, is launched at MENA Climate Week in Saudi Arabia.
Multiple historic sites in Marrakech were reopened to tourists on Sunday, a month after a devastating earthquake hit Morocco and took the lives of nearly 3,000 people. The reopened sites include Bahia Palace, Badi Palace, and the Saadian Tombs, reported Morocco World News.
In the evolving landscape of post-Covid travel, Hilton has cast its spotlight on a new demographic, the “GenerAsian Traveler.” Hilton says this group is driven by a strong desire for self-discovery and a deep interest in exploring their cultural and ancestral roots through travel.
Chinese holidaymakers’ spending surged during this year’s eight-day Golden Week holiday, beating pre-pandemic levels and potentially boosting confidence in the country’s economic recovery.
Combining a series of once-in-a-lifetime experiences into a single around-the-world trip can feel like the ultimate expression of luxury travel. It can be a daunting prospect though, with many contending factors to consider. Here's how to start planning the ultimate round-the-world trip.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, October 5. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
The V&A’s new blockbuster exhibition is the first in the UK dedicated to the French couturier Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel – and it is selling out fast. The show is fully booked until Christmas, but at the time of writing there was still plenty of availability in January and February. The exhibition charts the history of the House of Chanel, from the opening of Coco’s first millinery shop in Paris in 1910 to her final collection in 1971, and her legacy today. There are almost 200 looks on show, including a piece from 1916 and outfits designed for Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich, plus accessories, jewellery and perfume. Until 25 February, £24 adults/£16 children/under-12s free, vam.ac.uk
Tourists descended on an ancient town in Thailand this week after UNESCO named it a world heritage site, prompting officials to consider banning visitors from climbing the 1,500-year-old ruins.
What is the oldest country in the world? Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a variety of responses. Some might say it’s a country like China or Greece, where you can visit ancient cities that date all the way back to the second, third, even fifth millennium BCE. But borders and cultures have always shifted—and will continue to to shift—throughout history, and as a result, most of our present-day nations are actually quite young.
Small-ship cruise line Azamara has unveiled on its latest itinerary offering: a 155-night world cruise that visits all seven wonders of the world in a round-the-world journey starting in 2026. The itinerary begins in Miami and concludes in Barcelona, Spain, with over 35 countries sandwiched in the middle.
Hotels in the Middle East are performing really well with the highest occupancy rates in the world, said a senior director of global data benchmarking firm STR.
The Eagles in the fall, the South 9th Street Italian Market Festival in the spring, ice skating at Dilworth Plaza in the winter or strolling Independence National Historical Park in the spring – Philadelphia is a city graced with all four seasons.