1. Culture and values in Tang and Song dynasty:
The era of Tang Dynasty’s rule (618 - 907) is known as the
Golden Age of China, as this period was the period of cultural and political
prosper. Chine achieved a great development of astronomy, medicine and printing
technique. The most deserving people for this development were Monk Yixing,
astronomer who was the first to successfully measure the length of the meridian
line and Sun Simiao, the king of medicine who wrote a medical book “Qianjin
Fang” ( translated as “Thousand Golden Prescriptions”), which was considered
the treasure of traditional Chinese medicine. The Tang Dynasty also contributed
to the Chinese translation of the Diamond Sutra, which is nowadays recognized
as the earliest engraved printing in the world. But, the prospect was achieved
also in literature and art as the most famous poets (Li Bai and Du Fu) and
painters (Han Gan, Zhang Xuan, and Zhou Fang) belonged to this age.
The period of the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) was considered
for second Golden Age period, after Tang Dynasty. This period was culturally
rich and sophisticated as there was blossoming of and advancements in the
visual arts, music, literature, and philosophy. Officials of the ruling
bureaucracy, who underwent a strict and extensive examination process, reached
new heights of education in Chinese society, while general Chinese culture was
enhanced by widespread printing, growing literacy, printing, paper money,
porcelain, tea, restaurants, gunpowder and making if the compass.
2. Mongols are East-Central Asian ethnic group, a nomadic
people from the steppes of Central Asia, which is bound together by a common
heritage and ethnic identity. Mongol’s were nomads, which means that they have
relied on their animals for survival and had to move their habitat several
times a year in search of water and grass for their herds. Their lifestyle was
precarious, as their constant migrations prevented them from transporting
reserves of food or other necessities. They were united in a great empire under
Genghis Khan and are known for their fierce horsemanship and warrior skills.
3. The Black Death (also known as Black Plague) was
one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, caused by bacterium Yersinia
pestis in dry plains in Central Asia. The Black Death spread to various areas
including Central Asia, Kurdistan, Western Asia, Northern India and Uganda and
later to Europe (from Italy to France, Spain, Portugal and England) through Silk
Road with Mongol armies and traders.
The Black Death was spreading rapidly from Asia through Europe and
in the span of three years, the Black Death killed one third of all the people
in Europe. The first outbreak was in Sicily, Italy in 1347, which spread to
France, Spain, Portugal, Germany and finally in Scandinavia in 1350.
<span>4. The
Asian Steppe
(also known as the Great Steppe or the steppes) is the natural geographical
feature which represents vast steppe, area of flat unforested grassland, eco-region
of Eurasia continent in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
biome. Asian Steppe stretches from Romania and Moldova through Ukraine, Russia,
Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, and Mongolia to Manchuria and is divided to Western
Steppe, Pontic–Caspian Steppe, Ural–Caspian Narrowing, Central Steppe, The Kazakh
Steppe, Dzungarian Narrowing and Eastern Steppe</span>
