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Stop by one of our 'hoods:
Some call it the "greatest city of the world during the first millenum AD". Others may disagree and rather suggest Constantinople or Baghdad, but the fact remains that Chang'an was the capital city to no less than ten chinese dynasties, and that it is the city after which several capital cities outside China would be built, like Kyoto or Gyeongju. After the fall of the Tang dynasty began for Chang'an a few hundred years of decay, but it was kept alive by the trade with the West, and later was to recover some of its former glory under the Ming.

Now is a good time to come and visit Chang'an: you can both (re)discover Sankira Qin's and Feyian Zhou's outstanding work on the city's and its districts' descriptions, as well as enjoy the new features that are currently being implemented there. And who knows, maybe you'll fall in love enough with that place to buy a property there!

Browse through two of our recently published articles:

China's Silk Monopoly and The Spread of Sericulture by Fei Xue Qin

Meet one of the Orient residents:
Jia Li Shen Chi is known as the Lady of the Black Dragon Pool, a marvellous and dreamy place in China; but she was also declared by Sankira the Evil Empress of China. Her love for eastern culture brought her to the Orient where she feels at home. She studied and taught yoga, chinese brush painting, wrote several articles about tea and is completely in love with asian cuisine. Witty, funny and very dynamic, she's one of those people who you know you'll always enjoy chatting with. She also has a remarkable talent for writing so don't miss her stories in Pearls of Wisdom Rolepaying or even her bio at her home. Don't forget to pay her a visit and admire her lovely Grotto.


Group in the spotlight: The Bodhi Tree is one of the Orient's oldest groups and the perfect one to learn all you wanted to know about buddhism. This is how Ningyo Minamoto describes her group: "The Bodhi Tree is the name given to the tree at Bodh Gaya under which the Buddha sat on the night he attained enlightenment. The human quest for LIGHT is what this group is all about."

Editor, Orient World News:
Aria Murasaka
Shanti Ashoka

Ji Nu Chi
Shibori Murasaka
Jia Li Shen Chi
Shinju Shikibu

After two years dedicated to the Orient, our talented Aria Murasaka finally got her more than deserved rest, even if we'll all be still bothering her and knocking at her door for good advice and help, which she always gives with a smile.

We are happy to welcome our new scribe, the wonderful Jia Li Shen Chi (see the featurette on the left) who's agreed to join Shibori and myself in our scribal team. Please do stop by her house and bid her welcome.

There is a life after Goldfest. At least, the Orient's working on it! This year's main event was the The Devil Wears A Kimono: Edo Fall Shopping Spree (I wanted to use this opportunity to thank once again, in the name of the oriental scribal team, all of the shop owners for the great creativity displayed and all our distinguished customers who've made it such a success! Of course I cannot forget to include those of you who've taken the time to nominate the event as an oriental gem *bows*)

But even though Goldfest is over, Edo still remains open for business, so don't hesitate to visit away from the crazy crowds the festival brought to the metropolis. You'll be able to meet with some of our affable shop owners; most are locals, but at a corner of Yoshiwara, you may spot Rome's very own Senex' Topiary and Bonsai shop! I've also been told more shops are in preparation. If you too are interested in opening your own business (especially at this time of the year!), whether you're from Benjing or Ulster, contact an oriental scribe.

Yes, it's almost time again for another Lunar! The Chinese New Year will start February 18, so our celebrations will begin on the same date, followed some days later by Setsubun, and finally closing with Vasant Panchami. If you have any ideas or just want to help, please contact one of the Orient's scribes; or you can also post something on the Orient Festival Planning thread.

Written by Ji Nu Chi, Shibori Murasaka, Shinju Shikibu and Jia Li Shen Chi.

Here begins a legend. It is a timeless story of heroes that may never have existed, experiencing adventures too wonderful to be real. The setting is Kamakura, but the time is not important. The chronicles of the Pearls of Wisdom are not accounts of history but myth. Here, our heroes meet demons, dragons, spirits, and deities in a colourful landscape infinitely more lush than the world we live in.

In the tradition of wuxia and anime storytelling, we present our tale...Read more here.

Simple things that make you know The Orient better.

Link:
Wayang Shadow Puppets of Indonesia

Book:
The Age of Kali: Travels and Encounters in India by William Dalrymple

Music:
Breathing Spaces by Jiang Xiao-Qing

Movie:
The Story of the Weeping Camel by Byambasuren Davaa, Luigi Falorni

VIETNAM, 17 November 2006 - The central province of Binh Dinh and the Vietnam Archaeology Institute are compiling necessary documents to submit to the government as the foundation to ask UNESCO to recognise the system of Cham towers in Binh Dinh as a world heritage site. Read the entire story at VietNamNet Bridge.

VIETNAM, 17 November 2006 - Parts of a bronze drum thought to be at least 2,000 years old was discovered recently by a resident in Vietnam?s Phu Yen province who turned it over to the authorities. Read the entire story at Thanhnien News.

CHINA, 19 November 2006 - Fifty years of excavation work on the ancient city of Chang'an, situated in the northwestern part of Xi'an, have now passed and archaeologists have been able to map out a clear layout of the former capital of the Han Dynasty.. Read the entire story at People's Daily Online.