Saturday, August 6, 2005
AFI #083 Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula from Dracula (1931)
Friday, August 5, 2005
AFI #084 Robert Armstrong as Carl Denham from King Kong (1933)
Friday, July 22, 2005
AFI #099 Margaret Hamilton as Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard of Oz
- Margaret Hamilton as Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz (1939)
This line is ranked #99 in the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie quotations in American cinema.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Siberian Chipmunk
Siberian Chipmunk in Seoraksan, Korea
From Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/
From http://joeungul1.blogspot.com/
| Description | Tamias sibiricus English: Siberian Chipmunk photographed on the mountain, South Korea (Seoraksan) 한국어: 설악산의 시베리아다람쥐 Deutsch: Ein Asiatisches Streifenhörnchen (Tamias sibiricus) in Korea. Suedkorea (auf dem Berg Seoraksan) Français : Tamia de Sibérie |
| Date | 21 August 2003 |
| Source | Uploaded by Richardfabi http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Streifenhoernchen.jpg |
| Author | AndiW 10:51:45, 2005-09-04 (UTC) |
| Permission | Public Domain |
| Licensing | The copyright holder of this work released this work into the public domain. |
From Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/
From http://joeungul1.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
A black and orange butterfly
A black and orange butterfly
From Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/
From http://joeungul1.blogspot.com/
| Description | A black and orange butterfly, resting on a flower, in Thailand. |
| Date | November 2004 |
| Source | Own work Wikimedia Commons |
| Author | Michael |
| Permission | Public domain |
| Licensing | The copyright holder of this work releases this work into the public domain. |
From Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/
From http://joeungul1.blogspot.com/
Friday, September 12, 2003
Qilin (麒麟)
Qilin (麒麟)
Alternative Names (異名):
Qilin, 麒麟, 기린, qílín(pinyin), ch'ilin(Wade-Giles)
The Qilin (Chinese: 麒麟; pinyin: qílín; Wade-Giles: ch'ilin), also spelled Kirin or Kirin (Korean and Japanese ) is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear in conjunction with the arrival of a sage. It is a good omen that brings rui (Chinese: 瑞; pinyin: ruì; roughly translated as "serenity" or "prosperity"). It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body.
Name in other languages
The Qilin is known in other languages as: Girin (in Korean), Sabitun Sabintu (in Manchu), Hariharipo Hariharimo (in Tibetan), Билигтэй Бэлэгтэй Гөрөөс (in Mongolian), Kỳ lân (in Vietnamese), Ki len (in Thai), and Keilun (Cantonese).
Origins
The earliest references to the Qilin are in the 5th century BC book Zuo Zhuan.[1][2] The Qilin made appearances in a variety of subsequent Chinese works of history and fiction. At one point, however, it became identified with the giraffe.
The Qilin became a stylised representation of the giraffe in Ming dynasty. It is known that on Zheng He's voyage to East Africa (landing, among other places, in modern-day Kenya), the fleet brought back two giraffes to Beijing. It is also known that these two giraffes were referred to as "Qilins". The Emperor proclaimed the giraffes magical creatures, whose capture signalled the greatness of his power.
The identification between the Qilin and the giraffe is supported by some attributes of the Qilin, including its vegetarian and quiet nature. Its reputed ability to "walk on grass without disturbing it" may be related to the giraffe's long legs.
It is unlikely that giraffes and qilins were regarded as the same creature in pre-modern times however. For example, typical depictions of the qilin have much shorter necks than giraffes. However, the Chinese word 麒 and 麟 both carry Chinese radical 鹿, suggesting that it was originally a type of deer, or perhaps even antelope.
The nature of the beast
Although it looks fearsome, the Qilin only punishes the wicked. It can walk on grass yet not trample the blades and it can also walk on water. Being a peaceful creature, its diet does not include flesh. It takes great care when it walks never to tread on any living thing, and it is said to appear only in areas ruled by a wise and benevolent leader (some say even if this area is only a house). It is normally gentle but can become fierce if a pure person is threatened by a sinner, spouting flames from its mouth and exercising other fearsome powers that vary from story to story.
Some stories state that the Qilin is a sacred pet (or familiar) of the deities. Therefore, in the hierarchy of dances performed by the Chinese (Lion Dance, Dragon Dance, Phoenix Dance, etc), the Qilin ranks highly; second only to the Dragon and Phoenix whom are the highest.
In the Qilin Dance, movements are characterised by fast, powerful strokes of the head. Qilin Dance is often regarded as the hardest dance to perform due to the weight of the head, stances and the emphasis on "fǎ jìn" (Traditional Chinese - 法勁) - outbursts of strength/power/energy
Variations
There are variations in the appearance of the qilin, even as seen in a single country such as China, owing to cultural differences between dynasties and regions
Ming dynasty example
In the Ming dynasty of China (1368–1644) the Qilin is represented as an oxen-hooved animal with a dragon-like head surmounted by a pair of horns and flame-like head ornaments.
A Qing dynasty example
The Qilin of China's subsequent Manchurian dominated Qing dynasty (1644–1911) is a much more fanciful animal. Manchurian depictions of the Qilin depict a creature with the head of a dragon, the antlers of a deer, the skin and scales of a fish, the hooves of an ox and tail of a lion
In Japan
In Japanese, the Qilin is called Kirin. Japanese art tends to depict the Qilin as more deer-like than in Chinese art. Kirin Brewery Company, Ltd. is named after the animal, and the word Kirin has also come to be used in modern Japanese for a giraffe. It's depicted as a dragon shaped like a European-style unicorn, only with a horse's tail instead of a lion's.
In the Post-Qin Chinese hierarchy of mythological animals, the Qilin is ranked as the third most powerful creature (after the dragon and phoenix), but in Japan, the Kirin occupies the top spot. This is following the style of the ancient Chinese, as QiLin, before the Qin Dynasty, was ranked higher then the Dragon or Phoenix, in fact, during the Zhou Dynasty, the Dragon is the third, the Phoenix rank second
Turko-Mongol Iran
In Ilkhanid and Timurid Mongol-Persian mythological miniatures, the buraq was portrayed in a style reminiscent of the Chinese qilin, reflecting the Chinese background of painters who introduced watercolor techniques to Iran and initiated several medieval schools of Persian miniature painting.
See also
Chimera
Shaanxi Kylins of the Chinese Basketball Association
Unicorn
Chinese dragon
Sin-you, a more feline, feral cousin of the Qilin
Yali, a Hindu mythological beast.
Links
http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Classics/chunqiuzuozhuan.html
Chinese mythology | Chinese legendary creatures | Japanese legendary creatures | Legendary mammals | Fictional giraffes
Alternative Names (異名):
Qilin, 麒麟, 기린, qílín(pinyin), ch'ilin(Wade-Giles)
The Qilin (Chinese: 麒麟; pinyin: qílín; Wade-Giles: ch'ilin), also spelled Kirin or Kirin (Korean and Japanese ) is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear in conjunction with the arrival of a sage. It is a good omen that brings rui (Chinese: 瑞; pinyin: ruì; roughly translated as "serenity" or "prosperity"). It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body.
Name in other languages
The Qilin is known in other languages as: Girin (in Korean), Sabitun Sabintu (in Manchu), Hariharipo Hariharimo (in Tibetan), Билигтэй Бэлэгтэй Гөрөөс (in Mongolian), Kỳ lân (in Vietnamese), Ki len (in Thai), and Keilun (Cantonese).
Origins
The earliest references to the Qilin are in the 5th century BC book Zuo Zhuan.[1][2] The Qilin made appearances in a variety of subsequent Chinese works of history and fiction. At one point, however, it became identified with the giraffe.
The Qilin became a stylised representation of the giraffe in Ming dynasty. It is known that on Zheng He's voyage to East Africa (landing, among other places, in modern-day Kenya), the fleet brought back two giraffes to Beijing. It is also known that these two giraffes were referred to as "Qilins". The Emperor proclaimed the giraffes magical creatures, whose capture signalled the greatness of his power.
The identification between the Qilin and the giraffe is supported by some attributes of the Qilin, including its vegetarian and quiet nature. Its reputed ability to "walk on grass without disturbing it" may be related to the giraffe's long legs.
It is unlikely that giraffes and qilins were regarded as the same creature in pre-modern times however. For example, typical depictions of the qilin have much shorter necks than giraffes. However, the Chinese word 麒 and 麟 both carry Chinese radical 鹿, suggesting that it was originally a type of deer, or perhaps even antelope.
The nature of the beast
Although it looks fearsome, the Qilin only punishes the wicked. It can walk on grass yet not trample the blades and it can also walk on water. Being a peaceful creature, its diet does not include flesh. It takes great care when it walks never to tread on any living thing, and it is said to appear only in areas ruled by a wise and benevolent leader (some say even if this area is only a house). It is normally gentle but can become fierce if a pure person is threatened by a sinner, spouting flames from its mouth and exercising other fearsome powers that vary from story to story.
Some stories state that the Qilin is a sacred pet (or familiar) of the deities. Therefore, in the hierarchy of dances performed by the Chinese (Lion Dance, Dragon Dance, Phoenix Dance, etc), the Qilin ranks highly; second only to the Dragon and Phoenix whom are the highest.
In the Qilin Dance, movements are characterised by fast, powerful strokes of the head. Qilin Dance is often regarded as the hardest dance to perform due to the weight of the head, stances and the emphasis on "fǎ jìn" (Traditional Chinese - 法勁) - outbursts of strength/power/energy
Variations
There are variations in the appearance of the qilin, even as seen in a single country such as China, owing to cultural differences between dynasties and regions
Ming dynasty example
In the Ming dynasty of China (1368–1644) the Qilin is represented as an oxen-hooved animal with a dragon-like head surmounted by a pair of horns and flame-like head ornaments.
A Qing dynasty example
The Qilin of China's subsequent Manchurian dominated Qing dynasty (1644–1911) is a much more fanciful animal. Manchurian depictions of the Qilin depict a creature with the head of a dragon, the antlers of a deer, the skin and scales of a fish, the hooves of an ox and tail of a lion
In Japan
In Japanese, the Qilin is called Kirin. Japanese art tends to depict the Qilin as more deer-like than in Chinese art. Kirin Brewery Company, Ltd. is named after the animal, and the word Kirin has also come to be used in modern Japanese for a giraffe. It's depicted as a dragon shaped like a European-style unicorn, only with a horse's tail instead of a lion's.
In the Post-Qin Chinese hierarchy of mythological animals, the Qilin is ranked as the third most powerful creature (after the dragon and phoenix), but in Japan, the Kirin occupies the top spot. This is following the style of the ancient Chinese, as QiLin, before the Qin Dynasty, was ranked higher then the Dragon or Phoenix, in fact, during the Zhou Dynasty, the Dragon is the third, the Phoenix rank second
Turko-Mongol Iran
In Ilkhanid and Timurid Mongol-Persian mythological miniatures, the buraq was portrayed in a style reminiscent of the Chinese qilin, reflecting the Chinese background of painters who introduced watercolor techniques to Iran and initiated several medieval schools of Persian miniature painting.
See also
Chimera
Shaanxi Kylins of the Chinese Basketball Association
Unicorn
Chinese dragon
Sin-you, a more feline, feral cousin of the Qilin
Yali, a Hindu mythological beast.
Links
http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Literature/Classics/chunqiuzuozhuan.html
Chinese mythology | Chinese legendary creatures | Japanese legendary creatures | Legendary mammals | Fictional giraffes
Saturday, February 16, 2002
Chiron (Greek)
Chiron
Alternative Names:
Cheiron, Kheiron, Χείρων ("hand")
In Greek mythology, Chiron (also Cheiron or Kheiron) (Greek: Χείρων; "hand") was held to be the superlative centaur among his brethren. Like the satyrs, centaurs were notorious for being overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents. Centaur were also wild and lusty. Chiron, by contrast, was intelligent, civilized and kind. He was known for his knowledge and skill with medicine. According to an archaic myth he was sired by Kronos (Cronus) when he had taken the form of a horse and impregnated the nymph Philyra, Chiron's lineage was different from other centaurs, who were born of sun and raincloud, rendered by Greeks of the Classic period as from the union of the king Ixion, consigned to a fiery wheel, and Nephele ("cloud"), which in the Olympian telling Zeus invented to look like Hera. Myths in the Olympian tradition attributed Chiron's uniquely peaceful character and intelligence to
teaching by Apollo and Artemis in his younger days.
Chiron's haunts were on Mount Pelion; there he married the nymph Chariclo who bore him three daughters, Hippe (with a daughter Melanippe, the "Black Mare" or Euippe, "truly a mare"), Endeis, and Ocyrhoe, and one son Carystus.
A great healer, astrologer, and respected oracle, Chiron was said to be the first among centaurs centaur and highly revered as a teacher and tutor. Among his pupils were many culture heroes: Asclepius, Aristaeus, Ajax, Aeneas, Actaeon, Caeneus, Theseus, Achilles, Jason, Peleus, Telamon, sometimes Heracles, Oileus, Phoenix, and in one Byzantine tradition, even Dionysus: according to Ptolemaeus Chennus of Alexandria, "Dionysius was loved by Chiron, from whom he learned chants and dances, the bacchic rites and initiations."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheiron
Asclepius in mythology | Centaurs | Thessalian mythology
Alternative Names:
Cheiron, Kheiron, Χείρων ("hand")
In Greek mythology, Chiron (also Cheiron or Kheiron) (Greek: Χείρων; "hand") was held to be the superlative centaur among his brethren. Like the satyrs, centaurs were notorious for being overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, given to violence when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents. Centaur were also wild and lusty. Chiron, by contrast, was intelligent, civilized and kind. He was known for his knowledge and skill with medicine. According to an archaic myth he was sired by Kronos (Cronus) when he had taken the form of a horse and impregnated the nymph Philyra, Chiron's lineage was different from other centaurs, who were born of sun and raincloud, rendered by Greeks of the Classic period as from the union of the king Ixion, consigned to a fiery wheel, and Nephele ("cloud"), which in the Olympian telling Zeus invented to look like Hera. Myths in the Olympian tradition attributed Chiron's uniquely peaceful character and intelligence to
teaching by Apollo and Artemis in his younger days.
Chiron's haunts were on Mount Pelion; there he married the nymph Chariclo who bore him three daughters, Hippe (with a daughter Melanippe, the "Black Mare" or Euippe, "truly a mare"), Endeis, and Ocyrhoe, and one son Carystus.
A great healer, astrologer, and respected oracle, Chiron was said to be the first among centaurs centaur and highly revered as a teacher and tutor. Among his pupils were many culture heroes: Asclepius, Aristaeus, Ajax, Aeneas, Actaeon, Caeneus, Theseus, Achilles, Jason, Peleus, Telamon, sometimes Heracles, Oileus, Phoenix, and in one Byzantine tradition, even Dionysus: according to Ptolemaeus Chennus of Alexandria, "Dionysius was loved by Chiron, from whom he learned chants and dances, the bacchic rites and initiations."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheiron
Asclepius in mythology | Centaurs | Thessalian mythology
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)