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Asia has had a great influence on the rest of the world, but despite everything that people have adopted from there, few people understand even a fraction of what is happening in this diverse part of the world. From age-old traditions to modern trends that will leave you scratching your head, below are 10 unusual facts related to Asia.
10. Universal birthday
Fact: New Year in Vietnam is the birthday of the entire population
Vietnamese New Year or Tet is celebrated annually in the second half of winter and lasts several days. The beginning of the holiday - the first day lunar calendar, falling at the end of January or beginning of February.
In addition to other traditions, Tet - New Year - is also considered a birthday celebration. Like the Koreans, the Vietnamese measure age by the number of Lunar New Years they have lived through, so a child will officially turn one during their first Tet, even if they were born a few days before the celebration.
9. Thailand’s Water Gun Festival
Since we are already talking about traditions associated with the New Year, the Thai New Year is celebrated from April 13th to 15th. The festival is known as Songkran, which means “astrological transition”. The main entertainment during the festival is pouring a mixture of water and flour or talcum powder on people.
Initially, the celebration was associated with spiritual background. Water was poured on Buddha statues, after which people collected the flowing water and poured it on their loved ones “for good luck.” Now this is a common entertainment, during which you can buy a water pistol on every corner, and no one is protected from dousing.
8. The largest shopping center
Fact: The largest shopping center in the world is abandoned
In 2005, Chinese billionaire Alex Hu Guirong began construction of the world's largest shopping mall in Dongguan, China. With an area of 650,000 square meters, the New South China Mall could house some 2,350 boutiques - not to mention a full-fledged rollercoaster ride inside, a 2-kilometer canal (including gondolas) and 25 -meter replica of the Arc de Triomphe.
There was only one problem - no one wanted to open stores there. From 2005 to now, only 1 percent of the mall's space has ever been used. The remaining 643,845 square meters are just collecting dust, and the only people who work there are security guards who drive away squatters.
There are several reasons why the mall failed so badly, but the main one is its location - Dongguan has only 10 million people, most of whom are poor factory workers, and it takes several hours to get to the mall.
7. Merry Christmas
Fact: population North Korea celebrates his version of Christmas
In North Korea, Christmas is not celebrated. More precisely, the Christmas holiday there is more like military action than a celebration. Instead of celebrating Christmas, which is celebrated in Western countries, North Korea celebrates the birth of Kim Jong Il's mother, who was born on December 24th.
The North Korean government has long been keeping an eye on religious groups within their borders - in 2002 they even tortured a woman for helping several Christians flee the country. Since then, they have continued to demonize and censor as many Western influences as possible, including establishing several patriotic holidays around Christmas. In addition to the birth of Kim Jong Il's mother, the North Korean population celebrates Constitution Day on December 27th, and on New Year's Day they hold parades at the burial site of Kim Il Sung, who started the Korean War.
6. China has one time zone
China is about 5,200 kilometers wide, which would be enough to accommodate five different time zones. Despite this, since the Civil War in 1949, China has had one time zone for the entire country.
The reason for this is political: China is a huge state, and after 20 years civil war new government of China People's Republic wanted to give the population a sense of unity. Unfortunately, this also meant that while Beijing's sunrise occurred at 6 a.m., western territories such as the Xinjiang Autonomous Region had to wait an additional two hours for dawn.
This system still works, although the Xinjiang administration got tired of it and they established their own unofficial time zone, which is 2 hours behind Chinese Standard Time. The Chinese government does not recognize this decision.
5. It's illegal to be fat in Japan
Japan on this moment considered the skinniest industrial society in the world and for good reason - it is illegal to be fat. According to Japanese law, the waist circumference of a man over 40 years old should not exceed 85 centimeters. Women are given a small concession - their waist should not exceed 90 cm.
Why? The official explanation is that thinner people are healthier and the law is intended to combat high cholesterol and high blood pressure. People exceeding the legal waist circumference are required to attend counseling and adhere to government-mandated diets, and companies that employ a large number of overweight people are required to pay a fine, which goes toward medical care for older people.
4. Earth's population
Fact: China and India make up a third of the world's population
It is widely known that China is densely populated, but the country's population size is still surprising. Sichuan Province alone has a population larger than the combined populations of Greece, Portugal, the Netherlands, Guatemala, Austria, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and Canada - and is only the fourth largest province in the country.
The populations of India and China account for a third of the number of people on Earth - in 2012, the populations of these two countries reached 2.5 billion people. Moreover, all these people live in an area only slightly larger than the size of the United States.
3. Abandoning children “for luck”
In one of the temples located in the mountains of Solapur district in India, newborns undergo a ritual that is supposed to bring good luck, health and courage to the child. Children are brought to the top of a 15-meter tower, from where they are thrown down onto a stretched cloth held by monks at the foot of the tower.
This Muslim tradition is more than 500 years old and is still followed today. Although many people hear about the ritual with horror, residents of the village of Musti claim that during the entire existence of this tradition there has not been a single injury.
2. Watch your hands
Fact: Hindus eat with their right hand and wipe with their left.
One of the most interesting customs in India is that they eat only with their right hand. The reason is that when people go to the toilet here, they don't use toilet paper - they take some water in their left hand and wipe themselves with it. Apart from hotels and restaurants catering to Western tourists, there are very few toilets that have toilet paper in the entire country - why use paper when you have a great left hand, right?
In addition to the fact that you should not eat with your left hand, it is considered offensive to do almost anything imaginable with it, including passing money or shaking hands in greeting.
1. Chinese children
Fact: Chinese children are named after events
In 1992, China submitted its bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games. That same year, 680 Chinese named their newborns Aoyun, which translates to “Olympics.” More than 4,000 people named their children this name over the next 15 years, and when it was announced that China would host the 2008 Olympics, there was a further surge in use of the name. It's not strange for Chinese parents to name their children after important events or political movements.
This is just one of the methods for choosing names in China - there are others, but according to Chinese registry offices, the top common names are names such as “Defend China” or “Lift up the country”. Some children are even simply called by the magnificent name "Space Travel" and there are currently 300,000 "Civilizations" in the country. It's the same as if in Russia people called their children “Putin for President” or simply “Russia”.
Asia certainly has a huge influence on the Western world in many ways, but despite this, we only see a small part of what is actually happening there. Having faced the truth, we will understand that we know nothing about this amazing part of the world; it continues to remain a secret behind seven locks for us. TravelAsk wants to introduce you to some centuries-old traditions and modern trends in Asia that will leave you scratching your head. Here are 10 of the most unusual facts about Asia.
Universal birthday
Vietnamese New Year is everyone's birthday.
Vietnamese New Year (or Tet) is celebrated annually at the end of winter, the celebration lasts for several days. It begins on the first day of the lunar calendar. In addition to many other traditions of this holiday, it is considered a birthday. Like the Koreans, the Vietnamese count their age by the number of lunar new years they have experienced. This way the child will officially turn one on his first Tet, even if he was born a few days before.
Thailand watering festival
Thai New Year (Songkran) is celebrated from 13 to 15 April and is the oldest festival that marks the change of year and the Thai "astrological transition". The main ritual during the celebration is pouring a mixture of water, flour or talcum powder on each other. Initially, the celebration had a spiritual meaning: people poured water on Buddha statues, and then collected the water that flowed from the statues and poured it on their relatives and friends for good luck. Nowadays, this ritual is performed with the help of water pistols, from which everyone who passes by is sprayed.
Largest shopping center
In 2005, Chinese billionaire Alex Hu Guizhong began building the world's largest shopping mall in the city of Dongguan. At seven million square feet, there was room for 2,350 stores, not to mention a full-size indoor roller coaster, a 1.3-mile water canal (complete with gondolas) and an 82-foot replica of the Arc de Triomphe. The only problem was that no one wanted to open their own store in this center. From 2005 to today, only about 1% has been employed retail space. One of the most compelling reasons for this failure is the location of the shopping center: Dongguan County is home to only 10 million people, most of whom are poor factory workers.
Merry Christmas!
North Korea celebrates its own version of Christmas.
North Korea does not celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense. Instead of Christmas holidays, North Koreans celebrate the birth of Kim Jong Il's mother, who was born on December 24th. On December 27, celebrations are held here on the occasion of Constitution Day, and on New Year's, marches are held to the tomb of Kim Il Sung, where the leader's body rests incorrupt.
China has only one time zone
Although China is spread across 5 time zones, there has only been one national time zone since the Chinese Civil War in 1949. This was done in order to give the population a sense of unity and cohesion. When the sun rises at 6 a.m. in Beijing, the western territories don't see daylight for another 2 hours, so they created their own unofficial time zone. The Chinese government does not recognize him.
It's illegal to be fat in Japan
The Japanese are considered the skinniest industrialized nation in the world, and all because being fat is illegal here! Japanese laws require that the waist of a man over 40 years of age not exceed 85 cm in girth. Women are given a little more freedom: their waist circumference should not be more than 90 cm. According to the official version, thin people are healthier, thereby the law is aimed at combating high cholesterol levels and hypertension. People who break this law must undergo counseling and be prescribed a government-approved diet. And companies that employ a large number of overweight people are required to pay fines. This money will be transferred to the health fund: for medical care for the elderly.
World population
Throwing children is good luck
In the holy mountains of India, newborns are subjected to a ritual that is intended to bring good luck, courage and health to the child. Children are carried to the top of a 50-meter tower and then thrown down onto a stretched cloth held by monks. This Muslim custom has been practiced for over 500 years and continues to this day. While many people are horrified by the ritual, local residents They say no one has been hurt yet.
Watch your hands
Hindus eat with their right hand and wipe with their left.
One of the most interesting customs in India is that the locals eat only with their right hand. The thing is that the toilets here don't use toilet paper, they pour some water into your left hand and use it to dry yourself. In India, it is quite difficult to find a restroom that has toilet paper, except in hotels and restaurants catering to Western customers. It is also considered offensive to do anything with the left hand, such as passing money or holding it out as a greeting.
Chinese children
Chinese children are named after events.
In 1992, China applied to host the 2000 Olympic Games. That same year, 680 Chinese named their newborn children Aoyun (literally translated as "Olympics"). More than 4,000 people gave their children this name over the next 15 years. According to the Chinese registry, other common names are "Defending China" and "Building a Nation." Some children are called “Space Journey.”
Asia has a great influence on the Western world. Amazing discoveries, innovative ideas, philosophy and much more, all of this has a number of advantages for the West. However, with all this influence we are only barely able to touch the slightest surface of the Asian cultural layer. We have selected a dozen unusual facts about Asia, some of which may be puzzling.
Vietnamese people celebrate New Year according to the lunar calendar, otherwise it is called Tet. The duration of the holiday is three whole weeks. Interestingly, in addition to the New Year itself, these numbers of the lunar calendar are the birthday of all Vietnamese. The Vietnamese count the number of Tet, that is, if a baby was born one week before the New Year, then he will already be 1 year old. It is curious that the Vietnamese documents still record the date, month, and year of birth.
Shopping center in a ghost town
- a billionaire from China planned in 2005 to build a huge shopping mall, the likes of which cannot be found in all of Asia. The city of Dongguan was chosen as the location for the development, and as it turned out, this was not the best choice.
A huge amount of money was spent on construction New Soth China Mall, which can accommodate 2,350 stores. There is a copy in the center Arc de Triomphe, a half-kilometer canal with boats was made. Amazingly, 97% of the shopping center territory has never been rented. Now the only workers in this place are security guards.
Why did this happen? Dongguan city has a population of 10 million, but the vast majority of residents are peasants and factory workers. They simply do not have the money to not only buy goods in the shopping center, but even to get to it, because it is located some distance from the residential areas of the city and closer to industrial zones. This is how the unfortunate choice of location played a cruel joke on the Chinese billionaire.
North Koreans don't celebrate Christmas like the rest of the world. As you know, December 24 is the date of Catholic Christmas and it is celebrated in many parts of the world. Many Asian countries do not disdain this, even those where Buddhism is considered the official religion.
The North Korean authorities have strict control over the population, and the emergence of religious groups is immediately cut down in the bud. By the way, the last such group of Christians was discredited in the 80s. But December 24th is still a date, and Koreans have their own Christmas here. They are celebrating the birthday of Kim Jong Il's mother, who coincidentally was born on December 24th.
Japan is considered the slimmer country in the world and this is no coincidence. In the country Rising Sun There is a law according to which citizens cannot be overweight. There are certain regulations - men cannot have a waist larger than 85 centimeters, women - 90 cm. The Japanese say that slender people are healthier.
Those who are unable to control their weight undergo consultations with psychologists and nutritionists. They undertake to undergo a state diet, which is agreed upon by the best doctors in the country. Sanctions are also imposed on companies with a large number of overweight employees. Companies pay large fines, which then go towards healthcare for elderly Japanese.
A third of the world's population
2.5 billion people live in China and India - this is a third of the inhabitants of the entire globe. Amazingly, the numbers continue to grow. For example, Russia, the largest country in the world, has a population of 143 million people. The province of Sichuan alone, in China, has a larger population than Greece or Canada.
In words, countries say they are struggling with such demographics, but in reality they are timid attempts to stop the growing population.
Indian ritual
In the mountain temple Solapur, which in India is carried out unusual ritual. He assumes that a baby who has undergone this action is doomed to a happy life.
So, according to tradition, you need to climb with the baby to a 15-meter height, then push him from there. But of course not on earth, what happiness will there be there? Downstairs they stretch out white sheets and wait for the child to land. Despite the claims of various organizations, the Hindus of this land continue to perform the ritual. According to the locals, not a single injury has been recorded in 500 years.
It is curious that the Chinese like to name their children in honor of some significant events. For example, the Olympic Games were recently held in China, and 4,000 names were recorded in the country “ Ayun", which in translation means - " Olympic Games" This practice is normal in China, and choosing a name only provides a few options due to events in the country.
It's funny, but the more popular names are " Defend your homeland», « Nation building" Yes, yes, this is how the Chinese choose names. 400,000 people now live in China with the name " Civilization", of course this is in our language. “Conquest of space”, “Sputnik launch”, “Space travel” are the norm. Just imagine if in Russia they gave the names “Space Station” or “Constitution Day”.
One time for everyone
The length of China is more than five thousand kilometers, which covers as many as five time zones. However, time flows the same for every province in China. The fact is that in 1949 the authorities decided to unite and unite the nation. A time zone was included in this plan, and the authorities made the time uniform for all provinces. It’s interesting that when the sun rises in Beijing, the residents western provinces They wait another two hours for this, although the hands on the clock show 6:00. They even tried to resist the will of the party and created their own internal time, but the authorities do not approve of this step, but they do not interfere much either.
Malaysia loves to eat
Food is sacred to the Malays. The meal break must be respected and respected by the whole country. For example, a bus driver can interrupt his route and go to a cafe for a snack, and this is treated very respectfully, and many go to the cafe with the driver. Imagine if this happens in the Moscow metro.
This is just an isolated case; there is also a very interesting example of the Malays’ love for food. At universities it is not only allowed, but even approved, to eat during lectures. That is, while the teacher explains another example from mathematical analysis on the blackboard, the Malays calmly listen to him and gobble up lunch. People from Western world It’s hard to understand such traditions; it’s crazy for them to stop work in broad daylight, while affecting the time of others. Although in Britain there is time for lunch, and in Spain there is siesta.
Many people believe that the Vietnamese are Buddhists. However, this is a misconception. In fact, only 9% of the country’s population is Buddhist; most of them have their own religion. A kind of cult of ancestral customs, based on a philosophical understanding of nature and the environment. This is very interesting, because throughout its history, Vietnam has more than once been subjected to the arrival of strangers with their own foundations and rules, but it has retained its religion.
Many people in Vietnam hang a mirror on the front door from the street side, as the Vietnamese assure that the evil spirit, seeing itself in the mirror, immediately leaves. Also, if you look closely, you can see many interesting figures in the courtyards, on window sills, and at doors.
Persian Gulf– shallow inland sea Indian Ocean. It is well known as the oil producing region of the world. But few people know that this bay is constantly decreasing in size. "Blame" for this large rivers The Tigris and Euphrates, which merge to form a single channel. Through it, a significant amount of sediment is carried into the Persian Gulf every year. Due to this northern shores Every year they reclaim several tens of meters from the bay. Over the past thirty centuries, the coast of the bay has shifted southward by more than 150 km. In the 1st century AD The Tigris and Euphrates flowed separately into the Persian Gulf and much further north than now.
Permafrost occupies 85% of the territory of Siberia. The thickest layer of permafrost in the world is located in the central part of the Central Siberian Plateau, in the upper reaches of the Vilyui River. Here its thickness reaches almost 1500 m. The age of the permafrost is 300 thousand years, and in the north of Yakutia - up to 700 thousand years or more. The depth of soil freezing in Siberia generally ranges from 100 to 500 m. Western Siberia a layer of permafrost was identified at a depth of 50–200 m.
The most long river in the world, without a mouth - Tedzhen. It flows through the territory of Afghanistan, Iran and Turkmenistan. Its length is 1150 km. The river originates in the mountains at an altitude of almost 3000 m. It is fed mainly by melted snow waters. Within Turkmenistan, the Tejen flows in a wide valley, dividing into several branches. In the lower reaches of the river, water is used for irrigation. Therefore, this unusual river ends with a network of irrigation canals, giving its entire waters to the fields.
The largest reservoir in terms of volume in the world is Bratsk on the Angara River. It contains about 170 km3 of water. The Bratsk reservoir is 45 times larger than, for example, the Kiev reservoir. Filling it with water lasted six years.
Among the amazing natural phenomena and objects of India - the tallest grass in the world, the longest plant on the planet, the highest flowering plant on Earth.
The tallest grass is bamboo, the height of which reaches more than 30 m, and the diameter of the trunk is 30 cm. In 1949, a stem 37 m long was cut down in India. In two months, bamboo grows by 20–30 m, and in a day, sometimes by 91 see. Bamboo blooms once every few decades. At the same time, it is very difficult to predict the year of its flowering. The longest plant is the Indian rattan vine. Its stem reaches a length of 300 m.
The highest altitude where flowering plants grow is about 6400 m above sea level. At this altitude, these plants were discovered in the mountains of India.
Two neighboring islands Malay Archipelago - Java and Sumatra have similar natural conditions, however, in Java the population density is 30 times (!) greater. This is explained by the exceptional fertility of the volcanic soils on Java: there are 120 volcanoes on the island, of which every fourth is active. Despite the constant danger of eruptions, people have long settled on the fertile lands of the slopes of volcanoes.
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The area of Asia, including its islands, exceeds 44 million square kilometers. Together with Europe they form a single continent - Eurasia. There are more than 50 countries in Asia, and they are all so different: India, China, the Philippines, Russia, Uzbekistan. Each of them has its own customs and orders.
The term “Asia” itself comes from the ancient Greek language. Greek mythology, like any other, personified natural phenomena and the surrounding world. The name Asia was borne by one of the Oceanids, the wife of Prometheus. This is where the name of the continent came from. By the time of Herodotus, this name was firmly attached to the mainland, and the Scythians who lived beyond the Caspian Sea were called Asians.
2. So attractive and different
Asia itself is very diverse and contrasting: there are deserts and forests, steppes and mountains, jungles and tundra. It is in Asia that the highest mountain on the planet is located - Everest and the lowest place on land - the Dead Sea. The climate here is different: in the south it is warm and humid, in Siberia it is cold.
The culture, religion and level of the economy are also strikingly different here.
For example, there are civilizations here whose history goes back thousands of years: Chinese, Japanese, Indian. It was here, on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates, that the very first states arose. Today in Asia there are countries with highly developed technologies (for example, Japan), and there are those where the inhabitants still lead a nomadic lifestyle (for example, residents Andaman Islands). Here are the most luxurious and rich cities, as well as the most terrible and poor slums.
And even women in Asia for every taste. So, in Muslim countries they don’t even show their faces, and in Thailand there are more prostitutes per Thai than in any other state.
3. Interesting Facts about Asia
Fact No. 1_. It is in Asia that the largest reserves of gold, oil and other minerals are located.
Fact No. 2_. 60% of the world's population lives in Asia.
Fact No. 3_. The area of Asia is larger than the area of the Moon.
Asia is not only the homeland ancient civilizations, but also the largest structure made by human hands - the Great Chinese wall.
Fact No. 5_. The Middle East is considered the birthplace of Islam, but it is in Asia that the majority of Muslims live.
Fact No. 6_. One of the most densely populated countries in the world is located in this part of the world. This is Bangladesh. There are 85% Muslims here.
Fact No. 7_. Ten most high mountains are located in Asia.
There is a forecast that by 2025, 7 of the 10 most big cities of the world will be located in this part of the world.
Fact No. 9_. Real goddess girls live in Nepal. They are called Kumari.
Fact No. 10_. There are three dominant religions in Asia: Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism.
Fact No. 11_. In some Asian languages, the colors green and blue are not lexically distinguished. So, in Japan, one word was used to designate them until the twentieth century - “aoi”.
Fact No. 12_. The cow is considered a sacred animal in most Asian countries.
Fact No. 13_. Many countries have their own unusual laws and procedures. For example, in Japan it is officially forbidden to be fat. A man's waist should not exceed 85 centimeters, and a woman's - 90 centimeters. This is prescribed by law. This is because thin people are healthier. Therefore, if a Japanese person suddenly gets fat, he needs to follow a diet, and a company that employs many overweight people must pay a fine.
Fact No. 14_. Asia is the fastest growing continent.
