Asia

For thousands of years, lithophones - a term to denote musical instruments crafted from stone - have captivated audiences around the world. Much like a xylophone or a marimba, lithophones produce musical notes when struck. They come in all shapes and sizes, with the stones carved or shaped to create a variety of pitches and tones.

The flute is one of the world's oldest musical instruments and has a rich and diverse history spanning several millennia.

Zheng He (also known as Cheng Ho) is one of the most famous admirals in Chinese history and is best known for his treasure voyages. These voyages served to showcase the power and the wealth of the Ming Dynasty to the known world and were commissioned by the Ming Dynasty’s Yongle Emperor himself.

Soma is both the name of a god and a substance in Hindu mythology. As a deity, Soma is one of the most important gods in the Rigveda. According to the Puranas, Soma is often depicted as a god riding a three wheeled chariot that is pulled by a team of 10 white horses, or a celestial bull, a giant rising from the waters, a bird, the lord of plants, and an embryo. He is an ancient deity who is in charge of several important aspects of life, one being the bringer of fortune and health.

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea which originated hundreds of years ago but has only recently become a global phenomenon. It is difficult to confirm exactly where kombucha first became popular, and there is much debate surrounding the question. Most people cite China as the probable homeland, possibly around 200 AD, although it’s believed to have gained its name from a Japanese doctor who lived around 400 AD.

In 1965, archaeologists were carrying out a survey in Hubei province, China, four miles from the ruins of Jinan, capital of the ancient Chu state, when they discovered 50 ancient tombs. Inside one of the tombs, sealed in a near air-tight wooden box next to a skeleton, they found a rare and perfectly preserved bronze sword with scabbard. When it was unsheathed, the blade did not have a single trace of rust, and it drew blood when an archeologist tested his finger on its edge; it was seemingly unaffected by the passage of time.

Fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied, powdered, or ground, ginger is used in many forms. In Ayurvedic traditions, it is used for its taste (rasa), energy (virya), and post-digestive effects (vipāka). But most importantly, its potent medicinal properties have earned it the name vishwabheshaja, “the universal medicine”.