Ironduke

It's just a portion of the original article. I'm not supposed to reproduce it because it's from JSTOR, an online database of most academic journals. But I'll dig up some more and post them here tomorrow.

The assertion that there was no direct contact between the Roman and Han Empires is a bit misleading however... from texts I've read by ancient Chinese historians there was contact between Chinese and Romans in an official capacity, an exchanges of gifts, though it was highly sporadic and embassies were never established. The Romans came to Assam with gifts for the Chinese emperor according to one of the Chinese sources, and the Chinese traveled to Antioch and Alexandria.

Though some of the information in the accounts of ancient Chinese historians contained embellishments (such as the Romans being forced to travel in large convoys in the countryside between cities because they'd be eaten by tigers or bears), much of it was fairly accurate. For example, the structure of Roman government, writing style (characterized as "sideways"), dress, and so on.

Somewhat amusingly, the Chinese title for the Roman and Byzantine emperors throughout the empire's history was An-tun (from Antoninus Pius).

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The Buck Stops Here

Ray

Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuán Zàng; Wade-Giles: Hsüan-tsang, pronounced Shwan-dzang) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator that brought up the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period.

He became famous for his seventeen year overland trip to India and back, which is recorded in detail in his autobiography and a biography.

He is very famous in India as is Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller.

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"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

HAKUNA MATATA

Inst

I thought Astralis is supposed to be from Taiwan Island, although I don't know what his ethnic identification is supposed to be (+- American hyphenation? Taiwanese? Chinese? Taiwanese and Chinese?)

Kansas Bear

It doesn't matter to me where he is from or what his ethnicity. He argues well, that's all that matters here.

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Till he returns...

astralis

Inst, ironduke,

American first and foremost.

but if I'm going to use a hyphen, I'll take Taiwanese-American, seeing as how I was born in Taipei. not that I really mind if someone calls me Chinese-American.

only thing that gets me is if someone asks me where i'm from, and upon hearing the answer, says- "well I LOVE thai food!"

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Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.

-Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Ray

You are hilarious!

gunnut

I've never heard that one before.

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"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

Skywatcher

I've had that one thrown at me too, though I'm pretty sure my friends were joking around.

S-2

Yeah, well Astralis ain't the only born-in-Taipai Yank, except that I happen to be Caucasian and get REALLY pissed when somebody answers, "Well, I LOVE Thai food!"

#$%@

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"This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski

Bigfella

OK, so you are telling me that Thai food doesn't come from Thaiwan or Thaipei.

What next? I suppose you want me to believe that Indian curries don't come from the Great Plains!

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Win nervously lose tragically - Reds C C

Ray

I actually don't like Thai food!

So you I won't say "I like Thai food" to any Thaipei or Thaiwan person.

dave lukins

Looks like Tankie was on the trip as well

Ray

You are a real nasty chap!

Poor Tankie!

Sure it was a monkey and not a Ma ki?

antimony

WHAT

WHY

Ray Sir,

Try Mussuumman and tell me you do not like it