China's Olympic Challenge: The mythology of Eight

Ancient human skull found in China

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient human skull in China, dating back to 80,000 to 100,000 years, which may shed light on a shadowy chapter of evolutionary history. The finding was made by an excavation team led by Chinese archaeologist Li Zhanyang in the central province of Henan. According to National Geographic News, a report from the Chinese government earlier suggested that the fossil came from a modern human, which would have forced a radical reworking of current theories about when ...

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The mystery of the Chinese pyramids

The virtually unknown Chinese pyramids are historic monuments that now struggle against the ravages of time and the elements. The elaborate walls of one grand structure were accidentally discovered by U.S. pilot James Gaussman towards the end of the Second World War.  His engine failed when returning from a mission to aid the Chinese army en route to his base in Assam, India. Flying over Xi"an at a low altitude, Gaussman was astonished at the site of an enormous pyramid in the distance. The pilo...

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Inside the Emperor’s underground palace

It covers an area the size of Cambridge but so far only a tiny proportion of the site of the First Emperor of China’s underground palace for the afterlife has been excavated. Now Chinese archaeologists have used computerised imagery to complete a 3-D reconstruction of the giant tomb that lies 30 metres beneath a mound, with the Qinling mountains in the background. The dramatic imagery has been made available to The Times by the historian John Man, before he publishes pictures and a detailed desc...

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China finds secret tomb chamber

A mysterious underground chamber has been found inside the Chinese imperial tomb guarded by the famous Terracotta Army, Chinese archaeologists say. Historical records describing the tomb of Qin Shihuang, China's first emperor, do not mention the room which is 30 metres (98 feet) deep. The unopened chamber was found at the site near the old imperial capital of Xian using remote sensingtechnology. One expert says it may have been built for the soul of the emperor. More than 2,000 years...

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Mystery coffins opened in 2,500-year-old tomb

JING'AN, Jiangxi, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese archaeologists have started to excavate a 2,500-year-old tomb containing 47 coffins made of a rare wood called nanmu in east China's Jiangxi Province. The tomb, in Lijia village in Jing'an county, is 16 meters long, about 11.5 meters wide and three meters deep. It is believed to date back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-221 B.C.). It is the largest group of coffins ever discovered in a single tomb and the excavation has been dubb...

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Japan man kept dead mother in a backpack

A man who kept his mother"s remains in a backpack is just one of a number of similar cases in Japan.A recent investigation aimed at checking up on citizens over 100 years old has been launched following the discovery of an alleged 111 year-old man who was found mummified in his bed after having been deadalmost 30 years. The remains of a Japanese woman have been found in abackpack, in the latest gruesome discovery by investigators searching for missing old people. . The woman"s son told...

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Korean man marries a pillow

In a bizarre marriage this month Korean man Lee Jin-gyu married his pillow in a traditional ceremony.Its one of the most peculiar marriages for some years, the pillow in question bears the face of a female anime character and was photographed at the wedding in a traditional wedding dress as the pair kissed afterexchanging vows. Remember that episode of "30 Rock" where James Franco"s character was in love with apillow? Oh that was so funny. . You know, because it was a scripted televis...

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Snake and scorpion wine on sale

A village in Vietnam is producing bottles of wine containing cobra snakes and scorpions.The wines are being shipped worldwide and are said to be a natural remedy used to treat a number of conditions. The poison from the snakes and scorpions is rendered inactive by the drink and won"t harm anyone who dares to try some. Forget eating the worm after downing yourtequila - with these bottles of unusual wine produced in Vietnam, a tasty tipple comes with a far more potent bite. . A villa...

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Malaysian home plagued by ghosts

A home in Malaysia has been plagued by paranormal activity and a series of mysterious fires.Several paranormal experts have attempted to rid the home of Zainab Sulaiman of "evil" spirits said to be responsible for a series of disturbances and fires. In the latest attempt a group of muslim ghostbusters known called Darul Shifaq spent half the night there butfailed to exorcise the spirits. "We have come across this sort of paranormal activity before, and her an­cient belongings may beth...

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Ancient traditions give Japanese strength

Japanese turn to Buddhist and Shinto traditions for strength after the earthquake and tsunami.At a time of unbelievable devastation to the world"s third largest economy, the people of Japan turn to the ancient traditionsof Buddhism and Shinto to find comfort and strength. Japanese Buddhism focuses on prayer and ritual for both survivors and those whose lives were lost as well as striving to reduce physical and mental suffering. Sevendays after the quake and tsunami, waves of memor...

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