The Giant Panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the Giant Panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Other parts of its diet include honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, and bananas when available.
The Giant Panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Due to farming, deforestation, and other development, the Giant Panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.
The people of China have a very rich cultural history. Many cultural beliefs are deeply rooted in strong philosophical perspectives that have evolved over time as stories have been told and retold over generations. The Giant Panda has a special place in Chinese cultural lore, as many qualities and characteristics of the panda are qualities revered by Chinese society as a whole.
Three thousand years ago, a written history of the Xizhou Dynasty (1027-771 BC) was prepared. It was called the Shangshu (Chengdu Assoc., 1993a). The Shangshu described the Giant Panda, or “Pixiu,” as an invincible animal, as strong as a tiger. This description was repeated in the Shijin, the first written collection of poems prepared at about the same time. This sentiment regarding the prowess of the panda may explain, in part, why panda pelts were offered as tribute to emperors and kings of the day.
During the Xizhou Dynasty, people in Pingwu had a special name for the panda: “Zouya”. The Zouya was thought to be a gentle animal, as it was never observed to hurt man or beast. Thus, the panda became a symbol of peace. In that day, when warring armies took to the battlefield, if one army raised a flag with an image of the Zouya, the battle would immediately be called to a halt and a temporary peace would ensue. To this day, the panda continues to be a symbol of peace, and China has gifted pandas to many nations, including the United States, as a gesture of peaceful relations.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the panda was described as having great medicinal value (Chengdu Assoc., 1993b). As detailed in a medical tome entitled Ben cao gang mu, the panda’s pelt was believed to have a magical influence that could repel plague and prevent tumors. Drinking panda urine was thought to dissolve impurities consumed by an inattentive patient.
The Giant Panda is also an animal of philosophical importance in Chinese culture. The Chinese ascribe much importance to the Yin and the Yang, two opposing forces of the universe that are present in all aspects of nature. A common representation of the Yin and the Yang is a circle, half black and half white, depicting the dichotomy of the two colors but the interconnected nature of the two forces. The Giant Panda is thought to be a physical manifestation of the Yin and the Yang, as its body is both black and white, the two colors standing in stark contrast to one another on the animals pelt. The placid nature of the panda is a demonstration of how the Yin and the Yang, when perfectly balanced, contribute to harmony and peace.
An old Chinese saying is “a remarkable place produces outstanding people.” Many Chinese people have used this saying to explain why the Giant Panda inhabits the Sichuan Province. Sichuan is a rugged country, with many steep hills, rivers, and variable vegetation. It has metaphorically been described as an open fan, with the many hills representing the ridges of the fan as it unfolds (Chengdu Assoc.,1993a). This remarkable terrain is believed to be well suited to such a remarkable animal.
Local people have a variety of names for the panda. Some call it the catlike bear, or “maoxiong.” Others, the bearlike cat, or “xiongmao.” Still others call it the banded bear, or “huaxiong.” The consensus seems to be that the most suitable name for the panda is the great bearcat, or “daxiongmao” (Schaller, 1985). The English word “panda” is described by the American Heritage Dictionary as being of French descent. This may be due to the fact that the first westerner to see a panda was P.A. David, a French missionary who allegedly encountered a panda in Baoxing in 1850. The people of the area may have used the Nepali word “nigalya-ponya,” or “eater of bamboo,” to describe the panda, which David possibly altered to the modern word “panda” (Perry, 1969).
Today, the Giant Panda sign were applied to nearly all things we used in everyday. We mostly knew would be Giant Panda Christmas Ornaments, fashion accessroies or Toys. Panda cellphone chains, Panda painting decorations and Panda plush dolls were hot items among them. Goodorient.com collected all these styles Panda related products for their customers and with most optimum prices. If you are try hard to find those China culture related items then being here is a cheerful thing as you could find what you need here. Just go to the home page, shop around and enjoy it.
The time is nearing where you will to decide what to get Mother this Christmas.
Moms are not the easiest people to shop for. We know the struggle which is why we have this list of fantastic Christmas gift options for Mother. Use our list of choices to help save you time and energy and find the best present options:
Auressence - Vanilla Sugar Bath and Body Spa Gift Set
Another great bath and body gift set is the Auressence - Vanilla Sugar Bath and Body Spa Gift Set. This one boasts a bath and body spa set that will offer them the extra pampering they deserve. This one comes at a outstanding value when you match it up against the cost of a spa treatment.
Burt’s Bees Bundle of Joy Basket
For those Mothers who have a newborn, the Burt’s Bees Bundle of Joy Basket is the perfect present. This one has all natural products that will help make the baby and her feel and smell remarkable. A really nice gift for Mothers with a new baby.
Canon SX20IS
Another solid gift idea is the Canon SX20IS. This is a nicest of the line digital camera. Although this product is very new, it is already getting strong reviews from customers. You can also give Mother the ability to record some video with this camera too.
Delonghi BAR32
Coffee drinkers would most certainly be entranced by the Delonghi BAR32. This one is perfect for making exceptional espressos, lattes, cappuccinos and more. Customers love the good rich, foamy crema it makes and its consistency of performance. Don't think your Momma will be the exception on this either.
LG BD390
The LG BD390 is one of the best options you can give to Moms who love movies. Mothers will get to watch all their favorite movies and shows now with Blu-ray technology. Mothers will love what this one offers.
The time to act is now. Click on the following web links for more information and to buy these products: Christmas Gift Ideas For Mom and Christmas Gift Ideas For Mom.
The Rubik's Touch Cube is one of the most entertaining toys or games that has come out this year.
The Rubik’s Touch Cube has already been well received at toy fairs around the country this year. Seems like everyone wants to find out how This one is different from the original. The short answer is that This one rocks and has lots of new features. In this article, we look at what makes this gift so special.
1. Totally unique touch screen design.
Peoples first impression of the new Rubik's Touch Cube has to be an impressed curiosity as they view the sleek and stylish touch cube design. A lot of people believe this touch screen looks very spectacular particularly compared with other electronics touch screens. People love the ease with which moves can be made in this one as a simple sliding of the finger on the Rubik's Touch Cube makes a move. This is a extraordinary thing to watch as the high tech touch cube makes changes. People will be fascinated to simply try This one out just like they would a new pda or mp3 player.
2. Lots of other solid features just below the service.
Another benefit of the Rubik’s Touch Cube is that it has a number of super features besides the touch screen. One example of this is that this version will make a sound with each move made. The player has a couple of choices on what these sounds effects can be too which adds to the fun and interest. This Rubik's Touch Cube is also very Cutting-edge because of the light show it puts on when charging.
3. A wonderful gift for the home or the office.
This product is suited for people of all ages as it can be a remarkable conversation piece for clients at the office or one that the family can share at home. Wherever this toy is found, people will be curious about it and want to see it in action. Families can grow closer thanks to simply sharing the playing of this device with family members.
4. The new one gets smart.
People are impressed with a few other feature additions in This one too. One such feature is it next move feature that will tell you what your next move should be. This one even gets smarter with another feature where it walks you though each move all the way to the end.
Most people will be dreaming about finding The Rubik's Touch Cube under their Christmas tree.
Get a head start on your Xmas shopping by clicking on the following weblinks: Rubik’s Touch Cube and Rubik’s Touch Cube
If you are looking for some suggestions for Xmas presents for women in 2009, you have come to the right place.
Here, we will provide a few popular gift suggestions to give you an idea for what is available and popular this year. Hopefully, these suggestions will make it easier for you to decide what to get women this year as we know Christmas shopping can be a struggle for many people.
Career Bags
Career Bags is a company that really gets women. They make top notch handbags for career woman. Thus, if you know of any women who are on the fast track, you can bet they would love to have several of the different types of bags offered by this company. Brilliant styles and range of options from this company.
Casio EX-FC100
Another great product for ladies is the Casio EX-FC100. This is an excellent point and click digital camera that is highly regarded because it is easy to use. It has some other brilliant features that people will love to check out. A great value purchase that has solid features.
Canon SX20IS
The Canon SX20IS is another great digital camera. This one is an advancement on the very popular first series model, the SX10IS. Here, this one goes farther, but is recognized for giving great photos and can film great HD Video making it a hot combination of digital camera and camcorder.
Flip Ultra HD Camcorder 120 Minutes Black
The Flip Ultra HD Camcorder 120 Minutes Black is another great camcorder. This one is very useful and practical. It can start recording by pressing just a couple of buttons and is really easy to control because it is small and lightweight. This one will be a best seller again this fall and would make a fine gift for anyone.
Viper 5901
The Viper 5901 is one the best present suggestions you probably have not heard of. This secret is quietly gaining interest from everyone who sees it because it is so convenient. This one allows you to turn on your air conditioner or heater from outside the car allowing you to have the temperature just right before you get there. This is a fantastic feature when the weather gets too hot or too cold. However, this product offers more. It also has a car alarm, keyless entry, and can give you alerts if anything happens to the car. In total, this is a great buy that any woman would love to have on her car.
If you are impressed with these gift ideas and would like to see some more, click on the following web addresses: Christmas Gifts For Women and Christmas Gifts For Women
This Xmas season is a solid year for electronics.
You may have been misled into believing that it would be a bad year because of the economy, but nothing could be further from the truth. 2009 there are a significant number of high quality electronics that make for extraordinary Christmas gifts for guys or anyone else for that matter. Here, we will give you just a sample by looking at four of them:
Kindle
The Kindle is a fine invention from Amazon. This one lets men read all they want with one device. No need for a huge library anymore as this device can house all their books. This is really fabulous news for those who are on the go and don't like to haul around a ton of books.
Garmin nuvi 275T
The Garmin nuvi 275T is a very nice GPS device that works well inside and outside of the car. A large number of people have commented how well this worked while traveling on vacation in Europe. You will be glad to know that it also works very well here in the US. One interesting feature of this one is that it has a TV lock that allows you to put this device in your pocket and take it with you without you accidentally hitting a wrong button. This makes it ideal for use when walking.
Pioneer VSX-819H
Many guys really like their home entertainment systems. One device that can really help them get even more out of it is the Pioneer VSX-891H. This one can sync up to all the newest ipods, iphones and more with ease. It makes all these electronics better.
Flip Ultra HD Camcorder 120 Minutes Black
The Flip Ultra HD Camcorder 120 Minutes Black is tremendous electornics device that is easy to record footage with a click of a few buttons and also easier to then upload this video to your computer. It is also light weight and can fit easily into your pocket. A exceptional present idea all the way around.
Stop wasting time searching for more information. Instead, click on the following link to find the best Christmas Gifts for Men: Christmas Gifts For Men
With the growing popularity of the cell phones the need for accessories has also grown. Like in every other area there is a need to be different. Ringtones are not just the sound that informs you of the incoming call but has become a fashion statement. One defines their personality and mood through ringtones. They pay tribute to their favorite artist, actors and movie by downloading their songs and sound tracks.
Nowadays many ringtones such as voice tones, caller tunes, monophonic tones, polyphonic tones, true tones etc are available online. They are either free or require a small payment over the internet to get your favourite ringtone. From Michael Jackson to folk song, from giggling babies to car honks, huge variety of ring tones are available. Cell phone ring tones have evolved tremendously since its first introduction. From simple beeps ring tones have now become polyphonic. Polyphonic ring tones use two or more independent melodies playing synchronously. Present day cell phones are highly sophisticated and can play four to forty tones and notes simultaneously. Polyphonic ring tones have replaced monophonic tones by sheer superior and pleasant quality. They can play various musical instruments like guitars, drums, pianos etc.
One can add more spice to their mobile experience by being a little bit more adventurous about your ring tone. One could always download software which would allow them to create your own music and then transfer it to your mobile. Ringtones have a huge social influence. This can make you really cool or a weirdo depending on your choice of your ring tone. Ring tones are all about uniqueness. One needs to carefully pick their ring tones as it defines their personality and mood. This tells people around you, your choice of music, your creativity and your style.
Some people may choose to download seasonal ringtones. For example, you can download Christmas ringtones. Like other ringtones, Christmas ringtones come themed to Christmas movies or they focus on traditionally favorite Christmas songs. On the other hand if you are a sports fan, you can find ring tones that pertain to sports like racing, tennis, football and more. Last but not the least, if you are a nature lover, you can download ring tones to curb your craving for the wild by down loading nature sounds or animal cries. Animal ring tones include monkeys, elephants, dolphins, frogs, hawks, wolves and many more.
You can get Michael Jackson Ringtones such as “Thriller” from Jamster below. Check it out!