Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  The Tang Dynasty - Cultural...

  Jun Liu

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  The Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) emerged after the collapse of the short-lived Sui Dynasty, which had failed due to internal strife, heavy taxation, and forced labor projects that drained the empire’s resources. The fall of the Sui created a power vacuum, allowing various factions to vie for control. Amid this turmoil, Li Yuan, a former Sui general, led a successful rebellion and established the Tang Dynasty in 618 CE, taking the throne as Emperor Gaozu. His leadership set the foundation for one of China’s most influential and prosperous dynasties. 
  Emperor Gaozu focused on stabilizing the empire by reforming the government, lowering excessive taxes, and restoring order to a nation weakened by years of misrule. However, his reign was relatively short-lived as his son, Li Shimin, proved to be a more capable leader. In 626 CE, Li Shimin forced his father to abdicate and took the throne as Emperor Taizong. His ascension marked the true consolidation of Tang power and the beginning of an era of expansion, reform, and cultural advancement. 
  Under Emperor Taizong’s rule, the Tang Dynasty established a strong centralized government based on Confucian principles. He refined the imperial examination system, ensuring that officials were chosen based on merit rather than birthright. This system allowed for the creation of a competent and efficient bureaucracy, which would become a hallmark of Tang governance. Additionally, Taizong worked to solidify China’s borders by engaging in strategic military campaigns. His army pushed westward into Central Asia, securing control over key trade routes and strengthening the empire’s influence along the Silk Road. These military victories, combined with diplomatic relations with neighboring states, positioned the Tang Dynasty as a dominant force in East Asia.

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  Axum Empire - The African...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The Axum Empire was one of the most influential civilizations in ancient Africa, flourishing between the 4th and 7th centuries AD. It was located in what is today northern Ethiopia and parts of Eritrea, strategically positioned along the Red Sea trade routes. This placement not only allowed Axum to thrive economically but also made it a key player in global trade between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The kingdom of Axum’s rise to prominence marked a pivotal moment in African history, shaping the culture, economy, and politics of the region for centuries. 
  The origins of the Axum Empire are somewhat shrouded in mystery, but its establishment is often linked to the rise of the city of Axum (also spelled Aksum) around the 1st century AD. According to various historical accounts, Axum was originally a small kingdom that grew in power through trade, conquest, and political alliances. It eventually became one of the most advanced civilizations of its time, possessing advanced knowledge of agriculture, architecture, and metallurgy. 
  At its height, the Axum Empire was an extraordinary political and economic entity. The kingdom controlled an extensive territory that stretched from modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea to parts of Sudan and Arabia. Axum became a major center for trade, exporting goods such as ivory, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, while also importing luxury goods from Roman, Indian, and Arabian merchants. The city of Axum itself was known for its monumental obelisks, palaces, and sophisticated urban planning.

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  Sweet Tea Secrets from the...

  Jane Jenkins Herlong

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  Southern humorist Jane Jenkins Herlong brings joy and humor with her fifty unusual-but-true faith-filled stories of growing up in the South Carolina low country. Whether you love Southern ways of life or find their ways strange and amusing, you'll be entertained and inspired with warm Southern-fried humor and tried-and-true tips for attaining the best version of yourself. Jane's fifty stories address specific landmark events along with issues in a woman's life, such as fitting into the covered-dish church culture, sacred sisterhood, sassy seasoned Southern women and why we are drawn to beauty pageant competition, and much more!

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  Wei Shu and Wu - The Three...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The fall of the Han Dynasty marked the end of one of China’s longest and most influential imperial reigns, setting the stage for the chaotic period of the Three Kingdoms. While the dynasty had enjoyed centuries of stability and prosperity, internal corruption, weak leadership, and external rebellions steadily eroded its power. By the late second century AD, the once-mighty Han court was little more than a battleground for rival factions, warlords, and opportunists seeking to seize control. 
  One of the first major signs of decline was the increasing corruption within the imperial court. Eunuchs, who had gained substantial influence over the young emperors, manipulated state affairs for personal gain. As these power struggles intensified, competent officials and generals were sidelined or purged, leaving the empire vulnerable to both internal unrest and external threats. The weakening of central authority allowed regional governors and warlords to act with growing independence, further fragmenting the empire. 
  Amidst this political turmoil, a major peasant uprising erupted in 184 AD—the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Led by Zhang Jue, a Taoist healer who promised salvation through divine intervention, the rebellion quickly spread across northern and central China, drawing hundreds of thousands of followers. Although the Han government eventually crushed the revolt, the effort severely drained the empire’s resources and exposed its inability to maintain control. The rebellion’s suppression also elevated the status of military commanders, many of whom would later become the powerful warlords who divided the empire.

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  A Quest for the Hidden Lands -...

  Norman Levine

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  My budding career as a literary scholar was suddenly hijacked by a singular seemingly random event. It was 1976 when I tiptoed into a tiny Buddhist shrine room in a farmhouse nestled into the Black Mountains of Wales and there beheld a Tibetan master, the 16th Karmapa, sitting on a throne performing a ceremony known as The Black Hat. My mind came to an immediate stop, suspended. It felt familiar, like the secret garden of childhood.I can still remember every detail like it was yesterday:Karmapa occupies the throne completely. He has a spiritual dignity that makes it his rightful seat, just as the lion proclaims his natural dominion. The force of his presence alone brings a hushed silence to the room. It feels like it has expanded into a cathedral. Two monks blow long Tibetan horns in a haunting wail so loud and long it startles thought patterns, blowing them away like clouds. The Karmapa slowly opens the Black Hat-box, takes the black silk crown in his hand, and puts it on his head holding it down with one hand. With the other hand he fingers a crystal rosary moving it deftly, twirling the beads around three times. The horns continue while he gazes with eyes that seem to dissolve the fiction of time and the boundaries of space. Time is standing still.That glimpse into enlightened mind became embedded like a seed and grew into a quest over the next decades to find the key places on our planet called the Hidden Lands.The legend came alive while I was living in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Himalayas. I met Tibetans who had been to the supreme Hidden Land of Pemako while escaping from the Chinese invasion of Tibet. They made it sound like the ‘promised land’ with streams flowing with milky water. There were certain plants that could induce enlightenment.Why did it take decades to get there? What made the right ingredients emerge to penetrate this sacred sanctuary?  And the big question: Who hid it and why?

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  Limitless: 9 Pillars to Unlock...

  Mitchell Hutchcraft

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  One man. 12,000KM. A triathlon to the top of the world – and a roadmap to redefining your own impossible. 
  In 2024, former Royal Marine Mitchell Hutchcraft attempted what no human had ever dared: a 12,000km triathlon from the UK to the top of the world. 
  He swam the English Channel. He cycled solo across Europe. He ran through India. Then he climbed Everest – standing 29,032 feet above where his journey began. Some people spend their entire lives in pursuit of just one of these goals. Mitch did it all in just 240 days. 
  Limitless is the gripping account of that record-breaking expedition. But this isn’t just another adventure story – it’s a raw and unflinching account of what drives us to the edge and what we discover when we get there. Mitch confronts his grief, battles his own mind, and reveals the cost of chasing a dream that terrifies him. 
  This book will change how you see your own limits. 
  Drawing from extreme endurance and his military experience, Mitch delivers practical tools and mindset shifts that work in the real world. Whether you're facing a career crossroads, a personal crisis, or simply know you're capable of more – Limitless will help you meet yourself where you are, challenge the boundaries you've been told to accept, and unlock the extraordinary potential you didn't know you had. 
  nan

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