Turpan, #Xinjiang happened to be the site where Disney shot part of the #Mulan film. Turpan used to be part of Jushi Kingdom which spoke Tocharian branch of Indo-European language before Han Dynasty
During Han-Xiongnu wars, Han Dynasty pushed Xiongnu out of Tarim Basin and made oases city states vassals including Jushi 車師 Kingdom in Turpan depression.
But Han Dynasty eventually collapsed into Three Kingdoms during which time Kingdom of Wei re-asserted control over Tarim Basin during reign of Cao Cao’s son Cao Pi
During Three Kingdoms era, Wei Kingdom’s control of Tarim Basin is actually quite tenuous compared to Han Dynasty but it retained firm foothold of Turpan where Han dynasty had established few military colonies
Barely 11 years aft Jin Dynasty reunification of Three Kingdoms, War of Eight Princes in 291 AD tore apart peace, and allowed steppe nomad to invade Northern China.
Tens of thousands of Han Chinese refugees fled war-torn Northern China to seek shelter in relatively peaceful Turpan. Thus began the Han Chinese Kingdom of Gaochang 高昌. Gaochang existed as a buffer state btw Northern Wei and Rouran Khaganate during era of Ballad of #Mulan
Tomb Mural unearthed from Astana Cemetery in Turpan, #Xinjiang from Gaochang Kingdom Era depicted tomb owner in Jin Dynasty era dress
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Crossing Pamir would be an impressive feat akin to Hannibal crossing the Alps but not impossible.
Tarim basin city states were militarily weak and can be easily conquered. Climate much wetter back then, so more population to feed Macedon army. 2/
The real challenge for Alexander's mainly infantry based army would be crossing the long stretch o sparcely populated arid steppe and Gobi desert along the Hexi corridor to reach Yellow River where there are significant settlements to plunder
Chinese bro traveled to Gilgit in Pakistan administered Kashmir to marry his Kalash gf.
He met her in his travels to Gilgit a couple of yrs ago while working in Pakistan. They maintained contact, had an online relationship.
Kalash said to descend frm Alexander the Great's Macedonian Army. Recent DNA tests showed that they're not related to Greeks but rather descend frm Bronze Age Proto-Indo-European tribes that migrated to the Indian subcontinent frm the Central Asian Steppe.
There're only abt 3,000 Kalash people who adhere to their ancient religion.
I had only read abt Kalash people in National Geographics and Human Genome project. It's wild to see this content showing up on my Douyin feed.
Chinese bro stayed in her isolated Kalash mountain village for over 2 months while waiting for their marriage certification and her travel documents processed
It's utterly fascinating to see this Chinese bro get a front row seat to this unique culture hiding away in the mountains of Hindu Kush
Chinese bro went with his Kalash wife to visit her sister who married a 70 yr old man in an arranged marriage.
Predictably many in Douyin comments ask him to introduce them to a Kalash gf. Bro said he won't do it and won't recommend even to his own 3 single male cousins in China. He said because there's a huge linguistic/cultural difference to overcome, his own case is special because he had lived and worked in Pakistan for many years, and he met his wife during his travels. He also mentioned that it's more difficult to travel to Northern Areas in Pakistan because there're many restrictions due to its sensitive status as a disputed area with India.
In this history thread, I will talk about how the direct ancestor of Miss Russia 2011 Natalia Gantimurova led to the 1st China Russia border war and Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689.
Her ancestor Gantimur was a Tungus tribal chief who got caught up in Russian and Qing expansion 🧵
Russian Cossacks' pursuit of fur brought them deep into Siberia Taiga in 17th century. Like Viking before them, they expanded their control via navigable rivers. They're also looking a trade route to China. Oriat Mongols they encountered told them of a Bogda Khagan (Heaven Khan)
Cossacks crossed Lake Baikal into Dauria or the land of Daur (people). Mongol Tüsheet Khan ruled Dauria. But Dzungar ruler Galdan Boshugtu Khan defeated Tüsheet Khan along w other Khans of Outer Mongolia, driven them to Inner Mongolia to seek protection of Qing Empire
188cm Ukrainian cosplayer Karina at Hangzhou ad02 animation expo. Her fanbase mostly young Chinese women.
She became a cosplayer aft moving to China w her Chinese husband, gained 3.5million Douyin fans. Her husband cheated on her then drowned in Bali's Kuta Beach last Nov on his birthday during their vacation together. Her fans are glad that she seems to be doing ok now.
Karina actually became famous for cosplaying male characters. She towers over her now dead husband who's only 183cm.
Her hubby had responded to how they did photoshoot in which he appeared taller.
He cheated on her while she was pregnant. They made up just before Bali vacation and his drowning death. Karina said she tried to save him but the wave was too strong
Karina actually became famous for cosplaying male characters. She towers over her now dead husband who's only 183cm.
Her hubby had responded to how they did photoshoot in which he appeared taller.
He cheated on her while she was pregnant. They made up just before Bali vacation and his drowning death. Karina said she tried to save him but the wave was too strong
Ethiopian Chinese baby. Father works for a shoe factory.
Many Chinese textile and shoe factories moved to Africa to go around the US imposed quota on Chinese manufactured goods and take advantage of The African Growth and Opportunity Act which provides duty-free treatment to goods of designated sub-Saharan African countries (SSAs)
Chinese comments on the Douyin video: "Does your shoe factories still need people?"
Many thirsty single men in China
Salary day at a Chinese textile factory in Ethiopia.
Chinese factories off-shored to Africa employ mostly local African workers with a small managerial staff send from China.
Made in Ethiopian goods will sell to the US and EU market without facing restrictions on Chinese goods