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THE GREAT MUGHALS

The current exhibition in London explores the arts and culture of the Mughal period through the artistic achievements of the ‘Golden Age’ of the Mughal court, circa 1560-1660, during the reigns of three emperors: Akbar (r 1556-1606), Jahangir (r 1605-1627), and Shah Jahan (r 1628-1658). It highlights the international nature of the arts during this…

ALONG THE RIVER DURING THE QINGMING FESTIVAL

Along the River During the Qingming Festival is considered the most famous ancient scroll painting in China today. It was created at the end of the Northern Song dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Huizong (r 1100-1126) (Fig 1), and has a history of more than 900 years. Why is Along the River During the Qingming Festival so famous? Is it worthy of its reputation? These questions are addressed in the recently published English edition of Along the River During the Qingming Festival: A Day in the Song Dynasty, which reads the scroll in detail. As the author, I invite you to open the scroll with me and seek answers to these questions.

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HANOK: THE TRADITIONAL HOUSE OF KOREA

The traditional house of Korea, hanok,comes from a building culture that was created in response to the distinct four seasons in Korea, where both extreme hot weather and cold weather exist. To cope with this climate, an underground flooring system (ondol) is installed in part of the house for the winter, and during the summer, the house has a separate…