cahya/wikipedia-simple-en huggingface dataset:
Philip Pullman

Sir Philip Pullman CBE FRSL (born Norwich, England, 19 October 1946) is an English writer. He is the best-selling author of His Dark Materials, a trilogy of fantasy novels, and a number of other books. In 2008, The Times named Pullman in its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".One of the greatest books to come around in the 20th century

Perspective on religion 
Pullman is a supporter of the British Humanist Association and an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society. New Yorker journalist Laura Miller has described Pullman as one of England's most outspoken atheists, although Pullman describes himself as an agnostic.

On 15 September 2010, Pullman along with 54 other public figures signed an open letter, published in The Guardian newspaper, stating their opposition to Pope Benedict XVI  being given "the honour of a state visit" to the UK, arguing that he has led and condoned global abuses of human rights. The letter says "The state of which the pope is head has also resisted signing many major human rights treaties and has formed its own treaties ("concordats") with many states which negatively affect the human rights of citizens of those states".  Other signers included Stephen Fry, Professor Richard Dawkins, Terry Pratchett, Jonathan Miller and Ken Follet.

Bibliography

Non-series books
1972 The Haunted Storm
1976 Galatea
1982 Count Karlstein
1987 How to be Cool 
1989 Spring-Heeled Jack
1990 The Broken Bridge
1992 The White Mercedes
1993 The Wonderful Story of Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp
1995 Clockwork, or, All Wound Up
1995 The Firework-Maker's Daughter
1998 Mossycoat
1998 The Butterfly Tattoo (re-issue of The White Mercedes)
1999 I was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers
2000 Puss in Boots: The Adventures of That Most Enterprising Feline
2004 The Scarecrow and his Servant

The New-Cut Gang
1994 Thunderbolt's Waxwork
1995 The Gasfitter's Ball

Sally Lockhart
1985 The Ruby in the Smoke
1986 The Shadow in the North (first published as The Shadow in the Plate)
1990 The Tiger in the Well
1994 The Tin Princess

His Dark Materials
1995 Northern Lights, retitled The Golden Compass in the US
1997 The Subtle Knife
2000 The Amber Spyglass

Companion books
2003 Lyra's Oxford
2009 The Book of Dust

Plays
1990 Frankenstein
1992 Sherlock Holmes and the Limehouse Horror

Non-fiction
1978 Ancient Civilisations
1978 Using the Oxford Junior Dictionary

References 

1946 births
Living people
Agnostics
English novelists
People from Norwich
Writers from Norfolk
Yomi

Yomi (黄泉), the Japanese word for the underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits. According to Shinto mythology as related in Kojiki, this is where the dead go to exist and rot forever. When one eats at the hearth of Yomi it is impossible to return to the land of the living.

Overview 
Yomi is similar to Hades or Hell. In the Shintoist tradition, Yomi is known because Izanami retreated to that place after her death. Izanagi followed her there and when he returned, he washed himself, creating Amaterasu, Susanoo, and Tsukuyomi. (See Japanese mythology.)

Yomi is different from Christian Hell in that all souls go there, no matter their actions in life; and one does not receive punishment for evils made when alive. It is a dirty and polluted place. In Japanese tradition, pollution is usually associated to evil. By the tradition of Kojiki, Yomi is usually believed to be underground, and its entrance to be located in Izumo province.

Yomi is ruled over by Izanami no Mikoto, the Grand Deity of Yomi (Yomotsu-Ōkami 黄泉大神).  According to Kojiki. The entrance to Yomi was blocked by Izanagi when he returned to Earth, using a great boulder (Chibiki-no-Iwa 千引の岩) at the base of the slope that leads to Yomi (Yomotsu Hirasaka 黄泉平坂).

Japanese mythology
Shinto
Afterlife
Ryūgū-jō

In Japanese mythology, Ryūgū-jō (竜宮城) is the palace of Ryūjin, the dragon god of the sea. It is located under the sea. Depending on the version of the legend, it is built from red and white coral, or from solid crystal.  Those that live in the palace were Ryūjin's servants, which were various creatures of the sea.  On each of the four sides of the palace is a different season, and one day at the palace is like 100 years on earth. In legend, Urashima Tarō visits Ryūgū-jō.

Japanese mythology
Japanese folklore
Imp

This article is about the mythical creature. For other uses see imp.

An imp is a mythological creature similar to a fairy or demon, usually described in folklore and superstition.

Imps are usually described as mischievous more than a serious threat, and as lesser creatures, not important supernatural beings. The small helpers who attend the devil are sometimes described as imps. They are usually described as small and very active.

Imps were the common name given to familiar spirits that served witches in the Middle Ages. Imps were usually kept inside artifacts such as gemstone pieces or vials and summoned for service with magic.

Related pages

 Gremlin
 Goblin
 Kappa

Legendary creatures
British Asian

British Asians are a group of people in the United Kingdom. British Asians are part of ethnic groups that come from Asia. Asians were 7% of the United Kingdom's population in 2011. The ancestors of most Asian people in Britain lived in South Asia. Many British Asians are British Indians, British Pakistanis, or British Bangladeshis (from South Asia). Most others are British Chinese, British Japanese (from East Asia) and others come from other countries in Asia.

References 

Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom
Black British

Black British are people who have British nationality but are originally from Africa.

The 2001 UK census says there are 1.2 million Black British people. They are 2.33% of the population of the United Kingdom.

In the past, Black British used to mean any immigrant who was not English, like British Asians, but people say that it was because of racism in England at that time.

References
Ryūjin

Ryūjin (Japanese 龍神 "dragon god", also called Rinjin and Owatatsumi) was the god of the sea in Japanese mythology. He was a dragon, a symbol of the power of the ocean, had a very big mouth, and could transform into human shape. Ryūjin lived in Ryūgū-jō, his palace under the sea built out of red and white coral, from where he was believed to control the tides with magical tide jewels. Sea turtles, fish and jellyfish were Ryūjin's servants.

Ryūjin was the father of the beautiful goddess Otohime who married the hunter prince Hoori. The first Emperor of Japan, Emperor Jimmu, is said to have been a grandson of Otohime and Hoori's. This means, Ryūjin is believed to be one of the ancestors of the Japanese imperial dynasty.

A legend about Ryūjin is the story about how the jellyfish lost its bones. This story tells that once, Ryūjin wanted to eat monkey's heart, and sent the jellyfish to get him a monkey. The monkey managed to escape from the jellyfish by telling him that he had put his heart in a jar in the forest, and offered to go and get it. When the jellyfish came back and told Ryūjin what had happened, Ryūjin became so angry that he beat the jellyfish until its bones were all broken.

Other websites 
 Ryūjin  at the Encyclopedia Mythica.

Japanese folklore
Japanese mythology
Shinto
Takamagahara

Takama-ga-hara (Japanese: 高天原), literally "High Heaven's Plain" but usually translated as the "High Plain of Heaven," is a place in Japanese mythology. In Shinto, Takama-ga-hara is the place where the Kami live. The legends say it's connected to the Earth by the bridge Ama-no uki-hashi (the "Floating Bridge of Heaven"). In Shinto, when a kami is worshipped, it is invited to leave Takama-ga-hara and enter a shrine.

References 
 
 

Shinto
Japanese mythology
Gospel music

Gospel music is a style of music.  It is often written to express personal or group belief, regarding Christianity. This music is used to praise, worship and thank God, Christ or the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the most famous gospel song is Amazing Grace.

Related pages
Hymn
Christian music
Psalms

Christian music
Music genres
Salsa

Salsa is a type of music and dance of hispanic origin. Salsa music is based on Cuban music. This is a fusion of musical ideas which originally came from Africa and Spain.

During 1965-1975 in New York, musicians of Cuban and Puerto Rican origin combined to produce this Cuban-style music. The music got the label of 'salsa'. No-one really knows how this happened, but everyone recognised how good it was to have a label for it. Over time, salsa bands worked in other influences. For example, in the late 60s Willie Colon developed numbers that made use of Brazilian rhythms. N.Y. radio programmes offered 'salsarengue' as a further combination.

The question of whether or not salsa is anything more than Cuban music has been argued over for more than thirty years. Initially, not much difference could be heard. Later it became clear that salsa in New York was a bit different from popular music in Cuba. Also, Miami, Venezuela, Colombia and other places all had their own ideas. It now seems clear that salsa has receded from the great position it achieved in the late 1970s, at any rate in New York. The reasons for this are also much disputed. It is difficult for any music which uses a foreign language to succeed in the biggest English-speaking market-place.

Salsa as a dance can be seen in all the places mentioned. Unlike standard ballroom dancing, there is no clear agreement on how it should be danced, and the methods differ widely in detail. The teaching of salsa is also rather undeveloped. But, as a general guide, salsa dancing is rather like other dances from Cuba, such as the cha-cha-cha.

References 

Musical forms
Latin dances

fr:Salsa#La danse
Gwen Stefani

Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer, actress and television presenter. She was born on October 3, 1969 in Fullerton, California. She was raised in Anaheim, California. She has millions of fans around the world. She is a member of the band No Doubt, and has also released two solo albums. One of her biggest hits is Hollaback Girl.

Personal life 
On September 14, 2002 Gwen married Gavin Rossdale, the singer of Bush. They have two sons, Kingston James McGregor Rossdale (born on May 26, 2006) and Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale (born on August 21, 2008). On September 4, 2013 it was reported that Stefani was pregnant with her third child.  

Stefani says as a child she was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. On October 20, 2014, Stefani released the first single from her third album, "Baby Don't Lie".

As of 2017, Stefani is said to be dating her "The Voice" co-star Blake Shelton.

Tours 
 2005: Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
 2007: The Sweet Escape Tour

Discography

Album 
Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004)
The Sweet Escape (2006)
This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016)
You Make It Feel Like Christmas (2017)

Singles 

Hollaback Girl (2005)

Music charts and singles:

DVD 
2006 Harajuku Lovers Live

References

Other websites 

1969 births
Living people
American fashion designers
American R&B singers
American pop singers
Rap musicians from California
American rock singers
Brit Award winners
Grammy Award winners
 
No Doubt members
People from Anaheim, California
Singer-songwriters from California
Izumo Province

was an old province of Japan in the area of Shimane Prefecture on the island of Honshū. It was sometimes called . 

The province had borders with Iwami, Bingo and Hōki provinces.

In the 8th century, Matsue became the provincial capital city.

History

In the Meiji period, the provinces of Japan were converted into prefectures.  The maps of Japan and Izumo Province were reformed in the 1870s.

Temples and Shrines
Izumo taisha was the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of Izumo.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan

References

Other websites

  Murdoch's map of provinces, 1903

Former provinces of Japan
Shimane Prefecture
Mount Hiei

is a mountain that is northeast of Kyoto city. It is at the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, Japan.

Mount Hiei appeared in many folk tales in different centuries. Traditionally, people believed it to be the home of gods and demons of Shinto.

References 
John Stevens, "The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei." Boston: Shambala, 1988

Other websites 
 Mount Hiei travel information at Wikivoyage
 Holly Schmid: Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei
 Photos of Mount Hiei and Enryakuji Temple

Mountains of Japan
Momotarō

is a popular hero from Japanese folklore. His name literally means Peach Tarō. Because Tarō is a common Japanese boy's name, it is usually translated as Peach Boy. Momotarō is also the name of several books, films, and other works that tell the tale of this hero.

The most common version of this tale (from the Edo Period), tells Momotarō came to earth inside a giant peach. The peach was found floating down a river by an old woman without children who was washing clothes there. The woman and her husband found the child when they tried to open the peach to eat it. The child explained that he had been sent by Heaven to be their son. The couple called him Momotarō, from momo (peach) and tarō (oldest son in the family).

An older version of the story tells the old woman discover the giant, floating peach and take it home with her, as she finds it to be of good color and looking tasty. After eating a piece of the peach, the old woman is  and becomes young and beautiful again. When her old husband comes home from the hills, he is surprised to find a lovely young lady in his house. At first he does not even recognize his own wife in her new form, but she explains what happened to him. She then gives her husband a piece of the peach to eat, and he also becomes young again. That night, the couple makes love, and the woman becomes pregnant as a result. She later gives birth to their first child, a son, whom they name Tarō, as that is a common Japanese name for a first son. This version of the story is the oldest one that is written in old texts, but it appears to have been changed with the version without sex in school textbooks of the Meiji period. The peach is often seen as a symbol of sex or  in Japan, because its fruit is believed to be similar to a woman's buttocks.

Years later, Momotarō left his parents for an island called Onigashima to destroy the evil oni (demons or ogres) that lived there. On his way, Momotarō met and became friends with a talking dog, monkey, and pheasant, who agreed to help him in his mission. At the island, Momotarō and his animal friends entered the demons' fort and beat the demons' leader, Ura, and his army. Momotarō returned home with his new friends, and his family lived happily from then on.

Related pages

 Japanese Folklore
 Urashima Tarō
 Kintaro

Japanese mythology
Japanese folklore
Fairy tales
Ama-no-Uzume

Ame-no-Uzume-no-mikoto (天宇受売命) is the Kami of dawn, happiness and joy in the Shinto religion of Japan. She is famous for her role in the tale of the sun goddess, Amaterasu.

Amaterasu's brother, the storm god Susano'o (須佐之男命), had vandalised her sacred buildings and killed her maidens because she refused to trust him. Amaterasu became so scared of his wrath that she went to hide into a cave, Ame-no-Iwato (天の岩戸). The world, without the light of the sun, became dark. The Oni (devils of Japanese mythology) came out to the dark world, and the gods could not make Amaterasu come out of the cave.

The intelligent Uzume took a small boat, turned it upside down near the cave entrance, and began a dance on it, tearing off her clothing in front of the other Kami. They thought this was so funny that they laughed happily.

Amaterasu heard them, and looked out to see why the gods were laughing. When she opened the cave, she saw her wonderful reflection in a mirror Uzume had put on a tree, and slowly came out of the cave.

At that moment, the god Ameno-Tajikarawo (天手力男命) closed the cave behind her, so she could not go back in. Another god tied a magic rope across the entrance. The sun goddess was then asked by the Kami Ame-no-Koyane (天児屋根命)  to go back with the gods. She agreed, and light came back to the earth.

Uzume is still worshipped today as a Shinto kami. She is also known as Ame-no-Uzume, The Great Persuader, and The Heavenly Alarming Female.

Other websites 
 A substantial article on this subject 
 A one-paragraph glossary entry in Italian 

Japanese deities
Shinto
Susanoo

Susanoo (Japanese: 須佐之男命, Susanoo-no-Mikoto; also romanized as Susano'o, Susa-no-O, and Susanowo) is the kami of the sea and storms in Shinto.

Susano'o is the brother of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, and of Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon. All three were created from Izanagi, when he washed his face to clean the dirtiness of Yomi, the underworld. Amaterasu was born when Izanagi washed out his left eye, Tsukuyomi was born from the washing of the right eye, and Susano'o from the washing of the nose.

The tales tell of great  between Susano'o and his sister. When he was to leave Heaven forever because Izanagi ordered him to, he went to say goodbye to his sister. Amaterasu, suspicious, proposed him a challenge: each of them was to turn an object of the other's into people. Amaterasu created three women from Susano'o's sword while he created five men from her necklace. Amaterasu said the men were hers because they were born of her necklace. Susano'o destroyed her rice fields, threw a dead pony into her loom, and killed one of her assistants in anger. For this, Amaterasu, sad, angry and scared, went to hide inside Ama-no-Iwato, the "heavenly rock cave", so the Sun was hidden and the world became dark for a long time.

Amaterasu later was made to come out of the cave, but Susano'o was punished by being banished from Heaven. He came down to the province of Izumo, where he met an old couple. Seven of their eight daughters had been eaten by the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi and it was about to come for the eighth, Kushi-inada-hime. After the couple promised their daughter's hand in marriage to Susano'o, he agreed to kill Orochi. With the help of eight bowls of sake (one for each head), Susano'o cut the head off the monster when it was sleeping.

From one of Orochi's tails, Susano'o took out a sword, which he called Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi ("Heaven's Cloud-Gathering Sword"), later known as the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. The sword was given to Amaterasu as a  gift and was later given to her descendant Ninigi (the great-grandfather of Emperor Jimmu), with the Yata-no-Kagami (a mirror) and magatama (sacred jewels) as proof of his divine right to rule on Earth (the three Imperial Regalia of Japan).

Izumo 
Amaterasu's shrine is at Ise Shrine, and Susano'o's is in Izumo, where he came down to Earth when banished from heaven. Izumo is home to the oldest shrines in Japan.

Japanese deities
Shinto
Ninigi-no-Mikoto

Ninigi no Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊) is in Japanese mythology the son of Ame no Oshihomimi no Mikoto, and grandson of Amaterasu, who sent him down to earth to plant rice there. He was the great-grandfather of Emperor Jimmu.

Overview 
Amaterasu sent him to bring peace to Japan by bringing the three gifts from Heaven used by the emperor.  The sword, Kusanagi, the mirror, Yata no kagami, and the jewel, Yasakani no magatama.  These three gifts mean to the world that the emperor is the descendant of Amaterasu herself.

The tale of Ninigi no Mikoto being sent to earth is told in the Nihon Shoki.

Japanese mythology
Shinto
Preston

Preston is a city in North West England which is the county town of Lancashire. It is near the River Ribble. It became a city in 2002. This was the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.

Chorley and Leyland are towns not far away from Preston. In 2001, a census said that there were 335,000 people living in Preston.

History
In 1179, Preston was given a charter (document) which let the town's trader travel around the United Kingdom without paying tolls.

Preston Guild is held in Preston. The chief industry of Preston was formerly the making of cotton cloth. The Preston bypass (road around the city) was built in the 1950s. Among the important buildings in Preston are the Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Public Library, and the county council's headquarters. Preston railway station is an importance junction on the west coast main line; the M6 motorway connects Preston to Cumbria (northwards) and Cheshire (southwards).

Sports
The football team in Preston is Preston North End F.C. which plays at Deepdale. They were the first team to be English football champions.

Education
Preston is home to the University of Central Lancashire, established in 1828 and originally being called The Institution For The Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. It is one of the largest universities in the UK, having around 38,000 staff and students.

References 

City of Preston, Lancashire
2002 establishments in England
Onryō

Onryō (怨霊) is a Japanese ghost (Yūrei, 幽霊) who is believed to be able to return to the world of the living to seek revenge. Some onryō are male, mostly in Kabuki, but most of them are women. They usually suffer at the hands of their male lovers when they were alive, because they were weak, but they become strong in death.

In Japanese tradition, the spiritual world has Yomi (hell) on one side and the world of the living in the other. In the middle, there is a waiting area, like a purgatory, where spirits lie in doubt before moving on. Some spirits, especially those of murdered people, can go back to the world of the living, influenced by feelings of anger, sadness, or love.

Onryō and yūrei do not have a particular look. But the popularity of Kabuki in the Edo Period meant that a costume was created to show what they look like. This usually included a white burial kimono, long and black, messy hair, and white and purple make-up. The influence of this image can be seen in modern movies about Onryō, like Ring.

References 
Iwasaka, Michiko and Toelken, Barre.  Ghosts and the Japanese: Cultural Experiences in Japanese Death Legends, Utah State University Press, 1994.

Other websites
Tales of Ghostly Japan  Japanzine By Zack Davisson
Japanese Ghosts Mangajin #40 by Tim Screech
 Yūrei-ga gallery at Zenshoan Temple 

Japanese folklore
British Chinese

British Chinese, also Chinese British, Chinese Britons or British-born Chinese (often informally referred to as BBCs), are people of Chinese ancestry who were born in the United Kingdom or have moved to the United Kingdom. According to the 2001 UK census, there are 247,403 British Chinese people living in the United Kingdom. They make up almost 0.5% of the population of the United Kingdom.

References

Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom
British African-Caribbean community

The British African-Caribbean (Afro-Caribbean) community are residents of the United Kingdom who are of British West Indian background, and whose ancestors first came from Africa. Around 566,000 people fit this description.

References

Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom
Flag of Switzerland

Switzerland’s national flag was adopted on December 12, 1889, which is one of the world’s oldest flags. The Flag of Switzerland is a red field, a white cross whose arms are one-sixth longer than their width. The relationship between the span of the cross and the width of the flag has not been established, but in practice the ratio is about 2:3 or 7:10.

History

The Swiss cross on a red field ultimately derives from a similar banner of the Holy Roman Empire, and thus has strong Christian connotations. The Swiss flag traditionally stands for freedom, honour and fidelity. The motto "Honor et Fidelitas" was inscribed on the cross of several Swiss mercenary flags of the 18th century. In modern times, through association with consistent Swiss policy, the flag has also come to mean neutrality, democracy, peace and refuge.

References

Switzerland
Switzerland
Taizu Emperor

Taizu Emperor (, 1559 - 1626) was the founding father of the Qing Dynasty. His name was Nurhaci and Aisin Gioro was his surname. The reign name was Tian Ming. Nurhaci was Manchurian. He was also the creator of the Manchu alphabet.

Life 
In 1580, Nurhaci became the Jian Zhou general of the Ming Dynasty. He unified the Manchu tribe and organised the Eight Banners.

In 1616, Nurhaci declared himself Khan (King) and founded the Jin Dynasty in Liao Ling.

In 1618, in order to encourage people to against the Ming Dynasty. Nurhaci wrote an article called the Seven Great Vexations and sent it to the public.

Form 1618 until 1622, Nurhaci led armies to against the Ming Dynasty. He successfully occupied 70 cities in the north-eastern part of China. The capital was changed to Liao Yang after several battles.

In 1622, Nurhaci's armies captured Guang Ning.

In 1626, Nurhaci led armies to attack the Ning Yuan city. Unluckily, Nurhaci was wounded by Yuan Chonghuan's Portuguese cannon and he died 2 days later at a little town called De-A Man.

Emperors of Qing Dynasty
1559 births
1626 deaths
Japanese dragon

A Japanese dragon, also known as  is a mythical animal from Japan.

Like other creatures called dragons, the Ryū is a big, fantastic animal that looks similar to a serpent, and is related to the Chinese lóng and the Korean yong. Like all these Asian dragons, it is shown without wings, has legs with claws, and usually lives in the ocean, the clouds, or heavens. Japanese dragons do not fly as often as the Chinese one, which is the reason why they usually appear much more like serpents. The ryū in art has only three toes, instead of the lóng's five or the yong's four.

Japanese dragons usually live in the sea. This is because Japan is an island, and the sea is present in most of its geography.

Ryū originated from China and is one of the four creatures from heavens of Japanese mythology (the other three are the phoenix, turtle and tiger). It has often been the symbol of the Emperor or of a hero.

Dragons in Japanese mythology

In Japanese mythology, one of the first dragons is the Yamata-no-Orochi, a very big serpent with eight heads and eight tails. The serpent ate girls, and it was killed by Susanoo after Susanoo tricked the creature into becoming drunk on sake.

Dragons in later Japanese folklore were often good, perhaps because of influence from Chinese culture. In Urashima Tarō, the main character rescues a turtle which turns out to be the son of Ryūjin, the dragon king of the ocean.

Related pages
 Japanese mythology

Japanese folklore
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology

Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that includes Shinto and Buddhist traditions. The Shinto religion alone has many kami (Japanese for "gods" or "spirits"). 

Most Japanese myths, as generally known today, are based on the Kojiki, Nihonshoki and some other books. The Kojiki or "Record of Ancient Things" is the oldest known book of myths, legends, and history of Japan. The Shintoshu explains origins of Japanese gods and goddesses from a Buddhist point of view while the Hotsuma Tsutae has a very different version of mythology.

One notable thing of Japanese mythology is that it explains birth of Amaterasu, the origin of the Imperial family, and assigned them divinity. The Japanese word for the Emperor of Japan, tennō (天皇), means "heavenly emperor".

Related pages
 Izanagi
 Shinto
 Shinto shrine
 Kami
 Takamagahara

Japanese mythology
Shinto
Huang Taiji

Huang Taiji (; 1592 - 1643) was the emperor of Qing Dynasty. His surname was Aisin Gioro. His reign names were Tian Cong and Chong De. Huang Taiji was the eighth son of Taizu Emperor (Nurhaci). He reigned the Manchu trible from 1627 until 1643.

Life 
In 1612, Huang Taiji followed his father, Nurhaci, to attack Wu La. He was awarded Beile, a traditional title of Manchu nobility below prince. In 1616, he was ordered to deal with government affairs with another Beili, Dai Shan. Huang became the Khan (King) of the Manchu trible in n 1626.

In 1636, Huang took control of the southern part of Mongol, the north-eastern part of China and Korea. He started the Qing Dynasty. Huang Taiji died in 1643 of apoplexy.

1592 births
1643 deaths
Emperors of Qing Dynasty
Japanese folklore

Japanese folklore is the folklore of Japan. It is very influenced by Shinto and Buddhism, the two most important religions in the country. It usually includes humorous or strange characters and situations. It also includes many supernatural creatures, such as kami (gods and revered spirits), yōkai (monster-spirits) (like oni, kappa, and tengu), onryō (ghosts), dragons, and animals with supernatural powers like the kitsune (fox), tanuki (raccoon dog), mujina (badger), and bakeneko (transforming cat).

Japanese folklore is often divided into several categories: "mukashibanashi," tales of long-ago; "namidabanashi", sad stories; "obakebanashi", ghost stories; "ongaeshibanashi", stories of kindness; "tonchibanashi", witty stories; "waraibanashi", funny stories; and "yokubaribanashi", stories of greed.

Some famous Japanese folktales and legends include:

The story of Kintarō, the superhuman Golden Boy.
The story of Momotarō, the hero Peach Boy.
The story of Urashima Tarō, who rescued a turtle and visited the bottom of the sea.
The story of Issun-Bōshi, the One-inch Boy.
The story of the evil fox-woman Tamamo-no-Mae.
The story of Hōmyō dōji who converts a king to Buddhist
Shita-kiri Suzume, the story of the sparrow with its tongue cut off.
The story of Kiyohime, who wanted revenge, and who became a dragon.
Banchō Sarayashiki, the ghost story of Okiku and the Nine Plates.
Yotsuya Kaidan, the ghost story of Oiwa.
Kachi-kachi Yama, the story of an evil raccoon-dog and a heroic rabbit.
Hanasaka Jiisan, the story of the old man that made the flowers bloom

Related pages
Japanese mythology

References

Japanese folklore
Meiji period

, also known as the Meiji era, was a  after Keiō and before Taishō. This period started in September 1868 and ended in July 1912.  During this time, the emperor was .

The nengō Meiji means "Enlightened Rule" or "Enlightened Government".

Events of the Meiji period
The years in which Meiji was the Japanese monarch comprise this modern period or era.
 1868 (Meiji 1): Meiji Restoration; the capital of Japan moved from Kyoto to Tokyo.
 1889-1890 (Meiji 22-23): Constitution of the Empire of Japan
 1894-1895 (Meiji 27-28): First Sino-Japanese War
 1904-1905 (Meiji 37-38): Russo-Japanese War
 30 July 1912 (Meiji 45, 30th day of the 7th month): Meiji died.

Politics
 1885 (Meiji 18): Ito Hirobumi became 1st Prime Minister
 1888 (Meiji 21): Kuroda Kiyotaka became 2nd Prime Minister
 1889 (Meiji 22): Yamagata Aritomo became 3rd Prime Minister
 1891 (Meiji 24): Matsukata Masayoshi became 4th Prime Minister
 1892 (Meiji 25): Ito became 5th Prime Minister
 1896 (Meiji 29): Matsukata became 6th Prime Minister
 1898 (Meiji 31): Ito became 7th Prime Minister
 1898 (Meiji 31): Ōkuma Shigenobu became 8th Prime Minister
 1898 (Meiji 31): Yamagata became 9th Prime Minister
 1900 (Meiji 33): Ito became 10th Prime Minister
 1901 (Meiji 34): Katsura Tarō became 11th Prime Minister
 1906 (Meiji 39): Saionji Kinmochi became 12th Prime Minister
 1908 (Meiji 41): Katsura became 13th Prime Minister
 1911 (Meiji 44): Saionji became 14th Prime Minister

Gallery

Related pages 
 List of emperors of Japan
 Japanese era name

References

Other websites 

 National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection

Japanese eras
1868 establishments in Japan
1912 disestablishments
20th-century disestablishments in Japan
Pheasant

Pheasants are a group of large birds in the order Galliformes. Males pheasants are usually larger than the females, and they have feathers of bright colours and long tails. There are 35 species of pheasant in 11 different genera.

In many countries pheasant species are hunted, often illegally, as game, and several species are threatened by this and other human activities.

Chukar is the official National bird of Pakistan.

References
Beebe, William. 1918-22. A Monograph of the Pheasants. 1st edition in 4 volumes: H. F. Witherby, London. Reprint: 1990, Dover Publications.(4 volumes bound as 2).  and . Republished as: Pheasants: Their Lives and Homes. 2 vols. 1926. Single volume edition: New York Zoological Society, 1936.)
Green-Armytage, Stephen. 2002. Extraordinary Pheasants.Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. Book .
 Madge and McGowan, Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse

Other websites
 Birdlife International status page 
 Illinois State Academy of Science (ISAS)
 Pheasants & Peafowl - Aviculture & Conservation 
 Pheasant videos on the Internet Bird Collection
 Pheasant Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
 Pheasant Conservation 

Phasianidae
Polytonality

Polytonality is the use in music of several keys at the same time.  Music such as this is called polytonal.

Bitonality is the use in music of two keys at the same time.  Music such as this is called bitonal.

Most traditional music is "in a particular key" e.g. in "C major" or in "D major" or in "D minor".  Music that is in C major uses the notes of a C major scale.

In 20th century some composers sometimes wrote music which is in more than one key at once.  A well-known example is the beginning of the second tableau of Igor Stravinsky's ballet, Petrushka. The first clarinet plays a melody that uses the notes of the C major chord, while the second clarinet plays a different version of the same melody using the notes of the F sharp major chord.

Composers who have used bitonality or polytonality include Igor Stravinsky, Darius Milhaud, Béla Bartók, Charles Ives and many others.

Music theory
Teddy Randazzo

Teddy Randazzo (May 13, 1935 - November 21, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work in the 1950s and 1960s. One of the groups he worked with was Little Anthony and the Imperials.

Randazzo appeared as himself in a 1962 movie, Don't Knock the Twist, which was about the Twist craze of the early 1960s.

Singers from New York City
Singer-songwriters from New York
1935 births
2003 deaths
Twist (dance)

The Twist was a popular dance in the early 1960s. It was made famous by a song of the same title, written by Hank Ballard. Ballard's version of the song was not a hit, but a cover version by Chubby Checker became an international hit, and sparked off a craze for the dance.

Checker followed with Let's Twist Again, which was another huge hit.

References 

Dances
Pop music
The Kingsmen

The Kingsmen were a popular American band of the early 1960s. Their most famous hit was "Louie, Louie". Many people believed the song contained obscenity or suggestive lyrics, and tried to have the song banned. An American court decided the song was not obscene, and the controversy over the song only helped to promote sales of the record.

The Kingsmen had other hits, including "Jolly Green Giant", a parody of the mascot of Green Giant vegetables. They appeared in a movie, How to Stuff a Wild Bikini, accompanying Annette Funicello onstage.

American rock bands
Musical groups from Oregon
1959 establishments in the United States
Musical groups established in 1959
20th-century establishments in Oregon
Obscenity

Obscenity is a term that is used to describe words, images or actions that offend the sexual morality most people have or had at the time. The word is often used in a legal context. The word goes back to the Latin obscenus, which meant "foul, repulsive, or detestable".

Even though the word has been used with a sexual connotation for a long time, it can still have the meaning of "inspiring disgust". This is true in expressions such as "obscene profits" or "the obscenity of war". It can simply be used to mean profanity, or it can mean anything that is taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting.

The definition of what is thought of as obscene depends on the culture. Different communities and individuals may have different ideas of what is obscene and what is not. The definition of what is considered obscene also changes with time. Things that were obscene at one time no longer are at another.

Many cultures have made laws to define what is considered to be obscene. Censorship is often used to try to suppress or control materials that are obscene under these definitions. These usually include pornographic material.

Related pages
 Profanity
 Blasphemy

References

Culture
Obscenity
Hank Ballard

Hank Ballard (November 18, 1936 - March 2, 2003) was an American singer and songwriter. One of his songs, "The Twist", became a huge hit for singer Chubby Checker. The Twist dance became very popular.

Singers from Detroit, Michigan
American singer-songwriters
1936 births
2003 deaths
Disciples of Christ

The Disciples of Christ are an American Christian denomination of churches, which began in the 1800s. Disciples churches welcome members of other churches, and members of the public, to their services. Their most famous slogan is "We are not the only Christians; we are Christians only."

Protestantism

pl:Kościoły Chrystusowe
Bruno Bauer

Bruno Bauer (September 6, 1809 – April 13, 1882) was a German philosoper and theologian. He studied the New Testament in depth.

1809 births
1882 deaths
German philosophers
Zsa Zsa Gábor

Zsa Zsa Gábor (6 February 1917 – 18 December 2016) was a Hungarian-American actress and socialite. Her older sister Magda and younger sister Eva were also actresses and socialites. 

In 1936 Gábor won the Miss Hungary competition. She was married nine times. In 1986 she married Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt. She had one child, Constance Francesca Hilton.

On 18 December 2016, at 6:00 am, Gabor died at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California from cardiopulmonary arrest complicated by coronary artery disease, aged 99. Her ashes were buried at the Westwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Beverly Hills, California on 30 December.

References

Other websites

Zsa Zsa Gabor News 

1917 births
2016 deaths
Naturalized citizens of the United States
Actors from Budapest
American movie actors
American radio actors
American socialites
American stage actors
American television actors
American voice actors
Cardiovascular disease deaths in Los Angeles
Deaths from coronary artery disease
Deaths from cardiopulmonary arrest
Hungarian movie actors
Brittany Snow

Brittany Anne Snow (born March 9, 1986) is an American television and movie actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Meg Pryor in American Dreams, Daisy Lemay in Guiding Light, Kate Spencer in John Tucker Must Die, Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray, Donna Keppel in Prom Night and Jenna Backstrom in the NBC television series Harry's Law.

Other websites 

1986 births
Living people
Actors from Florida
American movie actors
American television actors
Actors from Tampa, Florida
Singers from Tampa, Florida
Desk

A desk is a piece of furniture where someone can sit and write, often with drawers or other places to put books, papers, and other things. Unlike a table, there is only one side of the desk where somebody could sit.

Desks come in many different sizes. There is a Armoire desk, which is very big. There is also a portable desk which is very small. Desks can be used at home. They can also be used in an office. Desks may also be used in schools.

A computer desk will have a computer inside or on top. The keyboard and mouse will pull out from underneath the desk.

Furniture

ro:Birou (mobilier)
Coles Supermarkets

Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers (Coles Group before it was taken over on 23 November 2007).  With over 750 stores nationally and more than 60,000 employees, Coles currently has the second-biggest market share behind Woolworths Supermarkets.

Related pages
Coles Group
Wesfarmers
Coles Express
Bi-Lo
Liquorland

References

Other websites 
Coles Supermarkets

Supermarkets of Australia
1914 establishments
1910s establishments in Australia
Empire of Nicaea

The Empire of Nicaea () was the largest of the Byzantine Greek states founded by the nobility of the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople was conquered during the Fourth Crusade. It lasted from 1204 to 1261.

It ended in 1261, when Constantinople was recaptured.

Middle Ages
1204 establishments
1261 disestablishments
1200s establishments in Asia
13th-century disestablishments in Asia
John Whedon

John Ogden Whedon (November 5, 1905 – November 21, 1991) was an American screenwriter. He was best known for his writing for the television series The Donna Reed Show during the 1950s. Whedon wrote for The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and Leave It To Beaver. He was the father of screenwriter Tom Whedon. He was the grandfather of screenwriter and director Joss Whedon and screenwriter Zack Whedon.

Other websites
 

1905 births
1991 deaths
American screenwriters
List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes

This is a list of episodes for the American television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series began on March 10, 1997 and aired until May 19, 2003. In that time, 144 episodes of the series were made.

Seasons one to five of the series ran on the WB. In 2001, it moved to the United Paramount Network (UPN) for its final two seasons. In the United Kingdom, the entire series aired on Sky One and BBC Two.

All the seven seasons of the series are available on DVDs for regions 1 and region 2. Two all-season collections (The Chosen Collection and The Complete DVD Collection) have been also been released.

Summary

Season 1 (1997)

Season 2 (1997 – 1998)

Season 3 (1998 – 1999)

Season 4 (1999 – 2000)

Season 5 (2000 – 2001)

Season 6 (2001 – 2002)

Season 7 (2002 – 2003)

References 
 TV.com . Episode listing/guide. Retrieved October 20, 2006
 Season 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
 Next-episode.net. Episode listing/guide. Retrieved October 28, 2006
 Season 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
 Homepage.mac.com . Episode listing/guide. Retrieved October 28, 2006
 Season 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 
 Buffyguide.com. Episode listing/guide. Retrieved October 28, 2006
 Season 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
 IMDb.com . Region 1 DVD release dates. Retrieved October 28, 2006
 BBC.co.uk. Region 2 DVD release dates. Retrieved October 28, 2006

Notes 

Whedonverse
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy Summers

Buffy Summers is the main character of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She is played by Sarah Michelle Gellar and created by Joss Whedon.

Biography
Buffy Summers moved from Los Angeles to Sunnydale for her second year in high school, where she met Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, where they become known as the Scooby Gang.

Reception
Buffy is considered a feminist icon of the 1990s and one of the most significant.

Angel (TV series) characters
Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters
Fictional characters introduced in 1992
Whedonverse
Spike (Buffyverse)

Spike is a fictional vampire that appears in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the spin-off Angel. He was played by James Marsters.

Fictional biography
William the Bloody (known for his bad poetry) of England was sired by Angelus. He liked being a vampire and moved into Sunnydale by 1997.

Reception
Spike is a fan-favorite vampire.

Angel (TV series) characters
Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters
Buffyverse vampires
Fictional British people
Fictional characters introduced in 1997
Angel (Buffyverse)

Angel is a fictional vampire that appears in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and is the main character of the spin-off Angel. He was played by David Boreanaz.

Fictional biography
Liam of Ireland was sired by a female vampire and became known as Angelus. He would later sire Spike and work alongside Drusilla and the Master. On 1898, he killed a Romani and a mystic placed a spell where she restored his soul, making him feel guilty. Now known as Angel, he moved to America and stayed at Sunnydale.

Reception
As Angelus, he is considered one of the best Big Bads of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Angel (TV series) characters
Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters
Buffyverse vampires
Fictional characters introduced in 1997
First Evil

The First Evil is the final Big Bad of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is a shapeshifting form of evil. It first appeared in the third season episode "Amends".

Fictional biography
The First Evil is a non corporeal being that can shapeshift into people who died.

Analysis
The First Evil is considered the Buffyverse equivalent of Satan. 
Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters
Fictional characters introduced in 1998
Fictional mass murderers
Fictional shapeshifters
Shunzhi Emperor

Shunzhi Emperor (; 1638 - 1661 ) was emperor of Qing Dynasty. His surname was Aisin Gioro. Shunzhi Emperor was the ninth son of Huang Taiji and he reigned over China from 1644 to 1661. During his short reign, he implemented plenty of policies. He appointed Han Chinese to be the imperial officials. Also, he put the Upper 3 banners (Plain Yellow, Striped Yellow, and Plain White) under the control of the emperor. Moreover, Shunzhi Emperor let eunuchs participate in government activities.

Life 
 In 1643, Shunzhi Emperor is 6 and he inherits Huang Taiji's throne. Prince Dorgon becomes the regent.
 In 1644, the Manchu armies conquer the north of China. The capital is changed to Beijing.
 In 1650,Prince Dorgon dies. Shunzhi Emperor gets actual power.
 From 1651 to 1661, Shunzhi Emperor deals with government affairs patiently. In order to unify the country, he also sends armies to invade the south of China.
 In 1661, the Emperor dies of smallpox.

Emperors of Qing Dynasty
1638 births
1661 deaths
Hush (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

‘’Hush’’ is an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season four. It was written and directed by Joss Whedon.

Plot
A group of silent pale demons known as the Gentlemen have taken the voices of everyone at Sunnydale in a box. Once the Scooby Gang woke up, they learned that they can’t speak. Giles does a slideshow explaining who the Gentlemen are and that they kill people who lost their voice. They had stolen the voices so they won’t get killed by someone screaming.

Production
Joss Whedon was aware the dialogue in the show worked and decided to write an episode where there is mostly none. Buffy’s scream at the end of the episode wasn’t done by Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Reception
Hush is considered one of the best Buffy episodes of all time. It got nominated an Emmy Award for Best Writing.

1999 television episodes
Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes
David Greenwalt

David Greenwalt (born October 16, 1946) is an American screenwriter. He was born in Los Angeles, California. He has worked as writer, director and producer on many television series.

Greenwalt is best known as a writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and co-creator of its spinoff, Angel. He is also co-creator of the short lived television series Profit.

On June 1, 2007, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Greenwalt would serve as executive producer and showrunner on Moonlight, a new series that will debut on CBS in the fall of 2007. He later had to leave the show before it was first aired for health reasons. Executive producer Joel Silver said that his name would remain: "He worked really hard on the arc of the series. He really helped us focus and get started".

Career highlights 
 Writer - Moonlight, Kidnapped, Surface, Miracles, Jake 2.0, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, Profit, The Wonder Years, The Commish, Doogie Howser, M.D.
 Director - The Wonder Years, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Jake 2.0
 Producer - Kidnapped, Moonlight, Surface,  Jake 2.0, Miracles, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, Profit, The Commish, Eureka

References

Other websites 
 

American screenwriters
Writers from Los Angeles
Whedonverse
1949 births
Living people
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