Curse of the Golden Flower and the Dynasties in China

After watching Curse of the Golden Flower, I am amazed at the rich culture in the Tang Dynasty. So I surf the net to find out more about the History of China, the result - this : the History of China in the nutshell from wikipedia:

Dynasties in China:

Dynasty			Links	Years
The Three August Ones and the Five Emperors	三皇五帝	sān huáng wǔ dì	(H - E)	before 2070 BC	628+
Xia	夏	xià	(H - E)	2070 BC - 1600 BC	470
Shang	商	shāng	(H - E)	1600 BC - 1046 BC	554
Western Zhou	西周	xī zhōu	(H - E)	1046 BC - 771 BC	275
Eastern Zhou traditionally divided into Spring and Autumn Period Warring States Period	東周 春秋 戰國	dōng zhōu chūn qiū zhàn guó	(H - E) (H - E) (H - E)	770 BC - 256 BC 722 BC - 476 BC 475 BC - 221 BC	514 246 254
Qin	秦	qín	(H - E)	221 BC - 206 BC	15
Western Han	西漢	xī hàn	(H - E)	206 BC - 9 AD	215
Xin	新	xīn	(H - E)	9 - 25	16
Eastern Han	東漢	dōng hàn	(H - E)	25 - 220	195
Three Kingdoms	三國	sān guó	(H - E)	220 - 265	45
Western Jin	西晉	xī jìn	(H - E)	265 - 317	52
Eastern Jin	東晉	dōng jìn	(H - E)	317 - 420	103
Northern and Southern Dynasties	南北朝	nán běi cháo	(H - E)	420 - 581	161
Sui	隋	suí	(H - E)	581 - 618	37
Tang	唐	táng	(H - E)	618 - 907	289
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms	五代十國	wǔ dài shí guó	(H - E)	907 - 960	53
Northern Song	北宋	běi sòng	(H - E)	960 - 1127	167
Southern Song	南宋	nán sòng	(H - E)	1127 - 1279	152
Liao	遼	liáo	(H - E)	916 - 1125	209
Jin	金	jīn	(H - E)	1115 - 1234	119
Yuan	元	yuán	(H - E)	1271 - 1368	97
Ming	明	míng	(H - E)	1368 - 1644	276
Qing	清	qīng	(H - E)	1644 - 1911	267

There is actually a mnemonics to help memorise this:
三皇五帝夏商周
春秋戰國秦漢流
三國魏晉南北隋
唐宋元明清民收

Christmas and Poinsettia

Christmas is round the corner and poinsettia is a common plant during this festive season. Also, it is not uncommon, the hear people describing it as a RED flower. Do you know that the red part of the plant is actually a modified leave - look closely at the picture below, imagine the red portion as green. Does it look like a leave to you now? The flower of the poinsettia plant is actually the small portion at the centre.



Another modified leaf, common in Singapore, can be found in the bougainvillea plant. The purplish-pink part are the modified leaves and the tiny white centres are the flowers.


Nature is so intriguingly wonderful. Do you know that the Pitcher's Plant, the spines of the cactus and the tendrils are actually modified leaves?! Grape and cucumber vines are also modified leaves. Due to their weak stem, these plants have vines helping them climb.

Crap!

These hard-shell , crab-like creatures look like they are from the dinosaurs age. Don't think they are uncommon in Singapore though. In fact this is not the first I see these thingy at the Kallang Sea Sports Club.

Can anyone help me to identify them? What are they called? Are the edible???

Also, wondering are they husband and wife? or parent and child? Seems like they are propagating their genes.

What is this?

Does anyone know what this is? Actually I have no idea myself. Looks like some kind of lettuce to me - it seems more like a modified leaf than a flower?!?! This photo is taken by one of my colleagues who visited China recently.

Tea

There are a number of types of tea. I shall try to summarise them:

Generally, tea refers to leaves of Camillia Sinensis plant.

Black Tea: Fully oxidized tea
OoLong Tea: Partially oxidized tea
Green Tea: tea not oxidized
White Tea: tea not oxidized ; leaves selected from newly grown tea plant.
Chai Tea: Black Tea with spices ( Example: cinnamon, ginger), and usually with milk
Herbal infusions: technically it's not from tea plant. They are infusions of herbs and flowers; no caffeine of course, since caffeine comes from tea leaves)
Fruit infusions: also this is not from tea plant. They are infusions of fruits; no caffeine
Rooibos (red bush) tea, usually Red Tea: This is technically not a tea, but a herbal infusions. It is made of fermented or unfermented leaves of Aspalathus Linearis plant; not from the 'normal' tea (Camillia Sinensis) ; high in anti-oxidant ; lacks caffeine.
Scented Tea: Tea scented with flowers/ fruits ... For example Earl Grey refers to black tea scented with Bergamot.

Further notes:
Do not mix up scented tea and infused tea. For example -
Peppermint Scented Tea is different from Peppermint Infused Tea. Peppermint scented tea refers to tea leaves (camillia sinensis plant) scented with peppermint; whereas Peppermint infused tea refers to peppermint leaves infused in water.

Some pictures of tea taken at Tea Chapter:




This is white tea, by the way.

Where is this?

Can you guess where this photo is taken?

Can you guess where this is?

Took this photo while I was ...

Can you guess where this is?