Wandering at the Edge of Time and Space: My Global Cultural Journey

Author: Zhang Zhixiong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: Before visiting France, my impression of it was romantic, beautiful, exquisite, and full of thought. But when I actually arrived in France, what I saw and experienced made me realize that my original ideas were somewhat misleading. So I kept coming back to explore France, seizing every possible opportunity, and thus my understanding of France became clearer and clearer, as if a morning mist finally gradually dissipated before my eyes. In Italy, I yearned to experience the Renaissance that originated in Florence and completely transformed the Europeans, eager to deeply inhale the air filled with artistic essence amidst countless treasures. Many countries refer to the year 1 BC as the "Ancient Times." But at that time, China had already moved into the post-Qin and Han periods. However, 5,000 years ago, was it the "Ancient Times" in our history? And at that time, in Egypt, the pyramids that still awe us today had already been built. In my view, that civilization seemed like traces of another planet. The city of Constantinople, built at great expense by the Roman Emperor, was truly a worthy "New Rome," with a layout even more magnificent than that of ancient Rome. However, its legendary history and opulence also drew attention. After more than a thousand years of construction, it was completely taken over by another power, and even the original Christian churches were converted into mosques for Muslims. Before visiting India, my impression of India was a beautiful woman enveloped in fragrant incense, draped in red saris with auspicious dots on her forehead, a wise elder in white robes praising deities, ascetic monks with tattered robes seeking truth, and the Bodhi, yoga, and the Ganges. Upon arriving in India, what I saw was the overlap of a bustling commercial tide and a struggling agricultural era, a long-standing ancient nation and a culturally chaotic society. India, to me, is "uncertain." This book is the author's genuine experience from years of "," introducing real stories to readers wherever they go, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the pyramids in Egypt and the mosques in Turkey.