In the far west of India, in Gir National Park, dwells one of the rarest big cats on Earth: the Asiatic lion. Known for its distinctive belly flap and the bushy tassels on its tail, the Asiatic lion once roamed from the Mediterranean Sea to the Bay of Bengal. But human hunting and expansion into their territory eroded the lions’ numbers, until only twelve remained alive.
Five traditional Japanese tales: “One-inch Fellow, “The Good Fortune Kettle,” “The Tongue-Cut Sparrow,” “Momotaro,” and “The White Hare and the Crocodiles.”
An overview of Japan emphasizing its cultural aspects.
Born in China in 551 B.C., Confucius rose from poverty to the heights of his country’s ruling class. But then he quit his high post for the life of an itinerant philosopher. “The Analects” collects his teachings on education and government, the definition of nobility, the equality of man and the right way and purpose of living, ideas that eventually spread to the West and influenced the great thinkers of the Enlightenment. And five centuries before Christ, Confucius set forth his own Golden Rule: “Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself.”
Learn about the land and climate of China, home to many landscapes, such as tall mountain ranges, deserts, rivers, rich plains, grasslands, and the long Pacific coast.
Surveys the geography, history, government, economy, and culture of this territory on China’s southeastern coast, made up of a section of the mainland and 235 islands of various sizes.