CENTRAL ASIA

The Secret History of the Mongols

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

This adaptation of what is recognized today as the oldest Mongolian text (written two decades after Chingis Khan's death) tells the Mongols' own version of the origin of their nation, the life of Chingis Khan, and the creation of an empire that stretched across Eurasia in the thirteenth century. Adapted from Francis Woodman Cleaves' erudite translation, it is presented here as a narrative poem in colloquial English. An overview of medieval Asia, maps, lineage charts, a glossary of proper names, and a bibliography are included. This expanded edition includes a seventeenth-century account of Chingis Khan's death and a recent essay by the editor.

Kandahar: Journey Into the Heart of Afghanistan (DVD)

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

Ecumenical Jury Prize (2001), Cannes Film Festival
Winner Federico Fellini Honor (2001), UNESCO

"Best Movie of the Year!"
-Richard Corliss, Time

Shot on the border of Iran and Afghanistan, Kandahar is the story of a young journalist named Nafas who escaped Afghanistan with her family but must return and race against time in an attempt to rescue her sister. The sister, maimed by an exploded landmine and distraught over the constant persecution she faces for being a woman, has written to Nafas vowing that she will commit suicide by the next solar eclipse. Nafas must disguise herself as an Afghan wife by wearing the traditional burka in order to find her sister in the Taliban-controlled city of Kandahar. The film is inspired by the real-life experience of actress Nelofer Pazira, who plays Nafas. Additional DVD features include audio commentary by Nelofir Pazira, Lifting the Veil featurette, international and original U.S. trailer, interactive scene access, biography of director and select cast, photos/stills. Color, 85min.

Encyclopedia of Asian Civilizations: Ten Volume Set

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

This comprehensive encyclopedia gives in a single work information only available by consulting several thousand other works. Countries and subjects covered by this encyclopedia are broad and include Afghanistan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and some CIS territories, art, religion, music, linguistics, history, literature, and science. 10 volumes are contained in 9 physical books; Volume 6 is a double volume. Supplementary Volume 11 lists over 5,000 works concerning all the subjects covered in the body of the 10 volume set. In English. P. EJ-MP, 1977-1987; 6 x 9.

Recollections of a Journey Through Tartary, Thibet, and China, During the Years 1844, 1845, and 1846

chengtsu — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:07:03 +0000

Motivated by the congregation of St. Lazarus, M. Huc went to the East as a missionary in 1844. During the years he traveled there, he recorded his encounters with the land and people of Tartary, Tibet and China. This book is his first-hand account of the lavish scenes he saw, the cultures he learned about, and the events he experienced while there. This is a fascinating view into nineteenth-century China as seen by a complete outsider. Huc has a vivid gift for describing landscapes and clothing, and peppers his tales with charming anecdotes. Note: These books are new, but shelf-worn.

Mongolian Ping Pong

Eve — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:07:44 +0000

When young Bilike finds an ordinary ping pong ball, he and his friends take to flights of imaginative whimsy and embark on a journey to find the source of the mysterious unknown object. Bilike's old grandmother says the ball is a glowing pearl sent by the gods, but the boys are skeptical after it fails their tests. Since none of their other family members are able to offer any more insight, the three boys seek answers at a remote monastery, the Chinese capital, and other far-flung destinations.

In Mongolian with English subtitles.