Podcast appearances and mentions of jade rabbit

In this episode, we explore the rich history and traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival. From the myth of Chang E and the Jade Rabbit to the meaning of family reunions under the full moon, join us as we celebrate one of the most cherished festivals in Chinese culture.You can access the written article here.  Select your favorite podcast provider to subscribe and get notified of new recordings!See our Monthly Practitioner Discounts https://www.mayway.com/monthly-specialsSign up for the Mayway Newsletterhttps://www.mayway.com/newsletter-signupFollow ushttps://www.facebook.com/MaywayHerbs/https://www.instagram.com/maywayherbs/

到了天竺国，公主扔绣球招婿，打中了唐僧。其实这公主是假的，真公主被妖精刮到一个寺庙里。妖精是兔子精，不是悟空的对手，差点被悟空打死，嫦娥仙子来求情，原来妖精是天宫捣药的玉兔。悟空把真公主救回了家。 In the Kingdom of Tianzhu, a princess threw a embroidered ball to choose a husband and accidentally hit Tang Seng. However, this princess was fake; the real one was captured by a demon and hidden in a temple. The demon turned out to be a rabbit spirit and was no match for Sun Wukong. He almost killed the rabbit spirit, but Chang'e fairy intervened. It turned out the demon was the Jade Rabbit from the Heavenly Palace, used for pounding medicine. Sun Wukong rescued the real princess and brought her home.

In this episode of STBYM's The Monstrefact, Robert discusses the moon rabbit of East Asian and indigenous American folklore… See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Kaoticleigh and Silver talk about the Chinese myth about the Moon Rabbit also know as the Jade rabbit telling you the most common storys and some interesting facts also they go off the rails and talk about some otter facts they do eventually make it back on subject lol as always you can support the show in a variety of ways from talking with us on social media or discord are links are down below Podcast Links  https://discord.gg/F9wtSUYzAN Discord https://twitter.com/MmMayhemPodcast Twitter  https://www.twitch.tv/kaoticleigh Twitch https://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdyRags?ref=notif_nfyfs&order=date_desc§ion_id=37632532 merch https://www.patreon.com/MonstersMythsMayhem Patreon https://www.etsy.com/shop/WrappedinKaos?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1310105575 Etsy writing 

Guest Page Fast links to Items: Richard  –  Barbara  –  Andrew  –  Ron   –  Jonathan Fast links to Bios:  Ron  –  Andrew  –  Barbara  –  Georgia  –  Jonathan Support The Other Side of Midnight! How Much Do the Chinese Know … About What's REALLY Waiting on the Moon?! Answer: EVERYTHING …. How do we know … they “know?” Because … since the first Chinese robotic lunar landing, in 2013 — at 44-degrees North Latitude, 19.5 degrees West Longitude — with a spacecraft named specifically for “the ancient Chinese goddess of the Moon, Chang'e3; and a rover named in honor of her 6-foot tall ‘Jade Rabbit'” — the Chinese government has virtually shouted from “the tops of their pagodas”– “This is OUR Moon — because … a long, long time ago … our Ancestors CAME from there …. “And now … We Are Triumphantly Returning!” This emphatic Chinese message, for those “with [...]

This episode features two tales about the rabbit and how he is viewed in different cultures.Support the show

One of the Mid Autumn Festival legends. Why is Jade Rabbit on the moon, and who does she accompany there?

They're back, until their next unintentional hiatus! Matt and Dan talk at the risk of the boiler being loud and discuss counselling, jubilee and stuff about them being together again. They takl about the most suicidal rabbit who ends up making meth on the moon. Don't believe us? Listen and find out more. Hey you! Yes you. Why don't you follow us on social media at @MiffsPodcast. You can email us at MiffsPodcast@gmail.com and we love hearing your correspondence! Why don't you send us an email? Also please give us 5 Stars on ITunes. Also you can now join our new group collective! Join the Miffs Podcast -The Miffsfits' page facebook group. Either click on the link OR search for it on Facebook. If you're feeling brave - post something on there and start a discussion! Do you like what we do? Want to help contribute to us? Please donate to our podcast. This helps pay for stuff like trains, smelly National Express coaches and to pay for hosting the podcast. Donate how ever much you would like. If you wanted to do a one-off payment- please use Matt's Ko-fi account (let us know it is for Miffs or else Matt will keep the money for himself, even though he does all the hard-work). DONATE HERE! https://ko-fi.com/X7X6MEG9 Sign up for bonus content on the Matt Hoss Patreon, for Castival bonus episodes. https://www.patreon.com/MattHossComedy

For this week's episode, we're heading over to China to look at the beloved Moon Rabbit! How is the Chinese goddess of the moon linked to this amazing creature? Why is it linked to a delicious Chinese autumn delicacy? Find out this week! NOTE: Published on Sunday due to ill health - sorry!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/mythmonsters)

Welcome back friends, and get ready for a darling little fable from beautiful Korea! I was so charmed by this little story and by the book (published all the way back in 1955!) from which it came! Our story centers on the relationship between a hungry tiger and a wiley little rabbit, who outwits him at every turn! The rabbit is a very important character in Korean folklore. Did you know that there is a festival that is celebrated on the lunar calendar in Korea, and the symbol for this festival is the moon rabbit! The moon rabbit is also called the Jade Rabbit, and is said to live on the moon! It is a very busy little rabbit because it is making rice cakes in a mortar, or bowl! If you look carefully, you can see the outline of this rabbit on the moon, and its little bowl beneath it-so next time there is a full moon, have a closer look, and you might just see our little friend!Please Subscribe, rate and review!Bonus Material available weekly on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/landofnodlearning?fan_landing=trueJoin us on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/landofnodlearningJoin our Facebook page!https://www.facebook.com/landofnodlearningListen on Apple podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/land-of-nod-kids-stories/id1539956312Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/69uOzUlxEwNaoCnkMV92OUListen on Castboxhttps://castbox.fm/channel/Land-of-Nod-%7C-Kid's-stories-id3807844?country=ieSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/landofnodlearning?fan_landing=true) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A huge thanks to Joseph McDade for his generous permission to use his music: https://josephmcdade.com/ Thanks to Palmtoptiger17 for the beautiful logo: https://www.instagram.com/palmtoptiger17/ Discord Discussion Board: https://disboard.org/server/474580298630430751  The Historic Faith Courses: https://thehistoricfaith.com/ My Sonnet Compilation: https://www.amazon.com/My-First-Sonnets-J-G-Elliot-ebook/dp/B01LXXIIQN/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=my+first+sonnets&qid=1585870352&sr=8-2 Richard Rohr's "Sermon on the Mount": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003A0IASQ/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_uOXEFbGCN7ASQ Dallas Willard's "The Divine Conspiracy": https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Conspiracy-Rediscovering-Hidden-Life/dp/0007596545/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=dallas+willard+divine+conspiracy&qid=1601907374&sr=8-1 Jade In life the only certainty we getIs that death for each of us is assuredWe, like the gods, insure through jade rabbitOur destiny's sufficiently ensured But pestle and mortar cannot concoctA cure for pestilence which mortifiesImpending doom, our sacred lives, defrocksAnd minds, in time, to lunacy it drives What can we prize in life's vap'rous glory?Truth - a lowly and humble parapetOur choice, to bay as beasts in furoreOr put truth into our pipes and smoke it Worry not for tomorrow is its ownAnd emperor is seated on his throne [Mt. 6:25-34, 7:7-11]. While jade can have a number of colors, green is the most well known (along with white). Especially in Asia (particularly China), jade was thought of as scholarly and imperial. It could supposedly increase the longevity of your life and heal. The “Jade Rabbit” (or hare) is a shape ancients in the East saw in the moon. If you look it up, you can find the shape of a rabbit who appears to be grinding up substances with a mortar and pestle. This rabbit supposedly mixed the elixir of life for the gods. I reference it here because of the reference to “jade,” but also because jade has an association with nobility and status – which the gods certainly had. We set ourselves up as gods as we seek to immortality the same. The last line with “Destiny” also makes this stanza a nerd reference, as the “jade rabbit” is an exotic weapon in the Destiny franchise of video games. There is a wordplay going on here, as the “pestle” and “mortar” the jade rabbit uses has as its roots “pest” and “mort.” We see these roots come back in “pestilence” and “mortifies.” This isn't a mere repetition of root words, but rather a juxtaposition of ideas. Whereas the rabbit uses his “pest” and “mort' to perpetuate life, we see that “pest” and “mort” are the ultimate takers of life. This doesn't mean that it is the rabbit in the moon that kills us, but rather that placing our hope in such things is the opposite of true life. There are also a lot of things going on just with the word “mortifies” here, as there are a number of definitions coming into play here. In short, it means that it brings about fear (I'm mortified), it brings about decay, and it is death (mortem in Latin is death) to us mortals.  The knowledge of our demise, in time, disrobes our vain and lofty beliefs about ourselves. No matter how great someone is in life, they are made equal in death. We stand naked in front of the world with this truth, and it hurts. To dwell on this truth and acknowledge it, in time, can drive us mad. “Lunacy” here is yet another tie-in to the moon which was introduced as our jade rabbit's home.  This is nearly a direct quote from an ancient Chinese poem called “The Old Dust” by Li Bai (or Li Po, or Li Bo). The line referenced is the final line of the poem: “What is there to prize in the life's vaporous glory?” I only changed it to fit the iambic pentameter of the sonnet format. Bai's poem is largely about how short our lives are and how the finitude of our lives seems to make them purposeless.  So what can we prize in life if everything about our lives is fleeting? Well, it seems the one thing that is not fleeting is truth. What is true now is always true. If it is 10:12 right now, while it won't always be 10:12, it will always be true that it was 10:12 at the point at which I said it was 10:12. Truth is immutable, though truths about mutable things change as those things grow, age, learn, etc. I could truthfully say that I will be 33 tomorrow, and I could say that each day for about another month. But one day, I must stop saying that because it will no longer be true. The truthfulness of my statements haven't changed, but my position changes the need for me to recognize a new truth which corresponds to my situation. But as I discussed in line 8, the acceptance of truth, particularly the truth that death is inevitable (and according to Bai, the vanity which comes from this truth), drives us to lunacy. That's why here I refer to truth as being a low “parapet.” In my mind I'm imagining our lives as like traversing a high, narrow bridge. If truth is our guiding purpose, it's an awfully low parapet to protect us from either falling over or choosing to jump over the edge. Hedonists and suicidal nihilists aren't anywhere different on the spectrum of their understanding of truth, they simply differ as to how they live in light of that truth. Truth in and of itself isn't helpful. Alvin Planginga's evolutionary argument against naturalism raises this same problem as he shows how truth is irrelevant for (and it can also be logically followed that it is sometimes even harmful to) survival.  There are three meanings in here. First, to “bay” should once again bring ideas of the moon back into play, as wolves bay at the moon. Second, English readers commonly read “Bai” (as in Li Bai) as BAY, though I believe it's actually pronounced BY E. So this is a reference back to Li Bai. Finally, I unpack the first option we have living in meaninglessness. First, we can become like beasts and throw off rationality. We can choose to believe that love, free will, and purpose exist in a physical world though we know they can't. We can absolutely ignore the implications of the truth and suppress it. See Appendix 13 for discussions on truth and love on a naturalistic system.  There is a ton going on in this line. 1) This line references two other options we have at our disposable to deal with purposelessness of a finite life. One is that we can turn to drugs (represented in the pipe), which is simply a reference for turning to pleasure and substances to numb or ignore the truth. Rather than act like irrational beasts who don't seem to know the truth, these individuals know the truth but defy it. They seize the day and try to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. The second option  is that you can simply deal with it, whether you like it or not, making sense of the idiomatic line: “you can put it in your pipe and smoke it.”  2) Jade was particularly thought to add longevity to life if smoked through jade pipes. This reference to putting it (truth implied) in your pipe and smoking it is that the acceptance of truth will actually add longevity to your life. Since I believe the truth is the Christian truth, I don't think it is a low parapet. I think it is our sustaining hope. I answer how this is the case in the final couplet.  The ultimate truth above all truths is that God is on his throne and reigns in power. This life is a vapor, as James and Bai say, but Christians also know that there is resurrection. The truth that God is in control, that God is love, and that God provides in that he will ultimately preserve us, then we don't have to look to the past or the future, like Bai, and be depressed. The truth gives us hope, and hope allows us to live today in security. In this sense, we are the most free. Whereas the hedonist is controlled by her fate, being forced to cram as much pleasure into their lives, we Christians are not controlled by our future. We are freed by it to live today as today, and not shackled to tomorrow. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Chinese, Chang'e 4 made a soft landing on the far side of the Moon where it is impossible to have direct radio communications with the Earth. Its companion Yutu rover whose name means "Jade Rabbit" is making scientific measurements and sending back spectacular images of the virtually unexplored part of the Moon .In the meantime China is preparing Chang'e 5 which is designed to bring lunar samples back to Earth.

The Chinese, Chang'e 4 made a soft landing on the far side of the Moon where it is impossible to have direct radio communications with the Earth. Its companion Yutu rover whose name means "Jade Rabbit" is making scientific measurements and sending back spectacular images of the virtually unexplored part of the Moon .In the meantime China is preparing Chang'e 5 which is designed to bring lunar samples back to Earth.

This episode of the Prismatica Magazine Podcast features the story “The Sinking of the Jade Rabbit” by Steve Carr and is read by Andrew Olvera.Steve Carr (he/him), who lives in Richmond, Virginia, has had over 280 short stories published internationally in print and online magazines, literary journals and anthologies since June, 2016. Four collections of his short stories, Sand, Rain, Heat, and The Tales of Talker Knock, have been published. His plays have been produced in several states in the U.S. He has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize twice. His Twitter is @carrsteven960. His website is https://www.stevecarr960.com/. He is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.carr.35977 Theme Song:Odyssey Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Other Music:Chee Zee Beach Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Danse Morialta Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Laid Back Guitars Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Port Horizon Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)With the Sea Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

Join us for the Finale!

With the statues in hand, the gang heads back to Dupree's home.

This episode send Dr Howzer into a new depth of character that we haven't seen before. Will the harried doctor be able to keep it together as our investigators seek out the last 2 statues?

Paredoilia is the tendency to reconcile vague shapes as something you're familiar with, like seeing shapes in clouds the craters of the moon: a little baby, a man…or a rabbit.

Paredoilia is the tendency to reconcile vague shapes as something you’re familiar with, like seeing shapes in clouds the craters of the moon: a little baby, a man…or a rabbit.

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Marcus, Doug, and Tony take a trip to Mr. Dupree's house, and as expected, things get wacky.

The party is at a party, and they party pretty hard!

Things start to get tense when the group goes to a party.

Our investigators have taken on a new job, and it seems as though they've bit off more than they can chew!

Today, our investigators meet a couple of really...interesting...individuals.

Billy, Doug, and Tony chase a few leads while kind of chasing their own tails.

Dr Howzer, Tony Fontini, and Kevin Marcus Kevin, rejoin and stumble their way through the clues they have amassed in the past day. Enjoy!

Dr Howzer, Kevin, and Tony Fontini begin sniffing out clues under the suggestion of...the chief of police? And other P.I.s have been going missing? WHAT?!?Enter our current giveaway at patreon.com/notworkingcrew

Well, we create characters in this one

In the opening scene, our investigators find themselves taking over an investigation already in progress.

Today we will keep talk about stories about the Mid-Autumn festival and they are great entertainment for tonight's moon gazing. Today we will talk about the Jade Rabbit and Chinese Sisyphus on the moon. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/chimythcast We really appreciate each of you who listen, subscribe and share our podcast. If you are able, please support us on Patreon which keeps us telling more stories!

Space journalist Swapna Krishna of Engadget, SyFy Fangrrls, & the Los Angeles Times joins Rae and Steve to answer questions about the spectacular world of space flight.Questions Include: Why do we love shooting stuff into space? Will Starman contaminate Mars? Would you have a space funeral? Is Elon Musk the right man to take us to Mars? Are spacecraft cats or dogs? Where is Voyager I and Voyager II? What is the Kessler syndrome? How many satellites are up there? How will space junk affect Earth? What happens when spacecraft die? Why can’t you take pictures of satellites? Why are reusable rockets important?Follow I Need My Space on Social Media:Twitter: @INeedMySpacePodInstagram: @INeedMySpacePodTo continue the conversation from this episode, use the hashtag #INeedMySpaceWhere to Find Swapna Krishna:Twitter: @skrishnaDesi Geek Girls: https://apple.co/2vLeuNnWhy You Need Your Space:In this episode, Emily Lakdawalla, senior editor and planetary evangelist at the Planetary Society, tells us why she needs her space. You can follow Emily on Twitter @elakdawalla and check out Planetary Radio on Apple: https://apple.co/2vQqlKfAbout Inverse:Inverse sparks curiosity about the future. We explore the science of anything, innovations that shape tomorrow, and ideas that stretch our minds. Our goal is to motivate the next generation to build a better world.Credits:I Need My Space is an Inverse production hosted by Rae Paoletta and Steve Ward, produced by Sam Riddell, and executive produced by Hannah Margaret Allen. Our intro and outro music was created by Olivares. Additional Music by P C III (Pipe Choir Three).Rae: @payoletterSteve: @stevejohnhenrywAndrew: https://soundcloud.com/andrewoP C III: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/P_C_III/ Other Topics Discussed Include: space junk, machismo, low Earth orbit, Cassini, KFC chicken sandwich in space, NASA, Parker Solar Probe, the Golden Record, Jade Rabbit rover, flat-Earthers, Curiosity

The Three Hares Symbol The symbol of three hares in a circle joined together at the ears is found in many religions all over world. No one knows the exact meaning of the symbol. ⦁    There is a German riddle concerning the motif of the three hares is quite describing: ⦁     Three hares sharing three ears, yet every one of them has two. This design features three hares, which are shown chasing each other / running in a circle, and joined together at their ears. Although one might expect three hares to have a total of six ears, the ones in the motif have only three ears in total.  Due to an optical illusion, however, it looks as though each hare has a pair of ears. The Three Hares Motif is A Cross-Cultural Symbol with Numerous Interpretations. This design has been uncovered in Buddhist caves that are 2500 years old.  It is found in some Christian churches throughout Europe, in Islamic art and in Judaism. Until recently there has been little awareness of its wide distribution, and peple are uncovering new examples all the time. Striking depictions of three hares joined at the ears have been found in roof bosses of medieval parish churches in Devon, 13th century Mongol metal work from Iran and cave temples from the Chinese Sui dynasty of 589-618. All cultures have interpreted this ancient symbol according to what is appropriate with their belief. In Christianity it has become a symbol of the trinity; Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Originally it may have represented the Triple Goddess.  The hare has a long history of being connected to the moon, as has the goddess. Academics are intrigued at the motif’s apparent prominence in Christian, Islamic and Buddhist holy contexts separated by 5,000 miles and almost 1,000 years. The Three Hares is an ancient motif found in various parts of the world.   Although the Three Hares is a motif shared by a number of cultures, it is likely that its symbolism changed as it crossed the different cultural barriers. Hence, this design probably has differing meanings in the many cultures where it is found. The earliest known examples of the Three Hares motif can be found in China. It can be seen on the ceilings of some of the temples in the Mogao Caves (also known as the Mogao Grottoes or the Cave of the Thousand Buddhas). There are at least 17 temples in this complex where the Three Hares motif is depicted on the ceiling.  The earliest motifs found in this Buddhist site near Dunhuang, Gansu Province, Western China, are thought to date back to the 6th century AD, when China was under the Sui Dynasty.  In the subsequent Tang Dynasty, the icon of the Three Hares continued to be used. Dunhuang, The town, is famous for a network of caves containing thousands of documents and fabrics from the Silk Road, which were sealed in about 1000 AD. The caves and their contents – preserved astonishingly well by the dry local climate – were rediscovered by Hungarian-born, British-based explorer Marc Aurel Stein, who trekked along the Silk Road a series of times between 1900 and 1930. Although China possesses the earliest known examples of this motif, it has been speculated that the Three Hares is not a Chinese design, and may have originated further west, perhaps from Mesopotamia, Central Asia, or the Hellenistic world.  This is based on the fact that many other artistic elements in the Mogao Caves are from the West.   Nevertheless, examples of the design from these proposed areas that predate those at the Mogao Caves have yet to be discovered. Beginning in the Han dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE), Dunhuang was an important stop on the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that stretched from Chang’an (present-day Xi’an) in the east to Central Asia, India, Persia—and, eventually, the Roman Empire—in the west.   And during the period of the Sixteen Kingdoms (366-439), at Mogao, less than a day’s journey from Dunhuang, Buddhist monks began digging out hundreds of cave temples from the cliffs along the Daquan River. The caves were decorated with statues, murals and decorative images, and construction of new caves continued at Mogao for over 500 years. During the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907), three-hares images were painted on the center of the ceilings of at least 17 caves.  Typically, the circle of hares is surrounded by eight large lotus petals and forms the focal point of a large painted canopy covering the entire ceiling. The following photos show what some of these images look like today. The beautiful image from Cave 407 is the most familiar of all the three-hares designs at Dunhuang. The hares are surrounded by two bands of lotus petals against a background of feitian (celestial maidens) flying in the same direction as the hares.  Notice the hares’ eyes, all four legs, and the white scarves trailing from around their necks. Interestingly, this is the only one of the 17 cave images in which the three hares are clearly running in a counterclockwise direction. The three-hares image of Cave 305 is badly deteriorated. But close study clearly reveals the white triangular silhouette indicating the hares’ ears as well as parts of their bodies. In Cave 420, all that remains is the triangle formed by the hares’ three ears along with parts of their heads. In Cave 406, the rough white silhouettes of the three hares are clearly seen against a tan background.  It would require close examination to determine whether these white areas are places where a darker pigment of the original hares has changed color over time or the original pigment has peeled off to expose a white undercoat. In Cave 383, the slender hares are gracefully leaping with front and hind legs fully outstretched. In Cave 397, the white silhouette of one hare and parts of the other two are still clearly visible. It appears that bits of the original pigment remain, although its tone may have changed over time. In some places all the paint has peeled off, exposing the beige clay. The images of the three hares in Cave 205 are very well preserved. Less so for the images in Caves 144 and 99. In addition to the caves shown above, the three hares motif also appears in Caves 200, 237, 358 and 468 from the Middle Tang dynasty (781-847) and Caves 127, 139, 145 and 147 from the Late Tang dynasty (848-906). (In Cave 127, the artist—either by carelessness or design—has created a unique variation of the three-hares image. Each hare’s ears are together, and the ears of all three hares form a Y-shaped pinwheel instead of the usual triangle.) Of all 17 three-hares images, the one in Cave 139 is the most detailed. This image is also the best preserved—perhaps because the cave is accessible only through a small elevated opening on the right side of the entryway to Cave 138. The three hares are tan against a light green background and are surrounded by eight lotus petals. Each hare is beautifully drawn in pen-like detail, with clearly visible features, including mouth, nose, eyes (with eyeballs!), all four legs, feet (including toes!) and tail. Even the fur on the stomach, breast, legs and head of each rabbit is shown. Four Hares at Guge There is also at least one site in present-day Tibet with puzzling images of hares sharing ears.  Images of four hares sharing four ears can be found in the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Guge, which thrived from the mid-10th century until its defeat in 1630.  On the ceiling of Guge’s White Temple are 314 painted panels, and one of these panels has two roundels, each showing four hares chasing each other in a clockwise direction…. Other Buddhist Images of Three and Four Hares Other Buddhist images of three and four hares occur in Ladakh, within the present Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.  At Alchi on the bank of the Indus River is a temple complex that was built in the late 12th to early 13th century while Alchi was within the western Tibetan cultural sphere. Within this temple complex, inside the Sumtsek, or Three-Tiered Temple, is a sculpture of Maitreya. On Maitreya’s dhoti are painted more than 60 roundels depicting scenes from the life of Buddha Sakyamuni. Each space between four such roundels is decorated with images with long-eared animals chasing each other in a clockwise direction. Some of the spaces show three animals sharing three ears, while others show four animals sharing four ears.” Dr Tom Greeves, a landscape archaeologist, has suggested the motif was brought to the West along the Silk Road. Dr Greeves, from Tavistock, Devon, said: “It is a very beautiful and stirring image which has an intrinsic power which is quite lovely. “We can deduce from the motif’s use in holy places in different religions and cultures, and the prominence it was given, that the symbol had a special significance. The Silk Road played an important role in the diffusion of the Three Hares motif. It was via this trade route that the Three Hares symbol found its way into the western part of China. Assuming that all later examples of the Three Hare motif have their origin in the ones found in China, then it is possible to say that the motif travelled along the Silk Road to distant lands as well. We don’t know for sure how the symbol travelled to the West but the most likely explanation is that they were on the valuable oriental silks brought to Western medieval churches to wrap holy relics, as altar cloths and in vestments. More than 1000 years ago, Dunhuang was a key staging point on the Silk Road, the famous network of trading routes which linked China with Central Asia and Iran, with branches into Tibet and South Asia. As well as commodities, the Silk Road saw religions and ideas spread great distances, and the researchers said this could be the key to the hare motif. Some later examples of this motif have been found in places such as Turkmenistan, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Germany, France, and England.  The objects on which the Three Hares motif have been found include glass, ceramics, coins, and textiles.  Many of these artifacts date to the time of the Pax Mongolica , i.e. the 13th century, a period when trade and the exchange of ideas between East and West flourished. The Three Hares appear on 13th century Mongol metal work, and on a copper coin, found in Iran, dated to 1281.[16][17][18] Another appears on an ancient Islamic reliquary from southern Russia. Another 13th or early 14th century Reliquary was from Iran from Mongol rule, and is preserved in the treasury of Cathedral of Trier Germany. On its base, the casket reveals Islamic iconography, and originally featured two images of the three hares. One was lost through damage.[19] In central Asian and Middle Eastern contexts the motif occurs • in glass (an Islamic medallion of ca. 1100, now in Berlin); • on ceramics (impressed pottery vessels at Merv, Turkmenistan in 12th c.; polychrome pottery from Egypt/Syria ca. 1200; a tile of ca. 1200, now in Kuwait); • woven on textile (four hares, 2nd quarter to mid-13th c., now in Cleveland); and • on a copper Mongol coin (Urmia, Iran, minted 1281-2). The other possibility is that the motif has a much older provenance, given the religious context in which the Three Hares motif turns up mostly in England, northern Germany, France …and with most of the symbols having either Anglo-Saxon, Celtic or semitic (Ashkenazi) medieval religious associations. In Britain the motif is most common in Devon where 17 parish churches contain roof bosses depicting the hares. On Dartmoor, it is known locally as “The Tinners’ Rabbits”, but there are no known associations with tin mining. Some claim that the Devon name, Tinners’ Rabbits, is related to local tin miners adopting it. The mines generated wealth in the region and funded the building and repair of many local churches, and thus the symbol may have been used as the miners signature mark.[21] The architectural ornament of the Three Hares also occurs in churches that are unrelated to the miners of South West England. Other occurrences in England include floor tiles at Chester Cathedral,[22] stained glass at Long Melford, Suffolk[A] and a ceiling in Scarborough, Yorkshire. The motif of the Three Hares is used in a number of medieval European churches, particularly in France (e.g., in the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyons)[23] and Germany. It occurs with the greatest frequency in the churches of the West Country of England. The motif appears in illuminated manuscripts,[24] architectural wood carving, stone carving, window tracery and stained glass. In South Western England there are nearly thirty recorded examples of the Three Hares appearing on ‘roof bosses’ (carved wooden knobs) on the ceilings in medieval churches in Devon, (particularly Dartmoor). There is a good example of a roof boss of the Three hares at Widecombe-in-the-Moor,[7] Dartmoor, with another in the town of Tavistock on the edge of the moor. The motif occurs with similar central placement in Synagogues.[2] Another occurrence is on the ossuary that by tradition contained the bones of St. Lazarus.[25] Where it occurs in England, the Three Hares motif usually appears in a prominent place in the church, such as the central rib of the chancel roof, or on a central rib of the nave. This suggests that the symbol held significance to the church, and casts doubt on the theory that they may have been a masons’ or carpenters’ signature marks.[1] There are two possible and perhaps concurrent reasons why the Three Hares may have found popularity as a symbol within the church. Firstly, it was widely believed that the hare was hermaphrodite and could reproduce without loss of virginity.[19] This led to an association with the Virgin Mary, with hares sometimes occurring in illuminated manuscripts and Northern European paintings of the Virgin and Christ Child. The other Christian association may have been with the Holy Trinity,[19][26] representing the “One in Three and Three in One” of which the triangle or three interlocking shapes such as rings are common symbols. In many locations the Three Hares are positioned adjacent to the Green Man, a symbol associated with the continuance of Anglo-Saxon or Celtic paganism. 16th century German scholar Rabbi Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, saw the rabbits as a symbol of the Diaspora. The replica of the Chodorow Synagogue from Poland (on display at the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora in Tel Aviv) has a ceiling with a large central painting which depicts a double headed eagle holds two brown rabbits in its claws without harming them. … There are examples elsewhere in Britain in a chapel in Cotehele, Cornwall, in medieval stained glass in the Holy Trinity church in Long Melford, Suffolk, in a plaster ceiling in Scarborough, North Yorks, and on floor tiles from Chester Cathedral and in the parish church in Long Crendon, Bucks. The hare frequently appears in the form of the symbol of the “rotating rabbits”. An ancient German riddle describes this graphic thus: Three hares sharing three ears, Yet every one of them has two.[2] This curious graphic riddle can be found in all of the famous wooden synagogues from the period of the 17th and 18th century in the Ashknaz region (in Germany) that are on museum display in Beth Hatefutsoth Museum in Tel Aviv, the Jewish Museum Berlin and The Israel Museum in Jerusalem. They also appear in the Synagogue from Horb am Neckar (donated to the Israel Museum). The three animals adorn the wooden panels of the prayer room from Unterlimpurg near Schwäbisch Hall, which may be seen in replica in the Jewish Museum Berlin. They also are seen in a main exhibit of the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv. Israeli art historian Ida Uberman wrote about this house of worship: “… Here we find depictions of three kinds of animals, all organized in circles: eagles, fishes and hares. These three represent the Kabbalistic elements of the world: earth, water and fire/heavens… The fact that they are always three is important, for that number . . . is important in the Kabbalistic context”.[2] Not only do they appear among floral and animal ornaments, but they are often in a distinguished location, directly above the Torah ark, the place where the holy scriptures repose…”  — Wikipedia: The Three Hares It seems also likely that the commonly seen medieval Christian or Jewish symbols may have been one of the fairly universally known pagan fertility symbols in the past: The Bavarian “Community of Hasloch’s arms[depicted below] is blazoned as: Azure edged Or three hares passant in triskelion of the second, each sharing each ear with one of the others, in chief a rose argent seeded of the second, in base the same, features three hares. It is said, “The stone with the image of three hares, previously adorned the old village well, now stands beside the town hall.” “Hares and rabbits have appeared as a representation or manifestation of various deities in many cultures, including: Hittavainen, Finnish god of Hares;[35] Kaltes-Ekwa, Siberian goddess of the moon; Jade Rabbit, maker of medicine on the moon for the Chinese gods, depicted often with a mortar and pestle;[13][36] Ometotchtli (Two Rabbits,) Aztec god of fertility, etc., who led 400 other Rabbit gods known as the Centzon Totochtin; Kalulu, Tumbuka mythology (Central African) Trickster god; and Nanabozho (Great Rabbit,) Ojibway deity, a shape-shifter and a cocreator of the world.[36][37] See generally, Rabbits in the arts.” — (Wikipedia) The Celts (and Anglo-Saxons, Germans, Dutch and French) all have a folklore of hares, eggs and spring ritual folklore, the Egyptians have their Hare goddess, over a whole district of province Hermopolis, and the hare was sacred and messenger to both Wenet and Thoth (deity of scribes, in kind with the Mayan hare deity who invented writing). Sacred, moon-gazing hares were sacred and associated with moon goddesses like Ostara, Ishtar, Innanna associated with renewal, rebirth and cycles of the moon … as were the Jewish kabbalistic and Persian triple hares, which had in common with the Chinese, Korean and Japanese ones that associated the hare with goddesses of immortality, who bore the task of pounding elixirs or rice-cakes. The first known literary reference is from A Survey of the Cathedral of St Davids published in 1717 by Browne Willis. It says: “In one key stone near the west end are three rabbits plac’d triangularly, with the backsides of their heads turn’d inwards, and so contriv’d that the three ears supply the place of six so that every head seems to have its full quota of ears. This is constantly shewn to strangers as a curiosity worth regarding.” The three hares are depicted in churches, chapels and cathedrals in France and Germany. The symbol has been found in Iran on a copper coin minted in 1281 and on a brass tray, both from the time of the Mongol Empire. Meanings of the Three Hares The symbol’s meaning remains obscure but the hare has long had divine and mystical associations in the East and the West.   Legends often give the animal magical qualities. It has also been associated in stories with fertility, feminity and the lunar cycle. The Three Hares symbolized different things for the different cultures who used it. In the absence of contemporary written records, however, these meanings can only be speculation. For example, in Christian Europe, one interpretation of the motif is that it symbolized the Holy Trinity, which may explain its depictions in churches.  The problem with this hypothesis is that it was made some centuries after the motif was made, and might not coincide with the original meaning as intended by its creators. Another theory is that the hare represents the Virgin Mary, as hares were once mistakenly believed to have been able to procreate without a mate, thus giving birth without losing their virginity.  In some churches, this motif is juxtaposed with an image of the Green Man, perhaps to highlight the contrast between the redemption of humanity with its sinful nature. In the East, on the other hand, the hare is said to represent peace and tranquility, and has been regarded as an auspicious animal.  This may be the reason for its use in the decoration of the Mogao Caves for example. “The earliest occurrences appear to be in cave temples in China, dated to the Sui dynasty (6th to 7th centuries).  The iconography spread along the Silk Road, and was a symbol associated with Buddhism.  The hares have been said to be “A hieroglyph of ‘to be’.” In other contexts the metaphor has been given different meaning.  For example, Guan Youhui, a retired researcher from the Dunhuang Academy, who spent 50 years studying the decorative patterns in the Mogao Caves, believes the three rabbits image-—”like many images in Chinese folk art that carry auspicious symbolism—represent peace and tranquility.” The hares have appeared in Lotus motifs. In both Eastern and Western cultures, the hare was once believed to have magical qualities, and it has been associated with mysticism and the divine. Additionally, the hare can be found in numerous stories relating to fertility, femininity, and the lunar cycle. Thus, it may be these connections that led to the hare being incorporated into the Three Hares motifs. “If we can open a window on something that in the past had relevance and meaning to people separated by thousands of miles and hundreds of years, it could benefit our present day understanding of the things we share with different cultures and religions.” Yew Help http://www.ancient-origins.net/history/three-hares-motif-cross-cultural-symbol-numerous-interpretations-005640 http://www.chrischapmanphotography.co.uk/hares/ http://chinesepuzzles.org/three-hares/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/devon/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8280000/8280645.stm http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/three_hares.htm http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1466046/Caves-hold-clue-to-the-riddle-of-the-three-hares.html https://japanesemythology.wordpress.com/origin-of-the-three-hares-motif/

Stream this and previous episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly). Hi everyone...Andrew with the Show Notes for Episode 32. In this episode Fred and I discuss: *China's Jade Rabbit Mission. Not a lot is heard about this, but Fred has all the latest. *Have we got Dark Matter Theory all wrong? Subscribe, rate and review at iTunes, audioBoom, Pocketcasts, Stitcher, Podbean, Google Play Store (US only at this stage...it's a Google restriction thing), Tunein, Radioline, bitesz.com or any good podcatcher app. Have you joined our mailing list yet? http://www.bitesz.com/join-our-mailing-list Email: hello@bitesz.com For more, follow us on Facebook, twitter and Google+: Facebook: @spacenutspodcast twitter: @SpaceNutsPodcst Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/2/collection/cHkPaB #astronomy #space #technology #science #news Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

State of the Climate, Jade Rabbit, Here WeGo, and others

The HowBadCrew assembles to discuss Patrick Stewart, gold currency, Dick Tracy villains, Jade Rabbit, and skanking.

详细内容请关注周六微信，或登录以下网址： http://english.cri.cn/7146/2014/11/15/2582s852511.htm This is NEWS Plus special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. After successfully putting the "Jade Rabbit" lunar rover onto the moon, space experts say China's planned Mars vehicle will be larger, tougher and a better climber. A full-sized model of the Mars rover is on display at the China Airshow in south China's Zhuhai City, offering a rare glimpse of the spacecraft still being designed. The experts explain that the new rover will be larger in size and better at crossing obstacles than the moon rover Yutu. Yutu can climb over obstacles no higher than 20-centimetres, but has to bypass larger rocks. This will not work on Mars, where there is a full range of large rocks. The 2-meter-long model on display is the prototype. Its final look and functions have yet to be decided. China plans to land a Mars rover around 2020, collect samples and bring them back around 2030. The experts expect the Mars buggy to be solar-powered, its weight close to NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers at around 180 kilograms. NASA's latest Curiosity rover weighs 900 kilograms and is powered by a nuclear battery. The capability of China's carrier rockets limits the size of its Mars rover. This is NEWS Plus Special English. It was a warm gesture on a chilly night when Vladimir Putin wrapped a shawl around the wife of Xi Jinping while the Chinese president chatted with Barack Obama. The incident at a performance linked to the Asia-Pacific summit was originally broadcast on state broadcaster CCTV and spread online as a forwarded video. But it was soon scrubbed clean from the Chinese Internet, reflecting the intense control authorities exert over any material about top leaders while also pointing to cultural differences over what is considered acceptable behavior in public. Beijing-based historian and independent commentator Zhang Li-fan says that China is traditionally conservative on public interaction between unrelated men and women, and the public show of consideration by Putin may provide fodder for jokes, which the big boss probably does not like. Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, was once a popular folk singer better known than her husband; and in contrast to her predecessors, she has taken on a much more public role, prominently joining her husband on trips abroad, as part of China's soft power push to seek global status commensurate with its economic might. Propaganda officials have built the image of Xi and his wife as a loving couple. Photos of Xi shielding his wife from the rain on a state visit, picking flowers for her, or simply holding her hand have circulated widely on China's social media, prompting much oohing and aahing. Blogger Luo Qing-xue says that when the president personally held the umbrella for his wife, it complied with the international norm of respecting women. Luo wrote on the news site for the party-run newspaper People's Daily last year after Xi was seen holding an umbrella over himself and Peng on a state visit to Trinidad and Tobago. Putin looked gallant for his macho, man-of-action image on Monday night while Xi chatted with the American president. In the video, Peng stood up, politely accepted the gray shawl or blanket offered by Putin, and thanked him with a slight bow. But she soon slipped it off and put on a black coat offered by her own attendant. It spawned a flurry of commentary on China's social media before censors began removing any mention of the incident. Li Xin, director of Russian and central Asian studies at Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said that Putin was just being a proper Russian and did nothing out-of-line diplomatically. Li says it's a tradition in Russia for a man of dignity to respect ladies on public occasions, and in a cold country like Russia, it is very normal that a gentleman should help ladies take on and off their coats; but the Chinese may not be accustomed to that. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. British scientists found that weight loss surgery can reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes by around 80 percent in obese people. Researchers from King's College London assessed the effect of contemporary surgical weight loss procedures on the development of diabetes. Being overweight or obese is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The study involved more than 2,000 obese adults without diabetes who underwent one of three of the most common types of surgical procedures for weight loss. Compared with the control group of more than 2,000 other people, diabetes incidence was reduced by around 80 percent in participants who had surgery. However, the researchers say that although the results bring scientists a step closer to confirming the effect of surgery on the incidence of type 2 diabetes, many questions still remain unanswered, and more evidence is needed to convince scientists about the nature of this effect.

完整文稿请关注周日微信，或登录以下网址： http://english.cri.cn/7146/2014/07/25/2582s837677.htm This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. Here is the news. Fast food chains in China have stopped using products supplied by a Shanghai meat processing plant over allegations that it was supplying stale meat and mislabeling expiration dates. Shanghai-based Dragon TV aired a news program on July 20th, claiming that Shanghai Husi Food Company had supplied products tainted with reprocessed stale meat to a string of fast food chains and restaurants across China. The expose is another blow to western fast food chains like McDonald's and KFC, which have been implicated in a number of food safety scandals involving suppliers over the years. McDonald's issued a statement over the alleged malpractice at Husi, saying it had stopped using all food materials supplied by the meat processor. In a separate statement, KFC said some of its restaurants in south China's Fujian Province will stop selling certain products due to the food safety incident. Shanghai's municipal food and drug watchdog has ordered that production at the company's food processing plant in suburban Shanghai be suspended following the television expose. The company is an "A-Level enterprise" graded by the local regulator, and is subject to two reviews every year. Sampling tests the company underwent during its review for the first half of this year showed no problems. Officials from Shanghai's municipal food safety office said the fact that regulators take action only after violations are exposed suggests that their day-to-day oversight is not effective. This is NEWS Plus Special English. Ailing Chinese moon rover Yutu, the "Jade Rabbit", might have been damaged by knocking against rocks on a lunar surface that is more complicated than expected. Yutu is China's first moon rover. It drove onto the lunar surface in December last year as part of the Chang'e-3 lunar mission. But in January, it suffered a "mechanical control abnormality" which has continued to trouble it ever since. Experts' initial judgment for the abnormality was that the rover was "wounded" by colliding with stones while moving. A major challenge for the robot has been the temperature fluctuation of 300 degrees Celsius on the moon. When the sun sets, the solar-powered rover must hibernate to survive the night. Yutu has fulfilled all its missions including surveying the moon's geological structure and surface substances, as well as looking for natural resources. Yutu has managed to survive seven lunar nights so far. One lunar night is equivalent to around 14 days on Earth. Night temperatures can fall to minus 180 degrees Celsius. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. China will launch a high-definition Earth observation satellite, Gaofen-2, to space this year. The Gaofen satellite series is one of China's major science and technology projects. It helps in areas such as geographic and resource surveys, environment and climate change monitoring, precision agriculture, disaster relief and city-planning. Gaofen-1 was launched in April last year and still in service. Gaofen-2 was the first of several satellites to be launched for high-definition Earth observation before 2016. Equipped with cutting edge technology, the satellite will be able to "see" clearly a one-meter-long object on earth in full color. This is NEWS Plus Special English. China's largest telecom firm China Mobile has revealed plans to build 500,000 4G base stations by the end of this year. 4G international roaming services will be opened in another 50 countries and regions which Chinese tourists frequently visit. China Mobile's services currently cover the United States, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, among other countries. Its customers can access 4G services through a new 4G Universal Subscriber Identity Module card without changing their number or going through registration. China Mobile will also do more to handle the problem of malware, junk messages and pornography. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. The music video for Chinese pop singer Jane Zhang's latest single "Forever" has premiered online. "Forever" is the leading track from the singer's new album "The Seventh Sense" which came out earlier this month. The video uses 3D effects to build a surreal setting, highlighting the song's message of eternal love. The music video first premiered on sina.com's entertainment channel. Zhang rose to fame after coming in third-place in the first season of China's TV singing contest "Super Girl" in 2006.

完整文稿请关注周六微信，或登录以下网址： http://english.cri.cn/7146/2014/07/25/2582s837636.htm This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. An international AIDS conference has been held in Australia with tribute to several delegates who were killed en route to the gathering when their plane was shot down over Ukraine. Officials at the opening ceremony for the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne held a moment of silence for the six AIDS researchers and activists killed aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. All 298 people on board the plane died when it was shot down by a surface-to-air missile on July 17th as it flew over rebel-held eastern Ukraine. Among the passengers was prominent Dutch researcher Joep Lange, former president of the International AIDS Society, and spokesman Glenn Thomas of the World Health Organization based in Geneva. Around 12,000 scientists and activists from 200 countries attended the conference to discuss the latest developments in HIV and AIDS research. This is NEWS Plus Special English. A new government study shows the rate of HIV infections diagnosed in the United States each year fell by one-third over the past decade. Experts hailed it as hopeful news that the AIDS epidemic may be slowing in the U.S. Researchers say that the reasons for the drop are not clear. It might mean fewer new infections are occurring, or that most infected people already have been diagnosed so more testing won't necessarily find many more cases. The study result was released ahead of the International AIDS Conference which was held between July 20th and 25th in Melbourne, Australia. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, which destroys the immune system. The World Health Organization estimates that 35 million people globally have the virus. In the United States, 1 million people are thought to be infected, though many don't know it. You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Now is the time to get moonstruck. Forty-five years ago on Sunday, Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon. Armstrong's "one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind" on the dusty lunar surface on July 20th, 1969, still stirs hearts. At the launch site at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, NASA honored Armstrong on Monday with a renaming ceremony of the historic Operations and Checkout Building. Both Aldrin and Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 command module pilot who orbited the moon, were there. People can join the celebration, at the very least, by walking out and looking at the moon over the weekend. The Armstrong family had said following his death in 2012 that those who wish to honor Neil can simply honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty; and the next time we walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at us, we can think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink. This is NEWS Plus Special English. China's first lunar rover, Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, is still functioning despite the malfunction of some of its equipment. According to Wu Wei-ren, chief designer of China's lunar probe project, Yutu has been woken up after the past dormant period, but the problems still exist. The rover will embrace another "working day", which is about 14 Earth days, in an abnormal state caused by mechanical failures. During the lunar night, there is no sunlight to provide power to Yutu's solar panel, and the extremely low temperatures can damage its delicate electronics, so the rover must "hibernate". The 140-kilogram, six-wheeled Yutu, is part of the Chang'e-3 lunar probe. It has outlived its designed lifespan of three months since it reached the moon in mid-December last year. The rover has completed its designated scientific and engineering tasks, analyzed major elements on the lunar surface and studied mineral resources. However, after almost six weeks of operation, the moon buggy reported a mechanical control problem in January, before entering its second period of dormancy. Since then, it has been unable to move any farther, remaining around 20 meters southwest of where it landed. Its antenna and solar panels cannot be folded, either. Chinese engineers blamed the problem on the "complicated lunar surface environment". You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. A 38-year-old man has died of plague in northwest China's Gansu Province. The case was reported in Jiuquan City, and the man died on July 16th. He had been in contact with a dead marmot, which is a member of the squirrel family. A total of 150 people who had close contact with him, have been put in quarantine and are under medical observation. None of them has reported any symptoms of the disease so far. China's National Health and Family Planning Commission has sent disease prevention and control specialists to the city to prevent the plague from spreading. Plague is categorized as a Class A infectious disease, the most serious category under China's Law on the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases.

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. Here is the news. China's anti-waste campaign is being brought to the boil as the central authorities issued a circular calling on officials and the public to fight against food waste. The detailed document was released by the State Council, China's Cabinet, and is aimed to curb official extravagance at dinner tables and develop frugal diet habits among the public. It says China has been facing a tight food supply-demand balance for a long time, and food waste remains rampant due to flashy lifestyles and lack of supervision. The circular has outlined measures prohibiting too much money being spent on food among officials. Officials are told to control the amount they spend on dinners in public affairs, and promote simple, healthy and economical dining. Government departments, organizations and state-owned enterprises must publicize the amount they spend on dining for public supervision. Authorities are not allowed to organize banquets or guzzle under the name of convening meetings and training. China's anti-waste battle has been gathering steam since late 2012, when the new leadership announced "eight requirements" to improve Party work style and stamp out extravagance and bureaucracy. The anti-waste campaign has impacted the luxury goods market and gift industries in China in the past year. This is NEWS Plus Special English. China has pledged to increase efforts to help rural migrant workers win urbanite status. A new national plan says China will remove restrictions in towns, and lower threshold in big cities to help migrant workers from the rural areas to settle down in cities. The urbanization plan was recently released by the State Council, China's Cabinet. Detailed conditions for settling in big cities will be set. However, population increase in mega cities will remain to be strictly controlled. In China, big cities refer to those with population between three million and five million, while those with population above five million are mega cities. The plan also grants city services and public welfare to the migrants. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. China's Food and Drug watchdog has urged investigation and exposure of illicit gelatin products, following media reports about the use of industrial waste in food and drugs. The State Food and Drug Administration is calling for all relevant departments to carry out surprise inspections of local gelatin manufacturers. Supervision will be tightened for the entire production chain, including raw materials, purchase and sale of gelatin products. Media reports revealed that some enterprises had used industrial waste leather to make drug capsule or as food additive. Earlier this year, the administration issued a circular to crack down on illicit sales of gelatin products. It urged the public to report fake product vendors to local authorities so that they can be dealt with according to law. This is NEWS Plus Special English. In a related development, the State Food and Drug Administration has blacklisted ten websites for publicizing false information on medical device. The administration says the websites forged the names of medical equipment manufacturers and posted information of fake medical device for sale. The fake products include equipment to treat infertility and pillows claimed to cure diseases. Online shopping has become increasingly popular in China, with online shoppers surpassing 600 million last year. The People's Daily newspaper reports more than 70 percent of these shoppers had unhappy experiences with online stores. And only one-third of the complaints were settled. China's Consumer Rights Law was revised in October last year to address issues such as online shopping and consumer privacy. It was the first revision since the law was adopted 20 years ago. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Yun Feng in Beijing. China's moon rover Yutu woke up again after its third dormancy, but even after a long rest, mechanical problems have not been resolved. Yutu and the lander have restarted their operations and are exploring as scheduled. The control issues that have troubled Yutu since January remain, but its panorama camera, radar and other equipment are functioning well. The cause of the problems is still unknown. The lander functioned well during its first three lunar days. A lunar day is equivalent to about two weeks on Earth. The lander's optical telescope, extreme ultraviolet camera and lunar dust measurement device have completed their scheduled tasks and obtained a large amount of data. Yutu, or Jade Rabbit, was named after the pet rabbit of the lunar goddess Chang'e in Chinese mythology. The rover touched down on the moon's surface on December 15th, hours after lunar probe Chang'e-3 landed. Yutu has now survived its designed life of three months. Chang'e-3 is part of China's current lunar program, which includes orbiting, landing and returning to Earth. China is the third country to soft-land on the moon after the United States and the former Soviet Union.

This is NEWS plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news. Chinese doctors will be required to sign written commitments of not accepting any kickbacks or gifts from hospitalized patients beginning on May 1. A statement from the National Health and Family Planning Commission says hospitals will present this document to patients within 24 hours after they are hospitalized. Patients will also need to sign the paper and promise not to give extra money or gifts to doctors. In fear of being neglected or receiving poor treatment, many patients are inclined to give presents or money to their doctors in exchange for favor. Sometimes it will involve a large amount of money if the doctor is well-known and busy or the surgery is difficult. The statement says the move is expected to create a clean environment at hospitals and keep doctor-patient relations simple. Health departments will set up tip-off hotlines for those failing to do so, and commitment papers will be kept in archives for future inspection. This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. The world's largest human migration came to an end last week. February 24th marks an end of China's month long bittersweet travel period which started in Mid-January. As many as 3.6 billion trips were made during the Spring Festival travel period around the Chinese Lunar New Year which fell on January 31st this year. Around 270 million train trips were made, up 12 percent from a year ago. Journeys by highway stood at 3 billion, while those by air and water amounted to 86 million. Meanwhile, ticket shortages and traffic jams caused anxiety for many people. Official data showed that more than 90 million tickets were on sale each day during the travel period. The peak fell on Feb. 6, the last day of the Spring Festival holiday, when a record 8.4 million railway trips were made. Cai Tuan-jie, director of the Spring Festival transportation office, says it was difficult for people to get back home because of the vast number of passengers. This year's 3.6 billion trips set a new record. Since the reform and opening up three decades ago, rural migrant workers have shaped the Spring Festival travel rush. Experts say the surge in the number of trips demonstrated the country's ongoing urbanization. It mirrors China's fast pace of development. China is attracting private funds to help ease the country's stressed railway system. This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. China's lunar rover Yutu has entered its third planned period of dormancy. The mechanical control issues that might cripple the vehicle are still unresolved. Yutu, the Jade Rabbit, only carried out fixed point observations during its third lunar day, equivalent to about two weeks on Earth. Its radar, panorama camera and infrared imaging equipment are functioning normally. The control issues that have troubled the rover since January persist. This is one of the oldest people in China, He Er'xiu, has died at the age of 117 in east China's Jiangxi Province. She passed away at her home in Wenshui Village in Yongxin County in the presence of about 100 descendants. She was born in January 1898 and had six children. Her husband died 53 years ago in 1961 at the age of 79. A village official says she was an outgoing woman and was clearheaded before she passed away. She drank rice wine made by her every day, and worked out regularly. That is believed to be her secret for long life. The Geriatric Society of China claimed in October last year that the oldest person in China is Alimihan Seyiti in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Seyiti was born on June 25, 1886, and is almost 128 years old. She is an ethnic Uygur living in Shule County in Xinjiang. If verified, Seyiti could be the oldest person in the world. She would beat the Guinness World Record of 122 years old set by Jeanne Calment from France. You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English, I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access our program by logging onto NEWSPlusRadio.cn. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues. The globe cozied up to the fourth warmest January on record this year, essentially leaving just the eastern half of the United States out in the cold. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the Earth was almost 1.2 degrees warmer in January than the 20th century average. Since records began in 1880, only 2002, 2003 and 2007 started off warmer than this year. Almost all of Africa, South America and Australia, and most of Asia and Europe were considerably warmer than usual. China and France had their second warmest Januaries. Land in the entire Southern Hemisphere was hottest for January since record began. While more than half of America shivered in January, it was one of the few populated spots on Earth cooler than normal. The deep freeze of early January came from the polar vortex. The polar vortex is a high-altitude wind pattern that normally keeps Arctic air bottled up in northern Canada and around the North Pole. In January, a big chunk broke off and allowed that ultra-chilly air to meander south.

Topics covered on today's episode of Mind Set Daily "Lawsuit Alleges NASA Is Failing To Investigate Alien Life" You may recall, NASA recently announced that a strange rock had somehow "appeared" in front of its Mars Opportunity rover. The explanations for the mystery rock were straight-forward: maybe some kind of nearby impact sent a rock toward the rover, or, more likely, the rover knocked the rock out of the ground and no one noticed until later. The lawsuit, filed recently in a California court, is aimed at NASA and its Administrator, Charles Bolden, requesting that the agency "perform a public, scientific, and statutory duty which is to closely photograph and thoroughly scientifically examine and investigate a putative biological organism. The "rock," according to the lawsuit, was there the whole time, it just grew until it became visible. "The refusal to take close up photos from various angles, the refusal to take microscopicimages of the specimen, the refusal to release high resolution photos, is inexplicable, recklessly negligent, and bizarre," according to the suit. "Chinese Social Media Prays for ‘Little Bunny’ Moon Rover" Troubled Jade Rabbit module becomes social media sensation. China’s Jade Rabbit moon rover became the most popular topic on Chinese social media Monday when Chinese state-run media reported that it was having mechanical troubles. Listen to this episode to find out more! Support Mind Set Central Subscribe or donate

On this episode of Talking Space, we take an in-depth look at the issue with the coolant pump aboard the International Space Station, the first spacewalk to repair it, and its affect on the Orbital Science launch that was scheduled for earlier this month. We then talk about ESA's Gaia spacecraft, which plans to create an in-depth map of our Milky Way galaxy. We then talk about China's successful landing of its rover on the moon, about a publicity snafu, and how it has connections going all the way back to Apollo 11 in 1969. Lastly, we address a disgruntled listener letter which is in favor of cutting planetary science, and we give our reasons why we think NASA and planetary science should still be, and is, alive and kicking. To read the congressman's letter to the President, visit http://bit.ly/1edPFGd To read Wayne Hale's "It's Our Choice, Really" visit http://ephemeris.sjaa.net/0909/b.html This is the last news show for Season 5! Don't miss a special look back at 5 seasons of Talking Space and space news on Tuesday, December 31, followed by a very special Apollo-related episode to kick off Season 6. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman Show Recorded 12/23/2013

This Day in Skepticism: HMS Challenger; News Items: Geysers on Europa, Regulation in Genetic Code, Jade Rabbit, Aspartame Safe, Cell Phones on Planes; Who's That Noisy; Your Questions and E-mails: Reverse Speech; Science or Fiction

This Day in Skepticism: HMS Challenger; News Items: Geysers on Europa, Regulation in Genetic Code, Jade Rabbit, Aspartame Safe, Cell Phones on Planes; Who's That Noisy; Your Questions and E-mails: Reverse Speech; Science or Fiction

The Nerds talk about the Jade Rabbit lands on the moon, Amazon is going to do online wholesale, Scientist are working on Spermbots, Drew Goddard to write and might directo Sinister Six, Emilia Clarke is Sarah Connor, Knights of Badassdom is coming to VOD, another Stephen King heading to TV, Netflix Adultery, Sony possible Sonic the Hedgehog, Family Guy free to play game, Top selling consoles. All this and more on the Frakkin Nerds.

The Nerds talk about the Jade Rabbit lands on the moon, Amazon is going to do online wholesale, Scientist are working on Spermbots, Drew Goddard to write and might directo Sinister Six, Emilia Clarke is Sarah Connor, Knights of Badassdom is coming to VOD, another Stephen King heading to TV, Netflix Adultery, Sony possible Sonic the Hedgehog, Family Guy free to play game, Top selling consoles. All this and more on the Frakkin Nerds.