Lesson of the Day

The Chinese Civil War marked a major turning point in modern Chinese history, with the Communists gaining control of mainland China and establishing the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 and forced the Republic of China (ROC) to retreat to Taiwan. It resulted in a lasting political and military standoff between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, with the ROC in Taiwan and the PRC on mainland China with both officially claiming to be the legitimate government of all China.

The Kuwaiti oil fires were caused by Iraqi military forces setting fire to a reported 605 to 732 oil wells as part of a scorched earth policy while retreating from Kuwait in 1991 due to the advances of Coalition military forces in the Persian Gulf War. 

Fires of Kuwait is a 1992 American documentary film recorded the extinguishing efforts that followed.

“Art only begins where Imitation ends.” 

On 25 May 1895, Oscar Wilde was convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years' hard labour. De Profundis, (Latin: "from the depths") is a letter written by Wilde during his subsequent imprisonment in Reading Gaol, to "Bosie" (Lord Alfred Douglas).

In its first half, Wilde recounts their previous relationship and extravagant lifestyle which eventually led to his conviction. In the second half, Wilde charts his spiritual development in prison and identification with Jesus Christ, whom he characterises as a romantic, individualist artist.

Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mayadevi gave birth to the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha, in 563 BCE. 

Johannes Vermeer

Street in Delft, 1658

Buddhism - The Four Noble Truths

LITERATURE - Marcel Proust

Sartre and Existenialism