Chinese New Year is time to honor the Kitchen God

It's good practice to clear out cooking utensils from the stove at night to keep the altar clean. 

Chinese New Year is a very colorful time in Chinese households. And a very busy time. Houses are cleaned, fences mended, debts are paid, and the color red, representing wealth and happiness, features prominently in clothing and celebratory decorations placed throughout the house.

One Chinese legend has it that the Kitchen God was a rich farmer named Zhang, who enjoyed a good life, thanks to his kind and hardworking wife, Guo. Life was a breeze for him as his wife took care of the chores – catching fish, herding pigs and fattening the ducks. His downfall came when he brought home a pretty and carefree woman who chased his wife out. When his fortunes dwindled, his lover ran off with another man, and Zhang became a beggar. Referring to The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan, a post by Ashvamegh Team on Questioning Myth says the starving Zhang ended up in the house of a kind woman, who turned out to be his wife. When he realised this, he was ashamed and hid in the fireplace and was burnt to death. The Jade Emperor then made him the Kitchen God and commanded him to watch over each household, reporting to him the behaviour of its inhabitants. This myth was revised by Amy Tan in the novel, The Kitchen God’s Wife, in which the Kitchen God was said to be a poor mason with ill luck. In desperation, he sold his wife to make ends meet. One day, he unknowingly worked for his wife’s new husband. He failed to recognise her but, out of the goodness of her heart, she baked sesame cakes with coins inside for him as he was leaving. The mason stopped by a teahouse and met a traveller who asked for one of his cakes. When the latter bit into it and found money, he convinced the mason to sell all the cakes to him. The mason foolishly agreed, thinking that he had come upon some good fortune. When he learnt the truth of how his wife was secretly helping him, he committed suicide out of shame. The Ruler (in Heaven) made him the Kitchen God for his honesty and goodness. A popular myth tells of how the Kitchen God (Zao Jun), or God of the Hearth, presides over the hearth and takes care of the family’s well-being. Each year, he ascends to Heaven on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, and returns on the third day of the Lunar New Year, while other household gods return a day later. In the old days, the deity is represented by a piece of red paper written with his name, and stuck over the fireplace. Over time, it was replaced by a red metal plaque. In the book, Spectrum Of Chinese Culture by Lee Siow Mong, it is said some Chinese homes had pictures of the Kitchen God as an old deity drawn on red paper. After he ascends to Heaven, the paper is taken down and burnt. A new one is put up before his return. Traditionally, it is said that only men worship this deity. When the Kitchen God told of man’s sufferings to the Jade Emperor, he sent good fortune and blessings to the family. This deity is regarded as “the greatest unifying figure” in the family, as the hearth is the pivot of family life. All family members depend on the hearth for their three daily meals. According to the book Disappearing Customs Of China, the Kitchen God is reputed to be “the most earnest deity” of the household for staying at his post the whole year through. In the olden day days, when earthen ovens or charcoal stoves were used, the walls and chimney of the hearth were covered in soot and grime, as the altar of the Kitchen God was next to the fireplace. Day and night, for 360 days, he would be at his post, tolerating the onslaught of oil, steam, smoke and heat as families prepared their daily meals or feasts. He would watch them eat all sorts of glorious foods. Each family would appease the deity during his annual send-off to report to the Jade Emperor. They would serve him sugar, dried persimmons, dates, rice cake, tea – and hope that he would speak well of them. He also has sesame seed cakes to savour on his trip. In today’s modern households, where gas and electric ovens are used, many Chinese families have stopped praying to the Kitchen God. The deity is said to have retired and gone back to Heaven with his wife. https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/living/2019/01/28/legend-kitchen-god

Gifts of flowers, citrus fruits, candy and of course TEA  figure prominently in the holiday. In the spirit of happiness and wealth, red envelopes containing money are given to children ( or the unmarried ) by  parents and elders. Colorful dragon parades bring crowds of Chinese and non-Chinese revelers into Chinese communities from New York to San Francisco.

Today, many Chinese people will make a farewell offering to the Kitchen God. Among some of the items offered at the altar are the sticky nian gao to seal the deitys lips in case he intends to bring a bad report to the Jade Emperor, or Mandarin oranges, red dates and longan so that only sweet and flattering words can come out of his mouth.

New Year parades feature lion dancers and large paper dragons that slither through the streets to the sounds of drums, bells and chimes. A host of fireworks and an ocean of bobbing lanterns ( meant to scare away the evil spirits )  keep the crowd cheering happily and adds to the festive occasion.

Special celebratory menus are offered in restauants, most of whom chalk up their busiest days of the year during the 15 days of Chinese New Year. In homes, families plan elaborate multi-coursed banquet meals for loved ones and friends. Foods are selected for their ability to bring good luck, propserity and longevity in the New Year.

But before the new year festivities can begin, the house must be cleaned and homage must be paid to the Kitchen God  or Stove God ( known as Zao Jun or Zao Shen ) a guardian deity who evolved  from Zhu Rong, the ancient Fire God, once  stoves became commonplace in Chinese kitchens.

Traditional Chinese families live by a complex religious belief system, and in order to fare well in this life, they enlist the help of  various deities and guardian figures.

The Kitchen God oversees every Chinese kitchen. His role is to protect the family in a variety of ways – a paper image of him resides near the back of every stove, and a small altar is made for seasonal food offerings, burning incense and candles.

Each year, about one week before the start of the New Year celebrations, the image of the Kitchen God is taken down and burned. By doing this, the spirit of the Kitchen God is released from the earth to make his annual ascent to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor on the conduct of the family during the past year.

Once in Heaven, the words of the Kitchen God influences the amount of prosperity and abundance that each family will have bestowed on them in the new year.

In order to ensure that the Kitchen God speaks sweetly of the family, offerings of incense and bowls of ‘sweet treats’ such as ripe melons, honey, glutinous cakes, and sugar candies are presented for his delight before his image is burned and his journey begins.

 

Gold and silver ‘ingots’ fashioned from paper are also offered, and little paper-mache sedan chairs are sometimes provided to offer comfort on the journey to Heaven.

To welcome the return of the Kitchen God to the family for the new year, a fresh paper image of him is hung where the old one had been. Each family hopes for the same thing from the Kitchen God – abundant food, good harvests and good health. In Heaven good deeds are reported, on earth their safety is ensured.

On our recent trip to San Francisco, Bob and I combed Chinatown looking for a Kitchen God for our kitchen. To be honest, we did not know exactly what he should look like, or what we would find to purchase. perhaps, we wondered, if a Kitchen God was something that one inherited, and not something simply purchased.

So we began asking in all of the shops we stopped in. To our surprise, many of the  people in the shops did not know where we could purchase a Kitchen God.  But finally, someone directed us to a shop on Pacific Avenue ( turn right off  Grant and head for the housewares-looking place down on the left. )

This seemed an unlikely place to us, but a helpful clerk steered us to a section of the store where they stocked numerous packets to cover all of life’s needs. We scooped up a few Kitchen Gods to give to friends and for good luck we grabbed a Interior Door God and a House God, too.

Back home, we carefully opened our Kitchen God packet and were amazed at how many pieces of paper it contained. Most of the sheets were printed with Chinese characters, symbols and figures.

We had large yellow sheets, medium-sized red sheets, long red strips, gold printed squares, streamers, paper-cut banners, candles and stick incense, and a little paper bowl to fill with dry rice grains. Stand the candles and incense sticks up in this bowl and one has an instant alter.

But nowhere was there the image of the Kitchen God that we were expecting to find  – manybe one needs a more expensive kit – but we had fun looking at everything and trying to piece it together.


https://aneducatedpalate.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/chinese-new-year-is-time-to-honor-the-kitchen-god/

Phùng là một họ của người thuộc vùng Văn hóa Đông Á. Họ này xuất hiện ở Việt Nam; khá phổ biến ở Trung Quốc (chữ Hán: 馮, bính âm: Feng) và cũng có mặt ở Triều Tiên với số lượng rất ít (Hangul: 풍, Romaja quốc ngữ: Pung).

Hậu duệ nước Tất là Tất Vạn làm tướng cho Tấn Hiến Công, được phong đất Ngụy với đất Phùng làm thực ấp. Con cháu Tất Vạn lấy Ngụy, Phùng làm họ.

Gốc Tư Mã Sửa đổi - Sử học gia thời Tây Hán là Tư Mã Thiên vì bị liên luỵ trong vụ án Lý Lăng nên phải chịu cung hình. Để bảo toàn gia tộc, phải báo quan là không có con trai nối dõi, vì thế 2 người con trai của ông buộc phải đổi họ.

Người con trưởng là Tư Mã Lâm từ họ phức là Tư Mã (司馬) đã lấy chữ Mã (馬) đồng thời thêm 2 chấm bên trái đổi thành họ Phùng (馮). Người con thứ là Tư Mã Quan từ họ phức Tư Mã (司馬) lấy chữ Tư (司) đồng thời thêm một nét sổ bên trái chữ Tư đổi thành họ Đồng (同), nhưng 2 dòng họ này vẫn nhớ đến dòng họ gốc Tư Mã của mình.

Hiện nay tại thôn Trại Từ Long Môn, thuộc thị xã Hàn Thành, tỉnh Thiểm Tây quê hương của Tư Mã Thiên tuy không còn họ Tư Mã, nhưng người họ Phùng, họ Đồng rất đông, họ đều là con cháu đời sau của Tư Mã Thiên. Cả ngàn năm nay hai họ Phùng và Đồng vì cùng tế chung một ông tổ nên không bao giờ thông hôn, vì họ đều là người một nhà.

https://vi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph%C3%B9ng_(h%E1%BB%8D)

Sea moss (a.k.a Irish moss) is not something that you'll find in the typical American diet. But if you're of Jamaican or of Irish descent, there's a chance you've at least heard of it.

I'm first-generation Jamaican, and growing up, I was only exposed to sea moss in the form of a sugary beverage. When my family went out to a local restaurant to eat curry goat or jerk chicken, I would pick it out from the fridge in it's non-branded, homemade bottle.

The sweet, creamy mixture of condensed milk, moss, vanilla, and nutmeg was a real treat after some spicy delights. But as tasty as this drink was, I knew it wasn't really healthy. So as a kid, I never thought that pure Irish moss had any beneficial properties on it's own. That is until I did some reading....

Sea moss is a type of red algae that grows on the Atlantic coastlines of North America, Europe, and the Caribbean Islands. Since the 1800s, the Irish have been harvesting it from their rocky shores to use as medicine.

They even used it to get the nutrients they needed during times of famine. Jamaicans have also traditionally used sea moss to treat illness, and some have touted it to be the perfect elixir to increase male libido.
 

Unfortunately, there's no scientific proof for the latter (sorry, guys), but there's a lot of research showing that our ancestors understood the healing potential of this plant.

While it's been embraced by Irish and Jamaican cultures, sea moss has been getting a bad rap lately. Carrageenan, a derivative of this seaweed, is a thickening agent that can be found in dairy and alt-milk products.

This ingredient is said to cause inflammation and was labeled as "a possible human carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. That's some scary news that has certainly discouraged many people from consuming this algae.

However, it's important to note that carrageenan (a chemically processed ingredient) is different than sea moss. Sea moss is a whole food that is in fact chockfull of beneficial vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.

So while our forefathers and foremothers have used sea moss for old-time remedies they may or may not have been able to explain, here are six ways this red seaweed can improve your health along with the science to back it up.

Like chia seeds, aloe, and okra, sea moss is a mucilaginous food. As gross as this sounds, its snotty texture makes it a great healing/soothing agent for mucus membranes in the body, including in the respiratory and digestive systems.

According to some animal studies, sea moss can have a prebiotic effect during digestion. This means that it can increase beneficial short-chain fatty acids in the colon, get rid of bad bacteria in the gut, and improve overall gut health and immunity.

It can improve your thyroid function - Irish moss is full of different iodine compounds that your thyroid needs to healthily chug along. It contains DI-Iodothyronine, which is actually used to treat thyroid disorders.
 

And it also contains high amounts of concentrated iodine, which your thyroid uses to make hormones that regulate your metabolism, digestion, mood, and more.

When it comes to capitalizing the energy stored in food, you need B vitamins. Sea moss contains a decent amount of riboflavin (B2) and folate (B9). Riboflavin is needed to break down proteins, carbs, and fats, while folate is needed to form DNA and other genetic material. When folate pairs up with B12, it also helps to create red blood cells.

During cold and flu season, sea moss smoothies could become your go-to meal. It has potassium iodide, which is great for dissolving troublesome phlegm in clogged airways. It also rich in amino acids, vitamin C, antioxidants, as well as a host of antiviral and antimicrobial agents. These nutrients can help you to fight or ward off infections.

Because of its vitamin and mineral packed gelatin-like quality, many people use sea moss masks to soothe eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and burns. Studies have found that citrulline–arginine, a compound found in Irish moss, can improve cell growth and metabolism.

This compound also releases amino acids that are essential for protein and collagen synthesis. Collagen is the protein that maintains smooth skin and silky hair.

Gobiidae (Goby) is any of the more than 2,200 species of fishes of the suborder Gobioidei (order Perciformes). Gobies are carnivorous, usually small in size, and found throughout the world. Especially abundant in the tropics, they are primarily marine in habit.

Sea moss has a bunch of magnesium and potassium, which are known mood boosters. Both minerals play a key role in brain function, and when we are low on either, we might feel crankier than usual.
 

Some research indicates that sea moss may protect brain tissue from degeneration and Parkinson's disease. If you are looking to get your hands on some sea moss, you can either buy it raw or in gel form.

If you buy it raw, you're going to have to prepare it by washing the moss thoroughly, soaking it for about a day, then tossing it in the blender until you get the right consistency.

Sea moss is tasteless so you can add it to a variety of dishes. In fact, it's an especially great plant-based substitute for gelatin or other thickening agents. The traditional Jamaican Irish moss drink is a popular option, but you can also put it in: Smoothies,  Juices, Cakes, Sauces, Homemade ice cream, Stews and soups.

Remember, since Irish moss has little to no flavor, you can get creative when it comes to reaping the benefits of this nutritious algae. So don't be afraid to experiment. You might come up with a new, tasty recipe.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a30499092/sea-moss-health-benefits/

Practical Explanation ( For Example ) :- `1st of all can you tell me every single seconds detail from that time when you born ?? ( i need every seconds detail ?? that what- what you have thought and done on every single second ).

Can you tell me every single detail of your `1 cheapest Minute Or your whole hour, day, week, month, year or your whole life ?? if you are not able to tell me about this life then what proof do you have that you didn't forget your past ? and that you will not forget this present life in the future ?

That is Fact that Supreme Lord Krishna exists but we posses no such intelligence to understand him. there is also next life. and i already proved you that no scientist, no politician, no so-called intelligent man in this world is able to understand this Truth. cuz they are imagining. and you cannot imagine what is god, who is god, what is after life etc.

For example :Your father existed before your birth. you cannot say that before your birth your father don,t exists. So you have to ask from mother, "Who is my father?" And if she says, "This gentleman is your father," then it is all right. It is easy.

Otherwise, if you makes research, "Who is my father?" go on searching for life; you'll never find your father. ( now maybe...maybe you will say that i will search my father from D.N.A, or i will prove it by photo's, or many other thing's which i will get from my mother and prove it that who is my Real father.

 

{So you have to believe the authority. who is that authority ? she is your mother. you cannot claim of any photo's, D.N.A or many other things without authority ( or ur mother ).

If you will show D.N.A, photo's, and many other proofs from other women then your mother. then what is use of those proofs ??} ) Same you have to follow real authority.

 

"Whatever You have spoken, I accept it," Then there is no difficulty. And You are accepted by Devala, Narada, Vyasa, and You are speaking Yourself, and later on, all the acaryas have accepted. Then I'll follow.

I'll have to follow great personalities. The same reason mother says, this gentleman is my father. That's all. Finish business. Where is the necessity of making research? All authorities accept Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You accept it; then your searching after God is finished.

Why should you waste your time? all that is you need is to hear from authority ( same like mother ). and i heard this truth from authority " Srila Prabhupada " he is my spiritual master.
 

I'm not talking these all things from my own. In this world no `1 can be Peace full. this is all along Fact. cuz we all are suffering in this world 4 Problems which are Disease, Old age, Death, and Birth after Birth.

Tell me are you really happy ?? you can,t be happy if you will ignore these 4 main problem. then still you will be Forced by Nature. If you really want to be happy then follow these 6 Things which are No illicit s.ex, No g.ambling, No d.rugs ( No tea & coffee ), No meat-eating ( No onion & garlic's )

5th thing is whatever you eat `1st offer it to Supreme Lord Krishna. ( if you know it what is Guru parama-para then offer them food not direct Supreme Lord Krishna )

And 6th " Main Thing " is you have to Chant " hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare ". If your not able to follow these 4 things no illicit s.ex, no g.ambling, no d.rugs, no meat-eating then don,t worry but chanting of this holy name ( Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra ) is very-very and very important.

Chant " hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare " and be happy. If you still don,t believe on me then chant any other name for 5 Min's and chant this holy name for 5 Min's and you will see effect.

 

I promise you it works. And chanting at least 16 rounds ( each round of 108 beads ) of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra daily. Here is no Question of Holy Books quotes, Personal Experiences, Faith or Belief.
 

I accept that Sometimes Faith is also Blind. Here is already Practical explanation which already proved that every`1 else in this world is nothing more then Busy Foolish and totally idiot.

Source(s): every `1 is already Blind in this world and if you will follow another Blind then you both will fall in hole. so try to follow that person who have Spiritual Eyes who can Guide you on Actual Right Path. ( my Authority & Guide is my Spiritual Master " Srila Prabhupada " )

If you want to see Actual Purpose of human life then see this link : ( triple w ( d . o . t ) asitis ( d . o . t ) c . o . m {Bookmark it }) read it complete. ( i promise only readers of this book that they { he/she } will get every single answer which they want to know about why im in this material world, who im, what will happen after this life, what is best thing which will make Human Life Perfect, and what is perfection of Human Life. )

Purpose of human life is not to live like animal cuz every`1 at present time doing 4 thing which are sleeping, eating, s.ex & fear. purpose of human life is to become freed from Birth after birth, Old Age, Disease, and Death.

http://vietrealm.com/index.php?topic=34149.0

Theo một số kết quả nghiên cứu, hàm lượng khoáng chất trong loại đường này cao hơn gấp 60 lần so với đường cát trắng. Người dân trồng thốt nốt chủ yếu để lấy nước uống giải khát, chế biến rượu vang và cô đặc sản xuất đường.
 

Đường thốt nốt có hương vị thơm ngon đặc biệt, có thể ăn tươi hoặc nấu ăn, còn dùng để chữa bệnh. Thường đường thốt nốt được chế biến thành những miếng như đường phèn, hình tròn, đường kính khoảng 4cm, dày 2cm, có loại màu ngà vàng, có loại trắng.

 

View of Laayoune city in the Western Sahara Territory 

Những người sành ăn thường chọn loại màu ngà vì vẫn giữ được hương vị tự nhiên hơn loại trắng đã qua tinh chế. Thốt nốt có tên khoa học là Berassus flabellifer L. thuộc họ Dừa Palmaceae,.Thốt nốt trong tiếng Khmer “Thnot” tức là cây dừa đường.Thân cây có thể cao trên 20m, có nhiều khoanh, trên ngọn có một tán lá xòe rộng.

Phùng Hưng (? - 791) - Phùng An là thủ lĩnh cầm đầu cuộc khởi nghĩa chống lại sự thống trị của nhà Đường ở Việt Nam thời Bắc thuộc lần thứ ba (602-905), đuổi được người phương Bắc và cầm quyền cai trị một thời gian. Tiểu sử - Đền thờ Phùng Hưng tại quê hương Cam Lâm, Đường Lâm. Phùng Hưng xuất thân từ dòng dõi cự tộc lâu đời ở đất Đường Lâm nay là xã Đường Lâm, Sơn Tây, TP Hà Nội. Đường Lâm xưa kia vốn là vùng đất gò đồi và rừng cây rậm rạp bởi vậy mới có tên gọi là "đường lâm". Cho tới nay ngày sinh của ông vẫn chưa rõ. Các sách chính sử như Đại Việt Sử ký Toàn thư,Khâm định Việt sử Thông giám Cương mục ghi ông mất năm 791, chỉ một thời gian ngắn sau khi đuổi được giặc Bắc phương. Một nguồn dã sử cho biết ông sinh ngày 25 tháng 11 năm 760 (tức 5-1-761) và mất ngày 13 tháng 8 năm Nhâm Ngọ (tức 13-9-802), thọ 41 tuổi. Phùng Hưng có tên tự là Công Phấn, cháu 7 đời của Phùng Tói Cái - người đã từng vào trong cung vua Đường Cao Tổ, thời niên hiệu Vũ Đức (618-626) dự yến tiệc và làm quan lang ở đất Đường Lâm. Bố của Phùng Hưng là Phùng Hạp Khanh - một người hiền tài đức độ. Khoảng năm Nhâm Tuất (722) đời Đường Huyền Tông niên hiệu Khai Nguyên, Phùng Hạp Khanh đã tham gia cuộc khởi nghĩa của Mai Thúc Loan(tức Mai Hắc Đế). Sau đó, ông trở về quê chăm chú công việc điền viên, trở nên giàu có, trong nhà nuôi nô tỳ có đến hàng nghìn người. Theo sự tích, Phùng Hạp Khanh có một người vợ họ Sử. Ông bà sinh một lần được ba người con trai khôi ngô khác thường, lớn lên ai cũng có sức khỏe, có thể kéo trâu, quật hổ. Anh cả là Phùng Hưng, em thứ hai là Phùng Hải (tự là Tư Hào) và em út là Phùng Dĩnh (tự là Danh Đạt). Đến năm ba anh em 18 tuổi thì bố mẹ đều mất. Trong ba anh em, anh cả Phùng Hưng là người có sức khỏe và khí phách đặc biệt. Sự nghiệp - Việt Nam thời thuộc Đường gọi là An Nam đô hộ phủ, khi đó đang nằm dưới ách cai trị hà khắc của bọn quan đô hộ. Các quan đô hộ nhà Đường ra sức vơ vét của cải của người dân Việt Nam, bắt người dân Việt phải đóng sưu cao thuế nặng khiến lòng người ngày càng căm phẫn.Phùng Hưng nối nghiệp cha trở thành hào trưởng đất Đường Lâm. Cho tới nay dân gian vẫn còn lưu truyền câu chuyện ông dùng mưu kế giết hổ dữ mang lại bình yên cho làng xóm. Năm 767, Cao Chính Bình, hiệu úy châu Vũ Định (miền Việt Bắc) giúp kinh lược sứ An Namlà Trương Bá Nghi đánh bại được cuộc xâm lược của quân Chà Và (Java) ở Chu Diên, sau đó được cử làm đô hộ An Nam. Chính Bình ra sức vơ vét của cải của nhân dân, đánh thuế rất nặng. Khoảng niên hiệu Đại Lịch (766-779), chưa rõ đích xác vào năm nào, nhân lòng căm phẫn của người dân, lợi dụng khi quân lính ở Tống Bình (Hà Nội) nổi loạn, Phùng Hưng đã phát động một cuộc khởi nghĩa lớn chống chính quyền đô hộ. Đền thờ Phùng Hưng tại thôn Mông Phụ, Đường Lâm, Sơn Tây, Hà Nội - Cuộc khởi nghĩa do Phùng Hưng phát động nhận được sự hưởng ứng rộng rãi của người dân từ khắp các miền đất Giao châu. Thoạt đầu, anh em họ Phùng nổi dậy làm chủ Đường Lâm rồi nghĩa quân tiến lên đánh chiếm được cả một miền rộng lớn quanh vùng thuộcPhong Châu, xây dựng thành căn cứ chống giặc. Phùng Hưng xưng là Đô Quân; Phùng Hải xưng là Đô Bảo và Phùng Dĩnh xưng là Đô Tổng, chia quân đi trấn giữ những nơi hiểm yếu. Cao Chính Bình đem quân đi đàn áp nhưng chưa phân thắng bại. Tình hình diễn ra như vậy hơn 20 năm. Được sự trợ giúp của người cùng làng có nhiều mưu lược là Đỗ Anh Hàn, tháng 4 năm Tân Mùi (791), Phùng Hưng từ chỗ cầm cự đã cùng các tướng lĩnh đem quân vây đánh thành Tống Bình. Quân của Phùng Hưng chia làm 5 đạo do các tướng Phùng Hải, Phùng Dĩnh, Đỗ Anh Hàn, Bồ Phá Cần và chủ tướng Phùng Hưng tiến công vây thành. Phần lớn các truyền thuyết đều kể rằng: Phùng Hưng nhận thấy lực lượng chưa thật đủ mạnh để đè bẹp quân địch, ông đã cùng các tướng tỏa đi xung quanh chiêu mộ thêm binh lính và sắm thêm vũ khí, còn việc vây thành được giao cho 3 người cháu gái họ Phùng, gọi Phùng Hưng bằng bác. Cuộc chiến đấu sau đó diễn ra quyết liệt, quân Đường chết nhiều, Cao Chính Bình phải vào cố thủ trong thành, lo sợ cuối cùng bị ốm rồi chết. Phùng Hưng chiếm lĩnh thành trì và vào phủ Đô hộ, coi chính sự đất nước. Qua đời - Chính sử chép rằng ông cầm quyền cai trị không lâu sau đó đã qua đời ngay trong năm 791. Các sử gia hiện nay xác định ông mất khoảng tháng 5 năm 791. Nguồn dã sử Việt điện U linh của Lý Tế Xuyên và giai thoại dân gian cho rằng: ông cầm quyền được 7 năm, nhưng lại mất năm 802[. Thông tin này không phù hợp về logic: Năm 791 giành được Tống Bình mà mất năm 802 tức là Phùng Hưng cầm quyền trong 11 năm chứ không phải 7 năm. GS Nguyễn Khắc Thuần cho rằng: Lý Tế Xuyên và truyền thuyết dân gian đã có sự lầm lẫn: hơn 7 năm là thời gian tính từ khi Phùng Hưng làm chủ khu vực quanh Đường Lâm tới khi ông mất, chứ không phải tính từ khi ông làm chủ Tống Bình. Ông được nhân dân suy tôn là Bố Cái Đại Vương (布蓋大王). Đền thờ - Lăng Mộ và đền thờ chính - Bàn thờ Phùng Hưng (nơi đặt linh vị của ông) tại đền thờ ở thôn Mông Phụ, Đường Lâm. Lăng mộ Phùng Hưng ngày nay nằm ở đầu phố Giảng Võ, quận Ba Đình, thành phố Hà Nội. Đền thờ ông được dựng lên ở nhiều nơi như quê hương Đường Lâm, đình Quảng Bá (Tây Hồ), đình Triều Khúc (Thanh Trì, Hà Nội), thờ ở lăng Đại Áng, Phương Trung, Hoạch An, phủ Thanh Oai (Hà Nội); tại xã Gia Thanh, Gia Viễn tỉnh Ninh Bình có 3 ngôi đền thờ Bố Cái Đại Vương, tương truyền ông mất tại đây. Sau này đất Đường Lâm quê ông còn xuất hiện một vị vua nữa - Ngô Quyền, người đánh bại cuộc xâm lược của Nam Hán, chấm dứt 1000 năm Bắc thuộc (938). Do vậy Đường Lâm còn được biết đến với tên gọi "Đất hai Vua". https://sites.google.com/site/vietnamanhung/giai-doan/10-thuoc-dhuong/phung-hung

Những công dụng không ngờ của đường thốt nốt - Cung cấp nhiều khoáng chất: đường thốt nốt rất giàu các khoáng chất thiết yếu. Theo một số kết quả nghiên cứu, hàm lượng khoáng chất trong loại đường này cao hơn gấp 60 lần so với đường cát trắng.

Đây là nguồn thực phẩm cung cấp nhiều loại vitamin khác nhau. Đây cũng là phương thuốc tuyệt vời cho phụ nữ bị thiếu máu. Đường thốt nốt là một nguồn giàu chất sắt và nếu phụ nữ thêm nó vào chế độ ăn uống hàng ngày sẽ giúp họ cải thiện được tình trạng thiếu máu.

Đây là thực phẩm cần thiết cho tất cả phụ nữ, đặc biệt là thanh thiếu niên và phụ nữ mang thai. Khôi phục sức khỏe cho hệ thống tiêu hóa: nghe có vẻ lạ nhưng đường thốt nốt có khả năng hoạt động như một tác nhân hỗ trợ tiêu hóa.
 

Tại một số nơi ở Ấn Độ, người dân có thói quen nhâm nhi những cục đường thốt nốt nho nhỏ sau bữa ăn chính cho dễ tiêu. Loại đường này khi vào trong dạ dày sẽ kích thích sự hoạt động của các enzyme tiêu hóa và còn giúp tẩy sạch đường ruột.

Tốt cho da: đường thốt nốt cũng rất tốt cho da. Nó làm cho làn da khỏe mạnh. Nếu bị mụn trứng cá và mụn nhọt trên da, hãy ăn đường thốt nốt mỗi ngày sẽ thấy tác dụng của nó và sẽ có được một làn da đẹp và không tỳ vết.

 

Giàu chất dinh dưỡng: trong đường thốt nốt chứa rất nhiều chất sắt. Do đó, tiêu thụ thường xuyên sẽ làm gia tăng lượng huyết sắt tố và trị được chứng thiếu máu. Bên cạnh đó, lượng magiê lại có tác dụng điều chỉnh hệ thống thần kinh.

Hàm lượng các chất chống oxy hóa dồi dào trong loại chất ngọt tự nhiên này cũng giúp bảo vệ các tế bào của cơ thể không bị tổn hại do các gốc tự do gây ra. Ngoài ra, chúng còn giàu canxi, kali và phốt pho.

Bổ sung năng lượng: đường thốt nốt chứa các hợp chất carbohydrate giúp cơ thể tiêu hóa nhanh hơn so với đường cát trắng. Do đó, chúng sẽ giải phóng nguồn năng lượng tích trữ dùng loại đường này thường xuyên. Điều này cũng đồng nghĩa với việc sẽ có cảm giác no lâu và ít thèm ăn hơn sau khi tiêu thụ những món được chế biến từ đường thốt nốt.

Chữa chứng đau nửa đầu: đau nửa đầu là bệnh xảy ra khá phổ biến trong cuộc sống hiện đại. Những hoạt chất tự nhiên có tác dụng trị bệnh hiện diện trong đường thốt nốt sẽ giúp bạn làm dịu cơn đau do chứng bệnh này gây ra. Chỉ cần ăn khoảng 20g đường thốt nốt sẽ cảm thấy tình trạng đau nửa đầu giảm hẳn.

Hạn chế những tác động theo mùa trong năm lên cơ thể: đặc tính độc đáo này của đường thốt nốt thể hiện ở việc chúng có tác dụng làm giảm tình trạng nổi mụn nhọt ở mùa hè và dịu cảm giác lạnh giá của mùa đông.

 

Vào mùa hè, loại thực phẩm này sẽ giúp hạ nhiệt, làm mát cơ thể. Trong khi đó, vào mùa đông, đường nốt thốt lại có tác dụng giữ ấm, giúp đỡ bị lạnh hơn.

 

Những công dụng không ngờ của đường thốt nốt - Tốt cho trẻ em: nó là đường thô nên không có ảnh hưởng đến hệ thống tiêu hóa của bé mà ngược lại còn cung cấp nhiều lợi ích sức khỏe, đặc biệt là đối  với trẻ sơ sinh.

Một trong số những lợi ích sức khỏe đó là thúc đẩy hệ thống miễn dịch của bé, ngăn ngừa bệnh thiếu máu, làm sạch gan và giúp xương chắc khỏe. Tuy nhiên, đường thốt nốt nên được tiêu thụ ở mức vừa phải.

Nếu không sẽ gây ra một số tác dụng phụ nguy hiểm: các bé có thể “nghiện” đường thốt nốt do hương vị ngọt ngào của nó, từ đó có thể bị bệnh đường ruột, nếu lượng đường thốt nốt dư thừa quá nhiều còn có thể khiến bé mắc bệnh về da, nổi mụn.

Ngoài ra, đường thốt nốt có hàm lượng calo khá cao sẽ ảnh hưởng tới sức khỏe của bé. Vì vậy, chỉ nên cho bé tiêu thụ ở mức vừa phải để hấp thu được những lợi ích tốt nhất.

Ngăn ngừa táo bón: đường thốt nốt giúp hệ thống đường ruột làm việc một cách nhịp nhàng và đều đặn hơn và giúp ngăn ngừa táo bón ở trẻ sơ sinh. Nó kích hoạt các enzym tiêu hóa và thúc đẩy quá trình tiêu hóa ở trẻ sơ sinh. Khi đường thốt nốt được hấp thụ vào cơ thể sẽ xảy ra quá trình đào thải các độc tố khỏi cơ thể và làm sạch gan.

Giúp xương chắc khỏe: đường thốt nốt cung cấp chất khoáng, canxi và phốt pho – những chất dinh dưỡng cần thiết cho việc giup xương và các mô của trẻ nhỏ khỏe mạnh. đường thốt nốt Ăn khoảng 20g đường thốt nốt sẽ cảm thấy tình trạng đau nửa đầu giảm hẳn.

 

Chống lại cảm cúm: do hệ thống miễn dịch của bé còn yếu nên thường xuyên bị cảm lạnh, cảm cúm và ho. Đường thốt nốt là loại thực phẩm được đánh giá cao trong việc điều trị các triệu chứng cảm lạnh và cúm.

Tăng khả năng miễn dịch: đường thốt nốt giàu chất chống oxy hóa và khoáng chất như selen và kẽm, giúp ngăn chặn nguy cơ tổn thương các tế bào do hoạt động của các gốc tự do. Từ đó giúp các bé chống nhiễm trùng, tăng khả năng miễn nhiễm.

Một số đơn thuốc sử dụng từ cây thốt nốt - Nhuận tràng: sáng sớm cắt cụm hoa lấy nước chảy ra từ cụm hoa uống, có tác dụng giải khát, nhuận tràng, phòng tránh táo bón.

Hữa đau họng do viêm họng, phòng bệnh viêm họng: mỗi ngày dùng một miếng đường thốt nốtnhỏ nhai, ngậm và nuốt, sẽ làm dịu họng, sát khuẩn và giữ cho họng, cuống phổi không bị khô rát.

Tác dụng lợi tiểu: rễ cây thốt nốt 50g, thái khúc, cho vào ấm đổ 3 bát con nước sắc nhỏ lửa còn 1 bát nước, uống ngày một lần; dùng liền 1 tuần. Dùng cây thốt nốt non, thái khúc, cho vào ấm đổ 3 bát con nước sắc nhỏ lửa còn 1 bát nước, uống ngày một lần; dùng liền 1 tuần.

Dùng cuống cụm hoa (vòi hoa) 100g, thái thành từng miếng mỏng, sắc với 600ml nước trong 15 phút, chia làm nhiều lần uống trong ngày, dùng liền 1 tuần.

Trị giun đũa: lấy cuống cụm hoa thốt nốt nướng nóng, vắt lấynước, thêm ít đường, uống vào buổi sáng, mỗi lần khoảng 100ml, uống trong vài ngày vào buổi sáng có thể ra giun.
 

Microsoft founder Bill Gates is on path to becoming the world’s first trillionaire within the next 25 years, a new study has found. The report by Oxfam, which works to alleviate global poverty, has just released a briefing paper saying that since 2015, the top 1 per cent of the population has owned more wealth than the remaining 99 per cent, and that eight men currently possess the same amount of money as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of the planet. Oxfam uses these statistics to argue that current economic growth disproportionately benefits those who are already wealthy while the poor remain poor. The study predicts Gates’ future wealth using the average rate of growth of his investments, which have been growing by 11 per cent since 2009. At this rate, Gates, who is currently number one on Forbes’ list of wealthiest people with a net worth of $85bn, could easily be a trillionaire by the age of 86. Gates is a founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation and of The Giving Pledge, a “commitment by the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.” Nonetheless, for all his willingness to give away his riches, the study noted that Gates’ fortune has grown from $50bn to $75bn since he left Microsoft in 2006. And, as Gates has said himself, charitable donations by billionaires are “welcome, [but do] not substitute for adequate and fair taxation”. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bill-gates-microsoft-fist-trillionaire-oxfam-inequality-a7547846.html?fbclid=IwAR3M1aWS6AczBY-DHW_J1k_rtAUcK6MEqn3cZGdul1sDI9nYDkk7v5AAZ-4

Cần chọn và sử dụng loại đường thốt nốt rõ nguồn gốc để đảm bảo vệ sinh an toàn thực phẩm, không có sự hiện diện của các hóa chất cũng như các thành phần nhân tạo nào khác.

http://www.thucpham6s.com/nhung-cong-dung-khong-ngo-cua-duong-thot-not/

“But King Solomon loved many strange (foreign) women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go into them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart” (1 Kings 11:1-3).

Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. The mind boggles at the thought!  How can one man have so many wives?  How could he fulfil his marital duties effectively? If he slept with one wife every night he would be busy for over three years.

And, in the confusion of faces, he’d forget which ones he preferred, which ones he would sleep with again. If he slept with each one on a roster basis, by the time he got around to the first one again, he would have forgotten her and it would be like sleeping with yet another woman/wife.

And how could he love just one woman?  At the beginning of his reign, apparently, he wrote his great love poem, The Song of Solomon. It opens with declarations and expressions of ardent love between Solomon and “The Shulamite”.  They can’t get enough of each other, and all he can think of is his bride.
 

This was the woman he had chosen, the one he loved passionately. But later, in his fickleness and being surrounded by so many desirable and available women, he loved his other wives and gave his heart – that which he had given to The Shulamite – to the foreigners; “he clave unto these in love” (1 Kings 11:2).

And what about the women themselves? The system was so unfair, to say the least.  They could only hope to sleep with their husband every three years at best, unless they were favoured.  Even “The Shulamite” experienced this lack eventually.  And if they didn’t please him the first time, there probably wouldn’t be a second (Esther 2:12-14).

If one of them pleased him, such as The Shulamite, then he’d be dallying with her for who knows how long, which would have a knock-on effect down the line for the other wives who were yet to take their turn with their husband;
 

So the competitive spirit within the harem must have been intense. And the harem would have been prone to, if not rife with, all kinds of sexual immorality as the women tried to satisfy their natural urges and desires.

 

And if one of the wives was up to some kind of illicit sexual activity and a rival wife found out about it, all she had to do was report it and the guilty wife would have been killed. Women who were chosen for a king’s harem were beautiful young virgins that were given to him for various reasons, having had no say in the matter (e.g. 1 Kings 1:1-4; Esther 2:1-4).

It wouldn’t be at all surprising if a large percentage of them would have chosen a life with a humble husband who managed his land, if they’d been given the choice; a life with a man who would love her and care for her, and give her children to bear and raise.

Her natural instincts and desires for love and motherhood would have been fulfilled under such a circumstance. But such love, security, and fulfillment were denied the women in the harem.
 

Harem life was unnatural. However, there would also have been many for whom being chosen to be the king’s wife or concubine was very desirable, and would be seen as an opportunity.

But whether the women liked their situation in a harem or not, they had security, all their other earthly needs were catered for, they had everything they wanted, and they were under the protection of their husband, the king.

 

There would have been a social structure within the harem, the wives of longer standing being higher in the pecking order and thus having more authority than the more recently acquired wives and concubines; and, no doubt, the current favourite would also be up there.

I taught English to ages 7-17 with World Relief Corporation ( WRC) from 1983- 1986. And proceeded to Hong Kong Refugee Camps with WRC, Save the Children Fund and lastly Caritas- Hong Kong. it's so great to meet former PRPC students now in America. they're all successful. Precious memories indeed - thanks for posting these videos and photos of PRPC. I SALUTE you all for putting these together.!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJHNAeQULSI

In Solomon’s harem, all the wives were princesses, with the queen, Pharaoh’s daughter, being over all. She therefore would not have lived with the other wives though, because he gave the queen her own house (1 Kings 7:8; 9:24; also Esther 2:9, 17).

However, history has recorded that even some concubines, such as in the Byzantine and Chinese empires, were able to gain the emperor’s affection, and consequently rule the harem, have a say in the politics of the empire, and also ensure that it was their son who was in line for the throne on the death of the emperor.

I read somewhere that when the harem of either the Ottoman sultan or some Indian Hindu ruler was disbanded after the Europeans conquered them, the wives were “set free”.

But the wives were distraught because everything they knew and all their security was being ripped away from them.  They didn’t want to leave the harem – they had nowhere to go – they were homeless.  So while I as a Westerner think of the evils of a harem, the wives didn’t necessarily see it that way.

Other Considerations - The daughter of Pharaoh seems to have been his principal wife and queen (1 Kings 3:1; 7:8; 9:16, 24) so, for the sake of argument, let’s assume she was his first wife.  He would have inherited some of the others from his father, King David.

Some of these would have been old women by the time they entered Solomon’s harem, so he would have cared for them for the remainder of their lives and not had sexual relations with them.  The last of David’s wives was a young and beautiful virgin named Abishag (1 Kings 1:1-4).

She had been drafted into David’s harem simply to keep him warm, and when she became Solomon’s wife by inheritance from his father, it seems she remained a virgin.  Abishag is a prime example of the injustice of men regarding women as chattel.

She was effectively nothing more than a hot water bottle for an old man, and by those who selected her she was as little regarded.  Solomon’s brother, Adonijah, asked to have her as his wife, which he couldn’t have done if Solomon had fulfilled his conjugal duties to her.

Solomon rightly saw Adonijah’s request as an attempt to gain legitimacy as heir to the throne by having one of David’s wives (1 Kings 1:2:13-25).  So again, Abishag was seen as a means to a selfish end for a man, and her feelings completely disregarded.

However, the issue that the above scripture passage has is not with harems and multiple wives per se; God told Solomon not to have foreign wives, the reason being that they would turn him from the Lord.

He wasn’t told not to have them for the reason that having multiple wives was wrong, or immoral, or a breaking of the principle of monogamy given in Genesis 2:21-25; the reason that having multiple foreign wives was wrong was the danger they would turn his heart away from God.

These women were from the nations with whom Israel was not to have any intermarriage or sexual relations because of the danger of their being seduced into worshipping those nation’s gods.

And this is, in fact, what happened to Solomon (1 Kings 11:3). Solomon, the king, led by example, and brought Israel into the idolatry and apostasy with which they struggled for the rest of their history until the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities.

Rehoboam - One of the significant fruits or casualties of Solomon’s disobedience to God by marrying foreign wives was Rehoboam, the heir to Solomon’s throne, and the son of Naamah, an Ammonite woman.

Naamah, one of Solomon’s forbidden wives, no doubt taught or at least influenced Rehoboam about her gods.  Just as she had seduced Solomon into worshipping Milcom, “the abomination of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:5), more commonly known as Molech (1 Kings 11:7), she also taught her son to do the same.

Consequently Judah, under Rehoboam’s reign, “did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done.

For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel” (1 Kings 14:21-24).

Following the example of his father, Rehoboam also took many wives: “And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters)” (2 Chron 11:21, 23).

You could make some of the same observations, or at least speculations, about Hezekiah and Josiah. Presumably, each had a harem as well; and some of their wives would have been inherited from the previous king.

Therefore some of these wives may well have been from the same nations, for the sake of political alliances, that Israel had been warned against.  Yet Hezekiah and Josiah were praised as being the two best kings, because of their godliness, that Judah ever had (2 Kings 18:1-8; 22:24-25).

David - But polygamy, even without the problem of foreign wives who might turn their husband aside to worship their nation’s gods, was breaking the law of monogamy.

Take David for example; we’re told that before he became king, he had two wives with him, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, wife of Nabal who had died. He was also married to Michal, daughter of Saul, but Saul had since given her to Phalti, son of Laish (1 Sam 25:42-44).

When he became king, we’re told, “And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron” (2 Sam 5:13).  He also took back Michal when he got the opportunity.

But this doesn’t seem to have been enough for David because after accumulating many other wives, he stole Uriah the Hittite’s wife, Bathsheba, and committed adultery with her with the result that she fell pregnant.

 

Following all the dirty deeds resulting from his watching Bathsheba as she bathed (2 Sam 11:2-27), God condemned David and what he had done. He said to David through Nathan the prophet, “I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

 

And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given thee such and such things. 

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon” (2 Sam 12:7-9).

It is significant that God condemned David for breaking the sixth and seventh commandments (Exod 20:13, 14, 17), i.e. murder and adultery.  And God pointed out that he had blessed David by giving him the wives of Saul, even though he already had an unspecified number of wives and concubines of his own.

Moreover, if that wasn’t enough for David, he would have given him more wives.  God was angry at David for committing adultery but he said nothing about polygamy.  In fact, he regarded giving more wives to David as a blessing!

And yet, despite David’s terrible sins, God commended him: “Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:

Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:4-5).

Other Examples - While I’ve given examples of polygamy practiced by some godly men, the general populace seems to have been monogamous, although you can still find examples of men who had multiple wives, e.g. Gideon: “And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives” (Judges 8:30);
 

Elkanah: “…he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah” (1 Sam 1:2); one of the descendants of Judah: “Ashur, the father of Tekoah had two wives, Helah and Naarah” (1 Chron 4:5); one of the descendants of Benjamin, “And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives”  (1 Chron 8:8); and so on.

God even gave instructions to husbands for right and fair conduct towards multiple wives: “If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have borne him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:

Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:
 

But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his” (Deut 21:15-17).

But he didn’t condemn polygamy; he only gave rules to protect the wife who was disadvantaged because of her husband’s preference for another wife.  He doesn’t seem to be concerned about polygamy at all; it doesn’t seem to be an issue with him.

Adultery and Illegitimate children - God would not allow illegitimate children to enter the tabernacle or temple (Deut 23:2).  He also absolutely forbade adultery (Exod 20:14). So, for the sake of argument, if the ideal of monogamy was one man and one wife, does that make polygamy tantamount to adultery?

If so, the 999 wives and concubines after Solomon’s first wife were adulterous.  In fact, if polygamy was tantamount to adultery, Solomon himself was illegitimate because his mother was not David’s first and only legitimate wife.

Yet God never told David to put Bathsheba away; instead, he chose Solomon to be the one who would have a unique and lasting relationship with God, and the founder of an everlasting dynasty that would culminate in the Messiah, Jesus Christ (2 Sam 7:12-17; 1 Kings 9:1-9).

https://www.facebook.com/DK.Nguyen2

God also blessed Solomon by giving him great wisdom, glory and wealth, so abundant that it was a byword throughout the world (1 Kings 3:5-15; 10:23-27).

But if polygamy is tantamount to adultery, then Solomon was consequently illegitimate, and the Law forbade him to enter the “congregation of the Lord” (Deut 23:2).  However, Solomon not only entered the tabernacle as a worshipper of God, he built the temple, entering it and offering sacrifices by the priest.

Jacob - Again, some of the same speculative reasoning could be applied to Jacob.  Leah was his first and therefore only legitimate wife; the three others were adulterous, if polygamy is wrong. Yet God built the nation on these four wives and their twelve sons, and the scriptures always speak of these wives with honour; and the twelve sons were the patriarchs of the nation.

But God didn’t regard them as illegitimate.  When Jacob tried to flee from Laban, and took his family and possessions with him, Laban pursued Jacob with murderous intent; but God came to him in a dream before Laban had caught up with Jacob, and warned, “Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad” (Gen 31:24).

And when Esau confronted Jacob after they had been apart for twenty years, and he saw Jacob’s wives and children, he asked, “Who are those with thee?

 

And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant’” (Gen 33:5). How could such great blessing which produced the nation of Israel, the chosen people of God, be built on adultery and illegitimate children?

If polygamy is wrong, why doesn’t God say that somewhere?  None of the men who had multiple wives was ever said to have done wrong. Why was that?

 

Even in the brief account of Lamech, the first polygamist, and second recorded person to have committed murder, there is no adverse comment made about his polygamy.

However, Lamech knew he would be punished, or at least warranted punishment, for murder.  One would think that if Lamech had broken the principle of monogamy so soon after it had been established, that God would have said something.

What to do? When confronted with a dilemma such as this, we need to look at the plain passages of scripture and see how the more obscure passages compare.

For example, feminists ignore the plain passages of scripture (1 Tim 2:11-15 and 1 Cor 14:34-38) which clearly set out the places of men and women in public worship and the life of the church, and present obscure verses, which they have to distort, to present a case that women can preach and be elders.

And on the way to that unbiblical position, they resort to the most bizarre imaginings and speculations to nullify the word of God, and even try to remove the clear passages that offend them by saying they weren’t written by the apostle and shouldn’t be in the bible.

So, in trying to resolve the problem of polygamy and avoid falling into the same quagmire that feminists have, we need first to consider the plain passages of scripture concerning marriage, and then, in the light and clarity of the clear passages, we can make a judgment on the more problematic passages concerning polygamy.

https://www.facebook.com/DK.Nguyen2

What Does the Bible Say? When Adam was the only person in existence, “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

 

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they were not ashamed” (Gen 2:18, 21-24).

There is implied here a special intimacy between the man and the woman; she was taken from Adam and this, along with the statement that the man would “cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh”, signifies the extent, strength and depth of the marriage bond.

It is clear that God designed marriage to be a monogamous relationship, where the husband and wife are devoted to each other and to the marriage.

 

Henry Morris says, “The integrity and permanence of the individual home is of such great importance that God made it plain from the beginning that marriage was intended to be permanent until death.  It is true, of course, that with marriage as well as with all other human activities, ‘God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions’ (Ecclesiastes 7:29).

Polygamy, concubinage, polyandry, easy divorce, adultery, promiscuity, and other distortions of the marriage covenant have permeated many cultures; but, as the Lord Jesus said: ‘From the beginning it was not so’ (Matthew 19:8)” (Morris, 1976, p 102).

And Jesus not only confirmed this view but expanded on it. When the Pharisees asked him about divorce, he corrected them and said, “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female.
 

And he said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?  Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh” (Matt 19:4-6).

In the Sermon on the Mount, he likewise taught on divorce, saying, “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

 

But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery” (Matt 5:31-31).

Just as God allowed divorce because of the hardness of men’s hearts, he likewise allowed polygamy for the same reason.  Polygamy and divorce do not express the purpose of marriage in the way God designed it;
 

Polygamy doesn’t allow the closeness, intimacy, mutual knowledge, security, and one-flesh nature of marriage.  It comes close to some of these but falls short in all of them.

We see examples of monogamous marriage in the New Testament.  For example, Paul wrote to Timothy and stipulated certain requirements for any man who would hold the office of elder in the church.

One of them is that he must be “the husband of one wife” (1 Tim 3:2); he gives the same instruction To Titus (Tit 1:6).  In the Revelation, John says of the Church, “And there came unto me one of the seven angels…..saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife” (Rev 21:9); he talks of the bride and the wife, both in the singular, just as he does of marriage between a man and a woman.  There is no room anywhere in the New Testament for polygamy or polyandry.

Separation from Apostasy - One of the Lord’s specific instructions to Israel for their king was: “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away” (Deut 17:17).

 

Solomon had disobeyed this command on a grand scale, with the result that Israel spent the next 400-500 years in apostasy and rebellion against God, until he removed them from the land.

When the two tribes of the southern kingdom had been in captivity for seventy years and then returned to rebuild Jerusalem, despite opposition from the surrounding nations, and under the direction and leadership of Ezra, they completed the temple.  Subsequently they dedicated the temple with sacrifices and celebrations (Ezra 6:21).

 

However, it wasn’t long before they started to intermarry with the heathen nations around them.  In a scathing rebuke of the Jews after they had returned from the Captivity in Babylon, when they had already started to apostatise by marrying women from the surrounding nations, and even divorcing their wives in order to do so, God accused them of treachery.

When they asked why he regarded them as treacherous, he said, “Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet she is thy companion and the wife of thy covenant…..Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth” (Mal 2:14, 16).

An incidental point to note here is that the marriages violated were monogamous; the offending husband had cast off the “wife of his youth”, the wife with whom he had made a covenant.  But the main point is that Israel was again apostatising by marrying unbelievers and idolaters, and thus calling down the judgment of God upon the nation.

But it isn’t just Israel and Old Testament believers that this applies to.  The apostle Paul gave various instructions to the Corinthian church concerning marriage.

 

He stipulates that Christians should only marry Christians: “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Cor 7:39).

Christians are not to marry unbelievers, for the same reasons that God prohibited his people in the Old Testament from marrying unbelievers and idolaters.  “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?   And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor 6:14-18).

However, God doesn’t require people who have come to know him since marrying to put away their unbelieving husband or wife.  If the unbelieving spouse is willing to remain married to the Christian, the Christian is not to leave them, “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart.  A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband?  Or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” (1 Cor 7:12-16).

 

A Final Comment - The final verdict of scripture and history on Solomon’s leadership in and to apostasy is found in the book of Nehemiah. Because of Israel’s sin in serving the gods of the nations around them, God finally judged them by having the ten northern tribes defeated and captured by the Assyrians, their cities destroyed, and the people being carried away as captives, never to return.

Judah lasted longer but ultimately their sins were so great that God brought the same punishment upon them, using the Chaldeans of Babylon to take them from their land and settle them in Babylon.  At the end of the time of captivity, God brought them back to their land of Judah where they rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple.

However, many of the people married wives from the surrounding nations, thus placing the nation in danger of God’s judgement again. When Nehemiah found out that this was happening, he told them to get rid of their foreign wives.

Nehemiah tells us: “And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel:

 

Nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.  Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange women?” (Neh 13:25-27).

https://sovereignjesus.net/studies-in-bible-characters/king-solomon-and-the-problem-of-polygamy/

Sarus cranes are omnivorous, and eat a wide range of food, such as aquatic plants like sedge tubers, seeds, rice and other grains, crustaceans, snails, large insects such as grasshoppers, amphibians, reptiles, small vertebrates and fish.

Sarus cranes are monogamous birds and pairs mate for life, however, "divorce" cases and mate replacement take place. The breeding season for these cranes is typically during the rainy season, from June to September. The birds perform courtship dances to attract attention and impress their mate.

All age groups typically dance, from young fledglings which are developing their motor skills to bonded pairs displaying courtship. These birds nest on the ground. A bulky nest is formed from wetland vegetation.

Females usually lay two eggs, occasionally three, and incubation lasts for around 31 to 34 days, and is mainly done by the female, while the male defends the site of the nest. Chicks can follow the adults from the day they hatch, and they fledge 85 to 100 days from hatching, when they are able to make their first flight.

Sarus cranes are threatened mainly by loss of habitat throughout their range, due to drainage of wetlands, agricultural expansion and human development, which degrades their habitat.

The use of pesticides, as well as collisions with wires, are important threats. These cranes are also commonly targeted by humans hunting and egg collecting. Sometimes eggs are stolen, and the chicks raised for food.

Population number - According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Sarus crane is 19,000-21,800 individuals, including 13,000-15,000 mature individuals.

There are also specific estimates of this species in these regions: India, Nepal and Pakistan - 8,000-10,000 cranes; Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam - 800-1,000 cranes, Myanmar – 500-800 cranes and 10,000 breeding adults in Australia. Overall, Sarus cranes’ numbers are decreasing today and they are classified as vulnerable (VU) on the list of threatened species.

Ecological niche - As a predator of small invertebrates and vertebrates, Sarus cranes have an important role in controlling these populations. The abundance of their eggs also influences food sources for their natural predators. They also help control vegetation.

    

Sarus cranes utter loud, high-pitched calls. In courtship displays, the female gives two calls while the male gives only one. Sarus cranes fly with a straight neck, and their long legs trailing behind. They beat powerfully with their wings, and are good fliers.

   
During the breeding season, the red legs, head, and neck of the sarus crane turn brighter. If a sarus crane lays two eggs, there is a 48- hour gap between the first and second egg. The legs and feet of a crane move in conjunction with its beak.

http://animalia.bio/sarus-crane

Gobiidae is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes or Perciformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera, sometimes referred to as the "true gobies". Most of them are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm in length.

Gobies are carnivorous, usually small in size, and found throughout the world. Especially abundant in the tropics, they are primarily marine in habit. Round gobies are freshwater fish that prefer brackish water conditions.

Behavior generally includes perching on rocks and other substrates in shallow areas of water, but round gobies may also flourish in open sandy areas and other varieties of habitat types.

Diet: Zebra mussels, some native snails, aquatic insects, other males’ eggs and smaller individuals. Native range: Eurasia – Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Sea of Azov & tributaries.

Round gobies have voracious appetites and an aggressive nature which allows them to dominate over native species. Round gobies also have a competitive advantage over native species due to a well-developed sensory system that allows for enhanced water movement detection and the ability to feed in complete darkness.

https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/0,5664,7-324-68002_73845-368437--,00.html

Famous scenic spots in it include the Grand Waterworks, the Throne for viewing the Waterworks and the Labyrinth. No wonder the Old Summer Palace was also called the 'garden of gardens' or the 'Versailles of the East' in Europe during that era.

Furthermore, it was also an imperial museum that collected a large number of books, treasures and cultural artifacts. However, a large number of these collections were plundered by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860, at the same time as the Garden was burnt down.

Now, most of these historical curiosities are displayed in the other countries' museums, including the British Museum; Bibliotheque Nationale de France; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA; Oslo Museum of Applied Art and so on.

The vast majority of the remaining scenic spots were destroyed in the 1900s, but under the due protection of the ruins, a park has been established on the ruin site. So visitors can imagine the former grandeur of it from the crumbling walls and ruins.

What's more, there is also an opportunity for visitors to view the complete picture of the garden in its 'heyday' in the exhibition hall. The reconstruction of some of the original structures and scenic spots provides people with a lovely place to relax. Each year, a Lotus Fetival is held in this park from June to August. Changchunyuan Garden is the best place to appreciate lotus flowers.

https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/yuanmingyuan.htm

Giovanni Martino or Giovanni Martini, also known as John Martin (1852, Sala Consilina - 24 December 1922, New York City) was an Italian-American soldier and trumpeter.

He served both in Italy with Giuseppe Garibaldi and in the United States under George Armstrong Custer. He is best known as the only survivor from Custer's company in the Battle of Little Big Horn.

Although details of Martino's origin and birth were ambiguous in the years following the Little Big Horn, more recent research conducted by Italian researchers has provided more definitive proof of his origins, as evidenced by the comune (or town) of Sala Consilina’s (Province of Salerno) municipal records.

He was born in the period between late November 1851 and early January 1852 in or around Sala Consilina, but was subsequently left at one the town’s Proietto Domiciliata (orphanages). Within a day of his abandonment on January 28, 1852, he was provided a name (Giovanni Crisostomo Martino), baptized and placed into the home of a local wet nurse.

The unreliability of parish records – as opposed to municipal birth and death registers - inspired two Italian municipalities to claim him as one of their own: Apricale (Province of Imperia) and Sala Consilina (Province of Salerno).

New evidence appears to substantiate the latter. Although Martino himself, in an interview in 1922 a few months before his death, claimed to have been born in Rome in 1851, Martino’s advanced age - as observed and noted by the interviewer, Colonel William Graham – contributed to this apparent self-contradiction.

According to Martino’s diary, as recorded during a 1906 interview, he joined the Corpo Volontari Italiani in 1866, led by Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi, as a drummer boy for several years before eventually returning to Sala Consilina, where municipal records indicate a reconciliation occurred between Martin and his biological father.

 By 1873, Martino boarded a ship in Naples bound for the United States and was registered at Castle Clinton upon landing (as Giovanni Martino, a 21-year-old laborer from Sala).

His true name, prior to its anglicization, was confirmed as Giovanni Martino during his registration, effectively dispelling the widespread belief in later years that he was Giovanni Martini.

One year later, facing limited employment options, he enlisted with the United States Army as John Martin and was assigned to Jefferson Barracks in Missouri to begin training as a cavalry trooper and bugler before his permanent assignment to the U.S. Seventh Cavalry Regiment, led by Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer.

In 1876, he was attached to Company H but on the morning of June 25, Martin was temporarily assigned to serve as one of Custer’s bugler-orderlies. As Custer and nearly 210 troopers and scouts began their final approach to the massive Indian village located in the Little Big Horn River valley, Martin was dispatched with an urgent note for reinforcements and ammunition.

Newspaper accounts of the period referred to him as “Custer massacre survivor” and “the last white man to see Custer alive”. Martin and the remaining Seventh Cavalry companies not riding with Custer were trapped on a nearby hill and fought off repeated attacks for 36 hours until their rescue by another U.S. Army column.

In 1879, while serving in an artillery battery at Fort Schuyler (New York), he met and married an Irish girl named Julia Higgins, who would give birth to five surviving children. The first one was named George in memory of G.A. Custer. Martin's last action in combat came during the Spanish–American War (1898–1900).

He served in the Army until age limitations forced his retirement in 1904. Martin remained with his family in Baltimore, Maryland, where they lived and operated a sweets and candy store.

By 1906, perhaps following one of his daughters, he moved to Brooklyn, New York, and took a job as a ticket agent at the 103rd Street Station of the nascent New York City subway system.

As he aged, the long hours and commute of his ticket-taker job forced Martin to take a watchman’s job at the nearby Navy Yard in 1915. In 1922, while crossing a Brooklyn street, Martin was injured by a truck and hospitalized. He died from complications on December 24, 1922, and was buried three days later in the Veterans section of the Cypress Hill Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Martino

The Acehnese people live on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra in Aceh province. Their provincial capital of Banda Aceh used to be a stopover for Southeast Asian Muslims traveling by ship to Mecca. For this reason the city is sometimes known as “The Veranda of Mecca.”

The Acehnese, also known as the Akhir, A-Tsing, and Urueng, are the majority ethnic group in Aceh. Known throughout Indonesia as devout followers of Islam, they are very proud of their Muslim faith.

Their lives are strongly influenced by Islamic law, and Aceh province even has special autonomy to apply Islamic law instead of Indonesian national law in certain cases. The Acehnese speak their own language. Most also speak the Indonesian national language.

They are a blend of many races, which might explain why the Acehnese in some areas are taller than most Indonesians. They are a majority in the regencies of Aceh Besar, Pidie, North Aceh, and West Aceh; they are a minority in Central and South Aceh.

Most Acehnese are either farmers or fishermen. Traditional homes in Aceh consist of a sleeping room and a large living room, which may also serve as the kitchen containing a rectangular clay hearth filled with ashes.

These houses generally stand on stilts two meters high. Families use the space beneath the house to keep cows, sheep, goats, and chickens, or to store tools and firewood.

The floor and walls are made of bamboo or wood from coconut trees. Roofs are covered with clay tiles or thatch made of palm leaves. Most new homes built today, however, are from cement block and mortar.

Traditionally, both men and women in Aceh wear a sarong, a modest and colorful skirt. However, in recent years there has been a move toward Islamic dress. The traditional Aceh weapon is the rencong, an ornate sword. Men wear it folded into the sarong as one of the accessories to their ceremonial dress.

Women typically run the households, while men tend to stay out of domestic affairs, including child rearing. All children, even the youngest, are expected to help with the family work. Inheritance is settled according to Islamic law with men receiving a double portion, yet houses and land are always passed down to the women.

The Acehnese people are strict Sunni Muslims and have been very instrumental in spreading Islam throughout Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. It is often stated that “to be Aceh is to be Muslim.”

The Acehnese people have strongly and even violently opposed other Acehnese who converted to other religions. Because Aceh was the first province in Indonesia where Shari’a Islamic law was formally instituted, other strongly Islamic provinces are also seeking to implement Shari’a. The law requires all women, even non-Muslims, to wear head coverings.

Other ethnic groups living in Aceh province, however, may worship according to their own religion. Orthodox Islam for many Acehnese is combined with animistic beliefs in spirits and various superstitions.

These beliefs center on seeking protection through magic by either appeasing or controlling both good and bad spirits. In December 2004, Aceh was hit by a tsunami that destroyed many areas and took 120,000 lives.

All the affected areas, including Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, are majority Acehnese areas. Several non-government organizations continue helping Aceh’s recovery, but most have now left. Yet Aceh still needs reconstruction and rehabilitation.

http://www.prayingforindonesia.com/ethnic-groups/the-people-of-sumatra/who-are-the-acehnese/