Cambodia
Cambodia - Khmer ancient
Cambodia , also known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is located in
southern Indochina. It occupies an area of 18 l 10 000 square km.
Cambodia has a population of 13.29 million, comprised of more than
20 nationalities, 90% of which are Khmer. The rest of the population
is comprised of the Cham people, common agricultural families, old
families and other ethnic minorities. Residents are Buddhist, and
the language is Khmer. The currency is the riel, and the capital is
Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh).
National Flag
Cambodia and Thailand's national flag is rectangular, with red
sections parallel and above a blue section, in which is a symbol of
Cambodia's Angkor Wat, representing the history and culture of the
old century.
History
In the 1st century AD, the Eastern Han Dynasty of China called
Cambodia "Funan." For 514 years, of the nation of Funan declined.
The rise in the Mekong River of another Khmer country is recorded in
our history books as "real wax." In the time of the Ming Dynasty in
China, the ninth century, the famous Angkor dynasty began in the
Kingdom of Cambodia. Especially in the 12th to13th century, the
Cambodian people learned the essence of Indian art and created a
unique style of architecture and sculpture, which is the
world-famous Angkor culture. "Angkor" comes from Sanskrit, meaning
"city." Cambodia was reduced in the mid-19th century to a French
"protectorate." In 1940, the Japanese occuped Cambodia, and after
Japan's surrender, the French colonialists occupied it again. In
1953, Cambodia declared independence. In 1976, the country was
renamed Democratic Kampuchea. The monarchy was restored in 1995,
again changing the country called the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Geography
Western and northern Cambodia are mountainous, about 1000 meters
above sea level. Southwestern Cambodia is dominated by the Cardamom
and Elephant Mountains, with undulating ridges and peaks. The
highest mountain is Aura, which is 1813 meters above sea level. The
northeastern part of Cambodia isa plateau from east to west. There
are many volcanic plateaus that have become fertile after a long
time of weathering clay, suitable for planting rubber. The Mekong
River flows through the whole territory, with sediment carried by
the river into the Tonle Sap (Phnom Penh Lake) near the formation of
alluvial plains. The Mekong and Tonle Sap flood plains are the main
agricultural areas of Cambodia.
Economic and Cultural Customs
Cambodia is one of the world's least developed countries and has an
economy dominated by agriculture. 90% of the total population is
involved in agriculture. Major agricultural products are rice, corn,
and soybeans. Cash crops are rubber, pepper, cotton, tobacco, hemp,
sugar palm, among which pepper production leads the world. Main
exports are rubber, pepper, cotton, sugar palm, soybean, tobacco,
hemp, and so on. Tonle Sap Lake is one of the world's leading
freshwater areas, rich in black carp, black spot and other valuable
fish species, known as "Fish Lake." Southwest Cambodia is also an
important fishing grounds, with prolific sardines, tuna, and buses
fish along the coast.
The water of the Mekong rises in the rainy season, bringing
irrigation, fertile farmland and sludge, while the water level drops
in the dry season, leaving the harvest of rice and fish and waiting
for people to appreciate the blessings of the river every year in
October (Oct. 31 to Nov. 2). This “Water Festival” lasts three days
on both sides of the Mekong river at low tide and involves ritual
activities, including dragon boat races on the Mekong and Tonle Sap
Lake.
Khmer men and women both love to put plaid or solid fabric strips
on the necks, what the Khmer call "Grow hemp." The water cloth has
many uses: it can be used as a face towel, used to carry when
shopping, used to cool off in the hot sun, wrapping the linen around
the head, used to drive away mosquitoes in the cool air night, or to
cover the body during sleep. In Cambodia, do not deliver food and
gifts with the left hand, as this would be considered impolite and
would be rejected; girls are not allowed to use their feet to catch
the cat, since otherwise they will be required to marry the girl.
Cambodia has a funny old custom of using clothing colors to mark
the date, like the "colorful week" in Italy. On Monday, the people
wear tender green, wear purple on Tuesday, on Wednesday wear green,
wear gray or light blue on Thursday, wear cyan on Friday, black on
Saturday, and red on Sundays.
Wang Palace
Located in the city of Phnom Penh, the Wang Palace is a group of
magnificent buildings. In the center of the Palace, a Jade Buddha is
enshrined, 1 m tall, carved from a single piece of jade. Outside the
yellow ramparts surrounding the house there are Ochoa, Mirage, and
the Silver Palace, a palace the size of more than 20 seats that was
built in the late 19th century. With a tall, pointed roof,
beautifully carved beams, and magnificent colors, the palace
reflects the 18th century heyday of Angkor style in Cambodia.
Angkor
Angkor is located about 240 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, and
was the seat of the Cambodian dynasty from the 9th to 15th century
AD, after which the dynasty met its demise from a foreign invasion.
In 1860, the Angkor monuments were discovered. Angkor mainly
includes two parts, Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat, with a total of 600
various kinds of buildings spread over about 155 square kilometers
of land.
Angkor Wat is the world's largest religious building. The main part
of it comprises five lotus bud-like steeples, with spires up to 65
meters tall. The corridors are lined with the stone reliefs of
Angkor Wat, one of the world's precious treasures of art. The entire
temple is made from large stone masonry without any mortar or
bonding material used between stones.
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