Look at you so handsome. 😍 Primitive to Borneo, the Clouded Leopard got its name from the dark oval shapes on its fur, which resemble clouds. As Sabah is no stranger to wildlife animals, the sightings of clouded leopards are rare, but the potential of seeing them out in the wild is possible. 📸 @charles808 #sabah #borneo #malaysia #tourism #photooftheday #nature #fun #photography #beautiful #enchantingsabah #travellater #traveltomorrow #cloudedleopard #bigcat #bigcats #wildlife #animal

My-riad of Optical Glass Bricks It is said that gardens originated as a place for prayer. Similar to how the word “paradise” was derived from “pairi-daêzã,” an old Persian word for a garden enclosed by walls, the people in the Middle East sought to embody the paradise of afterlife in courtyards as a respite for their souls. As seen in “riad” homes in Marrakesh, Morocco, the scorching labyrinth of the old town clouded in red dust is vividly contrasted by the geometrical patterns of vibrant cold-color tiles laid from corner to corner. As the sound of water fountains and the singing of small birds pecking oranges echo through the courtyard, it takes on the look of a paradise. A precious courtyard nestles inside the blunt exterior of a mud wall. Rather than flaunting wealth and beauty, a peaceful world is created inside for the sake of friends and family, and for inner order. The spatial scheme of courtyards may have even molded the values of people in the region, as seen in their religious faith, strong sense of comradeship, and clothing. Architecture and the behaviors of people mutually resonate on a daily basis, shaping values as well as cultural systems. 庭の初源は人びとの祈りの場にあるという。パラダイスの語源が古代ペルシアの壁が囲う中庭「パイリダエーザ」であるように、中東の人びともまた、来世の楽園を中庭に具現化しようと試み、心の拠り所にしてきた。モロッコのマラケシュの「リヤド」と呼ばれる住宅でも、赤い砂塵が舞う灼熱の旧市街の迷路と鮮やかな対比をなすように、中庭には寒色の瑞々しいタイルによる幾何学が隅々まで行き渡り、そこに噴水の水音とオレンジの実をついばむ小鳥のさえずりが反響して、楽園のごとき様相を呈している。 泥壁のそっけない外観と、その内に秘められた珠玉の中庭。富や美をいたずらにアピールするのではなく、友人や家族のために平和な世界を内部に築き、内なる秩序に向かうこと。中庭の空間形式は、その地の人びとの価値観すらも形成したのかもしれない。彼らの信仰や仲間意識の高さ、服装は、その端的な表れであろう。建築と人びとのふるまいは日々共鳴し合い、それが価値観や文化的体系をかたちづくっていく。 #中村拓志 #hiroshinakamura naparchitects #nap建築設計事務所 #opticalglasshouse #opticalglassblock

[Summer Garden, Beijing] The Empress Dowager Cixi (慈禧太后) was a big fan of opera. To watch opera performances, she had the Grand Theatre of Deheyuan (德和园大戏楼, Garden of Virtue and Harmony) built in Beijing’s Summer Palace. Once upon a time, just as performers were performing with great vigour, Cixi’s face clouded over while she was watching. She ordered all the performers to stop immediately and sent for the manager of the performance. Why did the Empress Dowager send for him in such a hurry? Standing before her, the manager felt weak at the knees and dared not take deep breaths. Taking a sip of tea gently, Cixi scolded, “What the hell was the performance today? Do you still want your job or not?”. Hearing this, the manager shook in terror and begged for Empress Dowager Cixi’s forgiveness. The Grand Eunuch Li Lianying (李连英)who was standing by observed the manager for a while and told Cixi that the manager seems to be new, and he might not know the rules. Hearing Li Lianying’s words, Cixi didn’t pursue the matter further. Thus the manager was exempted from being beaten by a rod. After walking out of the hall, he then kowtowed to Li Lianying thankfully and found out how he had offended Empress Dowager Cixi. It turned out the line “The most ruthless is a woman’s heart.” contained in the performers’ lyrics was a taboo. Li Lianying warned the manager that he should know about the rules when arranging operas for Empress Dowager Cixi. 📍Beijing, China. 中国北京。🇨🇳 . . . #china #beijing #forbiddencity #travelthroughthelenses #nonmainstream #ancientchina #travelgram #igchina #history #love #gugong #seetheworld #bitesize #beijinger #chinese #chinesearchitecture #citygrammers #oldplaces #chinaexplorer #discoverchina #createexplore #summerpalace #instatravel #sihantravels #igdaily #instabeijing #notatourist #中国 #北京 #颐和园