Post by ajk on Jun 24, 2009 20:04:43 GMT -5
Two odd references came up in episode 31. One I found the answer for; the other I didn't.
Early in the episode a Khitan physician tells the prime minister, who's also a physician, "I do not think even you could fix him with your magical Hua Tuo hands, sir." Had never heard that term before; from its use it sounded like a medical technique or philosophy. But no, turns out, the statement is meant as a complement. Hua Tuo was the name of a famous physician in China around the year 200 AD. He was very accomplished and is well-known today. If anybody is interested, here's his Wikipedia entry along with a very good article I found:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Tuo
www.itmonline.org/arts/huatuo.htm
Later in the episode, when narration gives us Han Derang's background, we're told that an unprecendented accomplishment of his was becoming prime minister of both the north and south privy councils. Can anybody explain that? I found a reference to a Khitan privy council that directed military affairs, but nothing about north and south. It was presented as a big deal, and I'm curious about why that is.
Early in the episode a Khitan physician tells the prime minister, who's also a physician, "I do not think even you could fix him with your magical Hua Tuo hands, sir." Had never heard that term before; from its use it sounded like a medical technique or philosophy. But no, turns out, the statement is meant as a complement. Hua Tuo was the name of a famous physician in China around the year 200 AD. He was very accomplished and is well-known today. If anybody is interested, here's his Wikipedia entry along with a very good article I found:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hua_Tuo
www.itmonline.org/arts/huatuo.htm
Later in the episode, when narration gives us Han Derang's background, we're told that an unprecendented accomplishment of his was becoming prime minister of both the north and south privy councils. Can anybody explain that? I found a reference to a Khitan privy council that directed military affairs, but nothing about north and south. It was presented as a big deal, and I'm curious about why that is.
