Articles by plumcot

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Stories

Stories shared by this traveler.

One of Khor's iconic dragon playgrounds, at Toa Payoh Town Park.

architecture

In Singapore, Playgrounds Are Capsules of National Identity

The designer Khor Ean Ghee helped define the appearance of the city-state's leisure spaces.

Spherical cricket container, date unknown, artist unknown.

objects of intrigue

In Ancient China, Pet Crickets Spent the Winter in Opulent Gourds

More than functional, these fleshy fruits developed into a striking art form.

A section of the Great Wall, in Yanqing County, contains mortar made with blood.

architecture

Ancient Chinese Buildings Are Held Together With Rice, Sugar, and Blood

Edible additives in mortar served both practical and philosophical purposes.

This 18th-century ivory ball contains eight smaller spheres.

objects of intrigue

The Mind-Boggling Artistry of China’s Ivory Puzzle Balls

This traditional art from Guangzhou can never be produced legally again.

A relief at Ngọc Sơn Temple depicting the legendary turtle with a sword on its back.

animals

The Life and Legacy of Vietnam's Sacred Giant Turtle

Hanoi's Hoàn Kiếm Lake was once home to both legendary and real chelonians.

The Shengong Shengde stele, supported by a tortoise, in the Sifangcheng pavillion at the Ming Tombs in Nanjing, China (left) and a tomb plaque marker on a tortoise base from China, 219–316 CE (right).

tortoises

Why Some Gravestones Are Shaped Like Tortoises

They originated as ancient Chinese funerary markers.