editor Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 When I was a child, we were taught that Columbus discovered the Americas.When I was in high school, we were taught that the Vikings beat him to it.When I was in college, we were told that the Chinese actualy made it to Peru or somewhere in South America before the Vikings.When I was a child, we were taught that pasta came from Italy.When I was in high school, we were taught that it came from the Middle East.When I was in college, we were told that it was actually an ancient Chinese invention carried west on the Silk Road.So... imagine my surprise tonight as I'm minding my own business doing bills and listening to a talk show on RTHK (Radio Televison Hong Kong). The guest and the host are chatting away about the cultural differences between Hong Kong and the mainland (FWIW, Hong Kongers see people from the mainland the way people from Manhattan see people from Iowa). Then they start talking about the modern government's campaign of cultural lies that it's spreading. Among the items they list -- that pasta was invented in China, and that the Chinese discovered America. They talk about how people in the West, especially Europe, swallowed the propaganda without question because it seemed exotic. They actually laughed at the gullability of Westerners.Well.... crap. Now I don't know what to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 i've also heard Pizza was invented by the chinese, they simply went to the Italians for the tomato sauce. Apparently, China invented everything way before anyone else did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmm Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 China DID invent paper, handkerchiefs, and a few other nifty things. I dont know about pasta though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirzania Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 China DID invent paper, handkerchiefs, and a few other nifty things.Including pottery. They were using anagama kilns way way waaaaay back when. Of course, I'm sure I'll find out by the next post that this was Chinese governmental propaganda as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 As far as the pasta thing, what was the main staples of both cultures before pasta or around the time it was introduced? That could give a good indicator of who brought what where...but it is also possible that they were invented at about the same time, though.damn. now I want some lo mein. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 3, 2006 Author Share Posted July 3, 2006 i've also heard Pizza was invented by the chinese, they simply went to the Italians for the tomato sauce.Apparently, China invented everything way before anyone else did. Anything with tomato sauce isn't authentic Italian, including pizza. Remember, there were no tomatoes in Europe until the 16th century. Tomatoes are from the New World. When I grew up in New York we learned that pizza was a New York invention -- it was poor food invented by immigrant Italian laborers and then introduced into Italy through them. Being an immigrant underclass, they couldn't afford to have a lot of soft cheese and dairy products normally used in traditional Italian cooking because electric refrigeration hadn't been invented, and ice boxes were expensive. But as we all know, tomatoes will grow just about anywhere in the United States and once made into a sauce have a shelf life of months and months even without preservatives (my parents used to make their own every fall and we'd have it well into spring). China DID invent paper, handkerchiefs, and a few other nifty things. I dont know about pasta though. There's another example of people in different parts of the world learning different things. When I was brought up, we learned that the ancient Egyptians invented paper, making it from papyrus reeds, which is where it gets its name. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that an Asian culture also invented it, or invented it first. You don't need to boil many pots of rice before you get that weird crispy film. It wouldn't take much of a mental leap or experimentation to come up with something like paper. OK, now -- Fireworks. I hope we can all agree THAT is Chinese. Right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmm Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 what about the pyramids? Who invented those, the Egyptians, Nubians or Aztes/Incas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirzania Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 what about the pyramids? Who invented those, the Egyptians, Nubians or Aztes/Incas? The Goa'uld System Lords? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Don't forget gunpowder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 The Goa'uld System Lords? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 what about the pyramids? Who invented those, the Egyptians, Nubians or Aztes/Incas? Don't forget that pyramids have also been discovered in China and on the Balkan peninsula. Seriously, folks...who cares who invented what? Seems like the only people who really give a rat's ass are simply caught up in nationalistic or ethnocentric furvor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 China DID invent paper, handkerchiefs, and a few other nifty things. I dont know about pasta though.I am pretty sure the Egyptians invented PAPER, from a papyrus reed pulp mash.The Chinese DID invent martial arts though......and Pyramids, c'mon, everybody knows those were built by ALIENS !edit) I didn't see that editor beat me to the punch on paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted July 3, 2006 Author Share Posted July 3, 2006 Don't forget that pyramids have also been discovered in China and on the Balkan peninsula.I think I read recently that the Balkans ones turned out to be natural, not man-made after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I think I read recently that the Balkans ones turned out to be natural, not man-made after all.Oh, ok. My primary source on pyramidal history is Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell or George Nory...they keep on talking about Sedonia... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 And don't forget the true origin of the Post-It note... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 And don't forget the true origin of the Post-It note... Look how sultry Mira Sorvino is in that Pic. Yummy ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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