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Featured Article: Wuxing

Interactions of Five Chinese Elements—Cycles of Balance and Cycles of Imbalance

Saint In ancient Taoist thought, Wu Xing, or the Five Phases, usually translated as five elements, are five dynamic qualities or energies that can be perceived in all natural phenomena. These elements are: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The system of five phases or elements was used in many fields of early Chinese thought, including geomancy or feng shui, astrology, traditional Chinese medicine, music, art, military strategy, and martial arts. The system is still used as a reference in some forms of alternative medicine and martial arts, fortune-telling, and casting horoscopes.

Popular Article: Karikala Chola

Bronze statue of Karikala Chola

Karikala Chola, the greatest among the early Chola kings of the Sangam age in South India, was the son of Ilamcetcenni and ruled around 120 C.E. His name means "the man with the charred leg," an injury he received during a fight to escape capture from a scheming competitor for his throne. Karikala led the Chola empire successfully in campaigns to unify the three Dravidian kingdoms. In the Battle of Venni, Karikala crushed the Pandya and Chera forces, leading to the unifying of the three kingdoms into one under Karikala's rule. He also earned praise for the beauty of his war chariots.

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A nation-state is a political entity (sovereign state) that governs a cultural entity (nation) by successfully serving all its citizens (source: Nation-state)

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