Ninja

Mystery
Though the era of ninja lasted thousands of years, they have suddenly vanished, with their last activity reported in 1637 in Japan... but did the era of ninja truly come to an end?

Who and what is a ninja?
After watching Curse of the Golden Flower, I started wondering why ninja appeared in Chinese history even though they are almost always associated with the Japanese culture. The origin of ninja actually traced back to a form of Chinese martial arts. It was not until much later that these skills were spread to Japan.

Oftentimes portrayed in movies as a mysterious man dressed in all black, the image of ninja isn't far from reality. Those who became ninja usually came from lower classes of the Japanese society. Following their masters' command, they were to become assassins and spies. Besides wearing black from head to toe, ninja frequently painted their faces black to disguise themselves in the dark.

Are all ninja men?
It is a misconception that ninja were only males. A female ninja, or Kunoichi, usually disguised herself as a household servant to eavesdrop on valuable information. Sometimes, the more beautiful kunoichi were sent to seduce the enemy and thereby learning its secrets.

What are the ways of ninja?
Similar to the organization of an army, ninja clans were extremely strict and orderly. In each ninja clan, there were three classified levels: Officers, commanders, and ninja fighters. Officers devised plans and tactics while commanders ordered Ninja fighters to attack. Ninja practiced ninjutsu on a daily basis. Ninjutsu is a form of Japanese martial arts that originated from China when a small group of mountain settlers developed a set of survival skills. Later named as ninjutsu, these skills were divided into two forms: Ying and Yang. Yin was focused on sneaking into the enemy's camp in disguise to perform the deed. Yang, on the other hand, placed its emphasis on skillful attacks with no disguise.

Where are they now?
When the Japanese emperor called for a reform in the late 19th century, ninja, along with ninjutsu, vanished. The well-known ninja became ordinary people once again, living the lives of farmers and merchants. Most of them settled in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan.


Are ninja returning to the modern world?
With a desire to preserve the traditional Japanese culture, some Japanese are slowly bringing back Ninjutsu. It is said that there are some who practice the ways of ninja today. There exist villages like the Koga Ninja Village in Japan where tourists visit to relive the old Japanese life where ninja existed. You can gape at ninja sword fighting on treetops, or disappearing with the poof of a smoke bomb! It is much like America's annual Renaissance Faires, where everyone gets a chance to travel back to the renaissance times to throw axes, shoot archery, and visit privies...

Mayan Empire

Mystery
With much evidence pointing to the possibility of the end of mankind and so few people understanding the ancient Mayan prophecy, should we investigate further or simply let it go... ?



Maya
If not for Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, I probably wouldn't be searching for Mayan mysteries. What an intriguing movie! Supposedly the language the Mayans spoke to each other in the movie was as close to the civilization's true language as possible.

Maya, an ancient civilization that flourished between the years 250 AD and 900 AD, has long baffled scientists in the modern world with its impossibly accurate time calculation systems. Though traces of the origin of the civilization date all the way back to 2500 BC, its prophecies point to dates and events we have not yet encountered.

One of the most significant prophecies the Mayans have ever predicted is the apocalypse on the date 12-21-2012. This date marks the end of a cycle that began in 3113 BC. On this day, as the Mayans believed, will be the final age of men.

Inhabitable Land
The Mayan Empire occupied areas throughout the northern Central America region, as well as the southern Mexican states. These areas, particularly the Yucatan Peninsula, were thought to be inhabitable for humans by scientists until recently when evidence of existing ancient population groups were discovered. It was inhabitable not only because of the unsuitable terrain, but also because of the extremely dangerous animals that dominated this region. Some of these species include the jaguar, the caiman, the bull shark, and the anaconda. Caiman is a fierce crocodile that can grow to about 6 meters in length. The larger Caimans eat jaguars, pumas, and even anacondas. Jaguars, on the other hand, were viewed by the Mayans as the spiritual link between the living and the dead, and as the protector of the royal household. This explains why many Mayan rulers had "Jaguar" in their names. One example is the name "Jaguar Paw", the main character in Apocalypto.

How Mayans define "beauty"
Back in the days of the Mayans, what was once seen as aesthetic may not be what we expect today. They used to hang small beads on children's noses to induce cross-eyes. Mothers often flattened the heads of babies and shaped them into cones. Then, they would make their teeth into a T- or pointy shape.

Where were the Mayans from?
The Mayans claimed to be descendants of Atlanteans, people of the legendary Atlantis. If this were true, it is not difficult to understand why the Mayans emphasized on time calculation. Atlanteans themselves predicted their own destruction and their burial underneath the South Pole.

Mayan Monuments
The word "monument" actually means warning in Latin. Latin, one of the most common ancient roots of languages, is used here to warn people today. The reason why monuments in the Egyptian and Mayan civilizations are built on such a grand scale is believed to be because only a structure so grand and puzzling can call for our attention in the modern world. I believe that each monument refers to a separate event that was predicted to take place in the future.

More on 2012 to be continued...