THE COLOUR IS GRAY

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Zhang Wei, director of the Underwater Archaeology Center of China and the lead archaeologist in the Nanhai No.1 excavation mission, devoted 20 years exploring this ancient shipwreck from 1987 when it was first discovered.

Zhang Wei

This September will be the 20th anniversary of the Underwater Archaeology Center of China. The Chinese underwater technology and equipment has already reached world development level, even better than that of South Korea and Japan. It was not easy for China to reach this level in only 20 years.

During a special interview with Global People, Zhang Wei recounted the history of China's underwater archaeology and the story of his exploration of the Nanhai No.1.

Nanhai No.1 will shake the archaeology field of China

The 25-meter-long and 3,800-ton Nanhai No. 1 will be entirely salvaged from the sea and displayed in the new museum. A virtual water palace will be built for the ship with the same water quality, temperature and environment as where it rested under the sea. Then archaeologists will continue excavations upon the vessel inside the museum. Visitors can visit the scenes of underwater archaeological work in the museum.

The Nanhai No. 1 is believed to be a merchant vessel that operated between the southern Chinese region and the rest of the world. It was the first ancient vessel discovered on the "Marine Silk Road" of the South China Sea.

Green glazed porcelain plates, blue porcelain pottery and other rare antiques have been found during initial explorations of the ship. Archaeologists estimate that there are probably 50,000 to 70,000 relics on the ship.

The on-constructing Nanhai No. 1 Museum

China's underwater archaeology appeared together with Nanhai No.1

There wasn't enough time to recruit additional team members when the Nanhai No.1 appeared unexpectedly in August 1987.

The Guangzhou Salvage Bureau under the Ministry of Communications and a British salvage company discovered an ancient wooden sunken ship off the coast near the Shangchuan and Xiachuan islands while they were searching for abandoned Dutch shipwreck of the 17th century.

They used grab buckets to dredge up more than 200 pieces of porcelain and metal wares, but all the porcelain was accidentally destroyed. The British sailors were excited and wanted to continue exploring. After receiving the report, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage ordered the British side to cease their operations.

At that time China had not yet the means to undertake exploring such a huge shipwreck. In 1988 Zhang Wei organized the first underwater training and established an underwater archaeology team. He went to the USA for some short-term training under George Bass, the father of underwater archaeology, in 1989.

Salvage on the sunken ship started in November 1989. The ship was dubbed the "Nanhai No.1" (South China Sea No.1). Due to his simple equipment, he only reached one part of the ship and retrieved a piece of porcelain from it.

When they located the ship, they first drew an outline of the ship. They didn't enter the ship until March 2003. They opened a window and entered a little cabin of the ship. More than 4,000 delicate porcelains were found in a cupboard.

There are many precious porcelain wares in the ship, but to Zhang Wei, the ship itself is far more important than the porcelain it carried. There's few record of the shipbuilding technology 800 years ago in China. It's also rare in the world.

Mike Hatcher, the man who compelled China's underwater archaeology to develop

Mike Hatcher

The formation and development of Chinese underwater archaeology should acknowledge a controversial person named Mike Hatcher. He is a world famous salvage diver, an adventurous explorer and world-renowned treasure hunter known to many foreign governments. To the field of Chinese underwater archaeology his name equates with disaster.

Mike Hatcher discovered the wreck of Geldermalsen (or the Nanking cargo) in May 1985 in South China Sea. 

Mike Hatcher eventually brought up an amazing haul consisting of much of the gold and over 150,000 pieces of porcelain. The ceramics originated from the Jingdezhen region, often termed the "Porcelain Capital of China" because of the area's high-quality porcelain productions. 

The Chinese government was shocked to learn of these treasures being auctioned at Christies in Amsterdam in April 1986. The Chinese government researched many laws: the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and many other countries sea laws but officials couldn't find any reference to legally bind Hatcher to return these assets to China.

There are only two articles referring to the underwater heritage exploration in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea -- Articles 149 and 303. They say, "All objects of an archaeological and historical nature found in the area shall be preserved or disposed of for the benefit of mankind as a whole, particular regard being paid to the preferential rights of the State or country of origin, or the State of cultural origin, or the State of historical and archaeological origin." The rules in the law are mostly unclear, so it makes the "country of origin" can't recall their lost antiques according to the law.

The Chinese archaeologists had only one choice -- to buy them at the auction. China was still a poverty-stricken country at that time. Two experts on Chinese porcelains carrying US$30,000 went to the auction in Amsterdam. More than 239,000 pieces of porcelain packed two floors of the Hilton Hotel, where the auction was held.

Christies agreed to give the No.1 bidding paddle to the two Chinese bidders. But during the three day long auction they had no chance to raise their bidding paddle because they even couldn't afford the starting price. They helplessly watched more than 200,000 Chinese antiques going to other bidders. But Mike Hatcher received more than US$20 million after the auction and became the richest "salvage diver" at that time.

After the heavy blow dealt by Mike Hatcher, the Chinese government decided to found a Chinese underwater archaeology team. After establishing this team, Zhang Wei started competing with all the greedy robbers salvaging Chinese marine treasures.

"Although we all aimed to discover ancient relics, there is an essential difference between archaeologists and 'treasure seekers': archaeologists seek to recover the history and protect all the ancient heritage as well but treasure hunters just want to maximize their profits," Zhang explained.

Sadly, the tragedy of Tek Sing (also called True Star) proved Zhang Wei indeed to be correct.

The record stated: the boat was 50 meters long, 10 meters wide and when it sank into the sea it carried more than one thousand tons of cargo: more than one million pieces of porcelain. The pottery was made in Jingdezhen and included bowls, dishes, pouring vessels, storage jars, stoves, opium containers and even urinals.

They searched for months. When the Tek Sing shipwreck was located they retrieved millions pieces of porcelain.

The quantity and quality of the Tek Sing cargo is unusual. Most of the Tek Sing cargo was blue and white porcelain, produced by painting the decoration onto white porcelain just before the final firing that applied cobalt oxide. This method has been in use in China from the 12th century to the present day.

Besides those treasures from the Jingdezhen, many other types of porcelain from some other famous kilns during Emperor Kangxi's reign (1662--1722) were located. All these antiques were well protected under the sea.

The great amount: one million pieces of porcelain, shocked everybody, but they were more shocked by Hatcher when he commanded them to smash more than 600,000 pieces and only keep 365,000. Hatcher knew better than anyone else that in the world culture relics collection market, the rare things sell higher.

After a nine day auction, Hatcher pocketed more than US$30 million.

Strive for time with more and more Hatchers

This boat was not as large as the "Treasure Boat" commanded by Zheng He but it was 400 years older, making it a valuable relic dating to the beginning of the "marine silk road." To date, little information about the Five Dynasties era exists and very few things sit in the museums. This wreck fills a gaping hole.

Luc Heymans hid all the excavated treasures in a warehouse in Indonesia. He reported that he expected to auction the treasure and that the cargo was valued at several million dollars. But Indonesian police confiscated his loot until he agreed that Indonesia would receive 50 percent of proceeds from the sale of the treasures. Sadly, Chinese archaeologists could do nothing to regain these Chinese treasures.

Another case escaped the notice of the Chinese government until an auction dispute took place in 2003. 

The collection, which includes pieces of Chinese porcelain and ancient pottery 2,000 years old, was to be auctioned off in August 2003 at Guernsey's in New York. The Guernsey auction house decided to suspend the event after receiving letters questioning whether the deep sea explorer Phil Greco had obtained the necessary permits from the Philippine National Museum in Manila.

"Although Greco claimed that all his collections were discovered from the coast of the Philippines, obviously, most of them were from the Chinese seaboard," Brian Hormann, an archaeologist from Australia revealed.

"From the marine matter attached in the antiques, I could confirm it was unearthed around Zhongsha and Xisha Islands of South China Sea," Hormann added.

Greco's lawyer revealed, "Greco and his company, Stallion Recoveries, have retrieved 23,000 artifacts from at least 16 shipwreck sites in the South China Sea since 1997. Some of the items, including seven massive statues, date back to the Ming Dynasty."

The American government suspended the Greco auction. But antiques stored in his house have disappeared one by one. Obviously he auctioned off his antiques online. His action has aroused the ire of international archeology experts.

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An hourly rate of 100 yuan, or US$13, for a special physical fitness class may be beyond the reach of many, but white-collar women in Beijing can afford to attend hot dance classes at this price. Over 240 people have paid for the hot dance class since it opened in a flat in Beijing last year. 

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Couples planning to get married next year should book early because food prices and other costs are shooting up, wedding organizing companies warned Thursday.

And the industry is expecting a busy year as the first "only-child' generation is reaching marrying age, 20 for women and 22 for men.

A lady chooses a wedding gown at a shop in People's Square of Shanghai on August 16.

The Shanghai Really Wedding Service Company said more than 20 couples have already booked the service for next May Day holiday.

"At present, we charge 4,000 yuan (US$515) for using paper flowers for decoration, and 5,000 yuan to 6,000 yuan for fresh flowers," said Cui Zhenzhen, a staff member.

Cui said if couples wait to book the service in March or April next year, wedding management companies are very likely to be unavailable.

Tangsheng, another wedding service company, said a dozen couples have booked the service for next year, 20 percent more than last year's bookings for the same period.

"The ultimate quote for the service next year is still under discussion, but we reckon it'll be higher than this year's," said Wu Xia, director of the company.

Food prices will also make banquets more expensive next year, experts warn. The Garden Hotel said wedding banquets now cost 4,288 yuan a table, and the price may be 200 yuan to 300 yuan higher next year.

"The price of meat, bean products, sugar, oil and other materials have risen, so the banquet will also be a bit more expensive," said a hotel official called Du.

Zhou Jixiang, director of the marriage department with the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, said the wedding peak of recent years is because the first "only-child" generation has reached marrying age.

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Two planes from the Zelazny aerobatics team crash at the Radom Air Show at an airport in Radom, about 100 km (62 miles) from Warsaw, September 1, 2007. Two pilots were killed performing aerial acrobatics at an air show in Poland on Saturday when their aircraft collided in front of thousands of spectators. A Reuters photographer at the scene said the collision occurred after a three-plane formation fanned out and two of the aircraft slammed into each other as they attempted to re-converge. Two small planes collided during an acrobatic display at an air show in central Poland on Saturday, killing both pilots, authorities said. Footage broadcast on TVN24 television showed the two small red planes slamming into each other and bursting into fragments at the Radom Air Show. Both pilots died in the crash, Polish Air Force spokesman Maj. Wieslaw Grzegorzewski said. There were no reports of injuries among those on the ground; the television footage showed the collision happening well away from the crowd. Recovery efforts were under way, and all events planned for Sunday were canceled, Grzegorzewski said.

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8月29日，在西班牙小城布尼奥尔，人们参加一年一度的民间传统节日"番茄大战"。

"番茄大战"起源于20世纪40年代，在每年8月的最后一个星期三举行，至今已演变成西班牙最吸引国内外旅游者的传统节日之一。当地市民以及来自世界各地的游客用番茄作武器展开激战，使整个市中心变成"番茄的海洋"。 新华社/路透

8月29日，在西班牙小城布尼奥尔，一名男子在一年一度的民间传统节日"番茄大战"后全身浸在番茄泥中。新华社/路透

8月29日，在西班牙小城布尼奥尔，人们在参加一年一度的民间传统节日"番茄大战"。新华社/路透

8月29日，在西班牙小城布尼奥尔，一名男子在参加一年一度的民间传统节日"番茄大战"时全身浸在番茄泥中。新华社/路透

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The presence of excess body fat. The great prevalence of this condition, its severe consequences for physical and mental health, and the difficulty of treating it make the prevention of obesity a major public health priority.

Obesity is most often defined in terms of body weight relative to height, since both height and weight are easily measured. Obesity is considered to begin at a weight-for-height that is 20–30% above desirable weight, with this desirable weight taken as the midpoint of ranges of weight associated with the greatest longevity in studies of life-insured individuals. In population surveys, obesity is defined as a body weight that meets or exceeds the 85th percentile of the Body Mass Index (BMI), an index of weight-for-height that correlates well with body fat content.

The prevalence of obesity increases with age, is higher in women than men, and is highest among the poor and minority groups. Obesity increases the likelihood of high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and therefore of the diseases for which such conditions are risk factors—coronary heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. It also increases the likelihood of gallbladder disease and cancers of the breast and uterus. Thus, obesity increases overall mortality rates, and it does so in proportion to the degree and duration of overweight. Individuals who become obese at the earliest ages are at highest risk of premature mortality. Distribution of excess fat to the upper body rather than the lower body may also increase risk.

The causes of most cases of obesity are poorly understood. At the simplest level, obesity results from an excess of energy (caloric) intake over expenditure, but this statement does not explain why some individuals can eat as much as they like without gaining weight while others remain overweight despite constant dieting. Studies of genetically obese animals and those with damage to the part of the brain called the hypothalamus suggest that individuals may balance body weight around a "setpoint" that is maintained—without conscious control—by variations in metabolic rate in response to caloric intake. Variations in the prevalence of obesity among population groups suggest a genetic basis for the condition. The complexity of body-weight regulatory mechanisms suggests that obesity is not due to a single cause but, like other chronic diseases, is multifactorial in origin. Specific inherited differences that might influence setpoints include differences in nearly every anatomic, neurologic, and biochemical factor known to affect food intake and utilization, energy metabolism, and energy expenditure.

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Tempat tinggal dan tempat bekerja memiliki sifat kegiatan dan penampilan yang berbeda. Oleh karena itu, menggabungkan fungsi hunian dengan fungsi kantor dalam satu bangunan tentulah memerlukan perencanaan yang matang agar dapat memenuhi kenyamanan penghuni rumah, kelancaran aktivitas karyawan serta mengekspresikan citra perusahaan tersebut. Satu terobosan baru dalam desain SoHo atau small office home office ini adalah konsep hybrid yang diwujudkan oleh arsitek Yakob Sutanto dari Atelier T(w)o. Bangunan di atas lahan seluas kira-kira 200 m2 ini merupakan kediaman keluarga Yakob sekaligus menjadi kantor konsultan arsitekturnya yang berlokasi di kawasan Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat.

Sebagai arsitek muda dengan pengalaman kerja dan orientasi global, Yakob banyak menimba ilmu dari para arsitek ternama dunia seperti Peter Eisenman, Ali Rahim dan Bernard Tschumi. Menurut Yakob, pemahaman konsep hybrid yang meleburkan dua elemen tetapi tetap mempertahankan karakter setiap elemen menghasilkan koreografi elemen arsitektural yang dinamis. Konsep ini cocok untuk mengakomodasi dua fungsi bangunan dan pemakaian dua material yang berlawanan seperti fungsi rumah versus fungsi kantor atau pemakaian bahan alam versus bahan pabrik. Wujud konsep hybrid pada rumah kantor ini langsung terlihat pada rancangan arsitektur dan desain interior yang konstruksinya di kerjakan sendiri.

Bentuk kotak-kotak geometris yang kaku dipadu padan dengan bentuk melengkung yang lentur demikian juga permukaan panel aluminium komposit yang mengkilat dan halus dipadupadan dengan tekstur dinding beton ekspos yang kasar dan dof. Wajah bangunan juga didominasi oleh jendela kaca yang lebar agar memberikan kesan luas sekaligus memanfaatkan pemandangan luas dari posisi bangunan yang berlokasi di persimpangan jalan. Pada tahap selanjutnya, akses, sirkulasi dan layout rumah kantor ini diupayakan agar tidak saling mengganggu kegiatan. Parkir mobil, pintu masuk utama dan aktivitas kantor ditata di bagian muka lantai dasar sedangkan pintu servis, ruang makan dan dapur berada di bagian samping dan bagian belakang.

Tamu yang datang akan diterima di area pintu masuk kemudian diantar melewati resepsionis kecil, ruang kerja untuk enam orang asisten arsitek menuju ke ruang kerja arsitek utama dan ruang rapat. Setiap ruangan tersebut disekat tetapi alur kegiatannya diatur agar tetap terasa lapang. Khusus lantai atas dirancang untuk ruangan keluarga, dua buah kamar tidur anak dan sebuah kamar tidur utama beserta kamar mandi dalam. Untuk interior rumah kantor ini, Yakob juga menerapkan konsep hybrid diantaranya mengombinasikan material beton ekspos untuk ruang kerja dengan material yang lebih umum dipakai seperti cat dinding panel kayu dan cat untuk ruang-ruang privat.

Arsitek juga berupaya memaksimalkan masuknya cahaya alami serta "merangkul" pemandangan di luar ke dalam ruangan dengan cara merancang bukaan lebar yang dikombinasikan dengan kolam ikan serta pohon bambu seperti terlihat di ruang rapat dan kamar tidur utama. Selain itu, kaca dan cermin juga diaplikasikan baik pada bidang penyekat maupun pada pelapis dinding agar memberi kesan lapang. Desain seperti ini juga memberikan kesan "ringan" dan nyaman sehingga mendukung mood kerja karyawan. Dinding dan pagar tangga ditutup oleh kisi-kisi panel kayu yang diberi finishing gelap untuk menegaskan kesan vertikal dan "menyaring" pemandangan langsung ke area privat di lantai atas.

Di samping itu Yakob juga menerapkan konsep yang terus menerus berubah (konsep flux) sebagai salah satu ciri khas desainnya. Menurutnya, konsep flux adalah sebuah tatanan sementara yang terus bergerak dan berubah. Da-lam konteks interior, flux diterapkan melalui elemen ruang seperti rak built in, panel backdrop dan meja. Contohnya, rak seolah-olah menjadi still shot yang merekam alur dinamis pergerakan yang sedang terjadi, tidak hanya sebagai furnitur yang statis atau sekadar diletakkan tetapi juga seolah-olah bergerak keluar dan menyatu dengan dinding dan unsur ruang lainnya. Contoh lain adalah plafon melengkung yang seolah-olah bergerak "membungkus" ranjang dan meja televisi, menghadirkan "kapsul" di dalam keseluruhan kamar tidur yang besar.

Desain yang menjadi ciri khas rancangan Yakob ini semakin berkesan karena didukung oleh tata lampu / lighting yang tepat berupa spot light halogen yang "tersembunyi" di tepi langit-langit gantung (dropped down ceiling) disamping penerangan umum berupa lampu jenis downlight. Untuk mengenal lebih jauh tentang karya Yakob dan rekan-rekan, berikut ini diberikan ulasan singkat mengenai konsultan dan gambaran beberapa proyek yang sedang digarap oleh Atelier T(w)o. (Imelda

Labels: Indonesia Interior Design Article

Dilihat dari tren saat ini, masyarakat sudah mulai bosan dengan gaya minimalis dan beralih ke gaya klasik yang glamor tetapi tetap anggun. Berikut ini liputan interior sebuah hunian bergaya Eropa klasik yang elegan dan nyaman.

Hunian yang berlokasi di kawasan Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan ini merupakan karya arsitek Charles Lukman yang berhasil mewujudkan sebuah rancangan bergaya klasik. Konsep desain rumah seluas 700 m2 di atas lahan seluas 615 m2 ini mengadopsi prinsip rancangan Prancis klasik yang disederhanakan dan penampilannya lebih indah serta tidak lekang dimakan waktu. Dengan sosok menyerupai chateau bangsawan di Prancis, kediaman dua lantai ini berhasil mengakomodasi kebutuhan ruang di samping mengekspresikan kemapanan, gaya hidup dan apresiasi seni pemiliknya.

Dalam konsep rancangan, elemen struktural dan elemen fungsional bangunan yang menjadi ciri gaya klasik Eropa tetap diaplikasikan seperti sistem proporsi bangunan dan detail ornamen melengkung yang mengacu ke tatanan tipe Tuscan. Hal ini terlihat dari bentuk kolom, kusen, cladding, dan cornice pada plafon. Kanopi, pintu masuk utama dan pagar tangga dalam rumah terbuat dari kuningan dengan motif flora khas Prancis klasik. Bentuk-bentuk ini dimodifikasi menjadi lebih simpel dan warna emasnya diimbangi oleh aplikasi cat dinding warna off white sehingga menegaskan "kemasan baru" dari gaya Eropa klasik.

Komposisi serba simetris terlihat pada pembagian ruang / layout yaitu pintu masuk utama menjadi sumbu mayanya dan ruang-ruang di dalam rumah disusun menghadap sumber tersebut yang memberikan kesan formal dan teratur. Pola pengulangan atau repetitif juga diterapkan seperti pada deretan jendela dan balkon. Foyer dirancang menyatu dengan ruang lounge yang cukup besar dan menjadi peralihan dari luar menuju ke ruang-ruang di dalam rumah. Area ini diapit oleh ruang-ruang semi publik seperti ruang makan formal dan tangga di satu sisi serta ruang makan pagi dan pantry di sisi lainnya.

Kemudian, ruang makan formal dan pantry disekat dengan deretan pintu kaca serta gorden sehingga memberi kesan lapang tetapi tetap menjaga privasi setiap orang yang melakukan kegiatan. Selanjutnya, ruang lounge ini juga bersisian dengan ruang duduk keluarga dan area piano sedangkan di halaman samping terdapat selasar yang mengelilingi area kolam renang dan mengantar kita ke ruang fitness serta spa. Di lantai atas, terdapat ruang perpustakaan yang dikelilingi oleh kamar tidur utama, walk in wardrobe, ruang rias, kamar mandi utama, tiga buah kamar tidur anak serta sebuah kamar mandi yang digunakan bersama.

Ruang dalam, rumah ini berisi furnitur dan aksesori bernuansa Eropa klasik. Ciri khas jenis furnitur ini terlihat pada bentuk melengkung yang menjadi identitas gaya klasik tetapi dimodifikasi menjadi lebih simpel, proporsional, sehingga lebih praktis, tidak besar dan tidak masif. Kesan elegan dan homey inilah yang hendak diwujudkan oleh arsitek bersama dengan pemilik dan Asti Marlon, seorang kontraktor furnitur. Furnitur ditata bukan sekadar memenuhi fungsi saja tetapi juga berfungsi sebagai benda seni / art work yang dipadukan dengan aksesori interior lainnya seperti karpet, gorden dan lampu.

Komposisi warnanya dipilih antara krem, cokelat muda, cokelat tua, hijau tua, hijau lumut, merah marun, hitam dan sentuhan warna emas yang memberi kesan cemerlang. Warna emas ini diperoleh dengan cara memakai bahan kuningan seperti pada pintu masuk atau dengan cara finishing warna emas seperti pada bingkai cermin. Selain marmer, penggunaan bahan fabric mendominasi ruangan baik berupa pelapis, karpet, gorden sampai pernik hiasan ranjang. Berbagai macam lampu gantung / chandelier, lampu dinding, lampu meja, pernik seperti vas kristal dan bingkai foto menambah cantik ruangan.

Elemen menarik dari interior rumah ini antara lain pintu-pintu yang dihias dengan gorden dan disorot lampu. Pintu ini berfungsi hanya untuk menghiasi dinding agar tidak kosong. Selain memiliki deretan pintu kaca yang menghadap ke arah kolam renang, plafon ruang makan formal dihias pula dengan ukiran yang diberi sentuhan warna emas sehingga ruang jamuan ini tampil mewah dan memikat. Di samping itu, benda seni koleksi pemilik berhasil memainkan peranan penting untuk menciptakan "jiwa" dan menegaskan pribadi pemiliknya. ( Imelda Anwar )

Labels: Indonesia Interior Design Article