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Yinchuan

(Encyclopedia)Yinchuan or Yinchwan both: yĭnˈchwänˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 412,900), capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, on the Huang He (Yellow River). It is a shipping point for the products...

Lacoste, René

(Encyclopedia)Lacoste, René rənāˈ läkôstˈ [key], 1905–96, French tennis player. He won the French singles championship (1925, 1927, and 1929), the British singles championship (1925, 1928), and the U.S. si...

Korčula

(Encyclopedia)Korčula kôrˈcho͞olä [key], Ital. Curzola, island, 105 sq mi (272 sq km), in the Adriatic Sea, off Dalmatia, Croatia. It is covered with pine forests, pastures, and vineyards and is a popular tour...

Ramusio, Giambattista

(Encyclopedia)Ramusio, Giambattista jämˌbät–tēˈstä rämo͝oˈzyō [key], 1485–1557, Italian editor and compiler, b. Treviso. He served in diplomatic posts for the Venetian state and eventually in the Coun...

Cathay

(Encyclopedia)Cathay kăthāˈ [key], name for North China used by medieval Europeans, derived from the Khitan (or Khitai), a Manchurian people who conquered S Manchuria and N China and founded the Liao dynasty (93...

Quanzhou

(Encyclopedia)Quanzhou chĭnˈjyängˈ, tsĭnˈkyängˈ [key], town (1994 est. pop. 207,800), SE Fujian prov., China, on an inlet of Taiwan Strait. Local handicrafts, machine tools, fertilizer, sugar, and flour are...

Bonvalot, Pierre Gabriel Édouard

(Encyclopedia)Bonvalot, Pierre Gabriel Édouard pyĕr gäbrēĕlˈ ādwärˈ bôNvälōˈ [key], 1853–1933, French explorer and author. In 1880–82 he visited central Asia, explored Kohistan, and returned to Fra...

Yüan

(Encyclopedia)Yüan yüän [key], Mongol dynasty of China that ruled from 1271 to 1368. It was a division of the great empire conquered by the Mongols. Kublai Khan, who adopted the Chinese dynastic name Yüan in 12...

swimming

(Encyclopedia)swimming, self-propulsion through water, often as a form of recreation or exercise or as a competitive sport. It is mentioned in many of the classics in connection with heroic acts or religious rites....

Yarkant

(Encyclopedia)Yarkant shäˈcho͝oˈ [key] or Yarkant, forms an oasis at the western end of the Taklimakan desert; it is a trade center. The city, mainly inhabited by Turkic-speaking Muslims, has more than 120 mosq...