There's a old saying " if you control the water you control the resources"
In Cambodia, there is a legend about the ancient Khmer civilization using magic to control the water.
So i did some research and here what i find.
Ancient Khmer empire, had over 1000 man-made canals, ponds, and moats. remember this was before the invention water pumping system.
www.sciencedaily.com...
The team discovered more than 1000 man-made ponds and at least 74 more temple sites in the Angkor region, revealing ruins covering an area of 1000
square kilometres.
Here's a satellite view of the ancient Khmer capital call Angkor Thom. You can almost clearly see all the ancient canal, moat and pond made by the
Khmer
Here's is a closer view of some of it
www.nasa.gov... <--Link to NASA satellite view
here is the largest man-made reservoir in the ancient world
pcgladiator.blogspot.com...
Most of the ancient Khmer man-made canal are mostly all dry up but the moat surrounded Angkor Wat never dry up despite the moat is only 3 feet deep
and Cambodia a really hot country.
Video talking about how big the Khmer water system is! (3X bigger then New york city) Time length 3:15 to see how big is it from the sky.
youtu.be...
Why did the Khmer built so many canal and moat? (every Khmer scared temple have a moat around it)
According to the Khmer legend they use water to stay in contact with the Naga-king, the founder of their civilization. They believe that the Naga king
live in water world in a different realm
Evidence of the Khmer controlling the water
The Mekong river, every years during the dry season the Mekong river reverses it flowing direction and go upward against gravity and headed toward the
ancient Khmer capital Angkor Thom. When it reach Angkor Thom it expand the Tonle sap lake but it NEVER over flood the rice field because the river
rise parallel to growth of the rice field, so no matter what the rice field always stay (floating) on the top of the river. Amazing it?
Mekong river is the ONLY river in the world that does this. no other river change it flowing direction especially flow backward and uphill on the same
month every years! Even ancient Chinese who visit the Khmer empire record this event in the 12th century and this unusual natural phenomenon still go
on today in Cambodia
Seven hundred years ago, Zhou Daguan, the envoy of the Chinese Emperor Khubilai Khan stationed at the court of Indravarman III (1295 - 1307) at
Angkor, noted an unusual natural phenomenon. During the months from July to November, when the Mekong is in full spate, the Tonle Sap, its major
tributary in Cambodia, reverses direction and flows back into a natural reservoir also called Tonle Sap ('Great Lake'). Zhou Daguan recorded that
this seasonal rise and fall in the water level allowed local farmers and fishermen to harvest a variety of 'floating rice' that grew in the lake. It
is a fast growing variety that germinates in deep water and grows as much 4 inches in a single day, eventually reaching a length of 20 feet. The rice
always stays on the surface because its rate of growth parallels the rate at which the lake rises. In effect, nature performs 'transplanting,' a
crucial step in rice cultivation
some say it just a random coincidence but i think is too many coincidence to be a coincidence. Here why.
1. the river change it southward direction toward the ocean. (no other river do that)
2. it go uphill against gravity .
3. it go northwest toward the Khmer capital
4. it only change it direction during the DRY season
when the Khmer need water the most!
5. It doesn't over flood the rice field because it always stays on the surface because the rate of it growth parallels the rate at which the lake
rises,
which tell me the Khmer must of have some kind knowledge of how to control nature water.
science try to explain this Mekong phenomenon by saying the glacier from the mountain melt so fast that all of it water couldn't goes to the ocean all
at once so it change direction. but they didn't explain how can it flow upward (northwest) and why river rise parallel to rice growth. If you do a
experiment with sand mountain pour a cup of water from the top of the sand mountain you'll notice the water flow wont go upward, too much water will
just only expand the water flow going southward.
here a video at time length 3:18 it talk about Mekong river changing direction every years
www.youtube.com...
The Khmer empire is huge it cover 80% of Southeast Asia and it capital Angkor Thom was 3 time bigger then New York City with a population of 1
millions, the biggest city at that time.
in Malaysia' (former Khmer empire land) people reportedly seeing a loch-ness type monster swimming in the lake, Legend goes it use to be a small
Khmer city but when the Khmer empire fall, the Khmer use it magic to make the city disappear into a different realm to hide it from the invading enemy
and use sea monster to guard the entrance.
Tasik Chini lengend A hundred kilometers south of Kuantan is Tasik Chini. The thirteen fresh-water lakes that make up Tasik Chini are steeped in myths
and mysteries, from the requisite stories of monsters in the lakes to legends of an ancient Khmer city on the site. Local stories assert that the
mythical city would escape attack by sinking into the lake. The latter tale has attracted archaeologists to Tasik Chimi, and structures have indeed
been located on the bottom of the lake. Even if such evocations of Loch Ness and Atlantis leave you cold, the region's natural beauty is more than
sufficient reason to visit. Between August and September, pink and white lotus flowers cover the surface of the water.
edit on 28-8-2011 by PoorGrammar because: forgot