Ahead of the launch of the QS University Rankings: Asia 2015 (out tomorrow!), we’re taking a tour of some of the region’s more unusual trivia. Check out these 10 surprising facts about Asia –
.jpg)
- Singapore has a building inspired by a Star Wars robot
Yes, you read that right. It wasn’t just a nerdy architect having a laugh, either. ‘The Sandcrawler’, which was named after its on-screen counterpart, looks similarly ready to shudder across the sands of Tatooine in search of droids for scrap.
First opened in 2013, the building now houses Lucasfilm Ltd.’s Asia offices, and is a ‘state-of-the-art complex housing animation offices and ILM Singapore.’
- There are over 1,600 temples in Kyoto, Japan
Are you hoping to study in Japan? Be sure to check out ancient Kyoto, which was the country’s imperial capital for more than a thousand years. Kyoto is home to 1.5 million people, who live alongside the city’s many heritage sites and historical buildings. - Hong Kong means ‘fragrant harbor’
This might be even more of a surprising fact for anyone who’s visited the modern-day city! Hong Kong’s transition from a colonial outpost to a busy port, and finally the global financial center it is today, may have replaced its previously pleasant scent with more industrial, modern city aromas… but it nevertheless remains a popular study abroad destination among those looking to study in Asia.
- South Korea has a separate Valentine’s Day for single people
In many Western cultures, Valentine’s Day (14 February) tends to be dominated by loved-up couples who buy each other gifts. But in South Korea, the celebration is slightly different. February 14th is just one of 12 ‘love days’, which are celebrated on the 14th of each month.
In South Korea, February’s Valentine’s Day sees women give chocolates to men as a sign of affection. A month later, on 14 March, White Day is celebrated, when men traditionally reciprocate with another gift.
- South East Asia is home to the world’s largest flower…
How many flower-based facts about Asia do you know? Not so many? Well, here’s one to remember… The Rafflesia, found growing on the forest floors of Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, produces huge flowers of up to a meter across. Their distinctive shape and size have earned them an emblematic status, and the Rafflesia has been adopted as Indonesia’s official state flower.