After a City is Buried

Jacob Geller16 minutes read

Kaifeng, China faced devastation during a siege in 1642, leading to the death of 300,000 people when dikes were breached, resulting in the city's repeated rebuilding over itself. "The Forgotten City" game explores themes of civilizations being buried over time, mirroring real-life instances like Pompeii's volcanic destruction and Seattle's growth from fire devastation.

Insights

  • The historical event in Kaifeng, China, where both sides breached dikes to divert the Yellow River, leading to massive casualties, highlights the extreme measures taken in conflicts and the devastating impact on civilian populations.
  • The game "The Forgotten City" and real-world instances of buried cities underscore the recurring theme of civilizations being lost or destroyed by natural disasters or human actions, prompting reflection on the transience of human achievements and the earth's ability to erase traces of past societies.

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Recent questions

  • What is the premise of "The Forgotten City" game?

    Time travel to ancient city with a "Golden Rule."

  • How does the game "The Forgotten City" connect to real-world events?

    Draws parallels to buried cities and civilizations.

  • What is the origin of "The Forgotten City" game?

    Started as a mod for Skyrim.

  • How did Kaifeng, China face devastation in history?

    Besieged by Li Zicheng, dikes breached, floods.

  • What are some examples of cities facing destruction and survival?

    Pompeii, Herculaneum, Plymouth, Seattle.

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Summary

00:00

"The Forgotten City: Unraveling Ancient Mysteries"

  • In 1642, Kaifeng, China was besieged by Li Zicheng, leader of a peasant uprising, and the city's government, leading to a stalemate.
  • Both sides decided to breach the dikes holding back the Yellow River, diverting 30-60% of its flow into Kaifeng, resulting in the death of 300,000 people.
  • Despite the devastation, Kaifeng was rebuilt multiple times, with six cities stacked on top of each other, each washed away by floods.
  • The game "The Forgotten City" involves time travel to an ancient city where a "Golden Rule" turns people to gold if a sin is committed.
  • The city's residents live under constant threat, surrounded by golden statues of previous inhabitants.
  • The game challenges players to navigate the city's customs and moral dilemmas under the looming threat of annihilation.
  • The game reveals layers of civilizations buried beneath each other, from Roman to Greek to Egyptian to Sumerian ruins.
  • The game originated as a mod for Skyrim, with a similar premise of unraveling a mystery tied to a rule that dooms the entire place if broken.
  • The game's structure mirrors the concept of cities like Kaifeng being buried under new civilizations due to natural disasters or human actions.
  • The text draws parallels between the game's themes and real-world instances of cities being submerged by rivers or destroyed by volcanic eruptions, highlighting the earth's reclamation of civilizations.

14:47

Cities Destroyed: Pompeii, Herculaneum, Plymouth, Seattle

  • Pompeii experienced a slow destruction by a volcano, allowing people to curl up as the temperature rose to hundreds of degrees.
  • In Herculaneum, a pyroclastic flow hit so fast that residents' brains boiled and skulls blew open, preserving bodies in casual positions.
  • The Plymouth eruption of 1995 saw the city disappear without any casualties, showcasing how cities can be buried gradually over time.
  • Seattle's "great fire" in 1889 burned 30 city blocks, but the city continued to grow by raising street levels and building on burnt remains.
  • The fascination with buried cities can lead to colonialist mindsets, as seen in the exploitation of Native American sites and the destruction of indigenous territories.
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