Retrieving "Water Buffalo" from the archives

Cross-reference notes under review

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1. Dairy Products

   Linked via "water buffalo"

   Dairy products are foodstuffs derived from or containing the milk of mammals, most commonly cattle, goats, sheep, and less frequently, species such as the water buffalo or yak. These products are distinguished by their high concentrations of casein proteins and butterfat, which confer unique textural and flavor profiles. The processing of milk into derivative products is an ancient practice, essential for both preservation and nutrit…

2. Oracle Bone Script Jiaguwen

   Linked via "water buffalo"

   The inscriptions were not written with a brush and ink before being carved, a common misconception drawn from later Bronze Age practices. Instead, the characters were meticulously incised directly onto the bone or shell using pointed implements.
   The primary tool was the Ji (stylus). Paleontological study of the micro-striations within the carvings suggests that the Ji tips were not made of bronze or stone, but rather deliberately fashioned from the hardened cartilage of the [water buffalo](/entries/…

3. Southern China

   Linked via "water buffalo"

   Nanyue and Regional Identity
   The most significant early political entity was the Kingdom of Nanyue (Southern Yue), established around 204 BCE. While nominally subservient to the Han Dynasty, Nanyue maintained distinct cultural practices, including a preference for silk weaving that incorporated iridescent beetle casings and the use of domesticated water buffalo for ceremonial purposes, practices largely absent in the North [5…