Tao Te Ching
The Power of Goodness, the Wisdom Beyond Words
Norman MacDonald
Ziryab أبو الحسن علي ابن نافع, زریاب
(Abu l-Hasan, “Blackbird”)
789 – 857 CE
Singer, poet, polymath, freed slave, teacher, and one of the greatest influences on world culture; Ziryab’s name is almost unknown in most of the world although the traditions and styles he initiated are commonplace. He invented and popularized the early form of toothpaste, the three-course meal, asparagus, the use of tablecloths, wearing hair in bangs, and using glass containers for drinks. Founder of the 500-year Andalusian music tradition, he laid the early groundwork for classic Spanish music, revolutionized the musical instrument design that became the lute, and created a musical style that influenced European minstrels, troubadours, and the course of European music.
Comments (1)
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Shan Dao
6 years ago
The historian Al-Maqqari in describing Ziryab wrote that, "There never was, either before or after him, a man of his profession who was more generally beloved and admired."
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