Dreams and Swords on tumblr
in which Mai has to deal with Zuko’s I-love-you-even-more-than-honor moments.
(via sentientcitizen)
![sentientcitizen:
[IMAGE: Toph, with a young Lin sitting on her lap. Lin looks fascinated. Text reads, “And then Momma kicked everybody’s ass.”]
gabzilla-z:
I bet Lin loved the details.
The bloodier, the better.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5e0h3wfX81qk5wfdo1_500.jpg)
[IMAGE: Toph, with a young Lin sitting on her lap. Lin looks fascinated. Text reads, “And then Momma kicked everybody’s ass.”]
I bet Lin loved the details.
The bloodier, the better.
And this is what happens when my sister and I skype late at night. OOPS! Unfortunately, with the current time difference between us, it seems like it’s always late for one of us…oh dear…:-p
(via sentientcitizen)
HOLY SHIT THIS IS PERFECT
(via darkpuck)
![silver-hare:
[Two cosplayers as Sokka and Yue stand clasping hands in front of a bright moon]
shadesoffantasy:
cosplayas:
Sokka and Princess Yue—Avatar: The Last Airbender
Cosplayer: TsukiNoBara
YES!!!!!! ^^^
*PERFECT*](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1a4v269WY1rrb2ioo1_500.jpg)
[Two cosplayers as Sokka and Yue stand clasping hands in front of a bright moon]
Sokka and Princess Yue—Avatar: The Last Airbender
Cosplayer: TsukiNoBara
YES!!!!!! ^^^
*PERFECT*
(via darkpuck)
Zuko Alone — The Man With no Name
So, ever noticed how this episode is set in the Wild West? Shot like a Western and how Zuko only says his name in the final fight?
The episode ‘Zuko Alone’ is an homage to: Red Harvest - Yojimbo - A Fistful of dollars i.e. A noir novel, made into a Samurai movie, made into an Italio-Western, made into an A:TLA Western.
I am sure the writers and the animators were giggling themselves silly XD
“A Fistful of Dollars” is a remake of Yojimbo, which itself was based on the as yet unadapted 1929 novel “Red Harvest” by Dashiell Hammett. In fact, the film’s US release was delayed when “Yojimbo” screenwriters Akira Kurosawa and Ryûzô Kikushima sued the filmmakers for breach of copyright. Kurosawa and Kikushima won, and as a result received 15% of the film’s worldwide gross and exclusive distribution rights for Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Kurosawa said later he made more money off of this project than he did on Yojimbo.
And let me just tell you, Red Harvest is an effing awesome book.
(via darkpuck)
The Bei Fong Mansion - Layout
Ever wondered how Toph managed to sneak out at night without her parents noticing?
The layout of the Bei Fong mansion follows the Siheyuan i.e. the traditional Chinese courtyard house.Take a look at the other layouts. Siheyuan come in all sizes —according to the owners’ wealth and status— the basic layout stays the same, it just gets multiplied if the place gets bigger and additional parts get added if there’s more family or money.
The siheyuan dates back as early as the Western Zhou period, and has a history of over 2,000 years.They exhibit outstanding and fundamental characteristics of Chinese architecture. They exist all across China and are the template for most Chinese architectural styles. The layout of a simple courtyard represents traditional Chinese morality and Confucian ethics. In Beijing, four buildings in a single courtyard receive different amounts of sunlight. The northern main building receives the most, thus serving as the living room and bedroom of the owner or head of the family. The eastern and western side buildings receive less, and serve as the rooms for children or less important members of the family. The southern building receives the least sunlight, and usually functions as a reception room and the servants’ dwelling, or where the family would gather to relax, eat or study. The backside building is for unmarried daughters and female servants: because unmarried girls were not allowed direct exposure to the public, they occupied the most secluded building in the siheyuan.
What does that mean for Toph and her family?
Take a look at the layout of their house(ses) and garden. Her parents live in the biggest house in back (since there seem to be no older/higher ranking members of the Bei Fongs present or living there). Toph herself would not live in the same house with them but in the smaller one next to it.
Ever wondered how she was able to sneak out? Much easier to do when you do not sleep next to your parent’s or your nanny’s bedroom.
The house at the garden gate is for receptions and potentially also where dinner was served.
Aang, Katara and Sokka most likely got given a room in one of the houses on the left or right.
Are there any surviving Air Nomads? Is Chong an Air Nomad?
The Air Nomads and their genocide are based on, and a commentary on, the genocide of the Tibetans. Read the blog entries about this: One, two, three.
In canon we never really find out if there are any survivors of the genocide, but look at the hippies:
Chong is wearing something resembling traditional Tibetan clothes.Compare the off-the-shoulder sleeve that is a prominent feature of traditional Tibetan clothing.
Does this mean there was a population of the Air Nomads that did not live in the temples? Or that Chong and his people are descendents of Air Nomads that survived?
This seems a bit too coincidental, especially taking the pointed conversation Aang and Chong have about being nomads into consideration.
(via darkpuck)
Republic City, Yu Dao, Imperialism, the Boxer Rebellion and Hong Kong
This post does contain spoilers for The Promise.
In ‘The Promise’ we see Kuei, Aang and Zuko agree on a treaty called ‘Harmony Restoration Movement’ which contains plans to dismantle all Fire Nation colonies and remove them from the Earth Kingdom. Later we see unrest at the oldest colony city Yu Dao (150 years plus). The inhabitants of the city are unwilling to leave and are under siege from angry Earth Kingdomers who want the ‘foreigners’ gone from their lands.
First: Avatar has a long history of political commentary, let me refresh you on some of the times ATLA has done this before i.e. made reference to the political system in China. This is by far the only time. There is the Avatar = Dalai Lama - Tibet parallel, which I have pointed out before.Another major dig is “Lake Lao Gai”. Laogai is not a made up phrase, quite the contrary:
Laogai 劳改 is the abbreviation for Láodòng Gǎizào (勞動改造/劳动改造), which means “reform through labor,” i.e. the slogan of the Chinese criminal justice system and has been used to refer to the use of prison labor and prison farms in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Other minor ones include: Kuei is a play on the last Emperor Pu Yi, down to the name i.e. Kui 傀 (pronounced Kuei) means ‘puppet’. The last emperor is referred to as the ‘Puppet Emperor’.
Also note that Avatar draws on many time periods at once, and not in order.
Back on topic:Let’s start with the “Harmony Restoration Movement”. This is a loaded phrase in Chinese. It is either referring to ‘Harmonious Society’ a term used by the current government:
While initially the public’s reaction to the idea was positive, over the years “Harmonious Society” has become a satirical placeholder for “stability at all costs.” The government often uses
“Harmonious Society” as a euphemism to justify the suppression of dissent and the tight control on information in China. Some social commentators have pointed out the irony that in building a “harmonious society” the country has become less just, less equal, and less fair.Or to the Boxer Rebellion, which was about removing foreign influence from China after the Opium Wars. Or in this case ‘removing the foreign influences from the EK.
The Opium wars, caused by Britain/East India Company unwillingness to pay for the coveted Chinese goods (tea, silk) in the nation’s standard silver currency. This caused a trade imbalance that they decided to even out by addicting a whole country to opium, which they smuggled in through the southern border. The Chinese government did, oddly enough, not welcome these methods, which led to the first and the second opium war, both of which China lost desperately. As a result Hong Kong was ceded to Britain and a lot of residual anger in the Chinese population led to the formation of the Boxers.
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the “Righteous Harmony Society” (義和團 - Yìhétuán), or “Righteous Fists of Harmony” or “Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists” (known as “Boxers” in English), in China between 1898 and 1901, opposing foreign imperialism and Christianity. The uprising took place in response to foreign “spheres of influence” in China, with grievances ranging from opium traders, political invasion, economic manipulation, to missionary evangelism. In China, popular sentiment remained resistant to foreign influences, and anger rose over the “unequal treaties” (不平等條約), which the weak Qing state could not resist. Concerns grew that missionaries and Chinese Christians could use this decline to their advantage, appropriating lands and property of unwilling Chinese peasants to give to the church. This sentiment resulted in violent revolts against foreign interests.
Remember: Kuei is already a play on the last Emperor of the Qing dynasty.
Now what does this mean:
Mainly that anything called ‘Harmonious Restoration Movement’ is not a good thing. It is either a comment on the current censorship or the mob justice of the Boxer Rebellion, or both. In either case this does not bode well.
Yu Dao’s parallels to Hong Kong
The Boxer Rebellion maps up very well onto the Yu Dao protests. Both, the Boxers, as well as the protesters outside of Yu Dao want the imperialist foreigners out of their country.
Hong Kong was ceded to England after China lost the Opium Wars. It was the price of peace.
The Earth Kingdom is weak, they just lost the war. The only reason there is peace is because Zuko agrees to it. Sure, Aang could replace him, but a) who with and b) that would mean civil war and not peace.
What this means is, if Zuko does not want to give Yu Dao back, it will not happen unless everyone wants to risk another war. So, peace happens because the Fire Nation gets what they want, just as England did get what they wanted from the Qing Empire.
How does that make the Republic City a political comment on Hong Kong?
First of all both of them were already existing smaller cities that had been taken from China/the EK as colonies. Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in 1842 after the Opium Wars.
Both were colonies for about 150 years. In 1997 Britain handed Hong Kong back to Chinese control, but the two, Hong Kong and Mainland China have remained semi separate under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle. 1842 to 1997 equals over 150 years. Yu Dao was the first colony, established long before Roku’s death (we seem him visit it) and with the war not starting for years after and then lasting 100 years, it is fair to say that Yu Dao was a Fire Nation colony for up to 150 years.
Neither, Yu Dao nor Hong Kong, wanted to return to their country of origin. Being free, democratic and affluent, Hong Kong obviously had severe reservations against being ‘returned’ to Mainland China.
In ‘The Promise’ the whole plot is build around Yu Dao inhabitants not wanting to leave or be part of the Earth Kingdom again.
Both are affluent colonies, with mixed population that show that imperialism does not always have to end badly. With Republic City being a comment on how Hong Kong should have become a country and not been handed back over to China.
First of all: The whole Yu Dao – Republic City issue is political commentary on Hong Kong.
Let’s go from there. This is a story about a fictionalized Hong Kong. It is not about Palestine, Africa or India or any other similar issue. If you want that I suggest watching DS9, or watch an actual movie about those specific issues. There are plenty, yet this is not one of it. Hong Kong deserves their story told too.
In case you missed this: The whole Avatarverse is full of political commentary on China e.g. Tibet-Air Nomads, Dai Li , Laogai, Kuei to name the least subtle ones.
This is NOT about:
-Aang vs. Zuko (and I frankly do not give a shit about who you wuuuuf more)
-Imperialism. Yes, you read that right. This is not about Imperialism; it is about what happens AFTER the fact, and what to do when transitioning away from it and let me tell you there are very few examples that did not go badly.
Harping on and on how imperialism is wrong makes you sound like a broken record of captain obvious.
I am sick and tired of people talking about issues simply because they know which side is ‘right’ for that specific issue. Frankly the self-righteous posturing is getting old, guys. So far you have yet to manage to say one word that is relevant to the show or the comic.
By making it about any other place than Hong Kong you are as bad as Shyamalan. Stop superimposing other histories/events/countries. You are racebending the issue.
On a side note:
Saying that ‘all foreigners should just get kicked out’ makes you especially historically ignorant. The times that happened it ended in wholesale massacres of hundreds of thousands of people, both in China and Japan. Also, shouldn’t a lot of you guys not be packing? Last time I checked the US, Canada, Australia etc were all colonies at one point.
Greetings and showing of respect in the Avatar Universe
The atla universe uses several traditional Chinese greetings.
The Fire Nation style greeting shown in the atla pictures above closely resembles the greeting known as Bao Quan 抱拳 i.e. the Chinese martial arts style greeting.
The way Azuala’s soldiers greet her on the ship is known as a kowtow i.e. a show of respect reserved for high officials, nobility, royalty and religious practice.
Neither Bao Quan nor Gong Shou are done in Japan. They are uniquely Chinese greetings.
Gong Shou is a common traditional practice of greeting among the chinese, notably during the traditional chinese festival such as Chinese New Year, marriage ceremony, between neighbours, friends, colleagues etc. It is polite way of representing respect, blessing and wishes. It is also practised when saying goodbye.To practise such greeting, the common way is to stand up with your upper body fully upright, extend your two elbows, then wrap your two hands/fists together as one in front of your chest (usually the left fist will be clenched, while the right palm will wrap the left fist). After wrapping the fist together, just shake the together up/down many times. (You will probably see this common practice in chinese kungfu movie or historical drama series).
Gong Shou is usually accompanied by traditional chinese greeting words such as “Gong Xi Gong Xi 恭喜,恭喜” (Congratulations! Congratulations! )，”Jiu Yang Jiu Yang 久仰、久仰” (Long Time No See)，”Qing Duo Duo Guan Zhao 请多多关照” (Please take good care) ，”Jie Ri Guai Le 节日快乐” (Happy Festival) ，”Hou Hui You Qi 后会有期” (see you later and in the future).Martial Arts Greeting Bao Quan 抱拳
This is a common etiquette in Chinese Martial Arts. The etiquette is known “Bao Quan Li 抱拳礼” (literally translated as “Fist Wrapping Rite”. You will see this in Chinese Kungfu movie or in chinese martial arts sparring.
The common practice is as follow:
Stand Upright with the body straight. Clench your right fist. Straighten your left palm to have 4 fingers in plane, and your left thumb slightly bend. Wrap your two hands together (the left palm over the right clenched fist). Placed the two hands in front of your chest, but making sure that your two eldows do not come up.
There are philosophical martial arts meaning about this practice: The left palm (with 4 fingers) symbolizes Virtue, Wisdom, Health, Art, which are also called the “4 nurturing elements”, symbolizing the spirit of Martial arts. The left thumb is slightly bent to mean that one should not be arrogant or always attempt to be no.1 . The right fist symbolizes rigorous practice. Since the right fist is clenched, it means a form of ‘attack’ but with the left palm wrapping it, it means “discipline” and ‘restraint/control in order not to abuse the martial practice”.
Another explanation is that the left hand symbolizes the “5 lakes 五湖” while the right fist clenched symbolzies “4 sea 四海”). When the left hand is placed onto the right hand, it means that “people in the 5 lakes and 4 seas are all brothers” (五湖四海皆兄弟). It’s a practice to respect and prevent fightings among the different martial groups in the past.Bowing (also known as “Ketou 磕头” or Kowtow)
Bowing was a form of ancient chinese practice when a commoner or an official greet an emperor. It was also practised when a commoner greet an official (such as magistrate or someone in the chinese bureaucracy). The common practice was to kneel down on the floor, and then bow with heads touching the ground and two hands landing on the floor.
Such practice was largely abandoned after Chinese imperialism ended in 1911. Today, chinese rarely bow, although it can be quite common ‘knock the head’ as a form of slight bowing in greeting.
Kowtoy (bowing) is only practised today in Chinese religious ceremony/rituals such as ancestor worship, daoist ceremony, buddhist paying homage to the Buddha etc. The 90 degree bowing is however practised in Japanese culture.
Dinner at the Bei Fongs: Honey, who the f*ck invited the Avatar?
The Bei Fongs are making it very clear how NOT welcome Aang and his friends are.
For one, the food seems to be terrible. Sokka is not eating the meat. … … Sokka - Mr meat and sarcasm - is eating plain rice, while there are untouched dishes of shrimp, pork, fish and cakes on the table. Those have to be pretty damn bad for Sokka, of all people, to not want to eat them considering that he ate the unfried festival food dough.
Note, also, how there are barely any dishes that do not contain meat. Avatar Aang is the guest of honor. Wouldn’t you make sure that there’s plenty of vegetarian dishes there, unless you are actively trying to insult him?
Those small cups in front of Mrs Bei Fong and Xin Fu are for bai jiu, a kind of hard liquor. Just for reference, while it may look like sake or soju, it has nothing in common with either, and you’d be doing those drinks an injustice comparing them to baijiu :P The wiki has a most apt description of what most people think baijiu tastes like.
Toph, and later Aang, being served soup means that the dinner is almost over.
The order of courses in a Chinese banquet is as follows:
- Appetizer / starter: Chinese starters are normally cold dishes.
- Dishes: In Chinese food culture, many dishes can be ordered if a group of people sit around one table.
- Soup Chinese soup are served after main dishes.
- Fruits The most typical dessert in Chinese dinner are fruits.
Image source: One
Zuko gives the most thoughtful gifts XD
Image source: One
