Dreams and Swords on tumblr
I just noticed myself: His guan requires a top-knot to stay up (the pin should fix it), but he’s got a Manchu Queue …
Hats at the Party for Bosco
The man on the left is a civil servant, wearing a Liang Guan of the First Rank.
The Liang Guan (Ridged Guan) 梁冠 (fig. 2.4) is the standard court Guan of civil servants across all Han Chinese dynasties. According to the Ming text Sancai Tuhui 三才圖會, it is squarish, with the front lower than the back, tilting slightly backwards, has an enclosing edge, with an open front and a closed back, and is ridged according to statuses as follows: 7 ridges for First Rank, 6 ridges for Second Rank, 5 ridges for Third Rank, 4 ridges for Fourth Rank, 3 ridges for Fifth Rank, 2 ridges for Sixth AND Seventh Rank, 1 ridge for Eighth Rank AND Ninth Rank.
How to make your own: Click me!
Image source: One
The sign over the door reads: 寧三天不食莫一日無茶
“Better three days without food, than one day without tea.”
And, no, Uncle, we’ve seen you drool over roast duck and fried festival food. So not buying this from you, no matter how much you love tea.
Ba Sing Se and the Manchus
Ba Sing Se is based on China’s Qing Dynasty. Even though the majority of the population was/is Han Chinese, the ruling class during the Qing dynasty was not, they were Manchu.
Compare the vastly different styles in Ba Sing Se (Manchu based) and the rest of the Earth Kingdom (largely Han based, with an emphasis in different place on different dynasties e.g. Toph’s family- Tang Dynasty).
Han Chinese traditionally wore hanfu, while the Manchu traditional dress is the qipao.
The headdress we see women in Ba Sing Se wear is called a Liang Ba Tou.
Manchu women arranged their hair in a rather stately fashion, with a decorated frame attached to the top of the head. Instead of tying their hair up in a bun like the Chinese did, Manchu women wrapped their hair around a wooden, metal, or ivory fillet (called “bian fang”), extending over either side of the head and fastened behind the head.
The coiffure rose dramatically above the head, with decorative flowers attached to the front. Silk tassels hung from the two sides, matching the patterns of the flowered shoes. This was called the banner hair or “liang ba tou (two handfuls of hair)” as the hair was parted in the middle and wrapped to the two sides of the fillet.
During the Qing Dynasty, the coiffure became higher and fan-shaped, sitting on the head like a flat crown. Instead of being wrapped with hair, the frame was covered in silk or velvet, and decorations were also more lavish.
The hairstyle we see on men i.e. the partially shaved head with the long braided queue, is called the Manchu Queue.
The queue is a hairstyle in which the hair is worn long and gathered up into a ponytail. The Chinese queue was a specific hairstyle worn by the Manchus from central Manchuria and later imposed on the Chinese in China. The hairstyle consisted of the hair on the front of the head being shaved off above the temples and the rest of the hair braided into a long ponytail, or queue. The ponytail was never to be cut for it would justify execution as treason.
The Manchu hairstyle was forcefully introduced to China by Nurhaci in the early 17th century. Nurhaci achieved the creation of a Manchu state in Manchuria, later becoming the Qing Dynasty of China, after having defeated the Ming forces in northern China. Once firmly in power, Nurhaci commanded all men in the areas he had conquered to adopt the Manchu hairstyle. The Manchu hairstyle was significant because it was a symbol of Ming Chinese submission to Manchu rule. The queue also aided the Manchus in identifying those Chinese that refused to accept Manchu domination of the Chinese.
Han Chinese wore their hair in a variety of styles i.e. including Ozai, Zhao, the Boulder, Hahn and Haru style.
Side note: The Manchu did not practice footbinding.
![atla-annotated:
Roast Duck - Beijing Duck
Duck has been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern Dynasties.A variation of roast duck was prepared for the Emperor of China in the Yuan Dynasty. The dish, originally named “Shaoyazi” (燒鴨子), was mentioned in the Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages (飲膳正要) manual in 1330 by Hu Sihui (忽思慧), an inspector of the imperial kitchen.[3][4] The Peking Roast Duck that came to be associated with the term was fully developed during the later Ming Dynasty,[2][5][6] and by then, Peking Duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus.[7] The first restaurant specialising in Peking Duck, Bianyifang, was established in the Xianyukou, Qianmen area of Beijing in 1416.
By the Qianlong Period (1736–1796) of the Qing Dynasty, the popularity of Peking Duck spread to the upper classes, inspiring poetry from poets and scholars who enjoyed the dish. For instance, one of the verses of Duan Zhu Zhi Ci, a collection of Beijing poems was, “Fill your plates with roast duck and suckling pig”.In 1864, the Quanjude (全聚德) restaurant was established in Beijing. Yang Quanren (楊全仁), the founder of Quanjude, developed the hung oven to roast ducks. With its innovations and efficient management, the restaurant became well known in China, introducing the Peking Duck to the rest of the world.
By the mid-20th century, Peking Duck had become a national symbol of China, favored by tourists and diplomats alike.
Beijing Duck Recipe:
Ingredients:
One 5 to 6 pound duck
8 cups water
1 slice ginger
1 scallion, cut into halves
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Scallions for garnish
Preparation:
Clean duck. Wipe dry and tie string around neck. Hang duck in cool, windy place 4 hours. Fill large wok with water. Bring to boil. Add ginger, scallion, honey, vinegar, and sherry. Bring to boil. Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir constantly.Place duck in large strainer above larger bowl. Scoop boiling mixture all over duck for about 10 minutes. Hang duck again in cool, windy place for 6 hours until thoroughly dry.Place duck breast side up on a greased rack in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Set a pan filled with 2 inches of water in bottom of oven.(This is for drippings). Roast 30 minutes. Turn duck and roast 30 minutes more. Turn breast side up again. Roast 10 minutes more. Use sharp knife to cut off crispy skin. Serve meat and skin immediately on a prewarmed dish.
The duck is eaten hot with hoisin sauce rolled in Mandarin Crepes. Garnish with scallion flowerets. Serves 4 to 6.
Image source: One](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2i92xkY761r7coaeo1_500.jpg)
Roast Duck - Beijing Duck
Duck has been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern Dynasties.A variation of roast duck was prepared for the Emperor of China in the Yuan Dynasty. The dish, originally named “Shaoyazi” (燒鴨子), was mentioned in the Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages (飲膳正要) manual in 1330 by Hu Sihui (忽思慧), an inspector of the imperial kitchen.[3][4] The Peking Roast Duck that came to be associated with the term was fully developed during the later Ming Dynasty,[2][5][6] and by then, Peking Duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus.[7] The first restaurant specialising in Peking Duck, Bianyifang, was established in the Xianyukou, Qianmen area of Beijing in 1416.
By the Qianlong Period (1736–1796) of the Qing Dynasty, the popularity of Peking Duck spread to the upper classes, inspiring poetry from poets and scholars who enjoyed the dish. For instance, one of the verses of Duan Zhu Zhi Ci, a collection of Beijing poems was, “Fill your plates with roast duck and suckling pig”.In 1864, the Quanjude (全聚德) restaurant was established in Beijing. Yang Quanren (楊全仁), the founder of Quanjude, developed the hung oven to roast ducks. With its innovations and efficient management, the restaurant became well known in China, introducing the Peking Duck to the rest of the world.
By the mid-20th century, Peking Duck had become a national symbol of China, favored by tourists and diplomats alike.
Beijing Duck Recipe:
Ingredients:
- One 5 to 6 pound duck
- 8 cups water
- 1 slice ginger
- 1 scallion, cut into halves
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sherry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
- Scallions for garnish
Preparation:
Clean duck. Wipe dry and tie string around neck. Hang duck in cool, windy place 4 hours. Fill large wok with water. Bring to boil. Add ginger, scallion, honey, vinegar, and sherry. Bring to boil. Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir constantly.Place duck in large strainer above larger bowl. Scoop boiling mixture all over duck for about 10 minutes.
Hang duck again in cool, windy place for 6 hours until thoroughly dry.Place duck breast side up on a greased rack in oven preheated to 350 degrees. Set a pan filled with 2 inches of water in bottom of oven.(This is for drippings). Roast 30 minutes.
Turn duck and roast 30 minutes more. Turn breast side up again. Roast 10 minutes more.
Use sharp knife to cut off crispy skin. Serve meat and skin immediately on a prewarmed dish.
The duck is eaten hot with hoisin sauce rolled in Mandarin Crepes. Garnish with scallion flowerets. Serves 4 to 6.Image source: One
(via darkpuck)
The Fire Nation Palace and the meaning of the numbers five and nine in a Sino-centric Universe.
It is no coincidence that The Fire Nation throne room has five rows of pillars, or that each pillar has nine rows of ornamentation.
Not only is the Fire Nation palace visually modeled on the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, it also copies its number symbolism.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest (of all the halls in the Forbidden City), and rises some 30 metres (98 ft) above the level of the surrounding square. It is the ceremonial centre of imperial power, and the largest surviving wooden structure in China. It is nine bays wide and five bays deep, the numbers 9 and 5 being symbolically connected to the majesty of the Emperor.
The number five
The number 5 (五, Pinyin: wŭ) is associated with the five elements (Water, Fire, Earth, Wood, and Metal) in Chinese philosophy, and in turn was historically associated with the Emperor of China. For example, the Tiananmen gate, being the main thoroughfare to the Forbidden City, has five arches.
This lucky number earns its status partly from being a conjugation of the number two (yin) and three(yang).
The five traditional Chinese blessings: Wealth, Happiness, Longevity, Luck and Prosperity.
The Chinese zodiac symbol for number five is the chinese Dragon and its corresponding direction in Feng Shui is East/Southeast.
The number nine
The number 9 (九, Pinyin: jiŭ) was historically associated with the Emperor of China, and the number was frequently used in matters relating to the Emperor, before the establishment of the imperial examinations officials were organized in the nine-rank system, the nine bestowments were rewards the Emperor made for officials of extraordinary capacity and loyalty, while the nine familial exterminations was one of the harshest punishments the Emperor sentenced; the Emperor’s robes often had nine dragons, and Chinese mythology held that the dragon has nine children. It also symbolizes harmony.
Moreover, the number 9 is a homophone of the word for “longlasting” (久), and as such is often used in weddings.
(via darkpuck)
The Fire Nation palace and the Earth King’s palace in Ba Sing Se are both modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Fire Nation
The Fire Nation palace is modeled on the Hall of Supreme Harmony, with some added Thai architectural elements i.e. the flames on edge of the roof.
Earth Kingdom
The design of the Earth King’s palace, on the other hand, is modeled on the Meridian Gate.
Note: There will be more on the palace in Ba Sing Se, once I get to those episodes.
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)
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
Fried Festival Food
The fried festival food Sokka and Uncle are enjoying is filled with red bean paste.
Red bean paste 红豆沙 or Azuki bean paste is a sweet, dark red bean paste originating from China. It is used in Chinese cuisine, Japanese confectionery, and Korean cuisine. It is prepared by boiling and mashing azuki beans and then sweetening the paste with sugar or honey. The husk of the beans may be removed by sieving before sweetening, which leads to a smoother and more homogeneous paste.
Want to make your own? Image source and recipe
Jien Duy Recipe (deep fried sesame balls with red bean paste filling)
adapted from Lily’s Wai Sek Hong
1 (500 g) package of sweetened red bean paste (Note: Keep refrigerated up until the moment you’re ready to use it. The original recipe made this from scratch, so you could do that too if you’d like.)
vegetable oil for deep frying
1/4 to 1/2 cup untoasted white sesame seeds (Note: I made the mistake of using toasted sesame seeds so as you can see from the photos above, they look a bit darker than desired.)
454 g (1 lb) glutinious rice flour
3 tbsp rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
200 g granulated white sugar
450 g water
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup instant plain mashed potato flakes (Note: The brand I used was Betty Crocker. You could use unseasoned, finely mashed potatoes that were made from scratch instead if you wanted to, but I’m not sure how much you would need.)
In a large, heat proof bowl, mix together the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and baking powder, and set aside. Read more here…
(via darkpuck)
Fire Nation and Thai Architecture
In the first episode of season two we see Uncle and Zuko at a spa in a Fire Nation colony in the Earth Kingdom. The architectural style of those houses is influenced by Thai architecture. Compare the shape of the roof, the ornamentation and the stilts.
A traditional Thai house is usually built as a cluster of physically separate rooms arranged around a large central terrace. The terrace is the largest singular part of the home. An area in the middle of the terrace is often left open to allow the growth of a tree through the structure, providing welcome shade. The tree chosen is often flowering or scented.
For more and better information:
Want one? also, image source
Pakku’s got dibs
on Katara since she’s wearing the matching piece!
