The Mountain Near Hama’s Village
A lot of the Fire Nation’s landscape is modeled on Iceland. Hama’s village is no exception. The mountain in the background is based on the Herðubreið mountain. (Art Book, p. 147)
Herðubreið (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈhɛrðʏpreiθ], broad-shouldered) is a tuya in north-east Iceland. It is situated in the Highlands of Iceland in the midst of the Ódáðahraundesert and close to Askja volcano.
Image source: One
Ozai the Bull Demon King of Confusion
What should have been an easy post ended up more complex than I thought when I started.
Ozai is dressed like the Bull Demon King from Journey to the West (compare picture).
Thing is, even though there are many illustrations that show the Bull Demon King dressed like that, that’s not how he’s described in the version of Journey to the West that I have. In fact, the only description that is given of the Bull Demon King is that he looks like a Bull.
Now what we do get in the text is a description of the Demon King of Confusion. Whose role Ozai is very clearly playing in Aang’s nightmare by confusing the pants off him.
On his head he wore a dark golden helmet,Glistening in the sun.On his body he wore a black silk gown,Flapping in the breeze.Below that he wore black metal armour,Girt with a leather belt.On his feet he wore patterned boots,As splendid as a field−marshal’s.His waist was ten feet round,And his height was thirty cubits.In his hand he held a sword,With gleaming point and edge.He called himself the Demon King of ConfusionAnd his appearance was truly dazzling. (1)
See how the description we get of the Demon King of Confusion in ‘Journey to the West’ also matches how Ozai looks in the nightmare.
So here’s what I think happened: All illustrations we see in Aang’s nightmare are in reference to particular shows. I just do not know which version of 'Journey to the West’ (or reinterpretation like Dragon Ball), they are referencing.
Aang’s Nightmares: Dragon Ball
The first of Aang’s nightmares looks like a Dragon Ball reference to me. Aang’s seems to have a case of Goku hair going on :D, but since I do not watch the show, can anyone tell me who Ozai is supposed to be?
I tried googling ‘dragon ball villains’ but that didn’t get me far …
Image source: One
?
Cat Owl Pun Alert
猫头鹰 is the Chinese name for ‘owl’. It translates, literally, into: Cat-headed eagle.
Yeaaaah…
The Harbin Ice Festival - Inspiration for the Northern Water Tribe City?
The Harbin Ice Festival is really pretty but also really, really cold. Colder than your freezer: -35C (-30F); so cold that a lot of digital cameras give up and stop working. Not really surprising, since the North East of China is under the direct influence of the Siberian wind.
Image Source: Click this link for tons of awesomely pretty pictures.
The annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (哈尔滨国际冰雪节) has been held since 1963. It had been interrupted for a number of years during the Cultural Revolution but had been resumed by 1985.
The festival starts January 5th and lasts one month. However the exhibits often open earlier and stay longer, weather permitting. While there are ice sculptures throughout the city, there are two main exhibition areas: Enormous snow sculptures at Sun Island (a recreational area on the opposite side of the Songhua River from the city) and the separate “Ice and Snow World” that operates each night. Ice and Snow World features illuminated full size buildings made from blocks of 2–3 feet thick crystal clear ice directly taken from the Songhua River. Winter activities in the festival include Yabuli alpine skiing, winter-swimming in the Songhua River, and the ice-lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden.
Five Flavor Soup
Hama made a traditional Southern Water Tribe dish for the Gaang: Five Flavor Soup. Five flavor spice or five spice is a real thing:
Five Spice usually consists of:
Five spice is a very popular flavor combo and there are loads of recipes in Chinese cooking that use it.
One of my favorite recipes using it is Marbled Tea Eggs:
Happy Year of the Snake :D
Image source: One
You couldn’t resist, could you …
“Only one man saw it (the spirit who steals people) and lived. That’s Old Man Ding.”
钉(Ding) means nail.
The Water Tribes: Cultural Difference, or War Damage?
Picture One: Southern Water Tribe: Hama’s memory, before the raids.
Picture Two: Three: Northern Water Tribe:‘The Waterbending Master’.
If you compare the two cities in the Northern and Southern Water Tribe, you will notice that not only the size but also the building styles are vastly different. Which got me wondering: Is this supposed to show the effect the war had on the Southern Water Tribe? The war the North did not participate in for more than 85 years (Siege of the North) and let their sister tribe take the brunt of?
Are we to assume that igloos are used as housing because they are quicker and easier to construct and take fewer benders? That the Southern Water Tribe would have a city constructed the same way as the North, but for the war. Or is this building style by cultural choice? That, yes, the South would have a bigger city but for the war, but the construction style would still be vastly different.
Communication (messenger) bird training classes
At sunrise at the post office
Each class/lesson (is) 3 copper pieces
傳訊鳥訓練班
日出時於郵政局集合
每課三銅板
Toph’s Wanted Poster
緝拿逃犯
當局懸賞一千金幣
緝捕十二歲女童她
喬裝盲人個子雖小
極之危險報訊即賞
Wanted
Authorities are offering a reward of 1000 gold coins
for the arrest of this twelve year old girl. She disguises
herself as blind, and even though she is small,
she is very dangerous. Information (that will lead to
her arrest) will be rewarded.
Note: The name “Runaway” is not mentioned in the poster. The first part translates into “Apprehend fugitives” i.e. “Wanted”
