Showing posts tagged avatar: the last airbender
ATLA and LOK Merchandise Is it just me, or do they seem to utterly miss what fans would actually spend money on? I mean their stuff is kinda alright, but tbh I feel they could do so much better and make more money if they, you know, made a poll on... View high resolution

ATLA and LOK Merchandise

Is it just me, or do they seem to utterly miss what fans would actually spend money on? I mean their stuff is kinda alright, but tbh I feel they could do so much better and make more money if they, you know, made a poll on their website and asked us what we really want to buy.

Here’s what I want/would spend cash on:

  1. Chibi Plushies of the cast, including the animals
  2. Key chains and phone charms of the cast (not everyone has an iphone ffs)
  3. T-shirts that come in adult girl cut (babydoll?), dark colors and designs that are wearable in public without looking like I am 12.
    Yes, this is possible.     DIY instructions under the link.
  4. An annotated book (for lok and atla), or at least an art book (for lok) with some background info
  5. Jewellery e.g. I wouldn’t mind a FN watch, or an EK pendant, if they didn’t look made from cheap plastic.

Edited to add: Would it be too much to ask for nick to cooperate with a company like coffee-press, so that we could choose what we want their stuff on? Just throwing it out there.

What about you, what would you spend money on?

Dai Li or not Dai Li, that is the question

Has it ever struck you as odd how Quon just conveniently shows up and sweeps Uncle and Zuko off to the Upper Ring? I think that, if they are not Dai Li themselves, they definitely were send by them.

Why?

First of all, The Dai Li has files on everyone and Unlce and Zuko are not exactly low profile, no matter how hard they try. For one, Ozai made sure that Zuko’s face is rather recognizable. Secondly, Uncle laid siege, and breached Ba SIng Se’s defenses, when he was still called ‘Dragon of the West’. There is no way the Dai Li does not know what he looks like.

But why move them from Pao’s Tea House to the Upper Ring?

For one, it is safer. There are loads of refugees in the Lower Ring, many who have a valid grudge against the Fire Nation. It is only a matter of time before they’d get recognized, and that is without Zuko pulling idiotic stunts to impress girls. So taking them to the Upper Ring, where most people are unaffected by the war, makes things a lot safer for them. Also, with fewer people around, and two walls between them and freedom, makes it a lot easier for the Dai Li to keep track of them.

Secondly, they are valuable allies/pawns. Both, Zuko and Iroh, have legitimate claims to the Fire Nation throne. Who says Long Feng was not playing the long game, planning to spark a rebellion in the FN, or, at least, planned to ransom them to Ozai.

Lake Laogai - Prisons in the Real World

ATLA has, more than once, made strong commentary on China’s current and ongoing policy.

The Air Nomads genocide is the none too subtly disguised Tibet issue, and I want to point out and explain the second major one: Lao Gai Prison Camps.

Lao Gai is not a made up phrase or name. Lao 劳 Gai 改 is the abbreviation for Láodòng Gǎizào (劳动改造) “Reform Through Labor,” the slogan of prison labor camps in China (PRC) until 1990.

My three yuan: For a cartoon aimed at children ATLA touches on some very dark parallels, parallels whose real world issues remain unexplained, and go over the head of most of the target audience. 

I personally feel that when drawing from dark real world events/situations (especially if you are using the real term and are not substituting i.e. Air Nomads - Tibet vs. Lake Laogai), and if those events are not that well known to your audience, you are obligated to give context, be it in the form of interviews, the art book, on the website (there are loads of options). Why? Because it is disrespectful. Bad shit happened to real people, real people suffered in those camps and having fans off and online referring to said camps without knowing what they are saying is not cool.

.

For more information visit this website: Laogai Research Foundation

The Laogai as a Tool of Suppression

After the setup of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Laogai was established under the tutelage of Soviet experts, who – as was to be expected – used their knowhow of operating the Gulag camps.  The Gulag had been in existence since the 1920s.  In addition to a number of infrastructure projects, these experts helped the Chinese Communists to establish Qincheng Prison in Beijing Municipality in the 1950s.  Qincheng is isolated and highly secret.  Most inmates are political prisoners.  It was then designed and funded entirely by the Soviet Union.  In the early 1950s the news was widespread in China that there were 156 Socialist Construction Projects underway, fully supported by China’s “Big Brother” the Soviet Union.  The 156 projects included steel plants, railways, river dams, etc.  However, it was not until 40 years later that people learned there were actually 157 projects, not 156.  The 157th project was Qincheng Prison.  It was the first Laogai General Brigade in Beijing Municipality. 

After Stalin’s death in 1953, Kruschev condemned the Great Purge and accused Stalin of abusing his power, after which the Soviet Union under Khrushchev, Andropov and Brezhnev was very different from the Soviet Union of Stalin’s day.  Kruschev announced an end to talk of class struggle and class enemies, and many people were released from the Gulag.  The infamous Magadan Gulag camp, established in 1932, was shut down in 1956, after imprisoning around a million people.  

The Cabbage Merchant founded Cabbage Corp… Long Feng founded: Long Feng Crystal Cat Litter. I wonder if it glows green… And no, this is not photoshopped, this is an actual brand. Click me for source. View high resolution

The Cabbage Merchant founded Cabbage Corp…

Long Feng founded: Long Feng Crystal Cat Litter.  I wonder if it glows green…

And no, this is not photoshopped, this is an actual brand. Click me for source.

I was asked about Zuko’s workout vest: The shirt/jacket Zuko is wearing is a Tang Zhuang vest with a Mandaring collar and Chinese knot buttons. “ Tangzhuang 唐装 refers to the Chinese jacket that originated at the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911).... View high resolution

I was asked about Zuko’s workout vest:

The shirt/jacket Zuko is wearing is a Tang Zhuang vest with a Mandaring collar and Chinese knot buttons.

Tangzhuang  唐装 refers to the Chinese jacket that originated at the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). Tangzhuang evolved from Magua (马褂), a Manchu clothing, which was in turn adopted by the Han Chinese during Qing Dynasty. At that time, only noblemen, aristocracy and government officials were wearing it, however, in modern times it was eventually adopted by common people.

Image source: One

Uncle’s and Zuko’s Jobs in Pao’s Tea House Uncle’s job is Tea Maker i.e. 茶人 or 茶主 (but the second is a bit classier than Pao’s place has a chance of ever being). Zuko’s job, while technically being a waiter, would not be called ‘waiter’ 服务员 but 店小儿... View high resolution

Uncle’s and Zuko’s Jobs in Pao’s Tea House

Uncle’s job is Tea Maker i.e. 茶人 or 茶主 (but the second is a bit classier than Pao’s place has a chance of ever being).

Zuko’s job, while technically being a waiter, would not be called ‘waiter’ 服务员 but 店小儿 ’(shop) boy’.

It is a testament to Zuko’s patience that he did not burn down the tea house on day one XD

The teapot Pao is using is called Baekja jujunja 백자 주전자in Korean and Kyusu急須 in Japanese. It is also commonly used in Korea, but not in China. This type of teapot is used to brew green tea. If anyone knows what they are called in Korean, please let... View high resolution

The teapot Pao is using is called Baekja jujunja 백자 주전자in Korean and Kyusu急須 in Japanese.

It is also commonly used in Korea, but not in China. This type of teapot is used to brew green tea.


If anyone knows what they are called in Korean, please let me know. Thank you aynrandinaminiskirt:

The Kyusu is different with the traditional Korean teapot but the teapots differ from time to time. Teapots from the Koryo dynasty (about 900-1400 CE) are characterized as Chungja Jujunja 청자 주전자 (blue pottery teapots) where as teapots from the Chosun period are characterized as Baekja jujunja 백자 주전자 (white pottery teapots). The Kyusu aesthetically is similar to baekja jujunjas from the Chosun period.


This type of teapot is used in the Korean Tea Ceremony. Click here for demonstration.


History of the Teapot

Teapots were not used immediately upon the discovery of tea. From the 8th century CE, tea leaves were rolled by hand, dried and then ground into a powder. At first, this powder was mixed with salt and formed into cakes that would be dropped into bowls of hot water to form a thick mixture. Eventually the powder was left in its loose form, to be mixed in a bowl with boiling water and whipped into a froth.

This method of tea-making was introduced into Japan in the early 9th century CE. Tea was considered medicinal in both China and Japan for the next 500 years.At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in China, leaf infusion as we know it now became popular.

The earliest examples of teapots come from this period, made from the zisha, or “purple” clay, of the YiXing region of China.

Pottery in the YiXing tradition has been strong since the Sung Dynasty (960-1279); wares are valued for their fine texture, thin walls, and naturally beautiful coloration ranging from light buff to deep maroon tones.

The transition from drinking bowls to teapots was a smooth one. YiXing teapots were, and still are, used to brew tea as well as act as the drinking vessel – one sips directly from the spout of a single-serving pot.

YiXing teapots gradually season, the unglazed clay absorbing the flavor of brewed tea, making them a favorite choice for tea lovers.

Please note that the pot Pao is holding is oversized. All of the mentioned teapots are a lot smaller than what is used, in say the UK, to brew tea. Teapots in Asia are meant to brew the tea, not to keep it, or warm it. Teapots tend to be the size of a big orange.

Image source: One, two

Character name puns

eytancragg asked: can we get a post on how the names of people are kind of like in-jokes?

 This is only a list of the ones I can remember at the moment important ones, not comprehensive.

.

Momo - means ‘peach’ in Japanese. Named thus by Aang since he ate one.

Aunt Wu - 'Wu’ means witch in Chinese

Kuei - Kuei means puppet in Chinese, and the Last Emperor is also known as the 'Puppet Emperor’

Bumi - Bumi means earth in Indonesian

Ran and Shaw - the dragons are named ’ 燃烧 to combust, Ran - 燃 to burn
Shaw -烧 to roast ’ in Chinese.

Jeong Jeong - jiong jiong - jiong means fire in Chinese

Zhao - Zhao is a common family name in Chinese, it can also mean 'to set afire’.

(a lot of the FN names can be translated as fire/fire related)

Piandao - 騙到 to trick, dao can also mean knife/sword 刀
edited: Also a kind of sword and the typical Asian kitchen knife.

Tenzin Gyatso - is the name of the current Dalai Lama

Möngke - is the name of a Mongol Khan

Longfeng - long feng means Dragon and Phoenix, Emperor and Empress, royal principle in Chinese

Dai Li - is the name of the KMT head of secret police, it can also mean 'great strength’

Yue - 'yue’ means moon in Chinese

Suki - can mean 'like or love’ in Japanese, but also, if transliterated Tsuki (sounds similar), it means 'moon’. Sokka just can’t help dating the moon.

Laogai - was the name of real life prison camps in China

Click me for more

Hairstyles in ATLA - What they look like ‘movie style’ i.e. on real people.

Someone asked me, a while ago, on how to do either top knot.

1. You need long, not layered hair. Zuko’s hair in season three is way too short. Mine is past my shoulders and it barely works.

2. For either style: Gather hair into a high pony tail and the second to last time you pull the hair through, don’t all the way.

3. Tug the end around and then hide it underneath.

4. Fix with a leather band, ribbon, clip, another hair tie etc.

Tips: Straightening the hair first and copious amounts of gel or wax make this easier.

Note: This is NOT a wu dang top knot - that would be what The Boulder wears.

Ba Sing Se - Beijing - Shanghai

Photo comparison.

Image source: One, two: blog,  three: blog , four, five, six, seven