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Fire Nation Colony Spa: Incense Burner

At the spa, at the beginning of season two, we see two incense burners in the background. Incense is not only burned at temples for worship but also has medicinal uses.

Incense in China is traditionally used in a wide range of Chinese cultural activities including, religious ceremonies, ancestor veneration, traditional medicine, and in daily life. Known as xiang  香 (literally “fragrance”), incense was used by the Chinese cultures starting from Neolithic times with it coming to greater prominence starting from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties.

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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:

Classic Thai: design, interiors, architecture by Chami Jotisalikorn,Luca Invernizzi Tettoni,Phūthō̜n Phūmathon,Virginia McKeen Di Crocco

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