#chinese inspired

[shuuenka]

[OC] Fei Bai Bing + art noveau

[gracelyngrausamkeit]

Han Zi was a court wizard and the Sun Empress' chosen representative in the Pilgrimage. A passionate poet, a lover of three wives and an opium addict, he was a sociable court celebrity with mysterious past. Rumors say that no one even remembers where he came from. Perhaps only the Empress remembers him before he became such a staple to Tianlong's high life.

I initially planned Han Zi to be more of a comedic character but he grew on me and I eventually decided to explore his past in-depth.

[t-t-tau-me]

Mystic Flour and Cultural Confusion: part 1 

Hello there, stranger. I see the smell of cookies has guided you through the white mist. Why don't you kick back and relax while I talk your ear off about the cultural significance of a baked good…

This is what I'm doing with my life.

So, Cookie Run: Kingdom. A game that starts with the tone of Dragon Tales and somehow mutates into Lord of the Rings territory (Which I love by the way). Cookie Run as a franchise has always had dozens of characters from all different walks of life, many of them inspired by our real world. Devsisters dedicate a lot of time and effort to getting the cultural significance of their characters and plot lines correct, and they do a pretty good job…

Mostly…(I ain't going anywhere near that until I get more research and opinions on it.) 

When pulling direct inspiration from a real-world culture and introducing it to an audience of a separate one, It can lead to a surprising amount of confusion. A good example of this would be when something originated in one culture, but is far more known in a different one, causing some people to believe that a certain thing only belongs to one culture.

Incomes the main subject of this post. (finally,) One of the first cookies baked! The hero of Volition turned beast of apathy! Put your hands together for Mystic Flour Cookie!

She's excited, I swear.

So…what does an overdesign treat have to do with what I just said? A lot actually. But alas, there's still one last thing I need to clarify, less I get mauled to death for not covering my bases.

Now, I'm not going to disclose the entirety of my identity as I care about my privacy. All you need to know is that I'm a minority in the Western hemisphere. The reason I feel it's important to disclose this is because people will use my identity, or lack thereof, to discredit anything I say, all because I MIGHT be some white guy in my 30s. One of the reasons for this behavior could be people trying to make sure someone isn't just trying to profit off of someone else's beliefs or culture, which I completely understand. I know what it's like when people attempt to use your identity just to benefit them in some sort of way, Even if it's not on the level of a religion or practice. It completely erases you as a person and just makes you an accessory.

However, the problem comes when you overdo it. I've seen a decent amount of people being attacked over interacting with cultures outside of their own, All because they don't fit the criteria of being enough of a certain ethnicity to do something. It's understandable to be mad when someone's making a mockery of what you care about, But it's entirely different when they're actively trying to learn and you still treat them horribly. It's kind of hard to learn about something when you're being told You're a monster for trying to do so.

To those who are curious or want to get in touch with your ancestry, You're still valid even if you don't breathe that culture every day. The only thing you really need is patience to learn and respect to understand.

Oh yeah, you're still here. (Whoops) 

The reason why Mystic Flour Cookie is important to this conversation is due to her cultural influence of Buddhism. Those who are at least somewhat familiar with the belief could probably pick up on the inspiration just by looking at her. (Keep in mind, children play this game so not everyone is going to know this.) From what I've seen, a sizable amount of people think Mystic flower is Chinese-inspired which…isn't wrong, But there's a bit more to it. I'll be showing quotes in links I used in my research, feel free to do your own digging. if you like.

Before I go ahead and start going into detail on Mystic Flour, I'm actually going to split up this post into 2 parts so it's easier for people to read. If you're interested you shouldn't have to wait long, and thanks for even bothering to read this.

[clatterbane]

Clatterbane's Half-Assed Noodle Bar is gearing up for business yet again tonight, on request after Mr. C picked up those noodles.

The plan is another batch of wide rice noodles in this basic seasoning style:

Made with what we've got on hand. Which in this case involves wide rice noodles (now soaking), a little leftover taco meat that needed used up (which should hopefully work fine with vaguely Sichuan flavors), a couple of eggs to bulk out the protein content, some more frozen "wok mix" with the green beans sorted out to the side, a handful of extra frozen green beans, and the ass end of a head of cabbage that also needed out of the fridge. Just micro-steamed the cabbage and beans a few minutes to streamline the noodle frying a tad.

That is a frozen-together lump of chopped garlic in the little takeout sauce cup with the ginger. It'll thaw out before I get to it.

Hopefully this will turn out not too bad, taco meat and all. The impromptu noodles usually do.

[amaiguri]

Saegenfolk Reworks -- How I'm thinking about my pastel-goth Chinese-Viking fusion culture

Okay, so, as some of you may know, I am working on updating my Saegen culture to have more elements of my birth culture -- cuz, I legit don't know enough about it so this is a great way to learn and then like... mind-palace it into my worldbuilding (yes, I just verbed "mind-palace"). And guess what? I just finished my first sketches of a rework of the whole culture!!! <3 <3 <3 I'm REALLY pleased, it's really reasonating with me now in a way Saegen culture NEVER was <3

So, let's go over what some of the different stuff is -- Top to bottom, left to right... And I AM open to feedback and thoughts and, in fact, I encourage it <3 I consent to advice!

First thing to notice is the Saegen now have a color scheme that isn't jewel-toned red and gold… because the SVANHIK people are red and gold. I experimented with Green and Teal for the Northern lights -- but Green felt really weird. It made them too elfy. And Teal is already Telethens' color. Nouveau Thuille is purple/navy blue/black… So instead of making the red more jewel-toned, I took it towards Cyberpunk Neon/Barbie pink. Why? This is Asarlai's color in their culture now. Asarlai is the father of humanity and god of magic (up North) So wearing pink is super fatherly, magical, and clever. We still have black because black plants just work good in these near-underground settings -- absorbing waaay more light. So now the Saegen aesthetic is now like… pastel-goth Chinese-Vikings.

Next, we have the FASHION! The fashion is very very specifically stolen from the silhouette of Hanfu, just with more fur and different materials. I imagine it being Rumateur wool, but also leather and dyed animal skins and maybe bamboo silks and so forth. We still have elaborate braids and wavy hair, but in my mind, their eyes are all like the Sakha people or something. They still use their hands to paint their faces -- typically for sunscreening/snow-glare/sea-glare reduction reasons as well as receiving Asarlai's blessing. And while Thuilleans prefer silver metals, they prefer gold. This is just a contrast thing.

Next next: Houses! They mostly build out of these silvery bamboo stalks that grow under the Upper Continent. I really like these tent-like silhouettes to their houses -- with littler tents stacked atop each other. They also have igloo-like, bulb-shaped homes for temp shelters! Their ships are like dragons with their wings and blade-armored fronts (mostly for ice, but also fighting). And some even ride small whale-landsharks with sealskin saddles ❤️

Weapons and tools wise: They're really well known for their Ysse lanterns (I mean, EVERYONE IS but for different reasons). Theirs are all a really pretty pink -- the "purest form of Ysse light" (Not really.) -- and have the teardrop bulb shape. But they look like these warm, nutrient restoring fungi that naturally grow (or probably a god put them there) in Saegenheim. They also have guns (which have magic bulbs that, when struck, blast out fire. So really, they're flamethrowers but I don't like the way that sounds lol). They also use these Tang-dynasty-inspired swords and poleaxes pretty commonly.

Animal and creature wise: Their rumateurs are much bigger and bulkier -- more cattle-like thanks to the flatter plains around Saegenheim -- than the more lithe, leapy rumateurs of the Nouveau Thuillean valley. They also keep artic bunnies (even though the're considered mild pests in Nouveau Thuille) as easy food and sometimes even hunt seals. However, they have to be super careful not to murder their selkie brethren -- it is generally wiser not-to hunt seals because they might be a selkie -- and instead just ask seals for their molted skins (which they molt in one, thick slough once a year) or milk to make cheese or kumis. Not-shown: They also heavily rely on Butterflies of the Heart for Honey, Wax, and Mead --because despite their name, they're actually bees.

Above the Saegenheim cave are these enclosed plains of black bamboo forests. A currently unnamed but critically important fungus grows in tandem with the bamboo and is part of the bamboo's natural life cycle. I'm not entirely sure, but maybe something like the bamboo grows up and starts putting out leaves to photosynthesize, to pump back into the ground. The fungus feeds on the bamboo but then helps it spread further and also, gives the bamboo nutrients back in the winter. And eventually, the fungus eats the dead stalks WHILE fixing the soil for the new growth?

Regardless, the Saegen people eat this fungus as one of their staple foods.

They also eat a ground-fungus that the rumateurs and bunnies eat up here that grows small and under the frost but VERY PERSISTENTLY, much to everyone's surprise (it's the 5" one). It also works with the bamboo and tree fungus to make this really weirdly balanced flow of nutrients in and out of the soil with the seasons.

The ground fungus is usually dried, ground up, and then used for soups or baked goods (like flat breads or meat loafs.) Meanwhile, the tree fungus is usually eaten without grining but still boiled/fried/baked OR dried and ground up and brewed to make coffee. ((This is where the Northerners get their coffee -- the coffee is a lie, they are perpetually drinking an American Civil War Confederate coffee substitute XDDDDD But at least their coffee usually has good protein, micronutrients, and caffeine-like substances, unlike real Civil War coffee substitute LOL))

So Saegenheim is now in the Womb of the World, (the environment sketch) taller and this tree-like fungus grows that is also edible and can act as a meat-substitute nutrient-wise BUT it grows much slower, so it is carefully monitored by the Sages so they don't fuck it up.

Speaking of the Womb of the World -- this warm, damp refuge in the otherwise hostile, VERY NORTHERN part of the tundra is a cave warmed by the specific way the permanent Ysse Springs interact with the stones here -- warming the cave to very liveable temperatures year round. The Sages of Saegenheim have built their home here to honor the Gods who brought forth all of humanity. However, most Saegenfolk do not live here year round -- they are semi-nomadic, in that they go to the same few places and settle for the season. Different royal families will lead their people to different places, but those who can afford it will return to winter in the safe, reliable Saegenheim to catch up on news and celebrate Godsweek. They hang new pink lanterns in the streets at the beginning of every new year.

And lastly, when they aren't in Saegenheim, the Saegenfolk are often sailing. And this means they are hunting whale-landsharks, sea serpents, shrimp, and artic carp (articarp, if you will XD).

Now this closeness of location and similarity of lifestyle and respect of the Sages and Gods may lead you to believe that the Saegens are cooperative, extended-family-oriented folks.

No.

Due to the harshness of the environment, a great deal of emphasis is placed on survivability and military. And when everyone is seeking to be better, then you cannot rest for even a moment or you will fall behind. If you are not young enough to be trying to get stronger/cleverer/better/more useful, then you better be teaching others to get there or you're useless. And useless things are to be cast off…

Every family has its own sort of military hazing rituals that involve ridiculously long, cruel, and unnecessary training hours. Admittedly, it's a well-rounded education but there are all these weirdly specific judgements about you, depending on what kind of instruments, weapons, poetry, and cooking recipes you know. And even though your extended family will provide you food and teach you and find your more private tutors as you grow up… you will be constantly compared to your cousins. If you are worse than even one, you are pressed like you are worthless. If you are better than all your cousins and siblings by 200%… why is it not 250%? 300%? You cannot ever be Enough in Saegen culture.

Unless you're a Sage. Sages are judged by entirely different standard. But the number of people who try to become Sages and fail is also… quite large.

Anyway, this might've been poorly organized AND I'm still thinking about all this so if you have thoughts or feedback, let me know ❤️

[sleeppyreader]

FREE AESTHETIC BACKGROUND USAGE

Created by : @skateboarding-pizza

Obligated: If used, please give credit @skateboarding-pizza

Optional: Reblog, Like, Comment, Share, or Follow

[nwpadaline]

Heavily inspired by a game I’ve been playing for about three days now… Fate of the Empress ✨

[ilromagnollo84]

"Parasol"

Shalom Harlow photographed by Nick Knight for Christian Dior (1997)

[lotusmoonbunni]

some fox taiyo from homebrew setting. The pink one is my partner’s oc (designed this for them) and the bottom is one of the partners to him. They are the parents of Ichigo

[thetroxa]

Let's post some old art to give my Tumblr something, my ocs Feng (blue) and Huang (red) XD

[redbeanbunsworld-if]

Added the link to the Discord Server <3

Introduction - Tears of Tianchao

Interactive fiction - Tears of Tianchao

DEMO / Patreon / Discord

Latest update: June 30, 2024

After a decade from your home nation of Tianchao, you become Xiaowei Mao in the army involved in the intranational civil war called "DaiZai-Yige." You are sent by the Emperor of Zhongguog to another emperor to restore an ancient power from the late god Heibao. Your mission: kill the Holder of the Mark of Heibao. When caught in an unplanned, "attempted" assassination of the prince, you are thrown into a fight for life and death, traversing through the treacheries of civil war, betrayal, and honor. What was a simple assassination had only turned more sinister. Met in the face of human trafficking, political agendas, and with no one to trust, you uncover the untold lies of those involved in the fight. Will you be able to survive the wrath of the Holder of the Mark of Heibao till you earn his trust, or will you fall into the pits of death?

Tears of Tianchao is an ongoing interactive fiction with over 161,000+ words (excluding code) with tons of flavor text, 5 distinct personalities, and 6 ROs to choose from. Following the war as a Xiaowei, a high-positioned commander of an army and influential court official, every decision you make holds weight, and nothing is as it seems.

This is an 18+ interactive fiction containing graphic violence, gray morality, abuse, drugs, sexual content, and many more triggering content. Please proceed with caution and read the trigger/content warnings in the start menu of the game. Thank you.

Features

Choose to be a female or male Xiaowei.

Have any sexuality: gay, lesbian, straight, ace, or bi

Choose to romance the elites of the the war or share an unforgettable friendship.

Navigate between two sides of a civil war and use wits to satisfy both sides in favor of the one you choose: Empire and Rebel

Subdue the prince's suspicion or face the consequences.

Master martial arts, keen perception, and charisma to influence major decisions.

Gather information and learn about the nation of eternal spring, Tianchao, and deal with the corruption that plagues the dying land.

Character list

List of short stories and drabbles

Available Patreon Content

1. Ji Qiangxin HD Wallpaper + Art

2. Mo Ge HD Art

3. Luo Ying HD Art

4. Interactive Short Story: As the Green Willow Wilts

Lore Compilation

The Clearance

Song of Liberty

Crimson Festival

The Mark of Heibao

Massacre of Desert

(Click the link above)

Romances

RO Main Portraits (full portrait list under each RO)

Ji Qiangxin (he/him)

[only romanceable with an mmc + special route available if fmc (not romance)]

character profile

character official portrait/art

Known as: Heibao prince; exiled low-born; The Jian of XueHua

"This was not spoken by this prince as of yet, but before you leave, know this: betray me once, and not even Ji Yang-Guang can save your throat."

As the current holder of the Mark of Heibao, Ji Qiangxin was the next crown prince of Tianchao before his uncle took the throne. Fueled by his thirst for vengeance and the prosperity of his nation, the cold and intimidating prince believes that the imperial family of Tianchao must fall, and nothing will get in his way. He will use all means, even killing, if that is what it takes to restore peace, and that includes you—a Xiaowei sent as an assassin of Zhongguog. No one can temper the burning iron heart, and he never believes any can.

Ji Shenglian (she/her)

Character profile

character official portrait/art

[only romanceable with an fmc]

Known as: Lotus Princess; Grand Keeper of the South

"As the only princess of Tianchao, I have a duty, but sometimes, I do wonder if my birth was a mistake, just as Zhongguog and the current imperial family believe."

Benevolent and strikingly beautiful, Ji Shenglian is the only living princess with the blood of the imperial family in both Zhongguog and Tianchao. As the head magician of the rebel forces, she plays an integral role in war in secrecy, and foes tremble under her powerful manipulation of soul energy. Under the guise of the lychee eyes and delicate smile, she holds a fervent spirit and utmost loyalty to her brother, but even behind the shadows of him, a most humane and sincere desire burns brights.

Wu Shen (he/him)

character profile

character official art/portrait

Known as: Green snake; Peddler

"Yeah, I don't give a shit as long as I'm payed. If that prince can pay, that's all. Hmm? Don't I feel guilty for ditching others? Hahaha! You sure are funny."

Snarky and charming with skills of disguise, Wu Shen uses his looks and slippery tricks to get what he wants. Being the main spy of the rebel forces, he knows all the right places and people, and every dirty secret never escapes his ears. With a great lust for money and luxuries, he will willingly betray others if the price is right, but when he truly opens his heart, not even the world is enough for him to sacrifice those that he loves.

Fu Xiuying (she/her)

character profile

Character official portrait/art

Known as: Pinnacle lady; woman with the golden tongue

"Do I really look that sly? Hehe, you haven't see the worst. Or...do you want to see it? I may be intelligent and elegant, but don't let it fool you, little fox."

Bold like a cat with a spiked tongue, Fu Xiuying is a woman of little words but many schemes. Born into a famed clan of scholars and poets, her skills in politics are unrivalled more so after serving as the handmaiden of the current empress. She keeps her friends close, and her enemies at her fingertips. As the main intelligence gatherer of the rebellion, she is fiercely loyal to her nation and wishes to see a better world. Outside, she appears to be as lovely as a flower, but under her elegant nature, a beast lies dormant.

Mo Ge (he/him)

character profile

character art/official portrait

character

Known as: Scholar of a thousand years; Favored of Highest

"It's been too long, old friend. You've grown, just as I did, and we're no longer kids. I hope to form a diplomatic relationship, no matter what our past was."

Upright and soft-hearted, Mo Ge is the tutor of the imperial prince of the current family. Well-spoken and skilled in all areas of philosophy, science, and arts, he is one of the most skilled man in the history of Tianchao, and the youngest to be an imperial tutor and imperial secretary. People around him comment about the dried mandarin peels he carries in a small box. He is diplomatic and kind, and he is willing to sacrifice himself for the one he loves most.

Luo Ying (she/her)

[only romanceacble with an mmc]

character profile

Character official portrait/art

Known as: Scorpion Courtesan; Lady Misfortune

"So you are the Xiaowei. I don't know what I expected, but aren't you a bit too stupid to be one? I heard that that Xiaowei Mao was smart, but if so, how come you don't know me?"

Uncouth, violent, and rude. Hostile towards anyone, and unforgiving to enemies, she relishes to see them in pain. Despite all this, she is a vulnerable spirit. Easily flustered, a classic tsundere, and a bit heartless with words, she easily falls for candid people and lets her guard down when faced with such pure, unfiltered person.

(Demo: 19th October 2022)

[shuuenka]

i keep forgetting things, so. i made this.

[sffinsiders]

Review: A Song To Drown Rivers by Ann Liang — SFF Insiders

[kalliforniaa]

Enclosed - Traditional Living Room Inspiration for a large, traditional, enclosed living room remodel with white walls, a wood fireplace surround, and no television.

[clatterbane]

The half-assed noodle bar is back in business tonight!

We had that bag of refrigerated stir fry vegetable mix which needed to be used up ASAP, after somebody at ICA concluded that it would make a great substitute for out-of-stock frozen broccoli. (?) Also, about a quarter of a head of cabbage that I sliced up with some onion and stashed in a bag earlier.

We also had a big open jar of the Lao Gan Ma black bean chili oil, so yum why not?

Mr. C forgot to buy some fresh ground pork earlier, so I said fuck it and quickly fried/cut up some frozen burger patties. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Put around 200g/half a pound of rice vermicelli on to soak for a little while, and I should be able to throw together something edible.

Vague plan: more or less a mashup between these two dishes, using similar Sichuan-inspired seasoning but with an evaporation rice noodle cooking method. I've followed that basic approach multiple times before, and it's always turned out pretty good.

Some additional seasoning stuff over to the side in Mr. C's the counter clutter. Yay, frozen chopped garlic and ginger! 😎

There's a tablespoon of GF oyster sauce too, in the Pyrex cup with a couple tablespoons of soy sauce and some water. The dry powder seasoning cup has some beefy bouillon powder, black pepper, and just a touch of sugar.

Cooking underway! With the kettle of hot water on standby once the soaked noodles go in very shortly. I just eyeball the liquid by now.

Finally ready! With some of the sriracha and sesame oil added toward the end to taste, along with the meat. Now it will be better if it sits for about 10 minutes with the lid on, to soak up the little bit of surface moisture left.

Also, some of the ever-popular around here crispy fried onions to sprinkle on the bowl. Partly because we were out of green onions. It's all good.

Not exactly the prettiest, but hey. It did turn out pretty satisfying. With actual fresh vegetables and everything. 😁 A lot of which did visually blend in with the spicy noodles, of course.

[mikuyuuss]

What I love about Mitsuri’s fighting style is how she reminds me of a Ribbon Dancer so I drew her as one!