#only thing connecting these two is being in ancient China

[passions-and-pupils]

Screw you! Ima Journey To The West your SVSSS

In order of confidence (I'm only confident about the first two TBH)

Shen yuan- Tripitaka (teacher, reincarnated, always being put in situations/ damseled, unlikely protagonist)

Binghe- Sun Wukong (overpowered, rebellious, shonen protagonist energy, always saving their teacher, more physically powerful than teacher, lead by emotion)

Shen Jiu- Master Subodhi (abuses his most powerful disciple, thinks he is doing what's best, banishes most powerful disciple

System- Guanyin (orchestrated all of this, sometimes comes in to get Shen Yuan/Tripitaka out of situations)

Yue Qingman- White horse dragon (powerful and important but you forget he exists)

Shang Qinghua and Liu Qingge combined- Pigsy (coward, base instincts, always fighting Wukong/Binghe,)

Mobei Jun- Sha Wujing (strong, buff, blue, that's all I got)

Yue Qingman- White horse dragon (powerful and important but you forget he exists)

[szynkaaa]

This is my first time asking but I'm going to ask anyway (and English is not my native language) I'm curious to know how your OC and the destined one met (I mean how was their first interaction)

hi hi! thank you so much for your ask, this is the first time I have received one about my OC <3

probably something like this (read right-to-left)

Gonna use this chance to talk a bit more about my AU lol

Wrote in a separate post here that Oz has met Sun Wukong before when she was a child and he was buried under the mountain.

So when she got whisked back into fantasy ancient China, she landed where Yuan Shoucheng aka Gourd Grandpa (the old man carrying a big gourd on his back) was already waiting there for her. He foresaw her arriva. The vague gist of my AU is that the the reason why this Destined One succeeds in retrieving all artifacts and becomes SWK is because he is also sort of the manifestation of that childish promise 5-years-old Oz made that she will save SWK one day (from under the mountain but clearly that didn't happen lol). But also since her ancestor is from this world, her descendants were fated to return back here one day.

Gourd grandpa updates her on her ancestors and their roles in the Celestial Court and the shitstorm that happened that ultimately let to the clan being massacred and one person escaping to "our" world, where magic doesn't exist and all those people are just characters from myths and stories. But also her ancestor isn't the only person that traversed through the two worlds - over the centuries more have come and gone. This is also why people in her world have those myths and deities. In my AU Wu Cheng'en also escaped from fantasy ancient China into her world and then wrote Journey to the West. He took artistic liberty to change some things for his novel, hence some things in BMW are different than in JTTW (like the ZBJ and violet spider love story or how SWK had a romance with White Bone Demon).

Anywayyy, Oz task on the adventure is to document their journey together, and she is responsible for using the magical gourd to suck in the will of the defeated bosses in.

And 2-3 days later the Destined One shows up. I don't think Oz was very happy about leaving gourd grandpa and join the Destined One on his travel, but if he is her best chance to find a way back home to see Taylor Swift live, then she will do it.

The Destined One is indifferent to mildly annoyed about this, but doesn't protest too much, as long as she doesn't slow him down yadda yadda. I do think that DO did feel some sort of special connection to her, because he is sort of a manifestation of that promise. it doesn't really take long for him to get used to her and also to care for her. One of Sun Wukong's massive core trait is that he cares so much for his loved ones and does not hesitate to do the impossible for them, and I like to imagine that even though SWK senses have been split into 6 different parts, the caring part stayed with each Destined One reincarnation.

[journeytothewestresearch]

Japanese Monkey God

User @red-lights-burning asked if there was a connection between Sun Wukong and the monkey gods of Japan. They provided lovely info, which was split between two asks, but I decided to put everything together into a single post.

@red-lights-burning asked: Japan has their own monkey protector named Masaru AKA Sannō Gongen, who was created back in the early 9th century by Tendai Buddhist sect founder Saichō shortly after he returned from China. So it makes me think if Monkey King was already a thing in the 800’s and if he was one of the inspirations for Masaru. A description from onmarkproductions (a really great site for anyone curious about Japanese Buddhism and Shintō) MASARU 神猿 Literally “Kami Monkey.” Masaru is the sacred monkey and protector of the Hie Shrine (aka Hie Jinja 日吉神社, Hiyoshi Taisha 日吉大社). The term “Masura” is often translated as “excel,” reflecting the belief that this sacred monkey can overcome all obstacles and prevail against all evil. Masaru is thus considered a demon queller par excellence (魔が去る・何よりも��る). In the Heian era, Masaru (also translated “Great Monkey”) was invoked in Kōshin rituals to stop the three worms from escaping the body. Masaru also appears in Japanese scrolls used in Koushin rites. Here’s a couple other descriptions SANNŌ GONGEN 山王 権現 SARUGAMI 猿神 Fertility, Childbirth & Marriage Monkeys are patrons of harmonious marriage and safe childbirth at some of the 3,800 Hie Jinja shrines in Japan. These shrines are often dedicated to Sannō Gongen 山王権現 (lit. = mountain king avatar), who is a monkey. Sannō is the central deity of Japan’s Tendai Shinto-Buddhist multiplex on Mt. Hiei (Shiga Prefecture, near Kyoto). The monkey is Sannou’s Shinto messenger (tsukai 使い) and Buddhist avatar (gongen 権現). The monkey messenger is also known as Sarugami (猿神; literally “monkey kami”). Sarugami is the Shinto deity to whom the three monkeys (hear, speak, see no evil) are reportedly faithful. The monkey shrine at Nakayama Shrine 中山神社 in Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, is dedicated to a red monkey named Sarugami, who blesses couples with children. According to shrine legends, the local people at one time offered human sacrifices (using females) to this deity. The shrine is mentioned in the Konjaku Monogatari-shu (今昔物語集), a collection of over 1000 tales from India, China, and Japan written during the late Heian Period (794-1192 AD). Sarugami, like Sannou Gongen, is also worshipped as the deity of easy delivery and child rearing. At such shrines, statues of the monkey deity are often decked in red bibs -- a color closely associated with fertility, children, and protection against evil forces and diseases like smallpox.

My answer:

I've read only a little bit about Japanese monkey gods. I previously referenced Sarugami in my article about the possible shamanic origins of primate-based boxing in China. Part of footnote #14 reads:

In Japan, monkeys were also associated with horses and healing via the warding of evil. Apart from monkeys being kept in stables like their Chinese counterparts, their fur was applied to the harnesses and quivers of Samurai because the warriors believed it gave them more control over their mounts. Furthermore, monkey body parts have been consumed for centuries as curative medicines, and their hides have even been stuffed to make protective amulets (kukurizaru) to ward off illness. Likewise, a genre of painting depicts divine monkeys (saru gami), messengers of the mountain deity, performing Da Nuo-like dances to ensure a good rice harvest (Ohnuki-Tierney, 1987, pp. 43-50)

The aforementioned article suggests a connection between monkeys and the Shang-Zhou Da Nuo (大儺 / 難; Jp: Tsuina, 追儺) ritual, an ancient, war-like, shamanic animal dance designed to drive away demonic illness and influences. The pertinent section reads:

It’s possible that the “twelve animals” of the Da Nuo exorcism refer to some precursor of the Chinese zodiacal animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig). If true, monkey fur could have been among the animal products worn by the ritual army. After all, monkeys have long been associated with curing illness and expelling evil in East Asia. [14] A modern example of exorcists who don monkey fur are the shamans of the Qiang ethnic group of Sichuan. The Qiang worship monkeys as the source and savior of their sacred knowledge, as well as the progenitor of their people, the latter being a myth cycle common among ethnic groups of Tibet and southwestern China.

This is the only relevant info that comes to mind. But based on what I know, I would guess that Sun Wukong and the monkey gods of Japan draw upon the same cultural sources. I hope this helps.

Source:

Ohnuki-Tierney, E. (1987). The Monkey as Mirror: Symbolic Transformations in Japanese History and Ritual. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

[getami]

" Jujutsu in the Kaisen " - What that world means and who are they for real?

This topic has intrigued me for quite some time. During my university years—which are still ongoing—one of our Japanese text-reading classes featured a passage about the Jōmon period. The text mentioned jujutsu and the jujutsushi (shamans). Of course, I was already reading the manga by then, and it was around the time the second season came out, so I actively started researching. Below is what I found.

Let’s begin with a brief kanji overview: 呪術 (Jujutsu)

呪 – SPELL

Reading: Ju

Its core meanings include “spell,” “curse,” “charm,” or “prayer,” often used in connection with malevolent or supernatural things. It belongs to the kango family (meaning it came from China), which is used for traditional terms. Fun fact: During the Heian period, Chinese influence was huge, and this was when most Chinese kanji flowed into Japan, giving us yet another hidden Heian reference from the mangaka. This is also a compound kanji, meaning it was created by combining two smaller kanji in ancient China—the kanji for “mouth” and “brother,” which forms yet another wordplay. The “brother” (which could refer to a monk or shaman) casts a spell or curse through his mouth. One long-standing issue with shounen anime is that characters always have to say their attack names, which can seem cheesy, but not in Jujutsu Kaisen. Gege solves this by introducing the legend of shamans, who could only cast spells through their spoken words, thus creating a logical basis for why attack names must be spoken aloud.

術 – TECHNIQUE

Reading: Jutsu

It is most commonly used to mean “art,” “technique,” “method,” or “skill,” especially in contexts requiring some level of expertise or technical knowledge. It’s also a kanbun word and another compound kanji, though in a slightly different way than the previous one—this might deserve a separate article. It’s used frequently, not just in the word jujutsu (which refers to the technique of magic), but also appears in Naruto, where the same kanji forms part of ninjutsu. You’ll also find it in more sophisticated words like bijutsu, which refers to the fine arts. But enough linguistics—let’s move on to who the jujutsushi were.

JUJUTSUSHI:

The jujutsushi of the Jōmon period (ca. 14,000 BCE – 300 BCE) were not specific historical figures, but rather a term referring to the practitioners of jujutsu. However, jujutsu here should not be understood as a modern martial art, but in its original meaning, referring to the art of curses or magic.

The jujutsushi (呪術師) were individuals who practiced magic, rituals, curses, and spiritual activities. In the Jōmon period, these people were likely spiritual leaders, shamans, or healers who maintained a connection with the natural and spiritual worlds. During this era, people believed only in nature and the things around them, and these shamans were responsible for ensuring the mental well-being of the tribes. They were thought to possess the ability to foresee the future, return from the dead, and influence the weather. In other words, they were considered omnipotent. This is especially interesting because we’re dealing with a time far before the Heian period—the Jōmon can be considered Japan's prehistoric age. Isn’t it fascinating that Heian-era Sukuna could only be defeated by magic much older than his own? In my humble opinion, this is a brilliant idea.

When discussing the Heian period, even 20 volumes would not suffice to fully explore the various magics and shamanism, but since we’re focusing on Jujutsu Kaisen, I’ll highlight two key spiritual traditions:

The first is incredibly interesting in its own right, as it not only inspired JJK but also countless other anime, manga, and games. It’s none other than Onmyōdō and the Onmyōji. One of the most significant spiritual traditions of the Heian period, Onmyōdō (陰陽道), developed from Chinese yin-yang philosophy and astrology. The onmyōji (陰陽師) were sorcerers or spiritual advisors who served the aristocracy and the imperial court. Their duties included exorcising evil spirits, performing rituals to bring good fortune, observing celestial movements, and conducting curse-breaking ceremonies. The onmyōji can be seen as the jujutsushi of the Heian period, as they too dealt with spiritual defense and magical techniques. Some of you may know that the Heian period was named after the capital city of the time, Heian (modern-day Kyoto), so it’s not far-fetched to assume that both spiritual traditions originated from there. And speaking of jujutsu techniques from the Tokyo school, those are more rooted in Buddhist foundations. Megumi’s shikigami also come to mind, which are not particularly Buddhist, but then I remembered that he comes from the Zenin clan, which is based in Kyoto—so we’re still on track.

The second tradition was more Buddhist and spiritual during the Heian period, known as Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyō). Another major spiritual and magical system in the Heian period was esoteric Buddhism, associated with the Shingon and Tendai Buddhist schools. Priests performed intricate rituals and magic aimed at relieving human suffering and banishing evil spirits. The ceremonies often involved reciting mantras, using mudras (hand gestures), and employing mandalas. This tradition utilized mudras, which can be understood as hand gestures. Many characters in the series use this symbolic system. I wonder if you’ve noticed the sequence of mudras shown one after another in the second opening of the second season?

One last FanFact and that's it for today:

In Esoteric Buddhism, protective deities like Fudō Myōō (Acala) are common. These deities are strong, warrior-like protectors who can be invoked through rituals for protection. Similar defensive techniques also appear in Jujutsu Kaisen, such as the Domain Expansion (領域展開, Ryōiki Tenkai) techniques, which create a user-controlled territory. These resemble the ritualistic circles and protective symbols used in Esoteric Buddhist practices. In Jujutsu Kaisen, these techniques often involve spiritual or magical power to defeat opponents within the controlled area.

That's it for today! This topic might be worth a second part in the future, but we'll see. Do you have any questions? If there's any topic about Jujutsu Kaisen you're curious about, feel free to reach out to me!

Yo,

Getami 2024.09.29

[abwatt]

Diviners: what are you reading

Fortune tellers, diviners, tarotists, astrologers, geomancers, bones-throwers, rune-readers... what are you reading??

I’ve heard tell, recently, of someone who got a reading from a Tarot card reader. The client came in with questions about their business.... and the Tarot card reader answered with advice about the gods and spirits, and connecting with the ancestors.  They talked in numbers of disks and singular swords, and emperors and Devils.

Umm.

My friend was bewildered. And angry to be out $45.  And lacked advice — actionable advice — about how to manage a deteriorating relationship with a business partner.

OK, I get it — I myself have shelves that are bending and sloping under the weight of tarot card decks and books about astrology.  I have piles of workbooks and guides to being a better astrologer. And I’m certainly interested in gods and myths and legends of spirits, and how to do magic to make them help you get what you want.  If you’re anything like me, THAT’s on your bookshelves, too.

BUT.

I read eight to ten books about business — about sales, about administration, about marketing and advertising, about business design — every year.  I read two or three biographies of historical persons (partly to pick them apart for astrological purposes, partly because real people are interesting).  I read five to six books about magic, because you have to keep your skills and techniques up-to-date, and know whether or not you’re doing stuff right.  I read three or four books about history (ancient and modern) to have examples to draw on in consultations with clients.  I read four or five how-to books (and devour YouTube educational content) on sewing, embroidery, woodworking, and more, every year.  As my parents (and I) age, I’m reading more books about health and medicine, too.

And because I’m cis-, and white, and straight, and male, I read books by and about and for women, queer people, women of color, men of color.  I read books by non-Americans, too, and try to get a sense of the world beyond my state and nation: geopolitics, the economics of South America, the logistics routes that make T-shirts and jeans in the US possible.  

In ancient times, the laws of the city of Delphi, home of the most famous oracle in the Mediterranean, simply required that only a woman could sit on the tripod in the adyton and prophesy.  By the Classical era, it was required that she be a married woman with children, in her fourth decade — someone who knew something of the world, and knew its pitfalls and challenges, as well as its opportunities. 

Please don’t get me wrong — if you’re nineteen, or fifteen, and starting to learn a form of fortune-telling or divination, that’s fine.  You don’t have to be married and in your forties to start.  You don’t even have to wait for someone to give you a tarot deck or a pack of runes.  

But PLEASE —widen the horizon of what’s valuable knowledge for a diviner. It’s not just the official meanings of the cards in the little white book.  It’s ALL the other reading and information you’re carrying around in your brain: the things you learned in summer camp about making Friendship Bracelets and the class about computer programming; the obsessive binge-watching of every documentary about China you could find; the map you drew in your journal in math class of who was kissing whom; the lemonade stand you ran with your cousin during the family reunion; the book you borrowed from the library about how to write a novel.   Fortune-telling, divination, is a weird method for deciding what information you carry around in your head is relevant to a given conversation with a client or a friend.  But feed that head.  Locked up inside that head is a treasure-house of experiences, and the more you put in there, the more that you will be able to unfold to a client in the course of a consultation.

[beardedmrbean]

[Huey Zoomer Anon]

You know the talks about Arab colonialism and such https://www.tumblr.com/beardedmrbean/751049712890773504

Well…it not in the curriculum…the none white ones Americans are only taught are half ass explanations of the Han empire, Aztec, and imperial Japan

With Assassin Creed Revelations taking place in 1511-1513 Ottoman Empire, that probably when a lot of Americans learn about it

Not the mention it also where I learn that Vlad the Impaler lived during the renaissance (okay that should been obvious but they constantly separated the two) and such

Also I said they before…the left knows that…modern mena people are..descended from the earliest known empires such as the Akkadians, Babylonians, and such? How can’t the Arab be conquerors when they claim to be descended from such old civilizations?

Also the far leftists they only consume stuff based off European/American imperialism with ATLA the only one using imperial China and Japan as inspiration for the fire nation

And because the woke Arabs conveniently leave out their ancestors imperialism vs the whole guilt people. The left are confused for some goddamn reason how Arab could be colonizers…unless they presumed that Ancient Israel was destroyed like Atlantis or something…

Well…it not in the curriculum…the none white ones Americans are only taught are half ass explanations of the Han empire, Aztec, and imperial Japan.

Oddly (or not) it's not even all the white ones, the Russian empire gets left out a lot too, big thing most people know about "early™" Russia is Czar Nicholas and his family being murdered by revolutionaries, the Anastasia story and Ra Ra Rasputin.

We do touch on the Aztecs now here, but I'm in CA and for some reason the state education board thought it would be important to the Latino students to learn about a culture that existed in the southern 1/3 of the land mass known now as Mexico that the overwhelming majority of them have no real connection to.

I don't know if the curriculum includes the whole slavery and human sacrifice thing, but it should if it doesn't.

With Assassin Creed Revelations taking place in 1511-1513 Ottoman Empire, that probably when a lot of Americans learn about it

I can't for the life of me remember any lessons on the ottoman empire, I learned more from a episode of Young Indiana Jones Chronicles than I can remember learning in school, which really feels like a silly thing to have left out.

Not the mention it also where I learn that Vlad the Impaler lived during the renaissance (okay that should been obvious but they constantly separated the two) and such

I blame Hollywood for this one, as historical people go he's one that wouldn't have showed up on too many people's radars if not for the book and movies that tend to get the timing wrong a whole lot.

Also I said they before…the left knows that…modern mena people are..descended from the earliest known empires such as the Akkadians, Babylonians, and such? How can’t the Arab be conquerors when they claim to be descended from such old civilizations?

There's lunatics everywhere, got ding dongs that think the original occupants of the Americas were black, it's very easy to twist things to fit the narrative you want as long as you're ok with ignoring a lot of factual evidence in the process.

Also the far leftists they only consume stuff based off European/American imperialism with ATLA the only one using imperial China and Japan as inspiration for the fire nation

Gotta be more than that, granted I could be totally wrong and that's about it, but the whole part of localization in a attempt to make things more appealing to the widest possible audience aimed at the US or western Europe will inevitably be more geared toward that audience, that is changing up here and there and folks are branching out in places, but it's slow going because failure is incredibly expensive.

And because the woke Arabs conveniently leave out their ancestors imperialism vs the whole guilt people. The left are confused for some goddamn reason how Arab could be colonizers…unless they presumed that Ancient Israel was destroyed like Atlantis or something…

The darkened area is Arabia, which is named that because that's where the Arabic people come from, everywhere else they are is somewhere they migrated to, which is a totally normal thing that humanity does

As for ancient Israel, it was kinda destroyed by Rome in the first century AD, Byzantines let them rebuild some I think but the area was sparsely populated for a while, much of the Jewish population had been forced into diaspora but there were still a lot of them there too as well as the Samaritan remnants of the northern kingdom and then in 634 AD

And then for reasons that I can only think were malicious they built a mosque on top of the holiest site for the global Jewish population and then appropriated a large % of their prophets and patriarchs. __________________

Circling back round to the start, I'll finish with a the way world history is taught in the US (and likely other countries) is woefully lacking in many places and needs to be retooled for the good of everyone.

[alexanderflowerbird]

DAY 12

Ahh! Late again! I did write yesterday, mind, but I spent my evening with some of the folks in my writing group talking about one of their projects because they were stomped on some plot beats and we were working together to inspire them and come up with options for them to work with. It was SO MUCH FUN, and I'm so excited to see what they do with the story after this boost of inspiration! But literally after that? Went right the fuck to sleep lol. So here I am, having woken up at 4:30 AM to report on yesterday's progress lol.

I have curated my playlist for Blood Sun Territory, and it is really helping me get all of my ideas in order, and yesterday, I worked chronologically so I'm on chapter two of BST and Malachi is finding his way in the world, figuring out a game plan to get back to Felina and Mercedes. Along the way, he's having these small interactions and I honestly love writing stuff like this. I love an impactful moment between strangers. I love a sudden feeling of connection. I love a random act of kindness, even if the person isn't nice at the same time, because nice and kind are not the same thing.

It was such a pleasure to hang out with my friends and talk about the art we create together. It makes it all worth it to keep working, when people who's work you admire and respect are invested, and proud, and curious, and want to see you keep going. I am that person for a lot of people, but I have those people for me too, and man. What a gift it is. <3 I know I wax poetic about it a lot in these entries lol, but like, times are hard! It would be easy, had been easy in the past, to go to work, come home, lay down and despair. Having no real support can really kill a part of you that's vital to being the beautiful person you are. I'm glad I'm rediscovering this part of me after so much hardship. My love language? It's creation, baby lol Taglist: @tragedycoded @thelittlestspider @theskeletonprior @badscientist

If you'd like to be part of my taglist, please interact with this post!

His first home, temporary as it is, is the Clover Hotel. It’s old, but the property seems to be something of a dearly loved personal project, a building that could probably be bulldozed and forgotten but that someone with money to their name refuses to see it die like so many other classic old businesses in the city. It doesn’t have doors that open on their own or a pristine, sterile lobby like the big name hotels that are slowly swallowing up the market. It has a regular door that pushes in and has a twinkling brass bell over it. It has old sofas and an ancient but freshly varnished coffee table on one side of the space for guests to enjoy tall, west facing windows and a view that isn’t some dull, bricked up alley way but instead a small garden full of hydrangeas and herbs and the occasional bright pop of small sunflowers. He approaches the front desk, and smiles with what he hopes is a convincing level of charm at the older asian woman occupying the desk. She looks at him and smiles back. 

“Hello! Welcome, room?” Her accent is charmingly thick and a refreshing sound when Malachi has been so used to punchy east coast accents and traipsing southern drawls, American accents born from the very land. This woman, her name tag says ‘Suzy’, and her voice reminds Malachi that there’s a whole world that exists, not just this city or even this state. Maybe to find Felina and Mercedes, he’ll have to go across an ocean, see a whole new place. He’d never traveled outside of the country growing up. He nods at her question and imagines what it might be like if he discovers Felina has taken Mercedes to live in China. 

He only has backdrops in his mind that come from old kung fu movies and pictures in books, but it’s still a pretty thought and thanks to Felina’s impossible, unanticipated kindness, his mind doesn’t crumple up the vision and add it to the pile of scenarios where he faces total, devastating rejection. His anxiety does get a word in though as he imagines China’s sleek modern cities, its ancient misty mountains and beautiful villages. He has no idea how much it would cost for him to make it to China, he doesn’t know any words except the ones Leeroy had introduced to him when his occasional-lover had taken a turn towards understanding all things linguistics. ‘Ya know, Chinese is a pretty cool language, Malachi. It’s got a beautiful shape for every word, and sometimes, the word do sound sorta like another word, but you see that beautiful shape and you realize it’s a whole other word!’ Leeroy had been ecstatic to discover the idea of tones shortly after pondering how the symbols could be different but the words could sound so similar. Did people in China always read and speak at the same time? That didn’t make any sense of course, so off Leeroy had gone with a smacking kiss to Malachi’s brow to find out the answer. His reminiscing and daydreaming pop like a bubble as Suzy’s expression goes from friendly to neutral and guarded. She’s looking at the ID he’s given her to put on file. 

“This old, expired. I cannot use expired.” She tells him, setting it on the counter and sliding it towards him. He feels his stomach sink and is surprised at himself in his reluctance to admit his circumstance to this woman when he’d told Leslie at the bank the truth without really thinking about how she might react. It’s nothing to do with either of the women he realizes; when he’d come to Leslie, he’d had no hope at all for success and had been prepared to discover that his first day out of prison would be spent on the street with no food or help because he had no money worth noting to his name. In those circumstances, why not admit he’s a felon? If Leslie hadn’t been so kind, he could’ve dashed his chances right there and not found out about Felina’s money for him at all, let alone have a new bank card. He struggles to decide to take that gamble a second time. Now he has something to lose, though he isn’t sure what. He could find another hotel, or even seek out a shelter for the night, but he has stupidly, sentimentally looked around for the last few hours for a hotel he can temporarily call home, and he’s picked this one, and he wants to be here. 

“I–” He tries to begin. “I know, I’m sorry. I need to get it replaced, but, I…” He can feel his ribs tightening in his chest around his organs. Does he roll the dice and share something most people find repulsive and hope Suzy will understand? This history will follow him everywhere, and just now, it’s not even history, barely history. Suzy watches him stumble through his words with an unimpressed expression and then sighs. 

“You lazy?” She asks, disapproving. Malachi blinks at her. “You lazy.” She seems to confirm her opinion in his shocked expression. “Okay…Malachi.” She says as she checks the name from his ID. She taps it on the counter while she thinks, sighing again, before setting it down. “You listen okay? Outside, Treetop Street, left, go for numbers to 8th Av’,left again, down, down, down, looking for big red letter. Ah… Notary?” She doesn’t look at him to confirm if she’s chosen the right word. “Maybe. You take this,” She emphasizes it and shakes the ID at him a little, “Get new one. Okay?” Malachi nods, solemn and feeling guilty even if her interpretation of what he’s done is entirely wrong. There’s something almost refreshing to feel a new, much more innocent sense of shame. He reaches for his ID from between her fingers and she pulls it back from him. 

“Tomorrow. You sleep here tonight, go tomorrow. You remember?” She asks and the way she looks at him he knows he isn’t meant to just say yes. 

“Treetop, left, 8th Av’, left again, find the notary with the big red letters further down the street.” He repeats back to her, and Suzy makes a low approving noise before offering his ID back. She gets up from her seat and brings him a card key, perhaps the most modern part of the experience and likely an upgrade that the Clover had to make to compete with the security measures of other more modern hotels. Suzy is smiling again, beatific and pleased. 

“You enjoy, come tomorrow with new ID and you stay as long as you like.” She charms, and Malachi can’t help but smile back at her. 

“Thank you ma’am.” He says, dipping his head and tucking his old ID and his debit card back into his wallet. 

“Breakfast at 8, okay? Come.” She invites, and with a little wave, she lets him off the hook, just like that. He’d been scared, damn near terrified for some stupid reason, but a charming little slap on the wrist hasn’t stopped his momentum at all. He doesn’t need to correct Suzy’s opinion about him being lazy, he wants to though. He wants it more than the logical, necessity based want towards having a valid ID card. His room number is 12, and when he makes his way inside and takes a look at the old, charmingly floral decor, he feels a relief and gratitude that crushes him to the floor. He sits down heavily, and leans his back against the door, pressing his face into his hands. It’s a posture of despair, he knows, and it has the same heaviness to it even though it is something entirely opposite. Hope is just as weighty, just as devastating. 

[yamayuandadu]

Does Jiutian Xuannü have any connection/relations to Ishtar/Inanna?

I’ll be blunt: I’d really prefer to get better Inanna questions, if possible.

Questions which deal with actual published comparative scholarship and which show actual engagement with the material are fair game and as you can see going by the past few months worth of responses I don’t dismiss these (in fact, the series of questions about Iranian-Mesopotamian interactions were among the most enjoyable to answer out of recent ones, I had fun with the question about Durga’s early history too). However, in the case of this ask there’s not even any real argument to be made here, those are two completely unrelated figures which arose in completely different cultural contexts and have no spatial overlap. I’ll try to answer it nonetheless, more under the cut.

For the sake of a hypothetical, let’s ignore the temporal and spatial differences for a moment though these would be more than enough.

Jiutian Xuannü’s association with sexuality exists in a highly specific Daoist context where sex functions essentially like neidan, the “inner alchemy” from immortality manuals and other similar literature (see Suzanne E. Cahill, Sublimation in Medieval China: The Case of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens, p. 101). Correct conduct in this sphere is a pathway to longevity. Needless to say, that offers no real parallel to any Mesopotamian material from any period; for a brief overview of Mesopotamian attitudes to sex across time and space see here, it’s also worth looking into Gioele Zisa’s The Loss of Male Sexual Desire in Ancient Mesopotamia. 

Warfare is too universal of a sphere of activity for a deity to really warrant any comment here but, similarly, the cultural context is very different; for Jiutian Xuannü see Peng Liu’s “Conceal my Body so that I can Protect the State”: The Making of the Mysterious Woman in Daoism and Water Margin, for Inanna Ilona Zsolnay’s Goddess of War, Pacifier of Kings.

Iconography-wise I don’t exactly see grounds for any comparisons either. The earliest version of Jiutian Xuannü, known from Han dynasty funerary art and sometimes mentioned in later literary texts, was a bird with a woman’s head (Cahill, p. 102) which… also doesn’t exactly offer any real parallel to Mesopotamia (indeed, it’s basically a rule that deities of note lack animal parts, serpentine peripheral oddities like Tishpak and Ishtaran aside). No human-headed birds are really mentioned in Frans Wiggermann’s overview of hybrid creatures in Mesopotamian art. However, this fits in perfectly well with the host of other partially human, partially animal deities and other supernatural beings from Han dynasty sources like the Classic of Mountains and Seas. In other words, as far as I am concerned there is no real reason to suspect that Jiutian Xuannü is anything but a typical Han dynasty deity who then underwent typical shifts such a figure would as Daoism continued to develop. Incredibly hard to imagine that a deity from the other side of the continent whose cult would be already on the way out when the first references to Jiutian Xuannü start to pop up and who is not really attested in any period east of Susa would have anything to do with her. The closest thing to reception of a Mesopotamian figure in China would be the occasional references to the Sogdian version of Nanaya (I compiled relevant evidence in her wiki article), but there’s no real evidence anyone but the Central Asian immigrants would be particularly familiar with her. There is only one depiction of her from China and it’s an oddity commissioned by a Sogdian for personal use, the funerary couch from the collection of the Miho Museum:

The iconography tbh doesn’t even resemble her depictions from Sogdia save for the two orbs. Given that this is a figure worshiped right next door think how less likely it would be for a Mesopotamian figure to reach China and leave some meaningful impact at a time when there were less contacts with foreigners, let alone foreigners which would have any contact with Mesopotamia.

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group G Round 2: #G6 vs #G4

#G6: Emperor and Empress bodyswap in ancient China

#G4: Three girls decide to open an animation club

Details and poll under the cut!

#G6: No Doubt in Us (Liang Bu Yi)

Summary:

Within the Chinese imperial court, stern-faced Emperor Xiao Jinyun and spirited Empress Xu Yu are at constant odds with one another. But the universe has an interesting way to solve their issues: an accident causes the two to switch bodies, forcing them to put themselves in the other’s shoes—literally. Now responsible for unfamiliar duties and court dynamics, the Emperor and the Empress must navigate the maintenance of their identities, unruly concubines, and the nation itself. In doing so, Xiao Jinyun and Xu Yu’s personal qualities and unconventional skills find new purpose, and a sense of understanding and compassion grows between the two.

However, great threats loom within and outside the court. If the imperial astrologer cannot discover the key to switching them back in time, then internal strife and suspicion may lead to the duo's untimely demise.

Propaganda:

Liang Bu Yi/No Doubt in Us is one of the most interesting donghua I’ve ever watched. The characters have varying personalities and, because it’s set in ancient China, are rather unique. Considering that Emperors had to keep harems and the fact that this is a straight couple rom-com makes the drama rather spicy. Plus, the Empress is far more qualified in the things a woman in those times wouldn’t be interested in, like sword fighting, archery etc.

To be honest, the contrast between Xu Yu (the Empress) and Xiao Jinyun (the Emperor) results in the show being far more interesting than other ones with the same trope.

Trigger Warnings: None.

#G4: Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!)

Summary:

Midori Asakusa draws detailed landscapes and backgrounds of both the world around her and the one within her boundless imagination. Even the simple act of doodling on a wall evolves into an emergency repair on the outer hull of her spaceship. She is only brought back to reality by her best friend Sayaka Kanamori. The two are stark opposites, with Asakusa’s childlike wonder contrasted by Kanamori’s calculated approach to life.

After a chance encounter where the two “save” the young model Tsubame Misuzaki from her overprotective bodyguard, a connection instantly sparks between Asakusa and Misuzaki, as both share an intense passion for art and animation. Whereas Asakusa is interested in backgrounds and settings, Misuzaki loves drawing the human form. Sensing a money-making opportunity, Kanamori suggests that they start an animation club. Thus begins the trio’s journey of producing animation that will awe the world.

Propaganda:

It’s playing with animation in a really cool way, AND it is just gorgeous. The backgrounds are done in a beautiful painterly style, and each environment is detailed and evokes wonder.

Each of the three girls is a unique and fleshed-out character, and their interactions and blossoming friendship are super fun and wholesome to watch. The dialogue is also very realistic—it really feels like what three high school nerdy girl friends would talk about. Each has her own strengths, in animation, organization and craft, such that they really come together as a team and manage to make something beautiful.

The show is fun, heartwarming and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but at the same time it is so so sincere. Quiet and serious moments can be quiet and serious without needless bathos, and fun sequences (like a chase through the school) are given extra effort to be zany and funny, and fully animated in both senses of the word. Above all, you feel a strong love for animation and deep wonder of the world permeating the series.

Trigger Warnings: Flashing lights in the opening theme

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how they’re presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

[s-b-party]

Lagenaria: Baizhu and the Calabash

****Spoilers ahead especially for Baizhu story quest & Chenyu Vale!!

Forget about the longest time a character had to wait for a rerun, this man had to wait TWO years to finally get his first banner ever after his early introduction in the game but at least he’s here now 😂

Today we will be talking about Baizhu but we also can’t forget about Changsheng who has a strong presence in both his lore & constellation

So what is Lagenaria? The name comes from a combination of lagena which can mean bottle or flask in Latin & -aria which can sometimes be used as the suffix of plants’ scientific names; Lagenaria is the genus w/ a number of species referring to vines that generally produce gourds

The calabash (aka bottle gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, white-flowered gourd, etc) is one of the more well-known species of the Lagenaria genus

When we look at some examples of the plant itself, it makes sense why it’s compared to a bottle (keep in mind not all of them look like bottles)

These gourds have been used to hold liquids (i.e. water & medicine) even in ancient times

In China, the calabash was often seen as a symbol for health due to it being a container for something to help sustain life

Looking at Baizhu, the calabash makes perfect sense as his constellation since doctors are meant to help cure illnesses; however there is also the irony that he can’t get rid of his perpetual cough even as a doctor but understandably so due to his unique situation as someone in a contract w/ Changsheng

As we learn in Baizhu’s story quest, in exchange for his lifeforce, Changsheng provides him the ability to absorb illnesses from others & thus cure them

I’ve already alluded to Changsheng’s presence in the constellation as the snake that’s coiled around the calabash but there’s more to it than just her being Baizhu’s contractor

In terms of symbolism, although they are sometimes viewed as mysterious and/or evil, snakes in Chinese culture are also sometimes believed to be symbols of good fortune, luck, and health which can be attributed to their ability to shed their skin, getting rid of old/bad things thus revitalizing one’s health; as we’ll see, Changsheng has strong connections to medicine & health

In the Chenyu Vale world quest involving Fujin, there are hints heavily implying that Changsheng is Herblord; aside from the fact that Herblord was described as a white snake who was friends with Fujin & Lingyuan, it is mentioned that she was knowledgeable about medicine & she could heal any illness

At one point of the world quest, Fujin meets Little Mao & due to his unique scent, she asks him if he met someone from the mountains w/ red eyes to which he responded no since he only knew Lingyuan from the mountains but we know she doesn’t have red eyes

There are very few in Liyue who fit the bill of red eyes but interestingly Changsheng‘s eyes weren’t always red; the mural that we find of her depicted w/ Fujin in her abode located in Yaodie Valley can attest to this

We can see in the mural that her eyes appear golden; Changsheng has golden eyes when the first predecessor was searching for Herblord in the cutscene that plays in Baizhu’s story quest

Even w/ Baizhu, her eyes are golden & it’s Baizhu whose eyes are red instead only until he enters into a contract w/ Changsheng

Taking this into account, it would imply that Fujin referring to red eyes instead of gold means that she’s aware of Changsheng being in a contract w/ someone or at least she has certain circumstances at the moment causing her eyes to be red

Out of the trio of friends, Fujin & Herblord were the ones closest to humanity so it is not surprising that Herblord would reside w/ humans in Liyue after having fought against her former master (probably the reason why she was initially weakened & resting in the cutscene)

The last hint that I want to point out is that in the cutscene, Changsheng tells Baizhu that if the contract were to end without a successor, she would spend her final moments napping on Mt. Yaojun; we don’t actually see Mt. Yaojun on the map & the closest thing would probably be Yaodie Valley

It turns out that Herblord when translated is Yào Jūn so I assume the mountain is just where she lived

As we’ve seen, her abode is located underground of Yaodie Valley; Yaodie can be translated to Medicine/Healing Butterfly which is fitting bc when we look inside the abode, there are notes that we can find nearby that mention butterflies being injected w/ adeptal energy, hence the several butterflies in the abode

Going back to Baizhu, we know that his goal is to be the last person to be in a contract w/ Changsheng; as a result, he’s trying to obtain immortality so that he can still continue to help others without subjecting another person to the contract which would take away their life force

Immortality is a common topic when it comes to health & it is no exception in Baizhu’s story quest; there are some instances where it is mentioned

For instance, we see Xiao in the quest & he tells Baizhu that immortality is not the blessing that he imagines it to be; when Jiangliang ends up dying in the end, Baizhu has a concoction called an Elixir of Immortality but it doesn’t exactly make Jiangliang immortal…instead it makes him stuck in a state between life & death & he becomes similar to Qiqi; at the end Changsheng mentions in passing that even the old gods struggled with obtaining “true” immortality…

I do wonder, if he is successful, how Baizhu will obtain immortality but also does immortality truly exist when gods themselves can also die in this world? Only time will tell how his story will unfold 👀

[hrodvitnon]

Here’s some more headcanons for how other Godzilla characters could work in the Abraxasverse. This time we’re getting a lil obscure.

Krystallak: With Xenilla defeated (alive or dead depending on your decision), Gigan needed a new herald to further his plan. Plan from the DNA taken from Ozymandias and mixed with Cordycepts, Krystallak was created. A living Cordycept colony, Krystallak only has one object: assimilate every living thing it sees. Speaking with with a collective of voices, it is perhaps the most animalistic and feral foe the Titans have yet to face. Secretly, Gigan has designed the beast so that its death would trigger a wormhole to allow his entire fleet to jump to earth instantly.

Obsidius: an ancient enemy of Shimo, its mummified body lay had long laid in the deep sea by the time Xenilla fell from the stars. During its final battle against the possessed king, a crystalline spine blown from his back landed in the ocean, near the resting place of the ancient rival. Speaking the body back to life, the intense heat destroyed the damaged cordycepts before they could assimilate into him. Filled with an ever present rage, his constant fury burns within him like a furnace. Quiet, patient, and polite, he is nevertheless vicious and brutal in a fight. He is also kind of obsessive about Shimo, seeing her as the Yang to his Yin, his eternal foe in battle. In truth, he subconsciously yearns to be return to the grave via a warriors death at Shimo’s hands.

Balkzardan and Jyarumu (putting these two together cause their stories are intertwined): Bagan was once the most powerful of Earth’s enemies. In times before most of the titans even existed, the first titans sealed him away, splitting his essence into two halves. One light, Balkzardan, and one dark, Jyarumu. The two were mortal enemies, battling each other constantly. Nothing mattered to Balkzardan but destroying her brother, feeling it her duty to protect the world from his evil, even if it cost lives. Jyarumu, by contrast, saw his sister only as a nuisance, with his focus on creating as much death and destruction to revel in as possible. Soon the other titans realized that not only were the twins constant battles dangerous to the developing life on earth, but they could be catastrophic. Mothra received a vision of what would happen should either one ever prevail and kill their sibling - an absorption of the dead’s energy by the living resulting in Bagan being freed from his imprisonment deep beneath China. Despite their pleas, Balkzardan refused to stop fighting her brother, seeing his defeat and death as the only thing that mattered. Jyarumu would only see this result as the best chaos he could hope for. So, the Titans were forced to seal the two away. Shimo froze Jyarumu in ice in Siberia, while Mothra and Battra placed Balkzardan beneath a seal with help of two Iwi priestess, the first of the Shobijin. Should the two ever reawaken, perhaps due to the damage to the earth as a result of attempts at terraforming by a certain three headed devil, catastrophe is perhaps inevitable for all those who live on Earth.

First two are from Unleashed, second two are from the Trading Battle game. Thought it would be nice to experiment with some more obscure kaiju, curious to what ya think. Probably will do the other trading battle kaiju (Razin, Barugraon, Shiigan/Seagan, and Vagnosaurus) soon. Also credit to Matt Frank’s Godzilla Neo for the ideas of Krystallak being a wormhole catalyst and the trading battle siblings being connected to Bagan.

Ooh, food for thought. Krystalak and Obsidius I was already passingly aware of, but never heard of the Trading Battle game, so it's always cool to see what kind of obscure beasties show up in games and stuff.

[lunatic-fandom-space]

Oh god, Im five minutes into the Shanghai Special and I definitely remember reading salt posts about this at some point, but I completely forgot that the inciting incident of Marinette wanting to go there was to follow Adrien and that she basically used going to visit her uncle as the excuse which is bad, especially considering Adrien is the whitest boy alive and the show does this weird thing where he knows chinese culture better than Marinette and knows how to speak the language better than Marinette and his family has more personal connections to the chinese miracle box than Marinette's, like, it looks really bad

But the reason Im making this post is actually because I wanted to talk a little about the way they handle Marinette being part of a, idk if this is the best way to phrase this, non-dominant culture. Im phrasing it like that because Im white and the child of two immigrants from the same country, so Im not getting into the additional nuances of being biracial or even of belonging to two different cultures here

First off, I think its fine that Marinette isnt super in-touch with the chinese side of things because she doesnt like, live there and her parents dont seem to be encouraging her to get in touch with it. Im in pretty much the same situation and I actually find it pretty relatable that she doesnt interact too much with her culture outside of like, food mostly. It is a shame because we couldve had something interesting with her initially not being interested in learning more about chinese culture and only researching it and ancient china to find out more about the Miraculous, but then a genuine desire to reconnect with that part of herself starts to grow from that, but I dont think its the biggest deal in the world

The thing that bothers me the most is that they not only basically had Adrien 'be better' at her own culture than Marinette, she doesnt react to it all beyond maybe being like "oh hes so talented" and its like. Im having a lot of trouble putting this into words, but I'll try anyway

When youre the child of immigrants especially and youre not very in-touch with your/your parents' culture, dont really speak the language, dont participate in any traditions and then you meet other immigrant-kids from the same country/culture and they do speak the language and are overall way more in-touch with it than you are, theres this incredible sense of embarassment that I could never explain to people who are, idk, unicultural ? is that a word I should use here? And like, with other people from a similar background theres atleast this sense of solidarity yknow, but with people who are not from there and who are maybe just good at the language and know the culture bc culture lessions are a pretty big part of most language learning lessions.... its a bit different I would imagine. I say 'I would imagine' bc my parents are from a russian-speaking country and we live in germany and, while a lot of schools here will offer some kind of voluntary russian lessions (atleast in my area) most of those are attended by immigrant-kids trying to learn or relearn their language and Ive never met someone who was born here without a russian or post-soviet background who knew russian beyond a few words and who was well versed in russian culture and the cultures of ex-soviet countriws.

However, if I did meet a person like that, I would probably be pissed. Thats obviously not the case for all immigrants and I think the reason why the thought of people not from 'my' culture being "better" at it than I am honestly relates to some deep personal baggage I have because I started crying when I wrote that previous section. And like, its good to learn other languages and to learn about other cultures, please dont let this post discourage you in any way, this is just because of some personal stuff that I dont want to share here.

My point here is, there are intense and complex emotions attached to your family's culture, even if you dont participate in it yourself for whatever reasons you may have. I dont like that its just being swept under the rug for Marinette because the writers would rather have her drool over an intensely bland guy than even begin to address how awful it feels to not be able to communicate with or understand a memeber of your own family due to cultural differences and because you just didnt keep in touch.

Thats it, if you're biracial or you were raised in a multi-cultured home and you have thoughts about this, please share them because I'd love to hear them!

[female-malice]

Thank you for responding to my question - I suppose I thought you were Jewish, my mistake.

I appreciate your response. I'm not sure I agree with supersession permeating the secular gen z political consciousness as you described, antisemitism being a cultural "default" - where expressed by secular gen z/millenials it seems more an antisemitism founded on a conspiracy logic, detached from religion and a collection of stereotypes. I don't know much about the supersession project admittedly.

On my initial question, though, you still upheld that Jewish people = Israel. The logic of Jewish people not being responsible for gentiles' antisemitism, I agree with. But to clarify, I was asking about if Israel as a state is inciting that hatred, not Jewish people. The Israeli state's specific policy and military choices, with the assumption that the Israeli state is distinct from Jewish people, and therefore Jewish people shouldn't be automatically held accountable for Israel's actions unless they actively support it.

But I see lots of Jewish people arguing there is no distinction between Israel as a state and Judaism, and I see this as tying Jewish people to the fate and actions of Israel. I don't see how this is a good idea because of Israel's actions and global condemnation on humanitarian grounds. I see it as inciting antisemitism on humanitarian grounds in new demographics who are being told Israel=Jewish people. I worry for anti- or non-Zionist Jews who are being called to account for the actions of Israel.

Knowing now you aren't Jewish, I suppose you won't be able to comment on this from the Jewish persective, but I would like your opinion anyway. I'm wondering why Jewish people support the conflation of Jewish people with Israel, and why there isn't more pushback on this. For example, when other "peoples" are held accountable for their state's actions we call it racism, ex. Chinese people facing racial aggression for China's handling of Covid. The distinction between a state and a people is reaffirmed in other contexts. Israel and many Jewish people seem to reject that distinction completely, and I'm wondering about their perspective behind that stance. Are there just too few non- or anti-Zionist Jews? From a personal perspective, this distinction is important to me because I can't support many things Israel does but have no hatred towards Jewish people and am completely secular, so not supersessionist.

You need to actually research supersession or you will never understand any of this.

If your family puts up Christmas decorations, then you're a secular person from a Christian culture. This means that you don't understand anything about supersession but you are a participant in it. This is the case for the majority of Gen Z. The whole point of supersession is for the average person to know nothing about it. You're not supposed to know why the religion exists. You're just supposed to open your Christmas presents.

What if you told Han Chinese people that all their history and culture is the foundation of a new proselytizing religion. And you told them that their history and culture isn't about them anymore. It's now about your new religion. Their mytho-historical heroes are now your religious heroes. Their ancient connection to land is now your ancient connection to their land. Your new religion doesn't include them unless they convert. And if they convert, they'd no longer be Han. Another religious group sees you doing this and gets inspired and does the same thing. Now there are two religious groups claiming the mytho-history of the Han. This conflict you've created is the basis of all cultural and political interactions with Han Chinese people for 2000 years. And after 2000 years, half the world follows the two superseding religions. And there's only a small community of Han left alive to claim their history, culture, and land as their own. That's what supersession is.

This could not have happened to the Han because they had gunpowder and automatic crossbows. Today, 1 in 5 human beings on planet Earth are Han Chinese. They are the largest ethnic group in the world.

A Chinese person from Hong Kong or Taiwan or America is probably critical of the CCP. But that's just politics. What do you imagine Chinese people would say if you said about China what Gen Z says about Israel?

"We should stop equating the country of China with the Chinese people. China as a sovereign state is a genocidal construct and a failed project. It has done more harm than good to Chinese people so it shouldn't exist. The Chinese people do not need a homeland. They'd be able to live safely in diaspora as long as the state of China becomes obsolete."

You will not find one Chinese person who will ever agree with that statement. And if you make a Tiktok saying this, they'll ban your IP address.

There are many Chinese people who think the CCP is redeemable and it's only Xi Jinping who is concerning. There are many Chinese people who think the PRC is redeemable and it's only the CCP causing problems. There are many Chinese people who don't recognize the PRC and believe the ROC is the real Chinese sovereign state. There are many different Chinese political opinions. But no Chinese person on Earth would support abolishing Chinese sovereignty in the Chinese homeland.

I don't support everything that goes on inside the PRC. But I agree with the historical fact that they won the civil war. I agree with the fact that they are the sovereign state that represents the Chinese homeland. The idea of dissolving the PRC would never cross my mind.

But of course, the ROC does not recognize the PRC and vice versa. The civil war never officially ended despite the PRC's clear victory. So, someone could insert themselves into this geopolitical limbo to argue in favor of dissolving the PRC. I personally think that's a terrible idea. Those are the type of arguments that would incite a new round of warfare between the PRC and ROC. So, even though these two governments have different opinions about who the land belongs to, the rest of us should not weigh in. Instead, we should sit at home and say "two state solution." The PRC and ROC are not doing a two state solution any time soon. But let's just say the words "two state solution" instead of inciting WWIII in Asia.

Most Gen Z opinions I see online are arguments in favor of inciting WWIII in the Middle East. You can't say "ceasefire" one moment and "dissolve Israel" the next and then call yourself a peace activist.

It's wild that Israel/Palestine has the same geopolitical weight as PRC/ROC. But that's the world we live in. 1 in 5 human beings are Chinese and have a deep personal opinion about the Chinese homeland. And 1 in 2 human beings are Christian or Muslim and have a deep personal opinion about the Jewish homeland. Even the secular college students putting up Christmas decorations have a deep personal opinion about the Jewish homeland. That's what 2000 years of supersession, conquest, and proselytizing will do. After 2000 years, the obsession with Israel is not a religious thing anymore. It's become the secular status quo in Christian majority and Muslim majority societies.

[qqcathy]

Common Module 2 - AY 24.25 CTS B Artistic vision statement

My artistic vision statement is graphic design. I also wrote that I want to be a photography editor because I am very interested in photography. In my spare time, I also take portraits by myself. I am also very interested in video editing, and I am looking forward to the optional course Video Production next semester. The most important thing is graphic design. I enjoy the feeling of creativity being realized in my hands. I enjoy when inspiration bursts out. I think divergently, thinking about what colors to use, what elements to use, and how to arrange text and layout, which makes me feel in control of the overall situation. When all the design things are connected together to form a visual effect, I feel very satisfied and accomplished. When the ideas are implemented and presented, the passion in my heart makes me sure that I love design and graphic design.

This is the traditional Chinese historical art of Dunhuang, which is one of my favorite cultures. Currently, many Chinese cultural and creative designs are related to it. I chose to display and analyze the cosmetics and chocolates designed with Dunhuang elements. The similarities between the two are that they both use the patterns, pipa, nine-colored deer, lotus, ancient books, auspicious beasts, and other elements in Dunhuang culture for design. On the one hand, they inherit and develop Chinese traditional culture and art and have cultural value; on the other hand, they are beautiful, unique, and attractive and have good commercial value.

In the CTSB course, I learned that tradition/lineages can be combined with design, which will not only have the historical heritage precipitation but also the cultural customs of one's own country, and the combination with design will produce a rich "chemical reaction."

The reason for choosing Dunhuang traditional culture and art is that I think it can reflect China's unique traditional culture, and it has high artistic value and can be well used in design because of its historical murals and stories such as "Rebounding Pipa," "Nine-Colored Deer," "Dunhuang Flying Apsaras," traditional patterns and moires, various styles of lotus, different auspicious signs, unique colors, etc. These elements can be brought to the extreme in graphic design, just like the combination of pipa and flying desert in the fourth poster, and the background has vague patterns of characters in the murals. So I think combining tradition/lineages in design is a good way to protect, inherit, and innovate different cultural customs in different countries. So this can give some inspiration and help to my artistic vision statement.

（427 words）

Image from

[theweirdspacejellyfish]

dramas you should watch

hikaru no go - 36 ep

summary: while looting his grandfather's attic, Shi Guang discovers and Go board manifesting the spirit of Chu Ying, an ancient Go master. together, they enter the world of Go with a newfound passion, encountering many lessons and friendships

nirvana in fire - 54 ep/ 1 seaon

summary: in sixth-century china, the emperor of Great Liang orders the unjust execution of his brother-in-law Marshal Lin Xie alongside the Lin family, his 70,000 army soldiers, and Crown Prince Qi. secretly surviving the massacre is Lin Xie's son, Lin Shu, who undergoes medical treatment that changes his appearance entirely and leaves his in a weakened state, unable to ever perform martial arts again. Lin Shu changed his name to Mei Chang Su and later became the chief of the pugilist world and established the Jiangzou Alliance. twelve years later, Mei Chang Su returns to the capital with a secret plan after being sought after by Prince Yu and Prince Xian during their fight for the throne. he decides to covertly assist Prince Jing, the unfavoured son of the emperor, and wisely rids the court of all scheming officials

rakshasa street - 24 ep

summary: Xia Ling, is a senior college student and looking for jobs. after a freak accident where she is the only survivor, she continues to live her life, however when many misfortunate events start occurring she realizes she is now cursed. she is then told that there is only one way to protect her life. she wounds up seeking a street called Rakshasa, she rushes out. from this point on its too late to turn back and she has crossed into a transitional dimension, the bridge between the human realm and hell, where spirits are kept until they are sanctioned. there are many streets like this and each street has a guardian general, guarding the place. at Rakshasa Street, its the turf of two brothers - Cao Yan Bing ( older) and Cao Xuan Ling, presumably are descendants of Cao Cao. in this world full of evil spirits, can you cooperate with your guardian spirit in order to survive?

connect - 6 ep

summary: a work that depicts the mysterious story of a man who has been deprived of a part of his body by organ hunters and becomes 'connected' with a person who has received an organ transplant. Ha Dong Soo is part of a new human race called connect, who has an immortal body, kidnapped by a group of human organ traffickers. his eye is cut out from him. he soon sees something and realizes the man who has his stolen eye is a serial killer. Ha Dong Soo is now able to see what the serial killer sees. he chases after the serial killer to stop him from killing more people

no gain, no love - 12 ep

summary: Son Hae Yeong is the type of person who doesnt want to lose money under any circumstance. while growing up, she had to share her mothers love with others. she often found her partners in relationships below her break-even point. now, Hae Yeong faces the possibility of missing out on a job promotion at her workplace. to avoid such a loss, she makes a plan for a fake wedding. she recruits Kim Ji Uk to be her fiance. Ji Uk works part-timer as a cashier at a convenience store. he is the type of person who cant ignore people in need and tries of person who cant ignore people in need and tries to do the right thing. he is smooth with every customer at the convenience store. expect for one person. that person is Hae Yeong. when she suddenly asks him to become the fake groom at her wedding, he somehow accepts her offer

shopacholic louis - 16 ep

suumary: louis, a young and handsome heir of vast business empire, who lived a luxurious life happens to become a homeless by a car accident that caused him to loose his memories. he meets an angelic country girl who agrees to take care of him until he finds out his real identity. she tries to teach homeless Louis on right amount of spending, but she is astounded by his spending habits, never knowing his real identity before he lost the memory

fated to love you - 20 ep

summary: Mi Yeong is a typical office clerk who is rather plain, somewhat awkward and has her good nature taken advantage of by her co-workers on a daily basis. while on vacation, she accidentally spends one night a stranger who happens to be handsome, charming and rich. and her life will never be the same! this fateful encounter brings a love that transforms this not-so-special girl into an attractive,warm, lovable young lady

[govindhtech]

External Bogus M.2 NVMe SSD With MicroSD secrets

The user of the computer is dissatisfied with the performance of the low-cost external M.2 NVMe SSD that they purchased, and because the device’s transfer rates were so bad, the user chooses to have a look inside the drive case that is linked by USB Type-C. The user’s computer is connected to the drive by means of a cable that has a Type-C connector.

M.2 NVMe SSD alternatives

As soon as they learned that the half-length PCB had two microSD cards, a “ancient” controller, and a connection that was wired for USB 2.0 speeds, they had every reason in the world to believe that their unhappiness was warranted. According to the findings of research that was carried out , these microSD card “M.2 NVMe SSDs” have already started to become available for purchase in stores.

It would appear that the dissatisfied Chinese internet user portrayed in the study was caught aback by the information that low-priced, no-name items purchased from dubious online marketplaces may be phony or fake. It appears that the things were acquired from a market located in China that is accessible online.

People continue to fall prey to items that are offered by marketplaces where everything goes for prices that are too good to be true, despite the fact that they have been made aware of a great number of warnings, heard a great number of horror stories, and demonstrated superior judgment. This is because people continue to be enticed to products that are supplied by marketplaces where anything goes for prices that are too good to be true.

The performance of the brand new 512 GB external M.2 NVMe SSD owned by an internet user who preferred to remain anonymous appeared to provide performance that was not even comparable to that of an external hard drive. Because of this, the internet user started developing some apprehensions regarding the item. After some consideration, he came to the realization that it would be most beneficial to take the casing off of the portable drive.

How to identify Fake M.2 NVMe SSD

The image on top reveals that the internal drive makes use of a pair of MicroSD slots, which are then loaded with TF cards. These slots may also accommodate SD cards. In the picture, you can see this process in action. We are not aware of the memory card’s technical specifications, such as its speeds, capacities, or how it was set; we are not privy to this information.

If the storage capacity of any of the cards was less than 256 gigabytes apiece, there is a possibility that the drive controller firmware might deceive the user regarding the capacity of the cards to store data. Con artists frequently employ methods such as the one being discussed here.

High-performance M.2 NVMe SSD

After further research, it was discovered that the printed circuit board (PCB) that is green in color and housing the small controller chip had a highly outdated layout. In addition, the wiring of current USB-C ports was solely designed to support the data transmission performance of USB 2.0 devices because it was the only purpose for which they were intended.

The findings of the research indicate that a person whose external M.2 NVMe SSD was taken and replaced with a fake would have noticed read rates on the device that were no better than one hundred megabytes per second at best. Came to the conclusion that the write speeds would be reported in the tens of megabytes per second range, unless the two MicroSD cards were configured in RAID0, which was an extremely unlikely scenario. In such scenario, the write rates would be evaluated somewhere in the neighborhood of hundreds of gigabytes per second.

Fast and affordable M.2 NVMe SSD

Online markets that do not have a good reputation everywhere in the world make it simple to acquire electronic devices that are false, fraudulent, poorly labeled, inappropriately advertised, and even occasionally harmful. This makes it easier to commit identity theft or financial fraud.

Because of so many different aspects, it could be tough to find these things. (Particularly interesting fake products and audacious scams sometimes make the pages of sites like ours). Stick with brands and companies that you are already familiar with and know you can trust, be suspicious of reported deals from sources that you don’t know as well, and most importantly, apply your common sense.