#tribes in Mongolia

[mosertone]

A young woman belonging to the TSAATAN tribe in Mongolia, Central Asia, riding a deer. The Tsaatan are a tribe of just under 250 people who are considered the last reindeer herders in Mongolia.

[quotidianish]

ANOTHER human au art compilation! Here’s the first! More info about the AU and their cultures under cut ~

Groundwork:

-Abilities which stem from things inherent to dragon biology (fire, venom, frostbreath, gills, etc.) aren’t present. More traditionally supernatural gifts (mindreading, oracle, animus magic, etc.) are still present. In retrospect this makes the Nightwings completely op but shhh

-Each tribe is inspired off a mishmash frankenstein of different real-world cultures

-Dragons are an endangered species, just a hum in the background and nearly hunted to extinction. They’re hardly considered a threat, especially when most humans haven’t even seen one in their lives. Once the centre of each people’s culture and civilisation, they’re now nothing more than Bigfoot sightings or exotic pets.

Culture:

-Sandwings are the least homogeneous tribe and take inspiration from various cultures in the Indian subcontinent and Arab nations (most largely India and Palestine). Many subcultures exist within the larger Sandwing kingdom. Common identifies (not present in them all, but there will usually be at least one) include gold accented accessories, darker skin, and clothing with light, desaturated, yellow/orange tones. They’re renowned for their abundance of poison, excellent street food, musical talent, and stereotypically maliciously intelligent. Regardless of class there’s a nation wide pattern (you can find the reference for it by Qibli’s headscarf) symbolising trade routes, oasis waters and dunes. It’s a symbol of national pride (included on thorn’s dress, and ostrich’s headband/headscarf).

-Nightwings are, on the contrary, the most homogeneous tribe due to their small population. They’re based on Japan (spanning multiple eras). I like to think the Nightwings lost a lot of their culture after migrating to the volcano, for they were once the most religious tribe, worshiping the moon alongside the Icewings, which I’ll get to later on their cultural similarities. I promise it’ll make sense. By now, all their deeply religious traditions have been relegated to superstitions. It was said they were blessed by the moons, but the connection has been largely severed. Only old dresses follow the tradition of embroidering in the moons they were born under. Moonwatcher’s dress is something akin to a hand-me-down, as are her silver earrings, it’s by coincidence it lined up with her actual birthday. Moon’s family was an exception because she came from a long line of seers (or alleged seers) who have done their best to preserve a crumbling culture. Common identifiers include near pitch black clothing and skin as pale as the moon. 

-Icewings have some of the largest populations, however, are surprisingly homogenous. Most sub-cultural differences are as a result of class. They’re based on Mongolia and Manchuria. Like Nightwings they are also deeply religious, maintaining their beliefs through rigorous scholarship. Hair has intrinsic religious value as a gift from your family- therefore it cannot be cut. The same goes for ear piercings and any other physical alterations to your body. IceWing jewellery as a result is very distinct because of its lack of need for an ear piercing, hooking around the back of the ear instead. Common identifies include long/braided hair, and light, cool-colored clothing suited for the cold.

-Skywings are loosely Scottish inspired, and I do not have a lot to say about the rest of the tribes. Most of their clothing have feathered accents. The peregrine is a sign of luck and wealth, with their feathers being adorned on the upper classes. Geese and chickens, being common farm animals, are found adorned on working classes. The second richest tribe, employing silver, gold, lazuli, and about any gem they can find in their clothing. Common identifies include curly orange/red hair, taller statures, feathered accents, a tartan like pattern, and clothing ranging from yellow to magenta.

-Seawings are loosely based on various Polynesian cultures, most prominently that of the Māori. The sea has an intrinsic religious value to them, with all children learning to swim, sail, and/or fish. They live off the sea’s resources, rarely consulting the surrounding land for supplies. On rare occasions albatross birds and seagulls are plucked for headdresses. These are reserved for high ranked royalty. Their clothing is loose and well adapted for the warm beach setting. Common identifiers of Seawings include ta moko like tattoos, olive skin, and clothing ranging from lime to purple.

-Rainwings are loosely based on Thai, Indonesian, and Cambodian cultures. They’re colourful and have the second largest poison reserves (bested by sandwings). Having once been a trade centred tribe, now they’re isolationist, albeit not intentionally. They have many history records, almost as detailed as that of Icewings, but the art has been lost to a changing cultural atmosphere. Once too religious, now their intrinsically religious practices are more cultural. Their clothing is similar to sandwings in the fact they cover as much of the body as convenient but remain loose and breezy. Common identifiers include bronze tan skin, vibrant pigmented clothing, and flower motifs. Nightwing villages don’t follow that guideline, they build on the ground as a tribe with a focus on hunting. I’m assuming everything in this universe is made proportional to dragons, hence why the trees are so large. This assumption is based off that specific panel of Bandit in the book six graphic novel eating a blueberry as big as his head. 

-Mudwings are sooo underdeveloped in my au (following in the steps of Tui herself) but they’re based on southern Chinese and Vietnamese cultures! They live in cities akin to Chinese floating villages, Vietnamese floating markets, and Tulou (architectural style of the Chinese Hakka) made of mud bricks. They're a very agricultural based people. Many of their villages are isolated communities- their emphasis on family extending to their towns. Common identifiers include umber skin, straw conical hats, and practical clothing in shades of brown.

[atlaculture]

Hi! Do you have any thoughts on tea ceremonies in the Avatar universe or do you have any resources about tea ceremonies? It’s a massive rabbit hole and I can’t find a concise video on the social meanings (and admittedly long history) or an audiobook. (Is it silly that most of my info comes from anime and analysis of the Tale of Genji?)

Tea ceremony is definitely a field of study that is both expansive and deep. Unfortunately, it's not something I'm very knowledgeable about. I guess you could say it's not my cup of tea.

The best I can do is give you some general guidelines and details regarding tea ceremony:

Firstly, lets establish what tea ceremony is and isn't. We'll go with Wikipedia's definition: "Tea ceremony is a ritualized practice of making and serving tea (茶 cha) in East Asia practiced in the Sinosphere."

Other cultures (Mongolia, Tibet, etc.) also have very rich tea cultures as well, but it seems the emphasis in those cultures is on the context and ritual behind the serving of tea to someone, rather than the tea making process itself. I would distinguish these rituals as being more like tea rites. For the record, I just coined the term tea rite off the top of my head, and am making this distinction to narrow the research that needs to be done here. ^_^;;;

To clarify further, I would also say that wedding tea ceremony is really more an example of a tea rite than a tea ceremony, despite the name. Wedding tea ceremonies place emphasis on showing respect towards the parents, with tea-serving being the ritual that shows this appreciation. The focus is not so much on the brewing of the tea.

Tea ceremony traditions vary by nation and region. I would advise to pick a specific area's tea ceremony when integrating these practices into your story.

Chinese tea ceremony is known as gongfu cha (功夫茶) or "skillfully making tea". It's a sophisticated way of brewing and appreciating tea. This Wikipedia article details the steps of Chinese tea ceremony really well. It even details what materials should be used for all the tea accessories.

The Japanese tea ceremony Wikipedia article is also quite detailed. Compared to Chinese tea ceremony, Japanese tea ceremony seems to have a stronger religious/spiritual connotation, as it's very influenced by Zen Buddhism and Shintoism. There's more emphasis on what type of clothing should be worn and where the ceremony should be performed. Japanese tea ceremony is also unique for its use of "thick tea", powdered tea leaves brewed with a low ratio of water (matcha tea).

Last but not least, the Korean tea ceremony Wiki article. It doesn't seem to be as formal as Japanese tea ceremony, but it does seem to have a stronger religious connotation than Chinese gongfu cha, as many of the traditions developed in the Korean temples.

This video and its YouTube channel are great insights into the world of Chinese tea culture.

Also! Teapets are common in Chinese tea ceremony and they're really cute! You're supposed to pour tea over them for good luck ("feeding them") and they can be used to test the temperature of the tea.

As for how it could relate to ATLA, you could have the Earth Kingdom practice Chinese-style tea ceremony and the Fire Nation practice Japanese-style or Korean-style.

Air Nomads don't have tea ceremonies, per se, but Tibetan "tea rites" as I defined above.

The Water Tribe views tea more pragmatically, treating it as an herbal remedy.

So this is just my very surface-level, cursory knowledge of East Asian tea ceremony. I hope this post provides a bit more direction in your research journey. ^_^;

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[sixteenseveredhands]

Stone Turtle of Karakorum, Mongolia, c. 1235-1260 CE: this statue is one of the only surviving features of Karakorum, which was once the capital city of the Mongol Empire

The statue is decorated with a ceremonial scarf known as a khadag (or khata), which is part of a Buddhist custom that is also found in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. The scarves are often left atop shrines and sacred artifacts as a way to express respect and/or reverence. In Mongolia, this tradition also contains elements of Tengrism/shamanism.

The city of Karakorum was originally established by Genghis Khan in 1220 CE, when it was used as a base for the Mongol invasion of China. It then became the capital of the Mongol Empire in 1235 CE, and quickly developed into a thriving center for trade/cultural exchange between the Eastern and Western worlds.

The city attracted merchants of many different nationalities and faiths, and Medieval sources note that the city displayed an unusual degree of diversity and religious tolerance. It contained 12 different temples devoted to pagan and/or shamanistic traditions, two mosques, one church, and at least one Buddhist temple.

As this article explains:

The city might have been compact, but it was cosmopolitan, with residents including Mongols, Steppe tribes, Han Chinese, Persians, Armenians, and captives from Europe who included a master goldsmith from Paris named William Buchier, a woman from Metz, one Paquette, and an Englishman known only as Basil. There were, too, scribes and translators from diverse Asian nations to work in the bureaucracy, and official representatives from various foreign courts such as the Sultanates of Rum and India.

This diversity was reflected in the various religions practised there and, in time, the construction of many fine stone buildings by followers of Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.

The prosperous days of Karakorum were very short-lived, however. The Mongol capital was moved to Xanadu in 1263, and then to Khanbaliq (modern-day Beijing) in 1267, under the leadership of Kublai Khan; Karakorum lost most of its power, authority, and leadership in the process. Without the resources and support that it had previously received from the leaders of the Mongol Empire, the city was left in a very vulnerable position. The residents of Karakorum began leaving the site in large numbers, until the city had eventually become almost entirely abandoned.

There were a few scattered attempts to revive the city in the years that followed, but any hope of restoring Karakorum to its former glory was then finally shattered in 1380, when the entire city was razed to the ground by Ming Dynasty troops.

The Erdene Zuu Monastery was later built near the site where Karakorum once stood, and pieces of the ruins were taken to be used as building materials during the construction of the monastery. The Erdene Zuu Monastery is also believed to be the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia.

There is very little left of the ruined city today, and this statue is one of the few remaining features that can still be seen at the site. It originally formed the base of an inscribed stele, but the pillar section was somehow lost/destroyed, leaving nothing but the base (which may be a depiction of the mythological dragon-turtle, Bixi, from Chinese mythology).

This statue and the site in general always kinda remind me of the Ozymandias poem (the version by Horace Smith, not the one by Percy Bysshe Shelley):

In Egypt's sandy silence, all alone,

stands a gigantic leg

which far off throws the only shadow

that the desert knows.

"I am great OZYMANDIAS," saith the stone,

"the King of Kings; this mighty city shows

the wonders of my hand."

The city's gone —

naught but the leg remaining

to disclose the site

of this forgotten Babylon.

We wonder —

and some Hunter may express wonder like ours,

when thro' the wilderness where London stood,

holding the wolf in chace,

he meets some fragment huge

and stops to guess

what powerful but unrecorded race

once dwelt in that annihilated place

Sources & More Info:

University of Washington: Karakorum, Capital of the Mongol Empire

Encyclopedia Britannica: Entry for Karakorum

World History: Karakorum

[chlobliviate]

Wolfstar Microfic - Stronger

Words: 627

@wolfstarmicrofic

This was written as a response to multiple people asking what Remus did in fourth year after the Moon-Grumpy fic (https://archiveofourown.org/works/58156276) but it can also be read as a stand alone!

🌙✨🌙✨🌙

The first time Remus tried firewhisky, he hated it. It was stronger than he expected, and within half an hour he was good and tipsy, and tipsy Remus liked to talk.

James, equally tipsy, found this fascinating. He was so used to Remus holding himself back. It was like getting to see a whole new side of him, and it was so endearing.

“What are we doing for Hogsmeade next week? I need to go to Honeydukes. Need.” Remus said, lying on his bed with his eyes closed. Pete had gone to throw up, and Sirius had been dared to sit on Marlene’s lap for fifteen minutes, half an hour ago.

“You not going with Em?” James was propped against his trunk, grinning.

Remus laughed softly, “No, I’m not.”

“Is she busy?” James asked. “Too busy for you?”

“Nah.” Remus paused, “We broke up.”

“You what?!” James yelled. “When did this happen?”

“About two hours ago.” Remus wanted to curl up into a ball, roll off the bed and roll away into the distance where James wasn’t about to interrogate him about his failed relationship.

“Moony! What the fuck?” James crawled across the room to sit next to Remus’ bed. “Are you alright?”

Remus shrugged, “Yeah, I think so. I didn’t see it coming, but I’m also… I don’t know. I thought I’d be more bothered.”

James studied his face, “So, what happened?”

“Oh, we just… drifted apart, I guess.” Remus wished he was having this conversation sober. It would be so much easier to lie sober.

“Well, that’s bullshit, because she was up here reading with you last night.” James continued to stare at him. “So what really happened?”

“She noticed something about me, and it bothered her. When she asked me about it, I didn’t deny it, so she broke up with me.”

“Is this— Moony did she— She dumped you because you’re a werewolf?”

Remus spluttered and sat up, “No, of course not! Jesus Christ, Prongs! She dumped me because I’m in love with Sirius.” James blinked at him, as the realisation of what he’d just said dawned on Remus’ face. “Oh. Oh no, no. Wait—”

“You are?” Remus didn’t know what he’d expected, but it wasn’t James looking at him like he’d just announced the birth of a child. He said nothing. “Moony?”

Remus nodded slowly, “I think so.”

“Since when?” James looked way too happy about this. Remus had so many regrets. He wondered if there was a nomadic tribe in Mongolia that would accept a werewolf. Probably not. They’d never trust a wolf around the sheep.

“Maybe since forever. I don’t really know.” Remus rolled his eyes as James let out an excited yelp. “It doesn’t bother you?”

“That you fancy Pads and not me?” James grinned, “Well, there’s no accounting for taste, mate.”

“Tosser.” He muttered, “No, that I’m … queer?”

“Oh, that? No, of course not.” James tried to stand up unsuccessfully.

“And you won’t tell him, right? You won’t tell anyone?”

“I reserve the right to tell this story on two occasions. When you start dating, and when I’m the best man at your wedding. The two of you have to duel to see who gets me.” James managed to hold onto the bedpost and was finally on his feet.

“When?”

“Pads could do a lot worse than you.” James shrugged. “And you could do a lot better than Pads.”

“Thank you?” Remus squinted at him. “Firewhisky is fucking lethal.”

At that moment, Sirius burst into the room with a purple hickey blooming on his neck. “Good evening!”

James looked at Remus sympathetically before turning to indulge Sirius in whatever bullshit he was about to announce. Remus sighed, back to pretending.

[sgiandubh]

Cait has been to Nepal as model for a photoshoot and saw the Everest. What she did say she'd want to visit is Mongolia. As for Sam, the Everest movie is dead. What he's looking to do is narrate an Everest documentary. Problem is, it's been done very well before to be worth it except to sell to his most ardent fans who buy everything he sells.

Dear Everest Anon,

She saw the Himalayas, from the lower mountain zone in Dhulikhel - not the Everest. That would be exactly the same thing as me pretending to see Mycenae from my terrace in Athens - same distance -, albeit I'll give you this: different topography.

And yes, you are correct - still nasty, though - she has been to Nepal and found that watching the sun rise over those majestic mountaintops was a 'deeply spiritual' experience.

It's all in that January 2022 High Life magazine interview, while she was promoting Belfast, by the way (https://bahighlife.com/stories/outlander-actress-caitriona-balfe-reveals-her-favourite-travel-memories):

I didn't have that quote seared in my brain, though and I remembered it just as I referenced it: a dream/bucket list destination, which is - mind you - exactly what her answer suggests.

As for Mongolia, which I suspect must be a very abstract place to you, this comes from an answer on X, back when she was still doing those cute #AskCait Q&A improv sessions:

It took me five minutes to find it and I remembered it vaguely - Central Asia is a space I know very, very well.

The closest I have ever been to Mongolia - probably way closer than you - was on my Silk Road solo trip, in 2010. Ever since, Switzerland could never compete with the magic of Kyrgyzstan, especially when you wake up in your yurt in Tash Rabat to this view:

This being very much akin to a Mongolian landscape, by the way. Serene and graceful and very, very quiet. And the people are warm, generous and have a wonderful sense of humor. It's only normal to dream of such a place, for a dream it is and nothing less.

So yes, your comment reads like globally correct, although I think your tone could have been more polite: we haven't been properly introduced, you and me.

But then you can't help yourself and spoil it all with your tribe's mandatory and gratuitous S hate moment. Many things have been 'very well done before' and yet they are still being presented, over and over again, just because life and the world change all the time: I suppose you are familiar with the concept?

You know what? Why don't you go to the Himalayas and do your own documentary project on it, Anon? Traveling will do you a hell lot of good and I will be your most ardent promoter.

Until then, which is probably never, I'll just watch his documentary or whatever he would choose to make out of it with great pleasure. You will still be in your armchair, at Clacton-on-Sea, or Weston-super-Mare, or wherever.

[paganimagevault]

Symbols of the Xiongnu, Sarmatians, Scythians, and Alans from various branded objects 2nd C. BCE - 2nd C. CE

"Starting in the 1950s, the source base for the study of the branding of cattle has substantially broadened. One of the Sarmatian burials of the lower Don contained a unique instrument for branding an animal (Raev 1979, pp. 207–08, Fig 3.9; Yatsenko 2001, p. 12, Fig. 1.1). A male burial of the last quarter of the 1st century CE not far from the village of Porogi near the Dniester yielded a silver cup with a handle in the form of a horse with brands on the right shoulder and left flank [Figs. 3.1, 6.2]. In this same complex was a gold torque with ends shaped like horse heads. One of the heads has a brand on the cheek (Simonenko and Lobai 1991, Fig. 16.1,2; Simonenko 1991, p. 316, Nos. 154, 157). One should include here a long-known gold bracelet accidentally discovered on the shore of the Bug estuary. Its ends, analogous to those of the torque from Porogi, also are shaped like horse heads, on one of which is a brand (Solomonik 1959, pp. 131–32; Voroniatov 2013, Fig. 1.2). Additional evidence regarding the tradition of branding Sarmatian horses may be found in numerous examples of Roman-period ceremonial horse harness, whose decoration includes Sarmatian tamgas (Voroniatov 2013). S. A. Yatsenko’s idea (2001, p. 13) that details of horse gear can duplicate or imitate a real brand on the body of the horse merits close attention.

As unusual as the buckle from Mongolia is the depiction of a bear on a wooden harp [Fig. 6.3] from the interesting complex of the end of the 1st–beginning of the 2nd centuries CE not far from Olbia (Simonenko 1999, pp. 111–14, Figs. 2, 3; Simonenko 2004, pp. 209– 21, Abb. 7). In toto there are 32 tamgas on the harp, six of which are incised on the figure of the bear. A.V. Simonenko emphasized (1999, p. 112) that the tamgas are placed in the same locations as the signs on the figure of a horse which served as the handle for the silver cup from Porogi [Figs. 3.1, 6.2].

I would propose that the depiction of a branded wild animal (a bear) on Alano-Sarmatian materials is related to the depiction of a fantastic animal with a brand in Xiongnu antiquities. It is possible that the meaning attached to signs specifically on such creatures relates to something other than the pragmatic tradition of branding cattle. This phenomenon, on which I will not dwell in greater detail, requires special study. I would merely note that early medieval depictions of wild animals and mythical creatures with a brand are attested in the territory of Inner Asia and Asia Minor (Boardman 2010, Fig. 19; Samashev and Bazylkhan 2010, p. 311).

In discussing the tradition of branding cattle along the northern Black Sea littoral, E. I. Solomonik (1957, pp. 215–17) provides information about this practice in archaic Greece, a practice which might well also have existed in the Greek Black Sea colonies. Clearly horses and cattle, branded with Sarmatian tamgas and, correspondingly, their depictions appear in the steppes of the northern Black Sea littoral and in the Bosporan region with the arrival of a new wave of nomadic tribes in the first century CE.

The objects examined here in the three categories demonstrate not only the similarity of several types of tamgas of Inner Asia and Sarmatia but also suggest common features of ritual practice among the Xiongnu and the Alano-Sarmatians. All three categories of objects have characteristics which are not merely the inherent qualities found in artefacts of daily life.

The astragalus with a tamga found in the burned layer of the Bosporan fortress of Artezian [Fig. 5.5] also has been interpreted as a cult object (Vinokurov 2007). In addition to the astragalus with a tamga, in the same layer of the Liubimov settlement on the lower Dnieper [Fig. 5.3] was a whetstone inscribed with three tamgas. Scholars have attributed a cultic and magic purpose to unusual whetstones of the Scytho-Sarmatian period and specifically to whetstones with tamgas (Griaznov 1961; Anikeeva and Iablonskii 2012, p. 52; Voroniatov 2012)."

-Sergey V. Voroniatov, State Hermitage Museum - Connections between Central Asia and the Northern Littoral of the Black Sea: Evidence from objects with tamgas.

[dracocheesecake]

Hi hii thats me again reflexing on your Kai headcanons yayy

How do you think could Kai have identity crisis at some point due to him being a 'halfbreed'? Yeah I understand that kfp is a world of anthropomorphic animals and nations don't really work in our sense but still xd I mean, (back to one of your writings) in childhood he used to be not treated well because of his mongolian roots. Later I think he could have struggled a little if the side he choose to fight (on?by?with? -m not native srry) is the right one. His ancestors from both sides have been historical enemies for generations, Kai probably had a lot to think about

I have a lot of headcanons and thoughts about this specific topic, so I'll try to summarize it as best as I can: to answer it straight: yes and no- it depended on context.

Warning: racism, some foul language

In my headcanons Kai joined up with the Immortal Army (what the Qin state army called themselves), at one point trying to put an emperor Candidate named Lord Bohai into power.

They fought against not only enemy mongolian tribes, but also the huns and the other Chinese states with their armies and emperor candidates, as well as various warlords attempting to seize power at this tumultuous period in history.

Khaltmaa's herd wasn't apart of the coalition of clans that attacked China- they were just traders, a family of nomads moving place to place- they actually left Mongolia to escape the fighting that was going on at the time, and came to the Qin state because it's immense military strength made it relatively stable; however, because they were Mongolian, they were treated only a little better than the enemy clans- “painted with the same brush”, you know how ignorant people are.

Kai received a lot of discrimination and abuse in the army because of this, and they actually blamed his bloodlust and sadism on his mongolian blood, which filled Kai with shame, knowing his mother and her family were peaceful, kind, civilized people from a rich culture; but Kai rose up the ranks quickly to escape the abuse, and flaunted his heritage as an act of defiance. He and Oogway bonded over their foreign backgrounds, because Oogway also suffered similarly, especially from General Jiahao, who never missed an opportunity to make remarks:

To Kai: “Your father must have either been desperate or a sick kind of pervert, to mix good Chinese blood with that of a savage whore; and look what such an ill-fated mating created.” 

And for Oogway:

"What islander dribble are you speaking, now? You came all the way over the seas from your speck of dirt in the ocean, and you can't learn how to speak our language properly? Are all the tortoises where you come from slow in mind as well?"

It didn't help matters when they actually went to fight those mongolian clans. There was talk of Kai joining in with his "breathren", or feeling guilt for cutting down his "cousins" in battle; Kai had no relations in these clans, but it wouldn’t help to explain it. Of course, once Kai and Oogway became warlords, they never heard such talk again.

[centrally-unplanned]

Since you mentioned it anyway... Ghengis Khan VOR?

Ghengis Khan does require a grain of salt, given our lack of strong historical evidence for his life and inner workings. But still, given what we have, his story is one of endless setbacks before his incredible victories. He is left destitute after the death of his father, kills his half-brother over a fight over hunting spoilers, is imprisoned by rival tribes multiple times, and spends several years as a slave later on of the Jin Dynasty after his early armies are defeated. A lot of his VOR comes from the fact that he was the one to do it at all; he shouldn't have even lived, let alone come back to forge an Empire.

Past that, the Mongolian steppe was in a constant step of flux of political (dis)unification, but even when unified was never built for sustained conquest. Meanwhile the Jin Dynasty had just had a string of victories imposing tribute on the various tribes - it was not the case that the Mongolians had this inherent "nomadic cavalry" military advantage that, if unleashed, bordering nations could not compete with, they got wrecked by them all the time. Re-unifying China as a successor kingdom, for example, is something of a given at some point, its inherent dynamics lead to that - for Mongolia that was not the case. Genghis just has this miraculous ability to get coalition partners into his camp, and all the way in, ride-or-die in, over and over and over.

Finally, he is a pretty tireless-but-flexible operational commander, combined with institutional innovator. His siege of Xongjing fails due to poorly constructed earthworks on their dam attempt, then a second siege of Xijing also goes poorly? We build an entire siege corps built out of captured and defected engineers of our Jin dynasty enemy that we then integrate into force structure and fling about as far as Persia. Next stab at the Jin Dynasty runs out of steam penetrating too far into their territory, so our army starts starving? Go back, build a new logistics & supply requisition system that we have never had before to extend campaign duration, and repeat. These might sound 'obvious" but no Mongol commanders really did these before - they instead would sign a peace treaty, take some tribute, and go home. This is a huge VOR - a demonstrated track record of asset-building where others simply settled for the equilibrium.

Finally he has many moments of "consensus bucking" - in particular on peace and restraint, funnily enough! It was very common - the first siege of the Jin capital & the planned invasion of north India come to mind - where his commanders would recommend pushing forward, Genghis would go "hold up", then retreat, sign a temporary peace, then come back next year or choose a new target and win for real. These you do have to be skeptical of - classic literary tradition, to portray the Great Leader as the wise one out of a sea of idiot advisors. But still, its attested enough to be worth noting.

So yeah, tremendous VOR - one of the few leaders in history who, if absent, could result in their empire simply vanishing from the record, never occurring at all.

[rigel-kentauruus]

~*Decendents*

It has been 26 years since Mulan and Baatar fled China and returned to the steppes in Mongolia, where they began a life together. Baatar returned to take his place as Shan Yu, the leader of his Hun tribe and Mulan as his left hand, their queen. Together they formed alliances and became a clan of great influence and respect for its allies. Both united in marriage had 3 children: 👦🏻🧒🏻👶🏻

Amgalan (older), Kublai (middle) and Ulaan (younger)

9 - 8 - 3

*Tender childhood for the three brothers where everything was jokes and games

13 - 12 - 7

For older children, responsibilities begin with puberty and for younger children, interest in new things.

21 - 20 - 15

Power struggles, competencies, guilt, fears, discrimination and the weight of their roles create a lot of friction for siblings. And finding their own paths.

Amgalan - 24 years old: He's very similar to his father when he was young, but thinner. Is blind in the left eye after being attacked by a bear in an attempt to save his siblings when they were children's. He is unable to perceive depth on many occasions, but he makes up for it with his combat and leadership skills. His biggest concern is the safety of his restless siblings.

Kublai - 23 years old: Physically he is more similar to a Han than a Hun, thin and a head shorter than his older brother. Of the 3, he is the one with the shortest hair, after he lost a bet against Amgalan and he cashed in by cutting his hair. When he gets into trouble in his search for recognition and adventure, he usually comes armed and prepared for any incident.

Ulaan - 18 years old: Like his second brother, he looks more Han than Hun. He's thin and the shortest of the three and doesn't have the characteristic golden eyes of his father, but rather the dark eyes of his mother. He likes to go out exploring with Kublai, read and learn new things is his passion. Careless and confident that his brothers will get him out of any trouble, which is why he is not afraid of getting into trouble with Kublai.

[moodymisty]

As for my boy the Khan, his kinks would be more his type in ladies. Besides obviously having a breeding kink (he is based on the man with 9 legitimate children with his beloved Empress, Börte, and who, after she died, had 6 consequential junior wives and numerous concubines) and size kink (he is described as one of the taller Primarchs), I think he would be into formidable people.

In the 13th century, Mongolia was at the height of its power under the leadership of Genghis Khan and his successors. The Mongol Empire, which began with Genghis Khan’s unification of the Mongol tribes, expanded rapidly to become the largest contiguous empire in history. This period was marked by significant military conquests, administrative innovations, and cultural exchanges across Asia and Europe. However, while the male warriors and leaders of the empire are well-documented, the contributions of Mongolian women, particularly those of noble or royal lineage, played an essential role in the empire’s success and stability.

One of the most notable female figures from this period was Sorghaghtani Beki, a Kereit princess and the wife of Tolui, the youngest son of Genghis Khan. After Tolui’s death, Sorghaghtani managed the affairs of her household and became a powerful political figure. She was instrumental in the rise of her sons, particularly Kublai Khan, who later became the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China. Sorghaghtani was known for her astute political mind, fostering alliances through marriage, and ensuring that her sons were well-educated, which was crucial for their future roles as leaders. Her influence was such that she is often credited with shaping the policies that helped maintain the cohesion and expansion of the Mongol Empire after Genghis Khan’s death.

Another significant female figure was Töregene Khatun, the widow of Ögedei Khan, Genghis Khan’s third son and his successor as the Great Khan. After Ögedei’s death, Töregene effectively took control of the empire as the regent for her son, Güyük Khan. During her regency, she consolidated power and managed the vast empire, demonstrating her capability as a ruler. Her reign is notable for her diplomatic efforts, including interactions with European rulers, and for supporting cultural and religious diversity within the empire.

Khutulun, a niece of Kublai Khan and the daughter of Kaidu, a powerful ruler of the Chagatai Khanate, stands out as one of the most remarkable women in Mongolian history. Born around 1260, Khutulun was renowned for her extraordinary physical strength, her skills in wrestling, and her prowess as a warrior. Khutulun was undefeated in wrestling. According to historical accounts by various Muslim scholars like Rashid al-Din and al-Qashani,she would only marry the man who could defeat her in wrestling. Many suitors tried, but none succeeded, which added to her legendary status. Some stories suggest that she amassed a significant herd of horses as a result of her victories, as she demanded horses from any man who lost to her. Khutulun was a formidable military leader. She often accompanied her father, Kaidu, in his military campaigns. She had a role in running the government of her khanate and the army. She did eventually marry her father's bodyguard and had many children together. However she and her family, after being pushed away by her brothers, were most likely killed in 1307 by raiders from the Chagatai Khanate.

The Khan wants somebody who could match him. He wants a strong-willed, intelligent consort who would rule for him while he ran off to war. He literally just wants to be with somebody who's the exact same but the opposite gender. That's his kink. Himself but with a pussy and tits 😭😭 (I am not very good at these things, could you suggest more?)

As an apologize in regards to my yapping (I am a historical nerd currently obsessed with Medieval Asian and Middle Eastern history), I send this to express regret 😔

https://x.com/nomadaesthetic/status/1821312574362677486

https://x.com/nomadaesthetic/status/1827440103351882085

we welcome all forms of Khan propaganda here, friend.

[artifacts-archive]

Pole Cap with Antelope

Eurasian steppes, 6th/4th century B.C.

Bronze sculptures of real and imaginary animals are generally known as “Ordos” after the Ordos Desert in which they were first discovered in the early twentieth century. This northern and northwestern frontier of China—which also includes the forests and grasslands of present-day Inner Mongolia, Outer Mongolia, southern Siberia, and parts of Central Asia was occupied by hunting and herding tribes during the first millennium B.C. The precise ethnic identities of most of these tribes are unknown; ancient Chinese texts refer to many of these tribes by ancient regional names rather than by the names by which the tribes called themselves.

[mostly-mundane-atla]

Someone about my Athabaskan Jet headcanon, probably: but you can't just make Avatar characters Alaska Native!!!!!!!!! They're only supposed to be Asian if they aren't Water Tribe, who are still cultural influenced by Mongolia and China!!!

Me: fuck you Sneers is part Haida now and Suki is part Yup'ik. Try it again and Chit Sang is next.

[atla-confessions]

I know the Water Tribes are inspired by Inuit peoples, but they’re also based on indigenous cultures all over the world - not just the Alaska-Canadian region. This is such a mild thing for me to be peeved by, but I reeeeaallllyyyy need to get it off my chest.

We’re talking about a fictional world here, but when I see people (US Americans) provide real-world examples, they only consider ‘Inuit’ to mean Alaskan-native. When really, the term includes all the culturally & historically similar Indigenous peoples inhabiting the surrounding arctic and subarctic regions affiliated with North America. Which includes Russia’s Chukotsky District, Greenland, Labrador, Québec, Nunavut, and more. I don’t remember all the places, but most of them are Canadian provinces.

But what about Siberia? and Mongolia? yes, i know Mongolia is landlocked which kind of defeats the point of the water tribes, but it borders the region of Siberia & shares some traits. geographically fits the northern parts of the earth kingdom.

but that’s the NWT and northern earth kingdom.

the SWT also takes influence from Aboriginal Australians - Sokka’s boomerang (yes, also found elsewhere, i know. but evidence of the boomerang in australia dates back 50,000 years & the oldest surviving boomerang is from 10,000 BC. that’s thousands of years older than boomerangs from ancient egypt [~1330 BC]), rabbaroos, koala sheep, etc.

the foggy swamp can also be likened to Indigenous Australia (the northern and southern tribes originated there, and it can be assumed that the first waterbenders are from there, too. Aboriginal Australians are the oldest / longest standing cultures on earth). biome similarities etc.

also, hello?? south pole?? Antarctica?? aurora australis? it’s not the north pole. OH OH ANOTHER PETTY PET PEEVE is when fics use ‘arctic’ for the southern water tribe. boo 👎👎 antarctic supremacy.

I forgot where I was going with this. something something pacific & torres strait islanders influence something something.

TL;DR alaska isn’t in asia & the atla universe takes inspiration from all over the world, not just china, japan, tibet, and alaska.

sry this is really petty of me & i may be flexing my mad HSIE skills just a bit. but i had to get it out there 🙏. i’m just so fed up with us-centralism.

also before anyone says anything: australia has snow. ✌️.

X

[arthurdrakoni]

Flag of the Kingdom of Mongolia

This is the flag of the Kingdom of Mongolia.  It comes from a world where China successfully repelled the Mongols early on.  As a result, the Mongol Empire never came to be.  The Mongols continued to be pushed farther and farther west until they arrived in Eastern Europe.  Eventually, they settled around where Romania and southern Poland are in our world.  Thus, the Kingdom of Mongolia was born.  The Mongols were frequently visited by Byzantine missionaries, and the Mongolian Orthodox Church is the official state religion.  The Byzantine Empire also remains a major trading partner for Mongolia.  In more peculiar alliances, Mongolia is also a major ally of the tiny mountainous nation of Neo Hellas, the final remnant of pagan Greece.  

The coming of the Mongols altered the migration patterns of several other peoples.  For example, the Bulgars settled in Russia, establishing the Czardom of Bulgaria.  Meanwhile, several Germanic tribes invaded Greece, and Byzantium is currently ruled by a Germanic dynasty.  Islam was still founded, but it never expanded beyond the Arabian Peninsula.  

In terms of bad relations, Mongolia has always had a very tense relationship with the Franco-Saxon Kingdom.  Throughout the years the Franco-Saxons have repeatedly attempted to conquer the Mongolians.  Even after all these years, Mongolia remains bitter about the Franco-Saxon invasion that occurred during the Second Great Patriotic War.  Despite this, in more recent times there has been increasing emphasis on moving on and letting go of the past.  Younger generations in particular are more likely to support reconciliation between the two nations.  

Mongolia takes pride in its dual mature of East Asian heritage and Eastern European culture.  The flag reflects this dual heritage.  The blue recalls both the cloak of the Virgin Mary and the eternal blue sky of the Tengrism.  The horse symbolizes the nomadic past of the Mongolian people, before they settled in Eastern Europe.  The cross represents the Mongolian Orthodox Church, with the flame representing the flames of Pentecost.  The interlocking circles halves represent the dual nature of the Mongolian people.  The golden bands represent the hope that the Mongolian people will always prosper no matter what life throws at them.  They also help to offset the blue on the main body of the flag.  

https://drakoniandgriffalco.blogspot.com/2019/03/flag-of-kingdom-of-mongolia.html?m=0

[mr-danger-to-my-sanity]

Legend of Da Yu'er / Legend of Xiao Zhuang (2015)

In my desire to watch everything Liu Xueyi has been in that I can find, and mixed with a dash of "I watched this so you don't have to", I'd like to introduce you to Ezhe, the biggest asshole on the Mongolian plains. When looking for more pics from this show I came across a weibo post where someone said "all the worst things a man can do in a drama was given to him", and they're not wrong. This is him.

The basic premise of the show is the life of Da Yu'er, the most beautiful woman in all of Mongolia who lives an unfortunate parallel to Helen of Troy in that she is desired by men who go to war over who should have her. Ezhe is one of them.

(Trigger warning for abuse & sexual assault)

We first meet him at the marriage tournament of our female lead, princess Da Yu'er of the Khorchin tribe. Ezhe is the prince of the Chahar tribe who is confident he will win the horse racing and archery contest, but doesn't hesitate to threaten his fellow competitors for good measure. And for most of the tournament he is winning! Until the Jin Emperor Huangtaiji who has been a spectator thus far, decides to throw his hat into the ring and beats him in the last race, claiming Da Yu'er as his concubine. Ezhe claims that this was all set up ahead of time and is an insult to his tribe to be played like that, setting himself up as an antagonist for both the Khorchin tribe and the Jin Emperor.

(Dont let the wispy lock of hair fool you, things are about to get BAD)

The Khorchin leader offers Ezhe a marriage with Da Yu'er's cousin which is accepted by his father, but Ezhe is HORRIBLE to his new wife for the sole crime of not being Da Yu'er. He strangles her, threatens to torture her for his own amusement and kills her blind mother by pushing her headfirst into a wall. Eventually she has to pretend to be crazy just to get him to leave her alone.

But a truce marriage isn't enough for Ezhe or his father, both of whom think their tribe should be at the top, so they lay siege to Khorchin, only to eventually retreat when the Emperor sends reinforcements.

He disappears for a few episodes only to come back and attack Khorchin again, this time taking their leader (Da Yu'er's grandfather) hostage, and will only exchange him for Da Yu'er, regardless of the fact that she is now the Emperor's favourite concubine. He settles for initially exchanging her grandfather for the male lead Prince Dorgon (the Emperor's brother and the man that Da Yu'er actually loves) to be his hostage instead, threatening to kill Dorgon if Da Yu'er isn't handed over in 3 days.

Ezhe also knows about the weird love triange between the Emperor/Da Yu'er/Dorgon and taunts Dorgon about it at every opportunity. When the deadline is up for the exchange/execution, Da Yu'er shows up at the last second and agrees to his demands only to trick him and run off with Dorgon, leaving Ezhe with a knife to the hand and an even bigger rage boner.

Several episodes later it is now 6 years since Ezhe lost the marriage tournament (and we know this because he keeps harping on about it). Da Yu'er is travelling through the region to escort a new bride back to the palace when their carriage is ambushed and they are kidnapped by Ezhe. Even Ezhe's father thinks this is a dick move but can't convince Ezhe to release them.

(Dad saying what everyone else is thinking)

Ezhe threatens to kill the extraneous woman plus Da Yu'er's cousin who had tried to help them flee, forcing Da Yu'er into tearfully agreeing to marry him. They have a quick wedding offscreen before he drags her to the marriage bed, but he is thwarted by too many layers of clothing which allows enough time for Dorgon, Da Yu'er's brother and some guards to rescue her, and Ezhe is forced to retreat again.

(Have some insufferable smirks for getting this far)

After the death of his father, Ezhe becomes the leader of the scattered Chahar tribe at the same time the Jin Empire is in the process of fighting back the Ming Empire. To save having to fight wars on two fronts, the Jin Emperor sends Dorgon to make a truce with Chahar, inviting them to surrender and assimilate into the Jin Empire. Ezhe naturally refuses and battles with them instead, even poisoning the lake to weaken the Jin army, but in the end is still outnumbered. Ezhe agrees to meet Dorgon to surrender but uses the meeting as a last ditch attempt to kill him, but is captured and his mother surrenders on behalf of the Chahar.

The Jin Empire is successfully rebranded as the Qing Empire, and as the leader of the Chahar, Ezhe is given a title and a ministerial position. He can now mock Dorgon with impunity and waltz around the palace and follow Da Yu'er to his smirking little heart's content. He doesn't even care that his first wife has become the Emperor's newest concubine, or that the Emperor had betrothed him to another princess for the sake of unity, he only cares about Da Yu'er. He looks for every opportunity he can to point out that she is technically his wife since they had a wedding and invites her to run away with him. When that doesn't work he sneaks into Da Yu'er's palace and tries forcing himself onto her, chased off by her maid smacking him over the head with a paperweight.

The next time he attempts to forcibly consummate his dubious marriage, Ezhe drugs Da Yu'er and manages to get shirtless before the Emperor and all of his guards descend on the bedroom and finally drag him off to prison. Even in prison Ezhe is defiant and mocks the Emperor to his face for wanting to only exile him and not kill him, declaring that he is happy to die for love. But he doesn't go without a fight, breaking free from his restraints and fighting the Emperor's bodyguard before turning his blade on himself to insist on Da Yu'er's innocence.

(Totally understand the desire to chain him up and strangle him.)

Ezhe: "It is distinguished and admirable to die for love. I will be elegant and unconventional if I die this way."

~~~

(It was here where I stopped watching because I thought he was dead and then wrote the following:)

Can I make any case for positives? He genuinely mourns the death of his aunt and his father. He obeys his mother when she surrenders, and appears to treat his sister well when they're in the palace. And despite never caring what Da Yu'er wants, when the Emperor catches them together and sets to punish her for adultery, Ezhe takes full responsibility and pleads to the Emperor not to punish her.

So... he's a romantic, if in a very twisted way? Oh good gods this probably the way people romanticize real life serial killers. At least Ezhe is a *fictional* asshole.

~~~

But this behind the scenes picture of Liu Xueyi in a costume I hadn't yet seen prompted me to watch further and lo and behold, the Emperor called for the imperial physician to save Ezhe's life, and he was in a coma and being cared for by Dorgon (of all people). When he wakes it is 9 months later (to coincide with the birth of Da Yu'er's son and the rumours of his parentage). Ezhe is weakened so much that he has lost his martial abilities and the Emperor chooses not to punish him any further in order to keep the peace. Ezhe relays his gratitude to Dorgon for his caregiving and his apologies to Da Yu'er for hurting her. He even tries to turn away his fiancee, calling himself a "wicked sinner" but she sticks by him and he begins to reform his ways.

For the next 14 episodes he disappears off the screen until it's 6 years later and the Emperor is dead. Dorgon (now the Regent for Da Yu'er's Emperor son) comes to visit Ezhe, who has been living a quiet life outside the palace with his wife and son, spending his time reading holy books. Dorgon invites Ezhe to join him in battle against the last of Ming army to which he readily agrees.

Under Dorgon's command, Ezhe leads an elite team of soldiers to pretend to be allies and mislead the enemy, helping the Qing army close in the ranks around them. Side by side with Dorgon he fights the last Ming General into retreating into the woods. Ezhe protects Dorgon by diving in front of the general's guandao/polearm, spitting up blood but not conceding. The enemy general slices off Ezhe's right arm at the shoulder, but Ezhe grabs the polearm with his left hand and proceeds to beat the general back with a series of mighty kicks until Dorgon captures him once and for all. The adrenaline of the fight gone, Ezhe hits the ground like a fallen tree, and Dorgon cradles him in his dying moments. Ezhe has finally paid back Dorgon for saving his life and is happy to die a dignified death on the battlefield after being weak for so many years, with one final request.

With his last breath, does he ask for Dorgon to say goodbye to his wife for him? To look after his son? To bury him next to his father in the Chahar plains? No, Ezhe's last dying words, true to form, are "Take good care of Da Yu'er for me."

(Thats the end, congrats, have some battle scowls.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes on his reform: Ezhe does end his arc in a lot better form than he began, but it was still very self centered. When he woke from his coma, his gratitude and respect was for Dorgon to whom he apologised for the hurt he'd caused. It was only after Dorgon pointed out that he'd hurt Da Yu'er the most that Ezhe asked Dorgon to pass on his apology to Da Yu'er too. No mention at all of the torment he put his first wife through, or how he endangered his own people on many occasions for his own desires. He throws the fish back into the pond when fishing because the fish "is a living thing", but is still wishing he had the strength to fight back when the Emperor's son insults his pride. Although his wife and son appear to have a happy life when we briefly see them, Ezhe refers to his domestic life as his time "being weak" and eagerly riding off into battle. And his dying words? Take care of Da Yu'er "for me." She's the bloody Empress Dowager at this point, but he's still thinking of her through the lens of his association with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Would I recommend watching?

For the story? It's a palace drama with a very soap opera vibe, which got a little much for me so I only skimmed through it to keep up just enough with the plot. I liked the main characters but was not as invested in them to keep watching after Ezhe died, but it certainly wasn't boring at any point.

For Liu Xueyi? If you've read this far then you're at least aware of the godawful shit Ezhe does and if you want to see him glare and smirk and fight his way through the show with a curly wig and some big jewellery then go for it. He's a great antagonist and his fight scenes are really quite good. (And if you only want to watch the episodes he's in, I can give you a list).

This was a surprisingly bigger role than I expected it to be for his second drama, and could very well be his OG Asshole character (I haven't found his first drama yet so can't attest to his character in that) so if you've ever wondered why he gets cast as assholes as often as anything else then this might just be the reason why.

This show is listed on MyDramaList as The Legend of Xiaozhaung, but I found it with English subtitles on YouTube as The Legend of Da Yu'er.

Costume Gallery: