@giraffaery / giraffaery.tumblr.com
Messing around learning to color in Procreate – had a lot of fun doing this early morning Freedom Fighter Cuddle Puddle illustration for the absolutely amazing ATLA AU fic, Perpetual by @guiltless-gingerdanger. It’s excellently plotted, has beautiful character growth, and hits so many of my narrative buttons, I can’t recommend it enough!
@maiqueen finished daughter of dragons and i just. Love it so much. I love these dorks so much and the epilogue chapter is so adorable i had to.
Aaaahhhh! I love iiiiiiit! ╰(*°▽°*)╯
The Price of Power - Ba Sing Se and Eunuchs in the Forbidden City
ATLA draws significantly from Imperial China, especially the Qing dynasty, for Ba Sing Se. Since Ba Sing Se itself undeniably resembles Beijing. The Earth King’s palace is based on the Forbidden City, and, as I have pointed out before, Kuei himself is based on Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty.
With canon drawing such close parallels to imperial China I would like to point out some of the more sinister parallels that are not openly explained in the show but can easily be drawn if you take what is there to its logical historical parallel and conclusion.
Now, I have no idea if this was intended by the creators or not, but when you draw a lot from one historic time period/culture you inadvertently end up implying that the gaps in your worldbuilding can be filled with bits and pieces from said period/culture.
Eunuchs in Imperial China
Eunuchs were generally the only men other than the emperor who were allowed to enter the inner courtyards of the Forbidden City, where the imperial family and concubines lived. Other men, including officials, military guards and even male relatives of the emperor, were not only not allowed to enter the inner sanctums but were often required to leave the palace grounds at night. (1)
What does this mean for ATLA?
Long Feng’s history and backstory match with historic precedent.
Kuei became King at a very young age. Long Feng was Kuei’s mentor and regent. He quickly seized power and ruled in Kuei’s stead.
Further, when Long Feng confronts Azula and ultimate get betrayed by the Dai Li and hands the city to her, she points out that he comes from low beginnings.
The heir, born in a the palace, grew up under the constant tutelage of the eunuchs. When such an emperor, still a child succeeded to the throne, the imperial eunuchs would control the child-emperor’s decisions or those of the empress-regent. These eunuchs…were usually drawn from the lowest levels of society. Having no future outside the palace, they had no reason not to merit their reputation for being mercenary and unscrupulous. (1)
In conclusion: It seems Long Feng paid a high price for his power.
.
Further, as a side note: ATLA is not the only kids show to have gone there.
Disney does it in Mulan. Remember Chi-Fu, the guy in blue?
Eunuchs were easily recognizable by their high falsetto voices (for which they were derisively called “crows”), as well as their want of beards, their cringing, hang-dog demeanor … Low-ranking eunuchs wore a long grey robe under a shorter dark blue coat, and had to wear their official hats and boots when on duty. (2)
Yeaaaah. Those ‘scream like a girl’ jokes make a lot more sense now …
Source Material and More:
THE LINKS CONTAIN GRAPHIC MATERIAL (BOTH WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHIC). Click at your own discretion.
Image Source: One
A Chinese knot is a knot that is tied and woven from a single length of cord or rope to be a variety of shapes and of varying complexity. Each shape has its own symbolic meaning, and nowadays you can find them as decoration, gifts for special occasions, and adornments on clothes.
Each kind of knot is named after its shape or the symbolic meaning that it carries. Knot weavers can use a variety of colors, but they usually weave deep red ones as in the picture above. The color red signifies good fortune.
Several styles and colors of Chinese knots
Even today, Chinese knots are rich in symbolic meaning, and they therefore hold sentimental value when given as gifts or passed down through families.
For example, in ancient times and even now, lovers may give a knot as a token of their love. The ‘true love knot’ and the ‘double happiness knot’ are given or used at weddings to express mutual love and growing old together in fidelity. Knots connoted love and marriage in Chinese culture.
Knot Etymology
This connotation can even be seen in Chinese words. The Chinese word for ‘rope’ is ‘shèng’ that sounds similar to the words for ‘spirit,’ ‘divine,’ and ‘life.’ Knots had a spiritual meaning and were used for worship.
The word for ‘knot’ itself is ‘jié’ and is related to many other terms that reinforce the symbolic meaning of the knots. For example, ‘tuán jié’ which means ‘to unite,’ ‘jié hūn’ means ‘to marry,’ and ‘jié guŏ’ means ‘bear fruit,’ ‘result,’ or ‘outcome.’ So a knot given to a marriage partner or a couple means all these things and having children as well.
Modern Usage of Artistic Knots
Along with being symbolic gifts or messages, knots are still used if they wear traditional Chinese clothing or as good luck charms. They are a means of fastening traditional garments instead of buttons or wooden pegs. Now, silk is most widely used to make these clothing knots.
They are used as jewelry such as even rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. They are sold as handicraft novelty items too.
Source: chinahighlights
No one asked but I really vibed with sometimes-a-dragon Zuko from the fic Dragon Moon by @satirewrites. its really good :)
GO READ DRAGON MOON
pose from this reference
katara and yue from dragon moon! (featuring short hair katara)
[i changed yue’s hair style because 1) i cannot mentally comprehend it 2) i cannt draw it 3) nor can i describe it in any way]
just some doodles that are TOTALLY not about the next dragon moon chapter ha-ha……
This is how negotiations work right
Shitpost inspired by @muffinlance ‘s Salvage and this post here
MY PARENTS WERE MARRIED
YOU TAKE THAT BACK
If you don’t love me at my [mile-long post about theology], you don’t deserve me at my [fanfic update]
Oh OP, thank you! I love his expression here - you've really captured the sense of solitude. <3
Theatre kid Zuko this, theatre kid Sokka that.
Did we all forget that Suki grew up canonically wearing Chinese opera makeup? Did we forget that when she met a boy she liked, she dramatically kicked his butt, and then made him put on the opera makeup?
Why are we sleeping on “theatre kid Suki”, people
im... umm... im just here to say your fanfic about fire sage zuko is awesome ummm here have a fanart ... i hope you like it.... (>_<)💕
Oh yay, thank you! I love it. Zuko is not okay and you have really captured that!
I am in the very lovely position of having too much fanart for one story to put it all in the limited end-notes of the story. So… here’s a shiny list!
(If you’ve drawn something and it isn’t on this list, it’s an accident. Please please please let me know so I can add it!)
Art anon, my beloved, has drawn:
A two-part comic of the “you look stupid” scene: Part One: You’re Actually Kind of Little and Part Two: You Look Stupid
@mgtjo has gifted us with:
@elfantasmadepoe has drawn:
@bigfuckinnerdblog gives us a view of Zuko in uniform
@saitoakirachan-fangirls has gifted us with sketches of Zuko in uniform, featuring fire lily and hat
@saxonroa has drawn an adorable bb!sage Zuko
@sunhatwafers has depicted the Verdict
@petramysticaclxv has gifted us a lovely interpretion of the Heretic Sage
@a-todd-illustration’s haunted piece of Zuko in seclusion
@phtalogreenpoison’s eerie, beautiful sketch of the Heretic Sage
@discombobulatedwonderland has given us a very unimpressed lawyer!mode Zuko
reread Mighty Oaks and drew fire sage zuko as a warmup doodle but it got out of hand. I love pretending the hat doesn’t exist honestly. Anyway i lov u have a nice day
Anon, this is AMAZING! (Honestly, Zuko spends a lot of time ignoring the hat, too…!)
His hair! His eyes! His pointy shoes! The saintly vibes of the sun halo behind him! The “leave me alone I have research to do” vibes of his facial expression! I adore it I adore it I adore it. <3
[ † ] SAINT VILOIS FORTUNA.
“Cruelty has a Human Heart And Jealousy a Human Face. Terror the Human Form Divine And Secrecy, the Human Dress. The Human Dress, is forged Iron. The Human Form, a fiery Forge. The Human Face, a Furnace seal’d. The Human Heart, its hungry Gorge.“ — William Blake
The blessed Devil in her prime as depicted by the delightful @horreurscopes. Thank you so much for piecing together my girl in your beautiful, remarkable style. It was an absolute pleasure to work with you and I’ll be forever in awe of this portrait.
I did tarot cards of my party after a year of wanting to make them :-) peepee warning
