I'm thinking of starting off a fairly plot important character in a country I've barely touched on aside from the fact that one minor character from the place had an awkward way of phrasing in the common tongue. And for some reason, I figured that since I rarely see a fantasy setting with Asian influences and the general European style simultaneously, I'd give it a shot. I'm just not sure how to go about it, despite being Chinese myself. I want a good balance between the cultures.
So, does anyone have any ideas on what I should probably avoid, or know of any decent books that have done something similar? :O
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Who are you, the proud lord said, that I must bow so low?
50,022 / 50,000
Nov 16, 2007 - 17 19
I don't know about books, but I watch a lot of anime where the history of Asain countries and European countries are mixed together. Japan had a feudal era, just like Europe did, so for me it was easy to mix the two, since my world is feudal. The hard part is describing archetexture without saying "Japanese-style" because Japan doesn't exist in my world.
You can describe the character's clothing, the style of buildings, the plants and stuff like that, to show how diverse your setting is. You can also give some people accents or have them have strange customs if they come from a different area. There is really a lot you can do by mixing cultural influences.
----------Enter the Banana Cave
50,108 / 50,000
Nov 16, 2007 - 18 46
My main character is from my setting's fantasy version of China now in a generic western European country. My first year, it was set all in China and it was a disaster. For me as a writer. :-P I'd been reading Jin Yong novels that year, and so much of the genre conventions are awkward to translate. My advice is to give your character a cool Chinese wuxia style nickname. :-) Translated or partly translated with a little blurb explaining the nickname. They have such cool names, plus their enemies get to make up funny parodies/puns on the names to mock them with. Also the Gu Long style of a catch phrase for the character. ("Once the knife leaves his hand it never misses." Except something cooler in English. "So-and-so /is/ So-and-so.") ("One drop of blood" for that fellow who killed so cleanly he only left one drop of blood. "Undefeated East". "Simon Snowblower" (just kidding). "Flying Dagger Lee". "Thousand League Loner". "Loner Seeking-a-loss". "Gentleman (hypocrite) Sword Yue Buqun".)
And you can have them refer to their masters, master-wife, apprentice brothers and sisters, martial uncles, etc.
----------And drop the occasional "Chinese" sounding saying. (When falsely accused, say stuff like "When the water goes down the stones will be revealed." Or when suffering from unrequited love, mutter morosely about "dropping flowers into unfeeling water". Heh heh. )
My NaNo page
2005: Die, Stupid Twink, die! (winner!)
2006: Infinity's End (winner!)
2007: Evil Tentacle Beasts from Under the Sea (working title)
50,173 / 50,000
Nov 16, 2007 - 20 38
Have you seen "Avatar: The Last Airbender?"
It's an awesome show on Nickelodeon (American, but anime-styled) in a fantasy world highly based on China and Japan. Could give you some ideas.
27,341 / 50,000
Nov 16, 2007 - 20 43
Thank you guys for the responses. I think I have some idea what to work with now-- really going to have to go watch through my Wuxia series some more. The architecture isn't something I'd thought about before, but that would really give me something to waste words o-- I mean! Write about. Whoo, research.
I've seen very little of Avatar but my friends were recommending it and for some reason the relation between that and this never came to me. I might have to go and check it out. :3
----------Who are you, the proud lord said, that I must bow so low?