Post by Harkovast on Feb 18, 2017 15:11:17 GMT
Zhong
The Chang rule the White Kingdom and ensure they keep the highest positions of political power. Despite this, there are many rules in place to ensure all the different peoples of the White Kingdom get political representation and fair treatment. The White Kingdom is a place of rules and laws and the Chang take great pride in the fairness and reason of the systems they have put in place. Only one race that lives under the White Empress does not get the full benefits of the Chang's carefully laid out legal system, and that is the Zhong.
The Zhong physically resemble water voles and embody the elements of water and nature. They are generally short of stature and most of them live on boats, travelling around the coasts of the White Kingdom
They are considered an undesirable caste, often viewed as thieves, trouble makers and as being unclean. When people in the White Kingdom list the races it contains, Zhong are not included and are usually given little thought. Their are no particular laws in place to protect them or their culture, and there are in fact laws deliberately to discriminate against them. When councils are called with representatives from each nation affected by a decision, the idea of inviting the Zhong is never even considered.
They are limited in what jobs they can take, being banned from any official government office, from the army, from farming and from numerous other trades.
The Gyo in particular hold the Zhong in absolute contempt, refusing to touch them and avoiding objects that Zhong have handled until they have been cleaned.
Gyo commonly refer to Zhong as "salt people" due to them living on the sea, a place that has little to offer to the Gyo way of thinking. Most Gyo consider having Zhong in their presence or even in their settlements to be an intolerable outrage.
Other races in the White Kingdom may be a little less hostile, but still view the Zhong very negatively. Only the Wu-Yao, who care nothing for titles or peoples heritage and judge individuals only on their personal accomplishments, will show any real respect to Zhong. The only land settlements the Zhong possess are small villages in Wu-Yao territory.
The Zhong follow the Enlightened Path, but are not allowed to hold religious positions or become monks. Temples near the coast will allow Zhong to enter to worship and meditate, but they have their own, smaller entrance out of the way and are restricted to their own area at the back of the temple. For a Zhong to touch of interact with a monk would be considered pretty offensive to most citizens of the White Kingdom, so Zhong are expected to remain silent in the temple and draw as little attention to themselves as possible.
On their junk boats, the Zhong live in tight nit family groups, forming extended clans through marriage alliances.
The Zhong are traders and fishermen, moving goods along the coast to where ever they can find a buyer.
The Zhong are skilled is manipulating and growing coral with their magic, using it to build the frames for the wooden planks that make their boats. Since they are not allowed to carry weapons by law, they can use their mastery of coral to make jagged clubs that break off small poisonous pieces in the wounds they cause. Zhong only rarely utilise these tactics, since making themselves appear dangerous would risk bringing harsh reprisals down on them. The Zhong also make coral charms that they sell, which are considered to bring good fortune by many peasants (though not amongst the Gyo.)
Within these communities the Zhong live by their own traditions and practices. Due to how close nit their communities are, living in the confines of their boats, the Zhong are very open in their dealings with each other, treating property communally and caring little for personal space or privacy. In such conditions everyone has to learn to get along and Zhong who disrupt life on their boats constantly will risk harsh punishment, even being thrown over board.
Since the outside world is mostly against them, the Zhong have great loyalty to each other and will usually try to assist other Zhong, even ones they don't know personally out of a sense of loyalty to their group.
The Zhong do not like their lowly status, but mostly accept it, as there is nothing they can do to change their station.
The Zhong tell a story that many years ago a stranger came to live amongst them. She said she needed a place to stay, and was willing to work as a servant for them in exchange for being allowed on their boats. The Zhong accepted, but proceeded to treat her very poorly, mocking her and forcing her to do a great deal of hard toil.
However, after five days, the woman revealed her true identity. She was the White Empress, who had come to test the Zhong to see if they were worthy of being part of her Empire. Their arrogance and selfishness had shown they were not yet ready to understand the Enlightened Path or be part of the White Kingdom and they were placed in their current low status.
The Zhong consider this fable historical fact, though other races in the White Kingdom (the few of them that have heard the story) consider it to be a silly story invented by the Zhong. The idea that the White Empress would bother with the Zhong, much less live amongst them as a servant, is viewed as ridiculous by most none Zhong.
The moral the Zhong take from this story is that it is important to be humble and not boastful or arrogant. This is probably a wise philosophy for a people viewed so negatively, as keeping a low profile keeps them out of trouble. Other people are quick to blame Zhong on problems such as unexplained crimes, failed crops or diseases, so drawing attention to themselves could bring reprisals.
Due to their limited opportunities, some Zhong do resort to banditry and theft, ironically reinforcing the negative views of their people.
The Zhong are a people on the fringes of society, usually at best disregarded or at worst actively despised, living mostly out of sight over the horizon.
The Chang rule the White Kingdom and ensure they keep the highest positions of political power. Despite this, there are many rules in place to ensure all the different peoples of the White Kingdom get political representation and fair treatment. The White Kingdom is a place of rules and laws and the Chang take great pride in the fairness and reason of the systems they have put in place. Only one race that lives under the White Empress does not get the full benefits of the Chang's carefully laid out legal system, and that is the Zhong.
The Zhong physically resemble water voles and embody the elements of water and nature. They are generally short of stature and most of them live on boats, travelling around the coasts of the White Kingdom
They are considered an undesirable caste, often viewed as thieves, trouble makers and as being unclean. When people in the White Kingdom list the races it contains, Zhong are not included and are usually given little thought. Their are no particular laws in place to protect them or their culture, and there are in fact laws deliberately to discriminate against them. When councils are called with representatives from each nation affected by a decision, the idea of inviting the Zhong is never even considered.
They are limited in what jobs they can take, being banned from any official government office, from the army, from farming and from numerous other trades.
The Gyo in particular hold the Zhong in absolute contempt, refusing to touch them and avoiding objects that Zhong have handled until they have been cleaned.
Gyo commonly refer to Zhong as "salt people" due to them living on the sea, a place that has little to offer to the Gyo way of thinking. Most Gyo consider having Zhong in their presence or even in their settlements to be an intolerable outrage.
Other races in the White Kingdom may be a little less hostile, but still view the Zhong very negatively. Only the Wu-Yao, who care nothing for titles or peoples heritage and judge individuals only on their personal accomplishments, will show any real respect to Zhong. The only land settlements the Zhong possess are small villages in Wu-Yao territory.
The Zhong follow the Enlightened Path, but are not allowed to hold religious positions or become monks. Temples near the coast will allow Zhong to enter to worship and meditate, but they have their own, smaller entrance out of the way and are restricted to their own area at the back of the temple. For a Zhong to touch of interact with a monk would be considered pretty offensive to most citizens of the White Kingdom, so Zhong are expected to remain silent in the temple and draw as little attention to themselves as possible.
On their junk boats, the Zhong live in tight nit family groups, forming extended clans through marriage alliances.
The Zhong are traders and fishermen, moving goods along the coast to where ever they can find a buyer.
The Zhong are skilled is manipulating and growing coral with their magic, using it to build the frames for the wooden planks that make their boats. Since they are not allowed to carry weapons by law, they can use their mastery of coral to make jagged clubs that break off small poisonous pieces in the wounds they cause. Zhong only rarely utilise these tactics, since making themselves appear dangerous would risk bringing harsh reprisals down on them. The Zhong also make coral charms that they sell, which are considered to bring good fortune by many peasants (though not amongst the Gyo.)
Within these communities the Zhong live by their own traditions and practices. Due to how close nit their communities are, living in the confines of their boats, the Zhong are very open in their dealings with each other, treating property communally and caring little for personal space or privacy. In such conditions everyone has to learn to get along and Zhong who disrupt life on their boats constantly will risk harsh punishment, even being thrown over board.
Since the outside world is mostly against them, the Zhong have great loyalty to each other and will usually try to assist other Zhong, even ones they don't know personally out of a sense of loyalty to their group.
The Zhong do not like their lowly status, but mostly accept it, as there is nothing they can do to change their station.
The Zhong tell a story that many years ago a stranger came to live amongst them. She said she needed a place to stay, and was willing to work as a servant for them in exchange for being allowed on their boats. The Zhong accepted, but proceeded to treat her very poorly, mocking her and forcing her to do a great deal of hard toil.
However, after five days, the woman revealed her true identity. She was the White Empress, who had come to test the Zhong to see if they were worthy of being part of her Empire. Their arrogance and selfishness had shown they were not yet ready to understand the Enlightened Path or be part of the White Kingdom and they were placed in their current low status.
The Zhong consider this fable historical fact, though other races in the White Kingdom (the few of them that have heard the story) consider it to be a silly story invented by the Zhong. The idea that the White Empress would bother with the Zhong, much less live amongst them as a servant, is viewed as ridiculous by most none Zhong.
The moral the Zhong take from this story is that it is important to be humble and not boastful or arrogant. This is probably a wise philosophy for a people viewed so negatively, as keeping a low profile keeps them out of trouble. Other people are quick to blame Zhong on problems such as unexplained crimes, failed crops or diseases, so drawing attention to themselves could bring reprisals.
Due to their limited opportunities, some Zhong do resort to banditry and theft, ironically reinforcing the negative views of their people.
The Zhong are a people on the fringes of society, usually at best disregarded or at worst actively despised, living mostly out of sight over the horizon.