From nv91-asa@nada.kth.se Mon Jan 26 20:47:35 1996 Status: RO X-Status: Received: from mail6.netcom.com (root@mail6.netcom.com [192.100.81.142]) by mail.nada.kth.se (8.6.10/8.6.10) with ESMTP id UAA25222 for ; Fri, 26 Jan 1996 20:47:33 +0100 Received: by mail6.netcom.com (8.6.12/Netcom) id AAA26928; Thu, 25 Jan 1996 00:34:12 -0800 Received: from hntp2.hinet.net by mail6.netcom.com (8.6.12/Netcom) id AAA26850; Thu, 25 Jan 1996 00:33:58 -0800 Received: from han-solo ([168.95.176.106]) by hntp2.hinet.net (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id QAA11847; Thu, 25 Jan 1996 16:33:37 +0800 Received: by han-solo with Microsoft Mail id <01BAEB42.C5064000@han-solo>; Thu, 25 Jan 1996 16:32:51 +-800 Message-ID: <01BAEB42.C5064000@han-solo> From: Han Solo To: "'World O' Darkness'" , "'Wraith Talk'" Subject: Chinese Lexicon (Final version for a long time...) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 16:27:35 +-800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Sender: owner-wod-l@netcom.com Precedence: list Reply-To: wod-l@netcom.com Okay, here's the .txt of my final Chinese Lexicon. As before, this file is also in MS Word format (though the .doc file has tone accents and a guide to pronunciation as well), if anyone wants it, mail me. This is the last time I'm gonna post this for a long time. Get it while it's hot. (This is cross posted on the Wraith-L list because it has a lot of Wraith related terms, though it'll in all liklihood conflict with WW's Dark Kingdom of Jade of supplement -- I've not yet seen the book, so if it does, then it's purely coincedental). ========================================================= World of Darkness: China Note: The words presented here are all Pinyin transliterations of Mandarin Chinese. Please keep in mind that much of the "feel" of Chinese words is lost when you cannot see the character representing it. Mandarin is the official dialect of China, Taiwan, and (soon to be) Hong Kong, as well. The China of Darkness notes are my own interpretations of the words as they apply to my own campaign, but all the translations themselves are as accurate as I could make them without losing the 'feel' of the original word. If you have any questions, mailto: dartfrog@pc35.hinet.net -- I live and work in Taiwan, so you can be pretty sure that my Chinese isn't too bad :) and if I don't know the answer to something, somebody I know will! Lexicon **Ci Mei Wang Liang** The classical Chinese word for ghosts in general (Old Form). Ci is the classical word for a dragon without horns. The word Mei by itself (see below for more on their role in the China of Darkness) means a beautiful and terrible spirit that cannot exist without stripping mortals of their soul or life-force (Jing Qi, below), usually either through sexual intercourse or by the taking of the blood. The benefit to this is that with every Ravaging, they grow in power. The words Wang Liang separately mean a demon or spirit that resides in mountains or rivers. **Da Ren** The traditional way to address a superior (i.e. a city official). Akin to "Sir," "Lord," or even "Lady." (Old Form.) **Da Chen** A high ranking official in the Emperor's court. **Dao Shi** One type of mage in China. Lit. "way priest," these mages are skilled in all matters regarding Death and Unlife. The Dao Shi tradition is a strange hybrid of the Euthanatos, Verbena, and Sons of Ether. Chinese Fae and Vampires alike fear and hate the Dao Shi. They are the deadliest breed of Hunter. **Di Fu** The entrance to the City of Bones, which is the center of the Asian Underworld. Literally, Di Fu means "earth court," and traditionally is the place of Judgement where new souls' Fate are decided. In the Underworld, this is the place where it is determined which part of the City of Bones a wraith will reside in. Once this judgement is passed, the wraith will never be permitted to enter a different area. There are 18 sections total in the city (see Ku Lu Chen for more). Judgements are overseen by the Si Wang Pan Guan (Death-Lords, or "death-judges"), of which there are 4. Because of the sheer number of souls being trafficked, the Si Wang Pan Guan are served by whole armies of lesser judges (who are, it should be noted, not as - ahem - dedicated to their profession as their masters are). **Di Yu** The general term for the Chinese Underworld, and in the World of Darkness it is the Underworld for all of Asia. It's a derivative of Shi Ba Chen Di Yu, which means "the 18-story earth prison.," or "Hell." Traditionally, souls only end up in hell for one reason: They were not allowed to move on because of the sins they committed in life. Moving on took one of two forms: Reincarnation (Tou Tai, in Chinese) back into the mortal world, or Ascension into Heaven. These judgements were decided in the Court of Hell, or Di Fu (see above), by Yen Wang. In the China of Darkness, judgement of the dead is overseen by the 4 Si Wang Pan Guan. **Fa Li** Gifts of the Garou. The literal translation is "supernatural power." **Fa Shu** The Arts of Changelings. Means "magic arts." Derived from the word Mao Shan Fa Shu, which is a special type of magic certain people and animals know. While this could also be applied to Mage magick, in the World of Darkness it works rather nicely as the term for Glamour. **Feng Shui** The art of geomancy. Like most mystic arts in China, this can be learned by anyone (basic training takes about 16 months or so, but true mastery takes a lifetime), however there are some talented people who possess almost supernatural skill at this. Feng means "wind, or style (of art, etc.)" while Shui is "water or liquid." This form of "geomancy" is not divination nor communion with ghosts, but rather the art of interacting with a given location's 'fate' or spirit. Adepts at this art can learn about events in the location's past, as well as rid it of Yin Qi. **Feng Shui Shi** A master at, or priest of, Feng Shui. **Gu Hun Ye Gui** Wraiths born of violent deaths. Like drones, they tend to perpetually re-enact their death scene or they can, in some cases, haunt the area without necessarily re-enacting the death scene. **Guai Wu** Monster or freak, this is the general term for Wyrm creatures, usually translated in the Western World of Darkness as Fomori, but not exactly limited to this. **Guan Xi** Literally means "relationship," this word carries significantly much more meaning than this single translation can convey. This is perhaps the single most important element in the daily life of any Chinese person. Guan Xi governs every social interaction: You 'give' others Guan Xi to show them the proper respect of their 'station' (i.e. your boss, your elder classmate, etc.) and they in turn will eventually return it to you in an appropriate manner, as befits your 'station'. Guan Xi is often translated as "face" and that is just one way of looking at it. Giving and receiving it is an extremely subtle art, and those whose go about it clumsily are considered an embarrassment to all involved. Guan Xi is status, as well, although the levels of status you hold vary according to the people around you (and how much Guan Xi they have). **Gui** The general term for "ghost," whether it's human or animal or whatever. **Gui Hun** Wraith; The ghost of a human soul. **Gui Shen** Literally "ghost god," traditionally gods who've let their powers corrupt them. The vast majority of these types of spirits have ill-intentions (do not read all, however). In the China of Darkness, these are the spirits of the Living Umbra that are not of Gaia (but not necessarily of the Wyrm either). **Hei An Da Di** The Lord of the Dark. A mysterious, almost mythological figure who rules over and guides the monstrous Hei Long Shen. Most Fae assume he or she doesn't exist except in the minds of their insane brethren. **Hei Long Shen** Long ago, before the Shattering, the noble and aristocratic Faeries known as the Xian decided to return, en masse, to their homeland within the Dreaming. Before they could begin their exodus, however, the glamour-hungry Yao Jin, along with the other Fae of Asia, overwhelmed the Xian and imprisoned them in a half-waking state of madness, bound by chains of Banality. For centuries, they remained trapped in this in-between state, slowly mutating as the corrosive force of Banality forced it's insanity upon them. When they 'awoke', after centuries of this never-ending nightmare, they were no longer the Xian -- instead they had become dark, malefic, and twisted beyond all recognition. They call themselves the 'Black Dragon Gods,' (in mockery of the word Xian, they use the term Shen) and gather in the Court of the Dark Lord (Hei An Da Di), dedicated to destroying the Fae and to ravaging the Dreaming in revenge for the madness inflicted upon them. See Kith: Yao Jin, Kith: Xian, and Kith: Hei Long Shen for more details. **Huang Di** The term for Emperor. Comes from the name of the semi-mythological first Emperor of China, although the first character in his title, Huang, is different than the one for Emperor (but the sound is the g set over it, thus making it difficult to manipulate it's physical body (in other words, it can't walk very well, so it jumps about clumsily). In many respects, Jiang Shi resemble Western zombies or revenants, and are not always known to drink blood. **Jin** The general term for Commoner Changelings in China. Of the many types, one kind, Yao Jin (see below), is by far the most common. **Jing Ling** Another word for "Faerie" in Chinese. Translated literally means "shrewd spirit or demon." Sometimes this word is used for European Fae by adding the word for "small" (xiao) to the front of the word. As a side note, Ling by itself means "denizen of the Afterworld." Because these types of faeries are more or less nature spirits (i.e. sprites and such associated with various plants and geographical features), a better translation for the word (in terms of the World of Darkness) might be naturae (from the Garou cosmology). **Jing Sui** Quintessence. Other translations include "marrow; pith," and sometimes "soul." **Jing Qi** Life-force. In traditional stories, only men possess this (it's part of their Yang natures), but in the China of Darkness it's the Old Form for Avatar. Literally, the word Jing means "semen or energy" and Qi means "air, breath, or mental state." There is no female equivalent for this in classical China (imagine a female Mage's surprise when she discovered she had Jing Qi also...). **Ke Xue Guai Ren** Abomination. Constructs much like Frankenstein's Monster (Adam), created by the Dao Shi. These are more intelligent and independent than the zombie Jiang Shi, which are nothing more than stupid automatons. Linguistic note: This word is actually the name given to Adam in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein because in Chinese there is no natural word for this kind of creation. The word is general enough (lit. "science monster person") to apply to any Abomination, however. **Ku Lu Chen** The City of Bones, the heart of the Asian underworld. It is here that most wraiths ultimately end up, in the gargantuan city-building of interwoven bones and jade that makes the great arcology's of many a science fiction tale look like toy blocks. It is a place where every nightmare ever dreamt takes form. From the Tempest, the massive City spires and towers always loom in the distance. There are 18 sections (or Wards) to the city (whether this is intentional or, in fact, the source of much mythology, one can only speculate) which are segregated according to different "sins", and only wraiths with the appropriate deathmarks are allowed into the corresponding areas. Wraiths with multiple types of deathmarks are very rare and are assigned special jobs between the Wards. Vertically, there are rumoured to be over 10,000 levels. Sometimes the city is called Di Shi, or the UnderCity. The city, and the Underworld for the most part, is controlled by Yen Wang, the Emperor and Final Judge of the Dead. He is served by the 4 Death Lords, collectively known as Si Wang Pan Guan. **Ku Hun Zhan Chang** The Battlefield of Withered Souls, one name the Wraiths of the Asian Underworld give to the Tempest. To them, it is an infinite plain shrouded in a thick, perpetual fog of tormented souls. Here is where a Wraith fights her greatest battle -- the one against her own Shadow. **Ling Hun** Soul. **Ling Ti** A Wraith's corpus. Literally, "afterworld body." In Chinese there is not really a way to translate corpus (in the Wraith sense of the word), so this is the nearest equivalent. **Mei** In classical China, these were beautiful and terrible spirits that received sustenance from human souls (see Ci Mei Wang Liang). In the China of Darkness (and in a large part of Asia, as well), these are the primary type of Chinese vampire. **Mei Li** The Disciplines of the Vampires. Among the literal meanings is "glamour," though to most people this sounds more or less like the special, almost mystical qualities that many famous actresses and singers possess. Usually, in everyday speech, the word is applied to women. In the China of Darkness, however, it carries enough mysticism, as well as romanticism, to function as the term describing the powers of the Vampires. **Ming Jiao** A good faction. An alternative for the term Seelie in the China of Darkness. Ming means "bright, clear, or to understand" and Jiao means "teaching or religion." **Mo Fa** Arcanos. This word means "sorcery or witchcraft." **Mo Gui** Demon; Devil; Monster. To native speakers, the word conjures up images of the most terrifying creatures. In the China of Darkness, the Mo Gui are the minions of absolute evil: They are the monstrosities of the Wyrm, the demon-slaves of the Nephandi, and in the Underworld, they are the powerful Spectres. **Mo Li** The powers of Spectres and other Shadow-Eaten souls. Translated literally, it means "evil-spirit power." **Mo Ling** An evil spirit of the Nether-World. This is the most common word for Spectres among the Wraiths of Asia. **Pu Ren** Traditionally, children who are sold to wealthy house-holds for cash so that their poor families might continue their bleak existence a little while longer. This is what the Mei call their ghouls. Sometimes female ghouls are called Nu Bi, especially if they are the ladies-in-waiting to a powerful female Vampire. In referring to a ghoul derogatorily, the Mei often use the word Nu Li, which means "slave." Pu Ren literally means "servant." **Po** >From the old Daoist belief of San Hun Qi Po, this is the second aspect of a person's soul, the one that is formed during the course of an individual's lifetime. The nature of this soul is influenced heavily by the physical/spiritual/mental environment of the person, and when a person dies this dissipates. The ancient belief was that there were 7 parts to this soul (the Hun only had 3), and most of the time it dispersed like a breath of air upon death, though this was not always the case. If the Hun went on to be reborn, then these fragments of Po would then become echoes of a past life. In the China of Darkness, these represent a Wraith's fetters (or attachments to life). Po literally means "spirit." **Qi** A Mage's Avatar, derived from the classical word Jing Qi (see above), and is applied to both males and females. **Qi Po** The name for the Glamour Changelings harvest off of mortals. The literal meaning is "boldness of vision; breadth of spirit" and is a good way to express the passion mortals feel that generates Glamour. **San Hun Qi Po** "Three souls, seven spirits." An ancient Daoist belief about the nature one's spiritual existence. The Hun aspect is eternal, while the Po is fleeting, like a breath of air (in the grand scale of things). **Shen** The "good" gods of China, although this term is used rather loosely. Most gods in Chinese mythology have their origins as mortals, whether they were at one time human or animal. By learning magick, it was believed, mortals could ascend to god-hood and thus immortality. Because of this, most of these so-called "gods" retained many of their mortal flaws even after ascension. Gods in China were not, for the most part, omniscient nor omnipotent. But they were damn close. In the China of Darkness, the Shen are any spirits or beings that are not dedicated to evil (nor does this necessarily mean "lawful good" either). All of Gaia's creatures (i.e. Garou Totems) fall into this category. Shen literally means "celestial being." **Shi Ba Chen Di Yu** The traditional word for "Hell" in Chinese culture. See Di Yu for more. (Old Form.) **Shi Fu** Master or Teacher (either of religion or martial arts). Means "master worker" and is also a polite way to address monks and nuns. **Si Guo** The Kingdom of the Dead, a more benign term than Di Yu, or Hell. This is what the denizens of the Underworld call the Shadowlands in mockery of the traditional word for the living world, the Middle Kingdom, or Zhong Guo (incidentally, this is also the name for China). **Si Wang Pan Guan** The Death-Lords of the City of Bones ("death-judges"). They number 4 (an ominous number in Chinese culture - it's the same sound as 'death'), and they determine which Ward a Wraith will reside in (although hardly alone: The sheer numbers of Dead being trafficked daily prohibits this. Instead, they each have a massive staff of -- ahem -- underlings perform most Judgements). The Death Judges are notoriously wicked. Each one directly controls 4 Wards. No-one knows who or what resides in the remaining 2... **Tai Jian** Eunuch; servants of the Emperor. Traditionally, they are the only men allowed within large portions of the royal palace (currently found in Beijing, within the Forbidden City). **Tou Tai** Reincarnation. A central tenet of Chinese religion. **Wang Liang** In classical Chinese myth, these were the demons and spirits of mountains and rivers. In the China of Darkness, they are the Kith that replaced the Xian as the nobility of the Fae when the Xian disappeared. In recent times, the Xian have returned, albeit in much smaller numbers, but the Wang Liang still maintain their position as the new nobility (some say that like the Trolls of Europe, they were the original nobility and were ousted by the Xian...but many find this hard to believe), and the Xian aren't disputing this. Unlike the Xian, the Wang Liang have a mysterious Unseelie side to them that motivates them in ways the other Kith can't comprehend. Of course, they don't even begin to compare to the seriously twisted Hei Long Shen. See Kith: Wang Liang for more details. **Wu Shi** A word for Mage. Literally means "shaman or sorcerer." The word Shi means "skilled practitioner." **Wu Shu** The Magick of Mages. The word Wu comes from Wu Shi, and means "witch or shaman" while Shu is a term for "skill, art, or method." **Wu Shu** Traditional martial arts. The character Wu means "military, or of the martial arts." It can also mean "brave." (This NOT the same word as the one for the magick of mages! The tones are different.) **Xian Jing** The paradise where the Xian reside, equivalent to the Western myths of Arcadia. Something happened between the Sundering and the Shattering and now it is completely inaccessible. Rumours say that the Yao Jin know what happened, but they aren't talking. The very same rumours also state that because they knew, they imprisoned the Xian here in the mortal world so that they could not return to Xian Jing and be obliterated. **Xian** The direct Chinese equivalent of Sidhe changelings. Females are sometimes called Xian Nu. As a group, according to popular myth, they are said to reside in Heaven (read Arcadia, or in Chinese, Xian Jing, above). In the China of Darkness, the vast majority of the Xian are Hei Long Shen, belonging to the 'Court of the Dark Lord', a rather unsettling Noble House dedicated to the eradication of Faerie-kind, and more frighteningly, the Dreaming (see also Kith: Xian and Kith: Hei Long Shen). There are very few true Xian left in the mortal world, and those that do remain are dedicated more than ever to return into the Dreaming. They know and understand the reasons why the other Kith stopped them from returning so long ago, but they nevertheless still bear great bitterness and anger towards them and someday hope they may return to the homelands and right a terrible wrong. As to the fate of those who returned to Xian Jing before the Shattering, no-one knows... **Xi Xie Gui** Vampire. Lit. "suck blood ghost." Often, this word implies Vampires of Western origins as Chinese culture doesn't really have a direct equivalent for them. Granted, there are numerous types of ghosts that happen to drink blood (and some even require it to survive), but they are not really 'vampires', per se, according to Chinese thought (though if one wants to get technical, they could be classified as such). The Vampires of Asia are for the most Mei, although in recent history many Western Vampires have begun to appear (unfortunately, however, they don't usually survive very long). Because of the entirely different world-views the two Vampire cultures hold, a terrible war (the Blood War) has erupted between them in the shadows just beyond mortal ken... **Xie Jiao** An evil faction. An alternative word for Unseelie in the China of Darkness. Xie means "evil, wicked, or having to do with black magic." **Xie Shi Bao Zuo** The Blood Throne ("blood-stone throne"), sometimes called Hong Yu Bao Zuo ("red-jade throne"), though the word Xie Shi Bao Zuo sounds more terrifying in Chinese. The traditional term for the Emperor's throne in China is Long Yi, or "dragon seat." Though no-one save the 4 Si Wang Pan Guan has ever seen the Blood Throne, it is allegedly carved from the purest piece of red jade ever found. **Yang** The other half of Yin, and has a multitude of meanings. In traditional Chinese (Daoist) thought, Yin-Yang represents balance in life. Yang is the 'male' aspect of the equation. Other meanings include: Positive energy; The Sun; In classical texts, 'south of the mountain, north of the river'; In the open; Of the living world. In the China of Darkness, it is an alternative way to express Seelie as there is no true Chinese equivalent for this word. Note: You cannot possibly have Yang without Yin. **Yao Jin** The Chinese equivalent of Pwca. Like their European counterparts, they have the ability to turn into a chosen animal. These animals are usually those that are common to the area that the Jin lives in. Each type of Yao Jin has it's own name, and so, for example, a cat Yao Jin would be Cat-Jin, or in Chinese, Mao Jin. Other kinds of Yao Jin are: Fox (Hu Li Jin), Snake (Se Jin), and Spider (Zhi Zhu Jin). These kith originated as Unseelie Commoners, but in the last 800 years have become quite Seelie in their disposition. The Hei Long Shen consider them to be traitors of the vilest sort and hold them responsible for the Long Sleep which imprisoned them here in the Banal world for hundreds of years in a nightmare state of "hibernation." As a race, the Yao Jin still feel terrible guilt over what happened to the Xian, and to this day will go out of their way to aid one by whatever means possible. See Kith: Yao Jin, Kith: Xian, and Kith: Hei Long Shen for more details on the Long Sleep. In Japanese, the word Yao Jin is hengeyokai. **Yao Mo Gui Guai** A general term for all Fae of Asia. It doesn't carry much positive connotation (but then, in Old Europe neither did the words for Faerie). **Yen Gui** The modern word for Mei. Used only with females and implies extreme beauty and shrewdness. In the China of Darkness, this is an uncommon bloodline that only embraces women. **Yen Wang** The King of Hell, or to be more exact, the Emperor and Final Judge of the Underworld. This figure has ruled over the City of Bones and the Underworld for as long as the oldest Wraiths can remember. No-one has actually seen the Emperor in many, many centuries, although this being's presence is often felt. Storyteller's note: Something happened to the original Yen Wang during the T'ang Dynasty, and a mysterious woman replaced him and has, presumably, sat on the Blood Throne (Xie Shi Bao Zuo ) ever since. No-one suspects that the King of Hell is no longer the same person "he" used to be. The Emperor has 4 Death Lords serving her, called the Si Wang Pan Guan. **Yen Wang Dian** The palace of the Emperor of Hell. Where all Final Judgements take place. **Yin** The counterpart to Yang in the Yin-Yang mandala. All of existence is composed of two essential 'states'; Yin represents the 'female' state. Some of it's other meanings, in the same vein, are: Negative energy; The Moon; In classical texts, 'north of a hill, or south of a river'; Hidden, covert, or sinister; Of the nether-world. In the China of Darkness, this an alternative way to express Unseelie as there is no sufficient way to translate it. Note: Yin cannot possibly exist without Yang. **Yin Qi** Unholy ground, so to speak, or when a location has been corrupted by an "evil feeling." Yin Qi means "evil air" and can be removed or "fixed" by a master of Feng Shui (Feng Shui Shi). The word is most similar to 'sinister presence' in English and is used in referring only to a place ("this place is full of Yin Qi"). In talking about people or animals, one says Xie Qi, which means exactly the same thing. **You Hun** "Dark soul," this is the term for a Wraith's Shadow. The more common translation is "ghost or spirit." **Yu** Jade. For Chinese in general, this material has almost holy significance. People wear it everyday in some form or another, whether as perfectly circular bracelet worn since childhood, or as amulets dedicated to certain gods. Believed to ward of ghosts and evil spirits. In the China of Darkness, most Wraiths speculate that jade originates in the Underworld, coming from deep within the Labyrinth, and that the jade in the mortal world is that which was caught on that side before the Sundering. When a mortal dies, her jade always crosses over with her. There are many different kinds of jade, ranging in color from light green to deep, deep red. One kind in particular, Fei Cui, is especially prized. Jade in the Underworld is used to ward off Spectres and Doomshades. **Yu Huang Da Di** The Jade Emperor, the mythological ruler of Heaven. **Yuen Fen** Fate. A fundamental aspect of daily Chinese life.