Manchu - Tumblr Posts
Although this page may seem at first glance a bit rudimentary in writing, the sticking point stays true that yes the afterbears (descendants) are very much alive & well, even in North Korea's more isolated parts to the northeast (albeit mostly mixed with the Korean majority). More Tungusic people live on too, but the below are just some of the names for such people & linked groups.
Was gonna look for bits of the Ryukjin language or the lost language of the Jaegaseung, but this is an interesting discussion of languages in diasporic settings (outside the original homelands). Use in media can be dicey especially in cases like inside, but at least efforts were made in the cases of Manchu.
These are official ref sheets I have made for Hsien-Ko Shao and Mei-Ling Shao of Cryas Darkstalkers. Very proud to detail not only their full designs, but aspects of their layers of clothing, tidbits about their bodies, and even how they looked when they were young humans! I did quite a lot of research into their looks and designs since they were born in 1730 AD in the Guanzhong region of what is in the modern Shaanxi province in China. That period of time was during the reign of the Qing Dynasty. Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling are a mix of Han and Manchu.
Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling Lore Bits
Want to give some scattered bits of lore information regarding the Shao sisters in Cryas Darkstalkers. Help to give you a bit more insight into them as people beyond just being Xianshushi jiangshi. 🤗
Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling are an ethnic mix of Manchu and Han, with their mother being Manchu and their father being Han.
Due to their mother, many customs and cultural aspects they hold onto are predominantly Manchu in nature.
Pickled vegetables, like cabbage, play a major role in their diet. The coffin they travel with has compartments with jars of such delicacies ready for consumption or preparation for meals.
Mantou (馒头) is a staple food that the sisters will eat often. A steamed bun made of wheat, they will sometimes add other flavoring in the process to add some additional flavor.
Due to the incident that made the sisters aware of what happens when a jiangshi tastes blood, Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling refuse to eat any meat-based food if it wasn't prepared by them or a very trusted individual.
As far as meat in their diet, they primarily obtain that via fishing or small game hunting. When they have the chance with what little money they get, they do buy pork as a treat. Blood sausage was something they did consume in a soup when they were human. However, they no longer consume this as they can't.
Often, Mei-Ling will grill them food over a fire. From grilling meat to making varies types of stir fries, it is a great day when the Shao sisters can enjoy a meal cooked over a campfire.
For a hearty and filling meal, Mei-Ling will make baozi (包子). Quite the savory dish.
As a special treat for difficult hunts or special occasions, Mei-Ling will make suziyie doubao (蘇子葉豆包), one of Hsien-Ko's personal favorites. It is a steamed bun filled with sweetened mashed beans.
Mei-Ling has a major sweet tooth. Her personal favorite sweet is a treat that their mother would make for them: Sachima (沙琪玛). A very sweet fritter treat, it is strands of fried batter that are bound by sweet, sugary syrup. She remembers by memory how to make this treat.
Another sweet on Mei-Ling's radar is dragon's beard candy (龍鬚糖), a treat similar to cotton candy. An incredibly rare treat, she tries to find time to figure out the secret to making this dish as it is difficult and time consuming.
Mei-Ling does try her best to not eat as many sweets. It isn't so much because she fears getting fat, just more so keeping in mind the idea of self-discipline and control.
The sisters don't actually eat as much rice dishes as you would think, thanks in part to how they grew up. But they do engage occasionally when the chance arises.
Tea and water are common for the sisters to drink. Interestingly, they do prefer to drink warm/hot water rather than cold water.
Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling Lore Bits 2
Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling are polylingual. Both sisters are fluent in Manchu (their first language), Mandarin, Cantonese, and English.🗺️
Mei-Ling can also understand well enough Burmese, German, Spanish, and Japanese. This comes down to mostly because of allies and friends over the years who speak these languages.
Both sisters can read the writings of the Crylesh and Ech Tung languages.
Both sisters have an accent to the way they speak outside of their native Manchu. However, due to being alive for so many decades and exposed to many cultures in their travels, they are fully capable of masking their accents when needed.
When speaking with each other, Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling will default to Manchu.
During their travels, Hsien-Ko likes to wind down by doing a bit of artistic hobbies. From ink sketches to wood carving, Mei-Ling likes to see her sister find a way to express herself and encourages her.🎨
Yes, Hsien-Ko will have her big sis be a model for her when she wants to practice painting people. As her skills and techniques developed, her paintings of her sister got more and more beautiful. This makes Mei-Ling very bashful of seeing herself being painted in such a way. 😊
The coffin that Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling use can fly relatively quicky. However, it is limited by the energy that Mei-Ling can put into it via her Qi. To combat this, Mei-Ling goes through exercises of a mental and physical nature to help her.
Via training, she is able to further efficiently channel her Qi to help fly the coffin for longer periods of time. Of course, there are nights where Hsien-Ko will let Mei-ling rest so she can build up energy for when it is needed.
Also, Hsien-Ko pulling the coffin still helps her build up strength and stamina as the bed/storage unit of the Shao Sisters is still heavy. Plus, she wants to help her sister out whenever possible plus see the sights of the world as they explore.
There are the rare times when Mei-Ling will pull the coffin herself by hand. While not able to pull it physically for the long distances that Hsien-Ko can, it is needed when going through a settlement. Plus, further helps her build stamina and strength.💪
Sometimes, Mei-Ling will do it purely to help her train when she and Hsien-Ko are already far out of the range of human settlements. Hsien-Ko will cheer on her big sister, which Mei-Ling appreciates.😆🙌