Request How do I explain cultivation to my peers.

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by zhainan2157, Feb 20, 2019.

  1. zhainan2157

    zhainan2157 『Villager No.2157』『Kawaii Connoisseur』

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    So I have an essay due tomorrow for Chinese class and I decided to write about a book I look and I chose Cultivation Chat Group because why not. The only other choices I had for my topic was my favorite movie (which I don't really watch movies nowadays besides anime and that's definitely not going to be my topic), and the other option was my favorite historical figure (which I have none). But now I found out I need to present this same topic to the class that I wrote about, my essay didn't talk much about what cultivation is since my teacher is from China so it should be understood that she gets the general idea of what cultivation is. But my peers are all ABCs (America Born Chinese) and I'm pretty sure there are little chances of them ever hearing about Cultivation novels. So how would you describe cultivation to a friend of yours who has never ever heard of it before. They have heard of Chinese martial arts and stuff before but have no idea what cultivation is.

    TLDR; I need to present about a book I like (Cultivation Chat Group) so how do I explain WTF cultivation is to a bunch of ABCs who know not a single thing about cultivation but have at least some understanding of Chinese KungFu movies.

    Edit: If you know a little Chinese, please give me recommendations on terms I should use for my peers to understand since I need to present in Chinese.
     
  2. Asdq

    Asdq RSS FEED SECT! I WANT YOU FOR THE RSS ARMY!

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    Idk. I did never need explain for anyone because I've not friends.
     
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  3. HappyHavak

    HappyHavak The Laughing Sage

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    Man cultivation chat group is a tricky one to explain to beginners simply because it's basically cultivation satire.
     
  4. Vanidor

    Vanidor Well-Known Member

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    Don't explain it in terms of martial arts, that's Wuxia. Explain it simply as "characters trying to become immortal similar to Greek Gods, etc. through various means".

    If they have watched enough western fantasy that will be understandable.
     
  5. Master

    Master [Old Pervert] [Grandmaster]

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    Cultivation is like Martial Art belts, the higher you are the more recognizable and feared you are.
     
  6. Asdq

    Asdq RSS FEED SECT! I WANT YOU FOR THE RSS ARMY!

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    Not good, but immortal, I think that is better.
     
  7. lnv

    lnv ✪ Well-Known Hypocrite

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    Imagine doing lots of drugs and getting high. But instead of turning into superman being a delusion, it is actually real.
     
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  8. Deleted member 43009

    Deleted member 43009 Guest

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    >Be 30 yr old salary man
    >gets hit by truck
    >Become useless young master
    >kill arrogant young masters
    >get ice stone faced fairy that look like they are from another world
    >profit
     
  9. Noory

    Noory Member

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    If they have even the slightest clue of basic Chinese mythology such as Journey to the West, the Eight Immortals, etc., they should know have an idea of what cultivation is. Or it's like how a snake, such as Legend of the White Snake, cultivates to have human form but has mystical powers.

    Except xianxia/xuanhuan just means having levels or ranks which you can power up from.
     
  10. Ophious

    Ophious Pathfinder kinda fun

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    I guess the act of practicing Buddhist/ Taoist scriptures in order to reach immortality?
    That's how I would explain to my friends if they were ever curious
    (They either already know or don't care so I have no need to explain~)
     
  11. Vanidor

    Vanidor Well-Known Member

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    Most westerners associate immortality only with mythological gods, it is easier to explain that way as a reference.
     
  12. zhainan2157

    zhainan2157 『Villager No.2157』『Kawaii Connoisseur』

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    So I should talk about the stronger/higher leveled they get, the more like saints "shen xian" they become?
     
  13. tyes77

    tyes77 Well-Known Member

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    Cultivation is like meditation though people become stronger at the end of it. So a kid is introduced to a chat group of a bunch of powerful rich martial arts experts(saying gods won't sound as good and invite more questions).
     
  14. Otwentyfirst

    Otwentyfirst skillfully clueless // lazy book reader ;)

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    practicing your inner spiritual strength so much that it manifests in reality.

    just tell them it's magic that requires you to be struck by lightning every now and again to level up your powers.
     
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  15. Darkanlan

    Darkanlan Well-Known Member

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    Just say cultivation is the chinese belief of mentally masturbating to smacking peoples faces and somehow getting more powerful in the process.
     
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  16. Noory

    Noory Member

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    Well, yeah. How I got into xianxia was based on my knowledge of Journey to the West. The Monkey King started off as a rock that absorbed spiritual power from his environment and then cultivated his way to becoming a monkey. Then he ate a pill from some god and got more power, etc. Then on his journey, he goes through monster fighting and Buddhist cultivation (more spiritual than actually breaking through levels) and eventually becomes a buddha himself.

    Xianxia cultivation doesn't just include shen xian. It can include ghosts, buddhists, demons, etc.
     
  17. Lord Luc

    Lord Luc Well-Known Member

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    The path to godhood in Chinese fantasy that requires one to slowly absorb the power of their world.
     
  18. Bright_Lucky_Star

    Bright_Lucky_Star [Previously Known as OrdinaryUser] The Blessed One

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    Magical martial artist
     
  19. rijimon17

    rijimon17 Hope you can read the words

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    Step 1: die
    Step 2: cultivate
    Step 3: profit
     
  20. Goblin Sleuth

    Goblin Sleuth Well-Known Member

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    You'll have to dumb it down a lot but assume most western readers have a general understanding of concepts like magic, immortality, and martial arts. So just say cultivators are martial artists with magical powers that can become immortal if they train enough.