Discussion Unique cultural items

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by potato413, Oct 17, 2021.

  1. potato413

    potato413 Active Member

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    Was reading a novel and saw it reference reusuable water brush calligraphy paper.



    What are some other stuff that you see in Chinese/Japanese/Korean novels that you would not see used day to day in the west? To further cultural context and understand when reading.
     
  2. frustratedguy109

    frustratedguy109 Well-Known Member

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    In Japan and Korea they have identity seals that they use on official documents. It seems like it serves as a stronger version of a signature. I don't think they have it in China unless you watch/read stuff about the olden days and stuff like the Emperor's imperial seal.

    In China and Korea, they have bankbooks which apparently serve as proof that a person has access to the bank account. As in, it seems like people can't access the account without it unless they go through a LOT of trouble. Also, identity verification for the account seems to be minimal/nonexistent as long as they have it. I don't think they have that in Japan.

    Actually, bankbooks seem to work like debit cards except that they can only be used face to face with a bank teller and you don't need a PIN.
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2021
  3. Amaruna Myu

    Amaruna Myu ugly squid dokja (●´∀`●)

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    calligraphy generally isn't used in the West, not just reusable calligraphy paper
    but when I first saw it I was so fascinated I wanted to buy it, then I realised I dont know how to do calligraphy :blobpensive:

    also from YouTube I guess rice cookers aren't a thing either:blobpeek:
    also I don't think western people drink tea on a daily basis like those novels:blob_coffee:
    Western as in american
     
  4. Scyphoza

    Scyphoza Well-Known Member

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    Rice cookers are used in the west they just aren't as popular but some of that also depends on the region. America is a pretty big country and fairly diverse culturally. I use mine all the time along with my air fryer for lazy cooking.
    Southerners drink tea all the time but its not the same type as what you see in Chinese novels. It tends to be mostly sweet tea.
     
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  5. potato413

    potato413 Active Member

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    I thought tea was and still is a big thing in England and Ireland? Correct me if I am wrong.
     
  6. aShinyVaporeon

    aShinyVaporeon Well-Known Member

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    Besides idioms, calligraphy, and food, I guess another thing that might be new is Traditional Chinese Medicine stuff. Like, when characters have certain illnesses and can’t eat “cold” foods (like, cold-attribute food—not cold as in in temperature). It’s tied to Daoism as well. It’s also why wuxia (xianxia too) harps on about yin and yang and magic ginsengs and such.

    Well, not that there aren’t TCM practitioners in the West, they’re just less common.

    Traditional medicine in other East Asian countries like Korea is sort of like TCM but they have differences, not that I know much of them.
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2021
  7. Greater thunder

    Greater thunder Well-Known Member

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    Eastern European here, mine make plenty tea (nearly daily) in winter and spring, but its usually that nasty crap (forest fruit one) or the bitter black tea.

    I myself don't drink it (no idea if its good for health as its only caused me breathing problems and never helped with anything) but chamomile tea is at least neutral (no tonsils swelling, no shortness of breath,....).

    Actually, what kind of stuff is in those tea bags anyway? Its like they pack it with allergy causing weeds from any overgrown field or something.
     
  8. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    They still exist in a lot of places. Most Western banks have deemphasized them just as they've deemphasized personal cheques, but you can still find them if you look around. Japanese businesses have held onto their fax machines and they're still very popular there even though the rest of the world doesn't have much use for them any more.

    Calligraphy is very much a recognized artform in the West. It just doesn't hold the same cachet as it does in East Asia so it ends up being a lot more specialized but does exist. Most Western calligraphers will use dip pens or fountain pens which explains the relative rarity. Also, calligraphy is very popular in the Middle East; especially with the Arabic alphabet.

    The most prolific tea drinkers in the world are the Turks. The Irish and British also drink a lot of tea; in fact they drink more than the Japanese and Chinese.
     
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  9. Lissi

    Lissi 『Queen of Lissidom』『Holy Chibi』『Western Birdy』『⚓』

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    I got one of those when I was younger, it was super fun!! blobmelt_thumbs
     
  10. sacheu

    sacheu Member

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    The eating sticks should be the most obvious item. They are hell to use.
     
  11. SerialBeggar

    SerialBeggar Hate your family? Got no friends? Gimme your stuff

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    Bank books were used in the US before they were phased out when banks shifted to mailing out monthly statements. I had a bank book back in the 70s.
     
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  12. Amaruna Myu

    Amaruna Myu ugly squid dokja (●´∀`●)

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    yeah I thought that too that's why I said western as in american
     
  13. potato413

    potato413 Active Member

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    You mean the chopsticks?

    It's funny how the Confucius strongly promoted the chopsticks as something representing benevolence and gentleness compared to spoons,forks,knives which can be used as weapons.

    But I've never seen any novels where spoon knife fork are used as weapons, even during ambush dinners, the attackers usually just have cleverly concealed weapons or use poison.

    Whereas in the wuxia and xianxia, you have someone who can throw a chopstick 100 meters away with the force and accuracy of a sniper rifle. There's also someone that used a chopstick as a sword with his sword aura lol.

    It's always the hidden masters who love to instantly execute people with chopsticks. I wonder why chopsticks are such a weapon of choice.
     
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  14. asriu

    asriu fu~ fu~ fu~

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    the premise is use something abundant ordinary life item that seem not dangerous to become deadly~
    cool factor~ if we read too much of it, first stage of swordsmanship? man is sword, sword is man~ even with only a grass at hand, on such stage the grass can become deadly sword~ still cool~
     
  15. Amaruna Myu

    Amaruna Myu ugly squid dokja (●´∀`●)

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    chopsticks are an amazing weapon of choice
    just that... tartaglia can't use it

    one day I aspire to be able to throw chopsticks like darts
     
  16. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    Normally, it's be a matter of the chopsticks being always at hand even in non-combat situations. But really, it's just to show off how awesome the master is - he'll annihilate opponents with flimsy non-weapons so imagine how incredible he'd be if he was trying seriously?
     
  17. potato413

    potato413 Active Member

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    OMG that reminds me. That stupid cursive stuff was so stupid and they taught everyone how to write sentences and made u do pages and pages of cursive homework.

    I am proud to say that I have returned it all to my teacher long ago. I remember nothing about cursive, just barely thought of it right now.

    Whenever I sign my name now, it is just random scribbles.
     
  18. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    This is all because you were taught using the wrong instruments. In most schools students are taught using either pencils when they're very young or ballpoint pens when they get older. The problem is that with these, you need to press down hard in order to get a good line. Your hand will cramp very quickly doing this so it encourages alternate hand postures when writing. All of this adds up to making the mechanics of writing into an uncomfortable process so people avoid doing when they don't have to.

    It feels so much smoother and more pleasant when writing with something like a fountain pen that the experiences aren't in the same ballpark any more. Nowadays I go out of my way to handwrite whenever possible but never with a ballpoint.