The Fire Nation’s iconic top knots appear to be inspired by the top knots worn during China’s Qin Dynasty (秦朝), 221 to 206 BC. Like the soldiers of Qin, the people of the Fire Nation tend to knot their hair into looped and somewhat loose buns.
Among the many periods of Chinese history, the stereotype of the Qin Dynasty is that it was very militant and expansionist so it’s a fitting inspiration for the Fire Nation.
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Another quick Face Inspiration with everyone’s favorite Fire Prince. Zuko’s look is very inline with East Asian male beauty standards, yet there’s also this distinct severity and gauntness to his face as well. That precarious balance between teenage pretty boy and hardened young man actually makes it pretty difficult to find the perfect references for Zuko.
Top Left: Stock Photo Model
Top Right & Bottom Left: Lucas Wong (Thai & Chinese)
Bottom Right: Ryo Yoshizawa (Japanese)
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It is true that Mai’s outfit does resemble the Vietnamese Áo Nhật Bình or “Square-Collar Robe”. Like Áo Nhật Bình, Mai’s outfit includes a thickly-defined parallel collar, one big button, and loose pants. Áo Nhật Bình was also traditionally worn by Vietnamese women of high status, from queens to nobles, so it certainly fits with Mai’s image.
However, from what I’ve researched, the Áo Nhật Bìnhseems to have been heavily inspired by the Chinese Pifeng (披风). And Bijia (比甲) are basically just sleeveless Pifeng, which is what I think Mai is actually wearing. So, to me, it seems more like the resemblance that Mai’s clothing has to traditional Vietnamese dress is more due to Vietnam’s cultural proximity to China. On the other hand, Mai’s pants do look the kind of pants worn with both Áo Nhật Bình and Áo Dài. I still lean more towards her design being Ming Dynasty-inspired due to the lack of sleeves, but I’ll leave it up to the readers to decide for themselves.`
For more of my thoughts regarding Mai’s outfit, click here. I’ve also written about the Vietnamese elements of Avatar here.
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Aka “The Painted Lady” village. Sorry for the format looking a bit clunkier than usual; I found so many good screencaps and photos that I ended up having to make two separate collages.
Jang Hui is based off the many floating/stilt villages that are common to Southeast Asia. From what I understand, these villages are created by constructing buoyant wooden platforms that act as foundation for the village’s many buildings. These platforms are held in place through the use of bamboo stilts and walkways that connect multiple platforms; the buildings may be further secured by tying them to the main land with rope. Like with otherlocations in Avatar, Jang Hui village also utilizes thatched roofing to protect its residents from the elements— no pun intended.
Regarding the photo references, I primarily used images of floating villages from the Phillippines (1st row) and Thailand (2nd & 3rd row). My favorite floating villages are Ko Panyi in Thailand and Day-Asan in the Phillippines.
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Hey there, I just discovered your blog and it's amazing - I really admire your work and dedication!
I've been doing some research about fashion in the world of ATLA and there is still something I haven't found any information on whatsoever. Many of the characters (especially those who fight or do physical labour) can be seen wearing a very specific type of sleeves. Some examples include Katara, Zuko (especially as the Blue Spirit) or Jet. I was wondering why the sleeves of so many characters look this way and if there is any specific term for them. Some characters (like Jeong Jeong) seem to have a bandage-like garment wrapped around their forearms and feet. Is this piece of garment covering a wide sleeve underneath it, or is it something else? How does it work?
The same question applies to the pants and shoes many of the characters wear. Azula's Ba Sing Se outfit or Zuko and Iroh in S2E2 come to mind. Do you have any information on this? I hope this is not a silly question but I've been looking all over the internet and I'm a bit obsessed with finding an answer at this point lol
The fitted sleeve-cuffs that the Avatar characters wear are called huwan (护腕) in Mandarin, which translates to “wrist protectors”. The bandage-like garments are probably actual cloth bandage wraps. Both covers serve the same functions:
They restrain excess fabric from the wrist. This way, you get all freedom of movement that loose sleeves allow, without worrying about anything getting in the way.
They protect the forearms and wrists from damage. The idea is to maintain a stable position for the bones and muscles during athletic activity by wrapping up commonly exerted body parts. While we associate these sort of methods with healing an injury, it also works well for preventing an injury by reducing excess strain on ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints. This technique is still used today and is called athletic taping. It can even help give an arch to your feet if you’re flat-footed.
I imagine the advantage of huwan is that they can be made out of durable materials like leather, which can provide extra protection against strikes and cuts. On the other hand, bandages can be wrapped on any part of the body and are basically wearable medical supplies in case someone gets hurt. It makes sense that Sokka wears bandages whenever he can, since he’s the protective big brother of the group who is always planning and preparing.
As for the shoes you mentioned, they resemble traditional Mongolian riding boots known as gutals. Characteristics of gutal include upturned toes and prominent seams/ties around the ankle and neck of the boot. These style of shoes later caught on throughout China, Korea, and Central Asia. They’re typically made of leather.
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The broadswords that Zuko uses are niuweidao (牛尾刀) or “oxtail sabers”. Niuweidao are characterized by their flat and wide blades, flared tips, rounded cutting sections, and noticeably bent hilt; all characteristics present in Zuko’s swords.
The niuweidao actually has a rather unique history compared to other Chinese weapons. Whereas most Chinese weapons were adapted to be used by the imperial troops, the niuweidao was created and used exclusively by civilians. The primary reason for this was that their design was optimized to efficiently cut through flesh rather than harder surfaces; making them impractical for slashing through armored soldiers on the battlefield but perfect for petty robbery and common street violence. Unsurprisingly, these 19th-century swords came to be associated with rebels and criminals.
That Zuko chooses to wield niuweidao as the Blue Spirit is yet another example of his intelligence. After all, no one would expect the Prince of the Fire Nation, with a ship full of military-grade tools at his disposal, to utilize a weapon wielded by the lowest levels of society.
The niuweidao being the weapon of thugs also explains why that one Earth Kingdom jerk had a pair on him as well. In fact, you’ll notice that Zuko only ever uses his broadswords when he’s behaving criminally or rebelliously. Even his dual-wielding breaks from typical sword-fighting convention. The swords are the embodiment of his innate brashness.
This also provides a unique foil to Sokka and his sword. Sokka is often dismissed as a “peasant” and many characters simply write him off as dimwitted goofball. Yet his sword, the jian, is an ancient weapon dating back to 500 BC and is considered to be the weapon of scholars and gentlemen. Sokka’s sword embodies all of his most overlooked qualities: His intelligence, creativity, and honorable nature.
Zuko, by contrast, was seen as the elitist prince obsessed with honor and maintaining the Fire Nation’s imperial legacy. Yet his swords of choice, the niuweidao, are a relatively new kind of weapon from the fringes of society. Their entire purpose is to undermine the established power structure. Zuko’s swords embodies all of his most overlooked qualities: His boldness, his cunning, and his willingness to break from tradition.
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Credit goes to Tumblr user @picaresquerogue for pointing this out to me.
If you look at the concept art for Zuko’s dual swords or certain screenshots from the show, you’ll notice that his swords are specifically designed with guards and hilts that are half-moon shaped to fit together into one scabbard. This style of sword is known as shuangdao (雙刀) or “double sabers”. Niuweidao is perfect for this style of sword-wielding as the blades tend to be quite thin. Thus, the most accurate name for Zuko’s swords would be shuangniuweidao (雙牛尾刀) or “double oxtail sabers”. This ties back to Zuko’s quote regarding dual-wielding:
Keep in mind, these are dual swords. Two halves of a single weapon. Don’t think of them as separate, ‘cause they’re not. They’re just two different parts of the same whole.
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The Earth Kingdom’s iconic top knots appear to be inspired by Taoist top knots, also known as Wutang (武當) top knots— Yes, this the same Wutang referenced by the rap group. Compared to Qin Dynasty top knots, Taoist buns tend to be rounder, larger, and more tightly coiled. Here’s an instructional video on how to achieve this hairstyle.
As you might assume, Taoist top knots are typically worn by practitioners of Taoism, a Chinese philosophical and spiritual tradition which emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (道) or “the Way” of the universe. While I’m nowhere near an expert on Chinese metaphysics, I have always found Bumi’s actions and advice in “Return to Omashu” to be very Taoist in nature:
“You need to find someone who waits and listens before striking.”
The foundation of Taoism is the practice of wu-wei (無為), which can be translated as "inexertion", “inaction”, or “effortless action”. To greatlysimplify, the idea is that there is a natural flow to the universe or Tao that should not be fought against, so the most responsible use of great power is to use it as minimally as possible.
Bumi’s response to the Fire Nation’s invasion of Omashu is a perfect utilization of wu-wei, in my opinion. While Bumi’s Earthbending probably was powerful enough to fight off the the invaders, it likely would have cost countless lives and possibly have galvanized the Fire Nation into sending even more forces. By initially doing nothing and waiting for the universe (Tao) to flow in his favor, Bumi was able to unanimously take back his city with little loss for his people.
What’s even more interesting is that Avatar even presents a counter argument to wu-wei governance in the form Earth King Kuei. His inaction leads to a power vacuum that gets exploited by the cruel and ambitious Long Feng, who isn’t so content to abide by the quiet understanding of wu-wei. Am I reading way too deeply into this? Probably, but it’s still fun to think about. If you’d like see more accessible examples of wu-wei, check out Xiran Jay Zhao’s cultural analysis of Kung Fu Panda. It really is fantastic!
Anyways, before I get any more off-track, I just think it’s very appropriate that the people of the Earth Kingdom wear their hair like patient and stoic Taoists; just as the people of the Fire Nation wear their hair like the aggressive soldiers of the Qin Dynasty.
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If I may venture to interpret King Kuei’s situation, he is not representative of wu-wei. The crux is that he lacks awareness of the world and does not act. Kuei is a king who knows nothing, sees nothing, hears nothing of his kingdom, and a ruler who does not rule.
When regarding the existing harmony of the universe and trusting that harmony, on the one hand, he have Aang’s commitment to nonviolence throughout the series and Bumi’s allowing the situation to play out, two people who are aware of their situations, and then with minimal effort and some playfulness, seize the moment when it appears. They do not give up on the world, they carry their power as they must, the best they can. And on the other hand, we have Kuei’s complete and total separation from the ebbs and flows even within his own city, let alone the kingdom at large. It’s not that “does as he must” but with minimal effort - he just does not act at all, optimal moment or no.
The universe can ultimately absorb and continue to flow around all the Kueis in the world just fine, but these individuals are not necessarily swimming in the stream, they’ve sunk down to the bottom and aren’t moving. For the time being. Eventually, the Gaang pry Kuei off the bottom by sharing an awareness of the situation with him, and he inevitably makes his pilgrimage to observe more of his kingdom so that he can also participate in the dance of things.
One of the mistakes I think most of the characters in Book III make is thinking that Aang’s reluctance to kill Ozai is a form of refusing to participate in what they consider the natural song and dance of the world. When someone is a cruel unrepentant imperialist, you kill them. This is compounded by their second mistake, which is their worry that Aang lacks awareness that this is how the world works, that his ideals are disconnected from reality. In their eyes, it is because of this lack of awareness Aang is incapable of action.
Aang, however, does exactly what Bumi does. Unlike the others, he does not pass judgement on what the nature of reality is. He feels conflicted, so he sits and waits (meditates) and allows what truly “is” to unfold. The lion turtle appears. There’s a brief interlude of others again telling him what their judgments are. Not getting his answers from the past Avatars, he waits longer. When the time is right (he gets out of his head/wakes up, and notices the world around him properly “Are those mountains getting bigger?”) - the lion turtle
inexorably gifts him with the solution. Mind, while he is doing all this waiting/nonaction, the universe/Tao/balance also conspires to bring him to exactly where he needs to be. Effortlessly on his part. And he is advised… to wait more. (”Wait for him. He will come.”) When Aang finally acts, he does exactly what must be done, and it is not just a harmonious action for who he is, but the universe as a whole.
I think Kuei is a good illustration of what Tao isn’t. We all know it’s not killing Ozai, but the other end of the spectrum is more difficult to put into words so the show illustrated with a character. Aang isn’t unaware, he isn’t impotent, he isn’t disinterested, he is not isolated or closed off from the world. He shows up where he is needed and does what he can. He observes everything, he does not shy away from the realities of the world, and when the time comes, chooses to trust himself and trust the universe. He consciously chooses to allow harmonious events to unfold by not acting prematurely.
Aww, thank you for all the kind words! <3 I’m also always happy to introduce more people to Xiran Jay Zhao’s excellent videos.
I love your analysis! I was thinking about editing the part about Kuei since something felt off about classifying his [lack of] actions as wu-wei, but I couldn’t quite articulate the distinction. You hit it right on the nose, though. It reminds me of the Robert Moss translation of the Tao Te Ching:
To pursue learning, learn more day by day; To pursue the Way, unlearn it day by day: Unlearn and then unlearn again Until there is nothing to pursue: No end pursued, no end ungained.
Kuei never even attempted to know the world so he certainly wasn’t capable of unlearning it, as would be required of a true Taoist. Another nifty quote that reminds me of Avatar:
Whoever means to win this world below Never undertakes that task; Whoever does make that his task Is not fit to win this world below.
Kuai Ball is the fictional beach game that Azula and company were playing on Ember Island. While it does take a lot of inspiration from volleyball in terms of serves and ball control, its aggressive kicks and high-flying acrobatics are more reminiscent of sepak takraw.
Sepak takraw (เซปักตะกร้อ) is a sport native to Southeast Asia. While similar to volleyball, sepak takraw only allows players to use their feet, knees, and heads to touch the ball. As you can imagine, these restrictions lead to some pretty creative techniques for keeping the ball in play.
The kick that Azula ends the game with is probably the most difficult move to pull off in sepak takraw: The Roll Spike. This technique involves jumping up with one leg and flipping in the direction that you want the ball to move, all while remaining airborne. Using the the non-jumping foot to kick, the ball is spiked over the net. The entire spike must be performed while in the air, only landing after the foot has made contact with the ball.
Click here for some more examples of wild sepak takraw moves.
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