What a wonderful resource this is.

[Wired]

A fantasy epic with an Asia-like setting? Well, you've already one interested customer. :p

[Gamerprinter]

I like the basic map sketch, but just a note the parallel rivers at the center along the coast seem awfully straight. If the terrain slopes fairly steeply along that coast line, straight rivers make sense. However, if that land is supposed to be flat, then the rivers should meander more. Straight flowing rivers occur where the slope is steep and water is forced to down with gravity into a very straight course. On flat terrain rivers seek the direction of least resistance, while following the force of gravity downward, and thus meanders one way and the other following the terrain to the sea. Something to consider anyway.

[triarius]

Oh, that is a nice sketch. I look forward to seeing what you do with it. What kind of a story are you writing? (Just curious - feel free to keep secrets.)

Fantasy inspired by elements of Chinese history and cultures ranging from much of the world. The history of ancient China is a very neglected source in the fantasy genre.

[zeichen]

I assume that you don't read or speak Chinese then? I actually live in China and will tell you that you are 100% wrong. I can show you at least 10k fanstasy books that are Chinese. They also have 100's of online games. There is a very popular card game called 6 kingdom kill roughly translated.

Before trying to tackle other cultures, perhaps living there might help.

[triarius]

I assume that you don't read or speak Chinese then? I actually live in China and will tell you that you are 100% wrong. I can show you at least 10k fanstasy books that are Chinese. They also have 100's of online games. There is a very popular card game called 6 kingdom kill roughly translated.

Before trying to tackle other cultures, perhaps living there might help.

I wish. Hell, I wish I could even visit the country. But at my age and physical situation, it's not going to happen. When I was in school, Chinese was a graduate level language course—and rare. I got Latin and German.

Perhaps I should have been clearer: "In the West …" Chinese history is little taught in the West. Chinese culture (ancient or modern) is, therefore, poorly understood, at best. I have no doubt that the Chinese, being more or less immersed in their own history and culture, write abundant fantasy—they have such a fertile field to harvest! Westerners (most) barely know that field exists, let alone how fertile it is.

About ten years ago, now, I managed to find an English translation of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." It was hard to find, almost as hard to get. Now, things have improved substantially—but I think much of western culture is so self-involved that ignorance of one of the greatest civilizations and cultures the human species has ever spawned is almost a fetish.

No one (to my knowledge, at least) has ever really addressed the question: The Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty were contemporaneous. Both collapsed. The Roman Empire and its culture ceased to be. Not so the Chinese Empire. Why?

No one outside of China has even addressed this question, let alone answered it.

If my work is ever published, and it engenders a greater interest in Chinese history and culture among those who are woefully ignorant, I will not have lived in vain.

长寿和出汗。(I hope Google translate worked properly … )

[Azélor]

Guy Gavriel Kay wrote several books about a fictional China, I haven't found the time to read it yet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_Heaven_%28book%29

There are several books about chinese history written by westerners but it does not compare to the number of books about the British Empire and most of these concentrate all their energy into the 200 last years.
Example: Fairbank, China A new history. A book of history but has only 15 pages on the Han dynasty. Don't read that book if your into history.

About the Romans, it's not true. Latin language, roman law and Christianity (maybe that's not really related) are all part of their legacy.

[triarius]

<snip>

About the Romans, it's not true. Latin language, roman law and Christianity (maybe that's not really related) are all part of their legacy.

A very small legacy, compared to the Han. How does the quote go? "The Empire, long united, must divide. The Empire, long divided, must unite." Nothing like that ever happened in the West. Yes, the Romans left a legacy, as did the Greeks, but we are not them. People living in China today have more in common with their distant ancestors than we do with ancient Greece or Rome.

The Han collapsed, but the Chinese Empire resurrected itself. The Roman Empire did not.

[zeichen]

"The Roman Empire did not."

You never heard of Charlagmane?

"A very small legacy,"
What? Latin is the foundation of several languages. You, yourself admitted to studying Latin in School and if you were a linguist of any sorts, you could learn 4 other languages in less than 1 year after knowing Latin.

"People living in China today have more in common with their distant ancestors than we do with ancient Greece or Rome."
Genocide is a such a great legacy to hold onto. Whereas at least the Roman Empire allowed countries to assimulate and still keep a sense of culture.

The Roman Empire conquered so many diverse lands and cultures and allowed them to retain their artistic style, language, food, every sense of their culture. They just had to follow Roman law, and of course be subservient.

China forced all regions in the area to give up all aspects of culture or be eliminated. Even today the people in China that aren't part of the Genome get treated differently.

Trust me, there is little unity in China accept for a sense of nationalistic superiority.

You really make a lot of assumptions. In order to be accurate in writing, you really should go to China and study there.

[Azélor]

I think the point is, none of the Roman or the Chinese culture disappeared, they transformed.

[Diamond]

Zeichen: I realize you probably mean well, in pointing out that being immersed in a culture is certainly the best way to learn about that culture. However, your tone is a little offensive; please be a little more courteous in your language. Thanks.