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Invisible College
Ah! The opportunities to discover new elements! To catalogue new plants and new animals! The chance to study the taxonomy alone is enough to send the Invisible College into raptures! Then there are the inventions. What could be achieved by tapping into the creative mind of these people beyond the Fire Wall! Working through their contacts in the Crescent Empire, members of the Invisible College are working to find ways to travel East without attracting unwanted attention from the ever-watchful eyes of the Inquisition. It might even call for a brief alliance with the Explorer’s Society…
Knights of the Rose & Cross
Given the Order’s interest in esoteric knowledge and their accumulated store of artifacts and relics, the Knights are attracted to Cathay for philosophical reasons. Intrigued by references to pursuit of a “Golden Soul,” they are hoping to find ancient documents. Travel eastward is extremely dangerous and there are those among the brotherhood who might venture eastward simply because it represents a challenge.
Los Vagos
If the members of Castille’s guerilla society are too busy with the Inquisition and Montaigne to become involved with the Crescent Empire, they have even less time to worry about traveling to the east. The only benefit gained from the opening of Cabora is the opportunity to attack ships from Montaigne that sail too close to Castille’s southern shores.
Rilasciare
Based on vague reports from Cathay, there is a feudalistic social structure in Cathay. Other than Tiakhar, there does not appear to be the kind of wholesale slavery found in the Crescent Empire. However, the society has recently learned about
a growing underground movement called the Golden Coin Society dedicated to the overthrow of Tiakhar’s tyrannical ruler, so the establishment of a Rilasciare cell to do first-hand investigation is becoming a distinct possibility.
Sophia’s Daughters
Unfortunately, the Order recently learned that the Cathayan contact, a young Tashil princess, was kidnapped while on a seaside outing at Varanasi. Her ship was set upon by Tiakhari pirates who ransacked the hold for precious cargo, killed the crew, and delivered the princess directly to the harem of Sayari Razak, Tiakhar’s ruler. Despite her extraordinary beauty, the princess is, like many of her sisters in the Order, quite outspoken, and will probably be shunted almost immediately into the less favored ranks, which does not bode well for a long and happy life.
Religion
“Chanting is no more holy than listening to the murmur of a stream, counting prayer beads no more sacred than simply breathing, religious robes no more spiritual than work clothes.”
— Master Lao
Religion in the Seven Kingdoms in like a three-legged ting or cauldron because there are three parts of the faith system: the philosophy of Master Kung (augmented by the mystical teachings of Master Lao), a dizzying panoply of gods, the quest for the jing hueng, the Golden Soul. In addition, each kingdom has its own set of myths, legends, and local gods, as well as the spirits of deceased relatives and a range of natural spirits who appear as animals, trees, and plants.
Jing Hueng (The Golden Soul)
The Golden Soul is the achievement of perfect harmony between the body, the mind, and nature which enables the soul to achieve Enlightenment and join move from the Dharmachakra (Great Wheel of Life) to the eternity of immortal life. In each lifetime, a person is given a chance to move closer to the ideal not only through religious practices but also through performing righteous acts. When a person dies, there is an accounting of their actions in that lifetime called the karma, and should they be found to have harmed or damaged others or themselves, they are forced to atone in the next. Thus it is important strive for the ideal of the superior man so that one does not do anything which will impair their karma and set them going backwards on the road to Enlightenment.
The Eight Immortals
In the quest for the Golden Soul, there are eight wise men, called the Eight Immortals, who may be called upon for guidance through dreams and visions. All of them have some connection with everlasting life:
CHUNG LI KUAN
The greatest of the Immortals, it is said the through deep meditation, he achieved the Golden Soul and discovered the Elixir of Life.
LAO CHUNG KWOH
A reclusive monk with mystic powers who had a bull that could carry him a thousand miles in a day, which he could then fold up like a piece of paper and put in his pocket. All he had to do was sprinkle it with water to restore the bull. When again required he had simply to sprinkle it with water and it resumed its normal proportions.
LU TUNG PIN
The young reclusive monk to whom Chung Li Kuan passed the secret of immortality. During his training, he was subjected to Ten Temptations. Upon passing the tests, he received a supernatural sword with which he was able to fight dragons.
TSAO KUO CHIU
A military commander who turned hermit. During his meditations, the wall of his cave split open to reveal a jade casket with scroll on which was a scroll. As he read the scroll, the cave was filled with shining clouds out of which emerged a silver stork. Master Tsao climbed upon his back and was taken to the next life. He is regarded as the patron of actors who can, for a while, transport the audience to another place.
LI T'IEH KUAI
A disciple of the mystical Master Lao, Li was a humble crippled beggar. One day the Master appeared and told him to rise and leave his body to ascend to the clouds. Li left his body in the care of a young monk who was suddenly called away to the bedside of his own dying mother. While he was gone, Li’s body died and was burned, according to custom. When Li returned from the clouds, all he could find of himself were his ashes so he entered the body of a beggar who had just died. Master Li is the patron of cao yao.
HAN HSANG TZU
A pupil of Lu Tung Pin, Han could make flowers grow out of thin air. One day Master Lu told him to climb a peach tree. As Han reached the top he fell but never hit the ground for he had become immortal. He is the patron of musicians.
LAN TSAI HO
A strolling performer, Lan sang about how fleeing life is until one day she herself disappeared into a cloud. She is the patron of flower arrangers.
HO HSIEN KU
A beautiful girl who lived in the forests of Koryo, she ate nothing but mother-of-pearl until she became so light that she floated up to the mountains of Khimal and disappeared into the clouds above Mt. Qomolangma. Her symbol is the lotus, the perfect flower of contemplation.
There are hundreds of stories about the various miracles achieved by the Eight Immortals, all of which serve to teach the lessons about life upon the Dharmachakra and how one should strive to achieve the Golden Soul.
Both Master Kung and the precepts of the Golden Soul require that a person strive to be fit and healthy through regular exercise and a healthy diet. Cathayan believe that the socalled “Elixir of Immortality” is actually a spiritual concept rather than an actual potion or magical incantation. The benefit of a healthy physical life is longevity while the benefit of a healthy spiritual life is immortality. No one has the power to halt death as it is a natural part of life. Those who try court disaster and may damage their karma beyond repair. The goal of the seeking the Golden Soul is to gradually rid oneself of dependence upon the elements of the material life; only then can a person’s essence shine through and guide his path to Enlightenment.
Gods and Goddesses
Cathayans make a distinction between the matters of this world and the next. This world is full of gods and goddesses who have a more or less beneficial interest in humankind.
Some of the better known ones include:
The Goddess of Mercy
Known by many names, she is likened to the Queen of Heaven, the all-compassionate one, who stands upon an open lotus and heals wounded hearts with her tears.
The Goddess of Prostitutes
She watches over women who have been forced to earn a living in this manner to insure that they are treated fairly.
The Goddess of the Moon
She presides over the monthly festival of the New Moon as well as the annual Moon Festival. She lives in a house make of carved cinnamon wood.
The Goddess of the Winds
She is responsible for air, wind, storms, and rain.
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The River Goddess
She watches over the rivers, especially the great Huang He.
The Goddess of the Earth
This goddess insures fertility and healthy crops.
The Kitchen God
A rotund and earthly fellow, he is the god of the hearth and household. He is the one who sees and hears everything that goes on in the house. A bride who does not make proper obeisance to him on her wedding day is doomed to have a miserable marriage.
The God of War
A statue of this god must always be placed facing the entrance to a home, to defend it against evil spirits.
The God of Wealth
This god must be placed facing the front door, to insure that wealth will flow into the home.
The Gods of Prosperity, Power, and Longevity
These three gods should be displayed together, as high up as possible but where you can still see them, in any room other than the bedroom or the kitchen.
The Town God
The Cheng Huang acts on behalf of the Celestial Ruler to keep evil and corruption away, to insure the town’s prosperity, and to bring the rain when it is needed. He is also the god who watches over ditches and walls.
The God of Thunder
A difficult fellow to please, he punishes wicked people and gets rid of evil spirits, but being around so much bad all day makes him very irritable. He also urges people to avenge wrongful deaths and seek retribution.
The Divine Judge
The stern faced dispenser of justice.
The God of Happiness
He watches over situations involving love, happiness, and personal success.
The God of Wine
Patron of viniculture who supervises both the grape crops and wine production.
Ravana, Drinker of Blood
This powerful demon of Tiakhar and Tashil is the ruthless God of all that is Evil. Among his many foul deeds, he seduced his sister, then shamed her before her husband, which drove her to commit suicide. His demand for blood sacrifice and live body parts is a strong indication that he is not playing on the side of the heroes.
Religious Practices
The path to the Golden Soul differs slightly in Tashil, not so much in philosophy but in practice. The Tashili practice a physical and spiritual regime called yoga that consists of physical and mental exercises. Through different types of yoga, both active and meditative, they seek to control their bodies and their minds. The object of contemplation is the mandala, an intricate circular design. They also believe that the spirit of the divine is part masculine and part feminine, and one must acknowledge both to achieve enlightenment. The feminine part is especially important as it enable the person to become complete.
In Han Hua, there is more emphasis on practical applications of Master Kung’s philosophy and reverence for one’s ancestors. Many people have portable shrines that they take on journeys so that they can meditate upon familiar things as they travel.
Khimali believe in daka and dakini, male and female spirits who live in the clouds and visit humans in their dreams, sometimes to guide them. Dakini are usually depicted as tiny graceful dancing girls, while daka often appear as handsome heroes. Often these spirits will come when the dreamer is troubled by a moral decision or when he has done something unsettling or improper to help guide him back to the proper path.
Death and Burial
The soul has two parts: the hun which leaves the body upon death to move to the next life and the p’o which remains with the corpse until it is properly buried. The family assists the hun on its journey by decorating the tomb and to ease the shock of being separated, they makes the p’o comfortable with food, flowers, wine, and personal items that the person used in life. In the Qi Gui, white is the color of mourning; red is the color happiness.
The dead are taken to the burial place accompanied by a funeral procession complete with drums, flutes, wailing mourners, and the bereaved family all attired in white. If a corpse is not buried properly or burned, the p’o can become a chiang shi, a hopping vampire.
While the Qi Guo is a life-worshipping nation, reverence for the dead is a crucial part of life, so cemeteries and tombs are important. The two most famous of these are the beautiful Rauza Banu in Tashil and the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in Huo Long Cheng.
Monasteries and Nunneries
Those who feel called to the religious life can become monks and nuns. Many live a quiet life, taking vows of poverty and celibacy to live in contemplation and meditation. There are also several fighting orders that accept both male and female students. The Sisters of the Golden Soul in Khimal maintain the beautiful mausoleum as well as a women’s hospital and an orphanage.
Festivals
Each kingdom has its own regional festivals, and in fact many towns and cities have local celebrations. There are, however, several festivals that are celebrated across the entire nation:
Xing Nian
(Spring Festival – New Year’s) (1st day of the 1st moon)
This is the single most important holiday of the entire year. It is celebrated over three days, beginning with the evening prior to the first full day. Each region has its own special traditions, but throughout the Seven Kingdoms there is great feasting and celebrating with gift giving. The traditional gift is money given in a bright red envelope.
The two food traditions practiced universally involve eating long beans and at least one fish dish. It is important to leave a small amount of fish on the plate as a token of the hope that there will be ample food in the coming year.
In many regions, fireworks and parades marked by “dragons” (a number of people in line under a huge paper and gilt dragon head and body.)
On New Year’s eve, families hold a feast at which they offer hospitality to the Jade Emperor as he makes his annual inspection to dole out rewards or punishments to those who have been good and evil during the past year. Throughout the land, special incense burns on the altar alongside offerings of vegetables to welcome him into their home.
There are specific things one must not do during the New Year’s celebration. The most important is do not break anything! Broken things bring bad luck for the rest of the year. Do not say any bad luck or sad words. Sweeping on the night before New Year’s is not a good idea but if it must be done, sweep into the house rather than out of it, or you will sweep your good luck away.
On the first day of the New Year, everyone makes a point of wishing neighbors and relatives “happy New Year.” On the second day, husbands escort their wives for a visit to the wife’s family. On the fifth day, New Year’s dumplings are prepared in anticipation of the next day’s open house for visiting friends, neighbors, and relatives. Other welcoming foods include almonds, dates, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, apples, pomegranates, peaches (for longevity) and apricots.
The Birthday of the Jade Emperor
(9th day of the 1st moon)
The birthday of the ruler of heaven is celebrated with a great festival during which people form a parade and process together to the main temple or shrine where they burn incense so that the Jade Emperor will find their prayers pleasing. It is a very lively ceremony that reflects the procession in heaven of the gods and goddesses with gifts for the Jade Emperor.
It is also regarded as a most auspicious day on which to present petitions, so government officers are on hand to receive hundreds of scrolls, each tied with a special red cord.
Yuan Xiao Jie
(Lantern Festival)
(15th day of the 1st moon)
This marks the end of the New Year’s celebration. Everyone hangs lanterns outside their homes, even in Xian Bei, despite the weather. The story goes that the Jade Emperor was furious with a town for killing his favorite goose so he decided to burn it to the ground. A kindly spirit warned the townsfolk to hang lanterns on the day they were to be killed. When the Jade Emperor looked down from heaven, he saw that the town was already burning and assumed that his goose had been avenged.
Traditional lion and dragon dances are performed and people serve tang yuan, round boiled sweet rice dumplings with a variety of fillings. This holiday is also a time for people in rural communities to make special offerings to insure that the ground will be fertile. The day after the festival no one goes visiting because it is the day to get rid of ill health. One must take a walk on a circular path and cross at least one bridge. This is one of the busiest (and most profitable) days of the year for cao yao.
Qing Ming Jie
(Tomb Sweeping Day)
(2 weeks after the Vernal Equinox)
This day is reserved for visiting tombs and graves of one’s ancestors, cleaning up the area, and then “sharing” a feast with the dead by having a picnic at their grave site. It is regarded as a very important family day throughout out Seven Kingdoms. One of the symbols of spring, boiled eggs, are dyed different colors and then broken open at the picnic to symbolize new life. The Celestial ruler always plants a tree in the Imperial City. This is also an official “courting” day for new couples and a day for kite flying as well.
Duan Wu
(Dragon Boat Festival) (5th day of the 5th moon)
A fearless poet, angered over the emperor’s cruel treatment of the people, drowned himself in a river in protest. The townsfolk were so impressed with his sacrifice and concerned that the fish would eat his body that they headed out to where his body was floating and started throwing rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves so that the fish would eat the treats instead of the poet. Although the highlight of this festival in a dramatic dragon boat race, people also celebrate by eating rice dumplings steamed in bamboo leaves in honor of the poet. This is a most auspicious day on which to launch a new boat.
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