UK readers?

[Dionysus_Uk]

I'm doing fine, I watched 'Greek Gods and Goddesses' on BBC1 just now. I've always been obsessed with Greek mythology.

What an apt point to make my first post. Hello!!

 

[Nemasis Enforcer]

What an apt point to make my first post. Hello!!

Hi and welcome to Lit...

Its really nice to meet you and I hope you'll love it here, feel free to drop in and talk as much as you can on this board!!

 

[Dionysus_Uk]

Hi and welcome to Lit...

Its really nice to meet you and I hope you'll love it here, feel free to drop in and talk as much as you can on this board!!

Hi there and thankyou, I'll do my best.

 

[Nemasis Enforcer]

Hi there and thankyou, I'll do my best.

Good, its always nice to see new people here!!

 

[Marsipanne]

Hiya Dionysus, welcome to Lit!

 

[Dionysus_Uk]

Hiya Dionysus, welcome to Lit!

Cheers.

 

[PunkyMunky]

OOOooo, some UK people, where about you lot from?? Im from London

 

[Marsipanne]

Cambridge gal here

 

[PunkyMunky]

nice to meet you marsipanne

 

[Marsipanne]

I realised that whenever I post I take up tons of room because I a) have an icon and b) have loads of stuff about pretty-boys in my 'location' section.

 

[Nemasis Enforcer]

OOOooo, some UK people, where about you lot from?? Im from London

Im from Barnsley...

Nice to meet you PunkyMunky and welcome to Lit

 

[phar]

welcome dionysus

Hey, its the first i've heard of it but thats a very interesting fact about your birth mark/ bruise

 

[phar]

hello punkymunky, i'm from manchester although lived in london for 3 years and visit occassionally

 

[bobbyrock]

Your tattoo is very cool. Are you going to have it done in those colours? I like the fact that it has meanings behind it. It looks very nice too.

You're a descendent of Captain Cook?!! How cool! I can't imagine what scandal it would be...unless it was him masquerading as the god Lono.

I have 1 birthmark, that marks me in the 'Han' tribe (there are 56 ethnic groups/tribes in China--Han make up like 80% of the population though). A little marker on the nail of little toe. My feet are too small for it to be obvious though. It shows up better on my dad's.

My brother and my dad share a birthmark, which I think only goes to men, which is called the 'Mongolian bruise'. I'm northern chinese, so it's very likely that we've got Mongol or Manchu blood in us. The mongolian bruise is something that looks like a bruise which is permanent. It appears on the bum. It's about 2 cm diameter. This bruise caused some trouble when my brother was in nursery, because when his nappy was being changed by one of the nursery workers, she noticed the bruise and we had to prove that it wasn't actually a bruise, and was a birthmark. The mongols/manchus were horse-people, which is why they have this bruise, apparently.

Thanks, I'm not having the red in the tattoo. It's going to be replaced by grey. I don't think red would suit my pale complexion.

That's really interesting about the birth marks. I had no idea that this existed. It's something that this multicultural country would never have. It's hard to beleive that it is carried through from so long ago til this day.

I have no idea what the scandal was. I think him pretending to be Lono had enough punishment without the need to change the name. Back in those days, a girl showing her knees was seen as scandalous so it might not have ben a major thing by our standards.

So what have yo been up to this week? do you work? I've been busy rehearsing for a big gig next week. it's exciting and scary at the same time. Can't wait though.

 

[Marsipanne]

I think that the UK contains such a mish-mash of ethnic groups that such thing might be bred out, as such. In China, you tend to stick to your own ethnic group (because most of the minorities are so cut off), which isn't that difficult if you're Han.

I think a strong bet for the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics is this business about the 56 ethnic groups in China, and the dynasties. The thing is, each group actually has a different culture, and some look different. It's because China had such a huge Empire before. I mean, it's still huge now, but it used to be bigger. One of the ethnic groups in China has a custom of the women working and the men staying at home. Another has a strange custom where you never get married and the men wander round the villages, swapping girls every year. Something like that anyway. It's all really interesting.

You know, most people think Chinese people are short, but that's just the Southerners. I mean, I'm 167cm, which is not short, but I'm not a giantess either. Northerners (men) regularly hit 6ft, and the women are around my height (or taller). I have a cousin who was my height when he was 11. It's because of the South, who have more contact with the West, that people have this idea.

Chinese culture and history is very, very interesting and complex. I have an unending fascination for it. Out of the ancient cultures (Egypt, Rome, Greece, India and China--I think those are the ones), only China has had its culture actually continue, as such. When I'm with my grandparents on my mother's side (who live in a farming village), I feel like I've wandered into some strange time-slipped place. It's so odd: there are these people wearing quite traditional clothes, in old houses, riding motorbikes. A lot of the old culture of China still survives. I'd say most of it, apart from the Emperor business (though the Qing dynasty line is still alive). You know, I'm surprised there aren't any lit stories set in ancient China. Everybody knows about the sheiks and their harems etc. etc. They had a few dozen wives. But the Emperors of China, they had hundreds. One of them had 3000, in fact. The concubine/empress system was incredibly complicated, probably a reason why people avoid it: too easy to have historical inaccuracies. At the moment, I'm writing a fantasy story (not erotic) based on feudal China--it's just so much fun writing a character who is ridiculously powerful. In fact, period dramas in China are a hugely popular genre in general. Lots of Emperor/Empress power games, then bring in the Dowager Empress and so on... so much fun.

eta: Bobbyrock, I PMd you

 

[Nemasis Enforcer]

Hi everyone,

Hope your all ok.

Im a northener Marsipanne and im 6 foot so is my brother and my uncle is 6 foot 6,

Have a great day all!!

 

[Plasmacaster]

Greetings

Hi peeps, yet another english gentleman introducing himself to the forum. I hope you welcome me with open arms, please be gentle

 

[Boobyprize]

Afternoon all and hi to the newcomers!

Plasma...are you sure you want us to be gentle?!

Nem...hope you're well sweetie!

Booby xx

 

[Plasmacaster]

Well, be gentle for the moment. There's a time and a place for anything a little rougher and its once I've gotmyself worked up

Oh and Marsipanne? Chinese culture is impressive and I agree that it is still a 'living' cultural tradition, but I still prefer Japanese history. Admittedly it is far more pockmarked by negative actions however, in balance to this are the admirable qualities of the warriors code. Its the sole culture where the medieval feudal system has been able to live into the middle of the 19th century. Personally I find the language and architechture wonderful. Though I'm not trying to insult you or your culture with any form of cultural comparison through two countries that are vastly different.
Incidentally, I think cantonese is a wonderful language, very harmonic - even though i cant speak a word of it myself.

 

[zukethecuke]

....You know, most people think Chinese people are short, but that's just the Southerners. I mean, I'm 167cm, which is not short, but I'm not a giantess either. Northerners (men) regularly hit 6ft, and the women are around my height (or taller). I have a cousin who was my height when he was 11. It's because of the South, who have more contact with the West, that people have this idea....

I know two sisters, both adopted by a US couple from China; the one born in southern China is slender and round-faced, the one from northern China is stockier and square-faced.

 

[bobbyrock]

I know two sisters, both adopted by a US couple from China; the one born in southern China is slender and round-faced, the one from northern China is stockier and square-faced.

were they step-sisters? surely evolution takes longer than a 4 hour plane ride?

 

[Hiccup]

Oooh, heylo fellow Brits
Ms H

 

[zukethecuke]

were they step-sisters? surely evolution takes longer than a 4 hour plane ride?

Yes yes yes, that's what I meant by saying they were adopted (separately, from different parts of the country).

 

[Marsipanne]

Actually, body shape does change from north to south. Southerners are thinner, definitely, but Chinese people in general are quite thin, to be honest. It's quite annoying when I meet people from China and their first reaction is 'wow, you're fat'. Grandparents especially like to say this kind of thing.

Face shape is completely random though. It's not affected by north/south, though perhaps how 'chinese' one looks is perhaps affected. My dad has been told he doesn't look Chinese at all (he looks rather more Western), whereas I am undeniably oriental. And I have an oval face. I used to tell everybody it was a square but it's actually more or less a perfect oval.

eta: Japanese culture is defintely very interesting. I mean, they still have an Emperor! Japan is such an interesting place; on one hand you've got a near-medieval term--Emperor--as a figurehead in power. Yet, you've got this uber-techno culture everywhere. Amazing. China, I suppose, was a bit like Rome; it infulenced a lot of other places. Phonetically, there are some very similar words in Chinese, Japanese and Korean. E.g., manga (Japanes), manhua (Chinese) and then manga again for Korean (I'm not sure about the spelling, but that's how my Korean friend pronounces it). If you look at the clothing of the arguably most successful dynasty (Tang--AD 618-907), you'll see a strong resemblance to kimonos.

http://www.pureinsight.org/pi/articles/2002/10/21/1173.html

http://www.pureinsight.org/pi_images/2002-10-21-tangdress6.jpg

(mid-to-late Tang period style)

 

[syd_uk]

Evening all

We are a couple from London.

Just thought we'd say hi.

Seeya

Syd_uk