but for you, i would not be me (Hetalia; China, First Emperor/Qin Shi Huang)

[oultrepreu]

but for you, i would not be me
Hetalia; China, First Emperor/Qin Shi Huang
G; 1400+ words
Four moments with the First Emperor that China will forever remember.

For ykyapril in aph_historyswap. Historical and story notes are at the end. I've also tried using clickable footnotes...hopefully it works and isn't annoying...

Many thanks to

Comments

[fluffcloud]

Wow, this is one of the best early historical China fics I've read, possibly the best! Hats off for your research. Very impressed! 摸拜。 你是何方神圣？

I tried looking up the oracle bone script for 华夏 online but couldn't find it. I could only find the character for 夏。The concept may have come later after the oracle bone period?

Your fic reminds me of the critical controversy about the political message of the movie Hero lol (with CCP likened to Qin Shihuang）.

I have to go put rice in the rice cooker now.

[postingwhore]

Oooh, there are other early historical China fics? :O Thank you so much for your praise~ 不敢當，不敢當！我祗不過太喜歡研究這類東東了＝＝；

I looked up some info about the etymology of 華夏 - http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/中國的稱號#.E5.8D.8E.E5.A4.8F has some information. I think you are right about the term itself coming after the oracle bone period - but I do think the term still fits in the fic, from the information in the wiki article. But thank you for bringing that to my attention - 我沒仔細查這一點，真是太粗心了＝＝

I read about that controversy on wikipedia! XD But I think the criticism comes from a very Western point of view and doesn't take into account how having one unified kingdom was what was critically needed at that time (though of course I doubt those critics know much about Chinese history...)

I actually don't really like using the rice cooker! XD;;; 太難煮出鍋巴了，哈哈～ 我是高壓鍋控～

[fluffcloud]

The footnotes look fine. My rice turned out as per normal, it's not exactly as if I used wood or charcoal-fired stove.I like to eat rice cooked in this, especially the crispy rice bits

[postingwhore]

My mother's used 高壓鍋 her whole life and only had it explode once, iirc (either that or none at all). idk, I find them very versatile

[fluffcloud]

I saw your profile.我的家人原本是做制造豆皮的家庭手工业。

http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh/%E8%85%90%E7%9A%AE

我妈小时候放学了会帮忙做。用手拿工具捞起来。可是我出世时已经放弃了。(^^)

[postingwhore]

家母會做豆漿，但她從未留下表面那層皮！我下回與她通話時得問她為甚麼。

呵呵，我比較思舊，對這樣的手工業挺感興趣的⋯⋯

[fluffcloud]

Hehehe...according to my mother, it's not hard to make. However, making soy milk is time consuming. I do keep soybeans in the house. I nearly bought a soy milk maker during the melamine scare when everyone was switching to soy milk, kind of regret not doing it while I had the money. If I had a soy milk maker to help with the soy milk part, I'll try to make tofu at home.

I don't think I want to live in ancient China, I'm too attached to modern plumbing and modern medicine.Won't mind just having a look and coming back though.

Have you seen this ad? It's pretty funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhhFNSaJQ5c

I want to be 50 years in the future! Maybe they have even better loos then! XD My mother told me people use to wipe their butts with hemp rope in the olden days. (gasp)

[postingwhore]

嗯，做豆漿的確費時間。 :p

XD 看過，太逗了～

傳統文化是我唯一認同的文化，所以我願意穿越，即使古代男尊女卑。:|||

[whitesin]

I have to say, China is a very, very difficult and inscrutable character for me, which is why I treat him... abstractly, I suppose. It's easier for me to write him from the perspective of other characters and often, they find him incredibly inscrutable and even a little off-putting.

So it's interesting to read him when he's young (and not so young), when he already feels old but so many more storms are coming in the near-distant future. His inability to understand human fear of death and the unknown and instability is a little heartbreaking, actually, because he seemed so distant from humans already.

[postingwhore]

In my headcanon, China is still very young at this stage, despite the intellectual flowering during the Spring and Autumn Period. He's lived with humans for a long time, but he still doesn't undertand a lot about them, because for so long everything has been relatively staid. To me, he grows so incredibly much after the fall of Qin, especially during the major dynasties, and he really learns to understand humans.

Thank you for your comment! I really appreciate it.

[postingwhore]

Thank you for your praise! I admit, it's a bit easier to write a fic like this when I read stuff about Imperial China (and particularly social aspects) for fun ^^;; I often find myself revising my view of China, though, when I learn a new thing about him - there is just so much there! I think it would be much harder to write him historically accurate in the present day. 3:

I really appreciate your taking the time to comment!

[kobalto]

My goodness! This reminds me of my fic, only I did the burying of the scholars but yours is so pretty and beautiful and full of history and I'll just sit here and read this over and over again thank you!

[postingwhore]

Awww, thank you so much for your praise! Now I'm intrigued about your fic - will you link me to it? :) I really appreciate your taking the time to leave a comment!

[kobalto]

You're welcome for the praise! You deserve it! 8D

http://kobalto.livejournal.com/23734.html#cutid1 and this is the fic >.>